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@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@ +On Screen Menu for the Video Disk Recorder +------------------------------------------ + +These files contain the source code of an on screen +menu for a video disk recorder based on the DVB driver +of the LinuxTV project (http://linuxtv.org). +For details about the "Video Disk Recorder" project please +refer to http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr. + +The author can be contacted at kls@cadsoft.de. + +Yet another "set-top-box"? +-------------------------- + +The "set-top-boxes" available from commercial companies all have +one major drawback: they are not "open". This project's goal is +to build an "open" digital satellite receiver and timer controlled +video disk recorder, based upon open standards and freely available +driver software (of course, the hardware still has to be bought). + +The on screen menu system is simple, but shall provide all the +possibilites necessary to perform timer controlled recording, +file management and, maybe, even "on disk editing". The menus +of commercial set-top-boxes usually are a lot more fancy than +the ones in this system, but here we have the full source code +and can modify the menus in whatever way desired. + +Compiling and running the program: +---------------------------------- + +Make sure the files from this package are located in a +directory that is "parallel" to the DVB directory of the +driver source for the Siemens DVB-S PCI card (refer to +http://linuxtv.org/dvb/siemens_dvb.html for more information +about that driver). For example, if the DVB driver was +extracted into the directory /home/kls/vdr/DVB, then this +package should be extracted into /home/kls/vdr/OSM. + +After extracting the package, change into the OSM directory +and type 'make'. This should produce an executable file +named 'osm', which can be run after the DVB driver has been +installed. + +There are two macros you can use to customize the 'osm' program +at compile time. Adding "DEBUG_REMOTE=1" to the 'make' call +will use the PC's keyboard as input device instead of the "Remote +Control Unit" (see http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr/remote.htm). +Adding "DEBUG_OSD=1" will use the PC screen (or current window) +to display texts instead of the DVB card's on-screen display +interface. These modes are useful when testing new menus if you +only have a remote connection to the VDR (which, in my case, is +located in the living room and has neither a monitor nor a keyboard). + +Configuration files: +-------------------- + +There are three configuration files that hold information about +channels, remote control keys and timers. These files are currrently +assumed to be located in the directory from which the 'osm' program +was started (this will become configurable later). The configuration +files can be edited with any text editor, or will be written by the +'osm' program if any changes are made inside the on-screen menus. +The meaning of the data entries may still vary in future releases, +so for the moment please look at the source code (config.c) to see +the meaning of the various fields. + +There is no way of adding or deleting channels or timers yet, this +will be implemented later. + +Learning the remote control keys: +--------------------------------- + +The remote control configuration file 'keys.conf' that comes with +this package contains the codes for the "d-box" remote control unit. +If you want to use a different remote control unit, simply delete +the file 'keys.conf' and restart the 'osm' program. The program will +then start a key learning session in which it first attempts to determine +the basic data tranfer mode and timing of your remote control unit, +and then will ask you to press one key after the other so that it can +learn the various key codes. You will at least need to provide an "Up" +and a "Down" key, so that you can switch channels. The rest os the key +definitions is optional, but the more keys you define, the more you +will be able to navigate through the menus. + +If the program has been built with "DEBUG_REMOTE=1", it will use the +key configuration file 'keys-pc.conf', so that you won't loose data +when switching between normal and debug mode. + +Navigating through the On Screen Menus: +--------------------------------------- + +The "Main" menu can be called up with the "Menu" key of your remote +control unit. The "Up" and "Down" keys are used to select a specific +item. The "Left" and "Right" keys can be used to change options, and +the numeric keys allow direct input of numeric data. The "Ok" key +confirms any changes (or switches to a channel in the "Channels" menu). +The "Back" key goes back one level in the menu structure, discarding +any changes that might have been made in the current menu. + +In the "Channels" menu, the current channel can be edited by pressing +the "Right" key. + +In the "Timers" menu, the current timer can be enabled or disabled with +the "Right" or "Left" key, respectively (enabled timers are marked with ">"). +"Ok" here opens the "Edit timer" menu. + +Textual options, like channel names or recording file names, can be edited +by pressing the "Right" button (which puts brackets around the current +character as in "[R]TL"), selecting the desired character position with +"Left" and "Right", and changing the character with the "Up" and "Down" +keys. "Ok" then confirms the changes. + +At any point in the menu system, pressing the "Menu" key again will +immediately leave the menu system. + +What do you think? +------------------ + +So, what do you think about this project? Does it make sense? Were you +able to use it? Do you have suggestions on how to improve it? +Please send email to kls@cadsoft.de if you'd like to comment on this. + |