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Hi everyone,
I could need some help !
I have connected a Raspberry Pi (RPI) with Kodi Mediacenter to a Beovision Avant 32 RF VCR.
Video and sound is send to scart socket AV which is configured as DVD.
In addition I have connected PIN 8 from the scart socket to GPIO 18 on the RPI. This allows me to learn the datalink codes and control the mediacenter via the Beo4.
It has worked like a charm for more than a year now.
Only problem is that the TV does not automatically select 16/9 picture format. I have to force that selection via Format = 3 via Beo4.
From what I have read I need to "feed" PIN 8 in the scart socket with 4,5 to 8 volts - - - but that will also feed the RPI with that constant voltage which will kill the Pi. As far as I can read it will only take pulses up to 3,3 (other say 5) volts.
I don't know much about 'resistors' and other electronic component but a can solder a wire.
Input will be appreciated.
Ravsted
Case closed ....
I managed to solve the issue via the service menu. Adjusted Format=1 to fit the screen !
Fantastic
Thank you for the information!Could you explain how you realised Beo 4 control of the Raspberry? I love such projects!
Hi,
sure.
First install OSMC to your SD card. OSMC includes LIRC preinstalled and it is configured for Infrared signals on GPIO 18.
Now, solder a wire to PIN 8 (data) and PIN 21 (shield) in Scart
PIN 21 from scart goes to PIN 6 (ground) on the Rasberry Pi (model B)
PIN 8 from scart goes to PIN 12 (GPIO 18) on the RPi
Download and install Putty on your PC and connect to the RPi via SSH.
Default username and password is 'osmc' and 'osmc'
Step 1:
We need to make sure that we have an output from the receiver being received by the Pi. To do this, run the following commands:
Code:
sudo modprobe lirc_rpi
Then
sudo kill $(pidof lircd)
And finally
mode2 -d /dev/lirc0
Now, when you press buttons on your remote, assuming your receiver is connected correctly, you should see something resembling this appear on the screen with each press:
pulse 168
space 4816
pulse 169
space 4784
pulse 1333
space 3638
Press ctrl+c to stop
Step 2:
We're now going to use the command 'irrecord' to capture the keypresses from your remote and assign them each a name which is then used by KODI to create an action.
It is useful to get a list of available commands which KODI can use, which you can then enter when the irrecord programme asks for them.
Run
irrecord --list-namespace | grep KEY
And copy and paste that list to somewhere handy.
I only use these:
KEY_UP
KEY_DOWN
KEY_LEFT
KEY_RIGHT
KEY_OK
KEY_STOP
KEY_ESC
KEY_SUBTITLE
KEY_EPG
A have assigned them to these buttons on the Beo4
Arrow Up, Down, Right, Left and Go
KEY_STOP til "STOP", KEY_ESC to "RED", KEY_SUBTITLE to "GREEN" and KEY_EPG to "BLUE"
Then, run the irrecord command:
irrecord --force -d /dev/lirc0 ~/lircd.conf
Instead of /lircd.conf you can also write e.g. beo4_vtape.conf
If you want to replace a file, you have to delete it first. E.g.
rm ~/beo4_vtape.conf
Irrecord will output to /home/pi/lircd.conf, a file containing the results of your recording. Follow the instructions given by irrecord exactly, selecting the required buttons from the list you copied and pasted a moment ago.
Once you have recorded all required buttons, press enter to exit irrecord.
Step 3:
Restart the RPi
sudo reboot
In OSMC go to Programs / My OSCM
Select the Remote Control Icon
Chose Browse
Go to home folder
Select e.g. Beo4_V.TAPE.conf
DONE !
by the way.
On both Beovision Avant 32 and Beovision 5 I use the Scart Socket V.TAPE and it is configured as V.TAPE in the connection menu.
Hi.
Could you post your config.txt and here? I was trying multiple times to get a decent resolution with a raspberry pi and a B&O Avant 28, but the picture was always distorted. Also, is there some special settings I would need to set in the Kodi settings?I would really love to use that old TV with kodi.THX in advance.Minimec
I use the latest version of OSMC
Under System / Pi Config / Display you can set the following parameters directly in the GUI:
Set SDTV_MODE to PAL
Set SDTV_ASPECT to 16/9
I use the skin Confluence and I have selected Large Fonts in favor of standard Fonts.
I then select Format=3 on the Beo4.
Then I calibrate the screen size in Kodi under system settings.
You can SSH into the Pi and make the font(s) even larger... I must admit I don't remember which file I had to change. But I believe it was some kind of xml or cfg file in the confluence skin directory.
I then took the next step to change the settings for format 1 in the service menu of the Avant to avoid having to switch to Format=3 every time the V.TAPE or DVD source is selected. But that step is of course only optional.
I took at photo of the settings before making any changes... I can definitely recommend doing so ! There is not "undo" button when you start changing the parameters.
That should give you a pretty acceptable result.
Hi RavstedThanks for your fast reply.I can tell you that I was pretty successful with your settings. As the TV providers in my country stopped to distribute analogue TV signals, my BeoVision Avant 28 was collecting dust... Here's what I did...1. I switched to OSMC, which is basically Debian (Jessie) with Kodi set as 'autostart' in the init.rc scripts (as far as I can see).2. I get a rather decent image quality applying your settings, although font rendering is sub par (I can live with that).3. I use a Nokia N9 as remote control with a software called 'xbmcremote'. 4. I mount my UPnP devices locally on the 'Pi' with the 'djmount' software. Like that, I can choose my movies and music from a nice GUI on the phone.5. I can watch TV with a TV add-on (I get even more TV stations than before with analogue TV).Thanks a lot! You made my day... ;)P.S. I was not able to autoswitch to 'Format 3' in the service menu. I use the normal 'composite in' on the TV as input. So when I press the 'TV' button on the Beo4, the TV switches to CAMCORD by default. In the service menu I see 'Monitor', 'TV-tuner' and 'V.Tape' as options. Could you be more specific on that subject?Again... THX a lot (I may repeat myself...)!Minimec
glad to hear it works for you.
The TV will only select 'Format 3' if it 'senses' that 'format' on PIN 8 in the scart cable. Since you (and I) use composite and I use PIN 8 for datalink (in order to control the Raspberry Pi via Beo4 rather than at App on a phone) the TV will show the picture in 'Format 1' which is 14/9 or 15/9 as far as I remember.
In the Service Menu you cannot autoswitch to 'Format 3' but you can reconfigure 'Format 1' to show as 16/9.
I did the following:
Selected source DVD
I now see the main menu in Kodi. Goto e.g. System Settings. That will give you more horizontal and vertical lines on the screen which will help you during the adjustments described below.
The format should now be 'Format 1' - you can check by pressing 'Format 1' on your Beo4 - the picture should remain with the same aspect ratio.
Now press Menu on the Beo4
Select Setup
Press 0 0 GO
You are now in the service menu.
In Monitor you will find Geometry adjustments
IMPORTANT: TAKE A PHOTO of the screen before you do any changes ! It will allow you to start all-over with the adjustment.
You are now able to adjust the width of the picture. I only changed those starting with "H-" and "V-" and only a few of them. I don't recommend to change any other setting. I am not near the Avant right now... so I can't tell you exactly which values I changed. But I do remember that you only have to change 3 or 4 of those starting with "H-" or "V-" to do the trick.
Final adjustment is done in the screen calibration in KODI. Actually I did the calibration while playing a movie I knew was in exactly 16/9 (pause the video and goto the video settings menu)
Now, when switching to source DVD the KODI system is filling the screen perfectly in the default 'Format 1'