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+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+The ivtv driver
+===============
+
+Author: Hans Verkuil <hverkuil@xs4all.nl>
+
+This is a v4l2 device driver for the Conexant cx23415/6 MPEG encoder/decoder.
+The cx23415 can do both encoding and decoding, the cx23416 can only do MPEG
+encoding. Currently the only card featuring full decoding support is the
+Hauppauge PVR-350.
+
+.. note::
+
+ #) This driver requires the latest encoder firmware (version 2.06.039, size
+ 376836 bytes). Get the firmware from here:
+
+ https://linuxtv.org/downloads/firmware/#conexant
+
+ #) 'normal' TV applications do not work with this driver, you need
+ an application that can handle MPEG input such as mplayer, xine, MythTV,
+ etc.
+
+The primary goal of the IVTV project is to provide a "clean room" Linux
+Open Source driver implementation for video capture cards based on the
+iCompression iTVC15 or Conexant CX23415/CX23416 MPEG Codec.
+
+Features
+--------
+
+ * Hardware mpeg2 capture of broadcast video (and sound) via the tuner or
+ S-Video/Composite and audio line-in.
+ * Hardware mpeg2 capture of FM radio where hardware support exists
+ * Supports NTSC, PAL, SECAM with stereo sound
+ * Supports SAP and bilingual transmissions.
+ * Supports raw VBI (closed captions and teletext).
+ * Supports sliced VBI (closed captions and teletext) and is able to insert
+ this into the captured MPEG stream.
+ * Supports raw YUV and PCM input.
+
+Additional features for the PVR-350 (CX23415 based)
+---------------------------------------------------
+
+ * Provides hardware mpeg2 playback
+ * Provides comprehensive OSD (On Screen Display: ie. graphics overlaying the
+ video signal)
+ * Provides a framebuffer (allowing X applications to appear on the video
+ device)
+ * Supports raw YUV output.
+
+IMPORTANT: In case of problems first read this page:
+ https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Install_IVTV_Troubleshooting
+
+See also
+--------
+
+https://linuxtv.org
+
+IRC
+---
+
+irc://irc.freenode.net/#v4l
+
+----------------------------------------------------------
+
+Devices
+-------
+
+A maximum of 12 ivtv boards are allowed at the moment.
+
+Cards that don't have a video output capability (i.e. non PVR350 cards)
+lack the vbi8, vbi16, video16 and video48 devices. They also do not
+support the framebuffer device /dev/fbx for OSD.
+
+The radio0 device may or may not be present, depending on whether the
+card has a radio tuner or not.
+
+Here is a list of the base v4l devices:
+
+.. code-block:: none
+
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 0 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/video0
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 16 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/video16
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 24 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/video24
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 32 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/video32
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 48 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/video48
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 64 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/radio0
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 224 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/vbi0
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 228 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/vbi8
+ crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 232 Jun 19 22:22 /dev/vbi16
+
+Base devices
+------------
+
+For every extra card you have the numbers increased by one. For example,
+/dev/video0 is listed as the 'base' encoding capture device so we have:
+
+- /dev/video0 is the encoding capture device for the first card (card 0)
+- /dev/video1 is the encoding capture device for the second card (card 1)
+- /dev/video2 is the encoding capture device for the third card (card 2)
+
+Note that if the first card doesn't have a feature (eg no decoder, so no
+video16, the second card will still use video17. The simple rule is 'add
+the card number to the base device number'. If you have other capture
+cards (e.g. WinTV PCI) that are detected first, then you have to tell
+the ivtv module about it so that it will start counting at 1 (or 2, or
+whatever). Otherwise the device numbers can get confusing. The ivtv
+'ivtv_first_minor' module option can be used for that.
+
+
+- /dev/video0
+
+ The encoding capture device(s).
+
+ Read-only.
+
+ Reading from this device gets you the MPEG1/2 program stream.
+ Example:
+
+ .. code-block:: none
+
+ cat /dev/video0 > my.mpg (you need to hit ctrl-c to exit)
+
+
+- /dev/video16
+
+ The decoder output device(s)
+
+ Write-only. Only present if the MPEG decoder (i.e. CX23415) exists.
+
+ An mpeg2 stream sent to this device will appear on the selected video
+ display, audio will appear on the line-out/audio out. It is only
+ available for cards that support video out. Example:
+
+ .. code-block:: none
+
+ cat my.mpg >/dev/video16
+
+
+- /dev/video24
+
+ The raw audio capture device(s).
+
+ Read-only
+
+ The raw audio PCM stereo stream from the currently selected
+ tuner or audio line-in. Reading from this device results in a raw
+ (signed 16 bit Little Endian, 48000 Hz, stereo pcm) capture.
+ This device only captures audio. This should be replaced by an ALSA
+ device in the future.
+ Note that there is no corresponding raw audio output device, this is
+ not supported in the decoder firmware.
+
+
+- /dev/video32
+
+ The raw video capture device(s)
+
+ Read-only
+
+ The raw YUV video output from the current video input. The YUV format
+ is non-standard (V4L2_PIX_FMT_HM12).
+
+ Note that the YUV and PCM streams are not synchronized, so they are of
+ limited use.
+
+
+- /dev/video48
+
+ The raw video display device(s)
+
+ Write-only. Only present if the MPEG decoder (i.e. CX23415) exists.
+
+ Writes a YUV stream to the decoder of the card.
+
+
+- /dev/radio0
+
+ The radio tuner device(s)
+
+ Cannot be read or written.
+
+ Used to enable the radio tuner and tune to a frequency. You cannot
+ read or write audio streams with this device. Once you use this
+ device to tune the radio, use /dev/video24 to read the raw pcm stream
+ or /dev/video0 to get an mpeg2 stream with black video.
+
+
+- /dev/vbi0
+
+ The 'vertical blank interval' (Teletext, CC, WSS etc) capture device(s)
+
+ Read-only
+
+ Captures the raw (or sliced) video data sent during the Vertical Blank
+ Interval. This data is used to encode teletext, closed captions, VPS,
+ widescreen signalling, electronic program guide information, and other
+ services.
+
+
+- /dev/vbi8
+
+ Processed vbi feedback device(s)
+
+ Read-only. Only present if the MPEG decoder (i.e. CX23415) exists.
+
+ The sliced VBI data embedded in an MPEG stream is reproduced on this
+ device. So while playing back a recording on /dev/video16, you can
+ read the embedded VBI data from /dev/vbi8.
+
+
+- /dev/vbi16
+
+ The vbi 'display' device(s)
+
+ Write-only. Only present if the MPEG decoder (i.e. CX23415) exists.
+
+ Can be used to send sliced VBI data to the video-out connector.