Dangitall!
I had xawtv working pretty nice under mandrake 9.2, but this mandrake 10 beta2 is not as good at certain things.

Every time I start up xawtv to view my directv source (through an svideo connector), the xawtv defaults to PAL, EUROPE-WEST and the "TELEVISION" (coaxial input). I need it to default to NTSC, US-CABLE and SVIDEO. It works fine once you manually adjust EVERY TIME THE APP IS STARTED.

Now, I know how to RTFM, so I checked out man xawtv and xawtvrc. I then created a
$HOME/.xawtvrc file that looks like this:

# this is a comment
# empty lines are ignored too
[global]
freqtab = us-cable
audio = stereo
capture = overlay
osd = on
input = SVHS
norm = ntsc

[defaults]
input = SVHS
norm = ntsc

I have tried copying this file into a $HOME/.xawtvrc/ folder as just "xawtvrc"
I don't know if my pathing has anything to do with it.
I installed bttv and xawtv from urpmi, by the way.

Any help is appreciated. Its just a nuisance, but annoying none the less.
-Nick

Try 'xawtv -v 2' for full debugging information. It should tell you if it is reading your config files in the way that you expect.

Interesting...

[nick@localhost nick]$ xawtv -v 2
This is xawtv-3.91, running on Linux/i686 (2.6.2-0.rc3.1mdk)
Cannot open plugin directory /usr/lib/libquicktime
Did you forget "make install"? You need it because
libquicktime cannot load plugins out of the sourcetree
visual: id=0x21 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x22 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x23 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x24 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x25 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x26 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x27 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x28 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x29 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x2a class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x2b class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x2c class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x2d class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x2e class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x2f class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x30 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x31 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x32 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x33 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x34 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x35 class=4 (TrueColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x36 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x37 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x38 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x39 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x3a class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x3b class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x3c class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x3d class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x3e class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x3f class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x40 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x41 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x42 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x43 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x44 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x45 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x46 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x47 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
visual: id=0x48 class=5 (DirectColor), depth=24
x11: color depth: 24 bits, 3 bytes - pixmap: 4 bytes
x11: color masks: red=0x00ff0000 green=0x0000ff00 blue=0x000000ff
x11: server byte order: little endian
x11: client byte order: little endian
check if the X-Server is local ... * ok (unix socket)
main: dga extention...
DGA version 2.0
main: xinerama extention...
main: xvideo extention [video]...
Xvideo: 4 adaptors available.
Xvideo: video4linux: input video, ports 139-139
Xvideo: NV10 Video Overlay: input image, ports 140-140
Xvideo: NV05 Video Blitter: input image, ports 141-172
Xvideo: NVIDIA Video Interface Port: input video, ports 173-173
Xvideo: using port 139 for video
XV_ENCODING get set, -1000 -> 1000
XV_BRIGHTNESS get set, -1000 -> 1000
XV_CONTRAST get set, -1000 -> 1000
XV_SATURATION get set, -1000 -> 1000
XV_HUE get set, -1000 -> 1000
XV_MUTE get set, 0 -> 1
XV_FREQ get set, 0 -> 16000
XV_COLORKEY get set, 0 -> 16777215
XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY get set, 0 -> 1
XV_SET_DEFAULTS set, 0 -> 0
XV_ITURBT_709 get set, 0 -> 1
main: xvideo extention [image]...
image format list for port 140
0x32595559 (YUY2) packed [ok: 16 bit YUV 4:2:2 (packed, YUYV)]
0x32315659 (YV12) planar
0x59565955 (UYVY) packed [ok: 16 bit YUV 4:2:2 (packed, UYVY)]
0x30323449 (I420) planar [ok: 12 bit YUV 4:2:0 (planar)]
main: init main window...
main: install signal handlers...
main thread [pid=8360]
main: checking wm...
wm cap: _NET_SUPPORTED
(these wm cap entries continue forever...cut for obvious reasons)
wm cap: _KDE_NET_WM_FRAME_STRUT
wmhooks: netwm state fullscreen
main: creating windows ...
main: init frequency tables ...
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/Index.map
main: read config file ...
xt: checking for randr extention ...
xrandr: 1152x864 1024x768 832x624 1024x480 800x600 768x576 640x512 640x480 720x400 640x400 576x432 640x350 512x384 416x312 400x300 320x240 320x200 320x175
xt: checking for vidmode extention ...
xt: checking for lirc ...
xawtv: could not connect to socket
xawtv: No such file or directory
lirc: no infrared remote support available
xt: checking for joystick ...
xt: checking for midi ...
xt: adding kbd hooks ...
main: mapping main window ...
xt: pointer show
main: initialize hardware ...
xv: get XV_BRIGHTNESS: 0
xv: get XV_CONTRAST: 0
xv: get XV_SATURATION: 0
xv: get XV_HUE: 0
xv: set XV_MUTE: 0
xv: get XV_MUTE: 0
main: parse channels from config file ...
xt: handle_pending: start ...
PropertyNotify WM_NAME
PropertyNotify WM_ICON_NAME
PropertyNotify WM_COMMAND
PropertyNotify WM_CLIENT_MACHINE
PropertyNotify WM_NORMAL_HINTS
PropertyNotify WM_HINTS
PropertyNotify WM_CLASS
PropertyNotify _KDE_NET_WM_USER_CREATION_TIME
PropertyNotify WM_LOCALE_NAME
PropertyNotify WM_LOCALE_NAME
PropertyNotify WM_CLIENT_LEADER
video: shell: size 384x288+0+0
gd: init
blit: init
blit: gl: init
blit: gl: DRI=Yes
blit: gl: texture max size: 0
video: shell: ReparentNotify
PropertyNotify _NET_WM_DESKTOP
PropertyNotify _KDE_NET_WM_FRAME_STRUT
PropertyNotify _NET_AM_ALLOWED_ACTIONS
PropertyNotify WM_STATE
video: shell: size 384x288+764+514
video: shell: map
PropertyNotify WM_PROTOCOLS
PropertyNotify WM_NORMAL_HINTS
PropertyNotify _NET_WM_STATE
xt: handle_pending: ... done
cmd: "setfreqtab" "europe-west"
freq: newtab 5
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/europe-west.list
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/ccir-i-iii.list
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/ccir-sl-sh.list
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/ccir-h.list
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/uhf.list
cmd: "capture" "overlay"
Xvideo: video: win=0x280004b, src=384x288+0+0 dst=384x288+0+0
main: setting defaults
xv: set XV_SATURATION: 0
xv: set XV_BRIGHTNESS: 0
xv: set XV_HUE: 0
xv: set XV_CONTRAST: 0
xt: enter main event loop...
PropertyNotify _XAWTV_STATION
PropertyNotify WM_NAME
video: shell: size 384x288+764+514
Xvideo: video: win=0x280004b, src=768x576+0+0 dst=384x288+0+0
PropertyNotify _NET_WM_ICON_GEOMETRY
PropertyNotify _NET_WM_ICON_GEOMETRY
xt: pointer hide
xt: pointer show
xt: pointer hide
PropertyNotify _NET_WM_ICON_GEOMETRY
keypad: timeout
PropertyNotify WM_NAME

I guess of primary interest are these lines:
main: init frequency tables ...
freq: reading /usr/share/xawtv/Index.map
main: read config file ...
(doesn't say where it is looking for the config file)

and later:
cmd: "setfreqtab" "europe-west"

I just don't know why it isn't finding my config file.
Any ideas?
(thanks for responding, maroonbaboon, btw)

Hmm - the man page says the file is called $HOME/.xawtv, not $HOME/.xawtvrc. Could this be the problem?

Good point...I must've misread that.
I fixed that but still no luck.
I wonder if my formatting is off int the .xawtv file wiht the config options.

I'm mystfied. I don't have a TV card in this PC, although xawtv has worked OK in the past. I seem to recall you can use xawtv to generate its own config file, which would certainly be more reliable than writing your own.

Here is a copy of mine if it is any help. I am not using S-Video but other then that the settings should be similar.

I believe your configuration "overlay" should be "over" and S-Video rather then SVHS

Below is my working xawtv configuration.

[global]
ratio = 4:3
freqtab = us-cable
pixsize = 128 x 96
pixcols = 1
jpeg-quality = 75
keypad-ntsc = yes
keypad-partial = yes
osd = yes
osd-position = 30 , 20
use-wm-fullscreen = no

# [Station name]
# capture = overlay | grabdisplay | on | off
# input = Television | Composite1 | S-Video | ...
# norm = PAL | NTSC | SECAM | ...
# channel = #
# fine = # (-128..+127)
# key = keysym | modifier+keysym
# color = #
# bright = #
# hue = #
# contrast = #

[defaults]
group = main
norm = ntsc
input = television
capture = over
color = 49%
contrast = 42%

[2]
channel = 2
norm = ntsc
input = television
capture = over
color = 49%
contrast = 42%