Is it possible to create missing device node in /dev

[Nigel Henry]

Is it possible to create a missing device node in /dev?

This is all to do with bttv, and the Hauppauge Win TV Express card that I'm 
having great fun with. (That's sarcasm). It works ok on FC3, and Kubuntu, but 
since setting the option (I think) for automute=0, which has got sound 
working on all channels, even the weak ones, when booting up FC2, bttv no 
longer autoloads at bootup, and I have discovered the "video4linux" device 
node is missing in /dev.

I can load bttv manually with modprobe, and TV works ok in FC2. I also booted 
up the 3rd instance of FC2 today, which hasn't been booted up since the 
Hauppauge card was installed. Kudzu identified the card, and configured 
it. /etc/modprobe.conf has an entry for "alias char-major-81 bttv" , but 
again no device node for "video4linux" in /dev.

QUESTION:
Is there something I can run in FC2 that might create this missing node?

FC2 doesn't seem to use udev, so that excludes the possible fix I saw for 
replacing missing nodes by restarting udev.

One step forward and two back with this card, at least using it on multiple 
distros.

Any help really welcome.

Nigel.