[mythtv-users] Getting Started with MythTV

Mon Jul 7 10:21:23 EDT 2003

Hi,  Vern.  Thanks for your input on my question(s).  They made me think 
about this project and the problems that I might and will run into.

In one of the replies I recieved, Jarod Wilson gave me this link to a 
step-by-step guide he has wirtten:

Step-by-step guide to building a MythTV box under Red Hat Linux 9 with a 
Hauppauge WinTV PVR-250

http://pvrhw.goldfish.org/tiki-page.php?pageName=rh9pvr250

After skimming through it, it looks helpful.  As soon as I get the time, I 
plan on reading though it and using it.  According to Jarod a newer verison 
of the article will be posted soon.

I hope this helps you.  Good Luck

Robert

>From: "Vernon Graner" <vern at txis.com>
>Reply-To: vern at txis.com, Discussion about mythtv <mythtv-users at snowman.net>
>To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at snowman.net>
>Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Getting Started with MythTV
>Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2003 22:27:44 -0500 (CDT)
>
>Hi Robert:
>
>After reading some of the "hey, you should have no problem" responses, I
>wanted to give my $0.02 worth on this topic, since I've been trying now
>for about 6 weeks and still have no MythTV working.... :(
>
>Just to compare apples and apples, I started with Linux using Slackware
>in 1996. I've been a casual user since then and have to admit I've spent
>the majority of my time with Windoze (work requreiments) though I use
>PCs/Networks daily in my work.
>
>I started out having a really tough time just getting a hard copy of the
>docs (ever tried to print ANSI codes from windoze?) and things have gone
>downhill from there. I tried installations with three different sets of
>hardware and three different distros (Debian, RedHat and Mandrake). In
>every case, I hit a show-stopping (no pun intended) problem that left me
>dead in the water.
>
>I spent the ENTIRE DAY today working with Debian (Woody) trying to get my
>PVR-250 to work. I even imposed on a friend of mine who makes his living
>using Linux to come over to see if he could get me "over the hump" so I
>could at least see the MythTV interface come up. After 17 kernel compiles
>(no I am *not* exaggerating!), he gave up on Debian and we did a RedHat 9
>install from scratch, four kernel compiles later, and no mythtv. :(
>
>He just left and right now I'm installing Windows XP pro on the machine
>with the intention of testing to see if maybe the PVR-250 somehow got
>damaged (I'm gunna use it's native software to test it out).
>
>Frankly, I've been a bit afraid to post to this list with my problems
>since I prefer not to be made into a smoldering pile of ridiculed newbie
>ashes (I have enough stress in my life). The usual answers are "search
>the archives" so thats what I've been doing.... usually to find partial
>answers or tantalizing hints to answers or answers that are relevant to
>some older version of a component. :::sigh:::
>
>Anyway, I've got about 70 hours invested into the project now with no
>tangible results ('cept I sure have gotten better at compiling kernels
>and installing OS's!). I certainly can't blame anyone for my time
>investment but myself. Honestly, I've gotten somewhat pissed about this
>and have determined that even if I end up formating the drive afterwards,
>I *will* see MythTV run one way or another dammit! :)
>
>There may be those who have had right-out-of-the-box working systems and
>were up and running with only a tweak or two but as for me, I can only
>say you might want to think about how much time you invest before you
>just say "forget it!" and go buy a TiVO (or a ReplayTV). :)
>
>Vern
>
>PS: For those of you who are interested, today's foray was using this doc:
>
>http://www.geocities.com/dlou99/mythtv.html
>
>and when I got stuck on the ivtv part, I used this:
>
>http://patrick.wagstrom.net/weblog/archives/000132.html
>
>I'll be posting the details and begging for kind assistance in another
>post shortly after I test the PVR-250 under Windoze to make sure it
>works...
>
>--
>Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE     | "If the network is down, then you're
>Senior Systems Engineer     | obviously incompetent so why are we
>Texas Information Services  | paying you? Of course, if the network
>vern at txis.com www.txis.com  | is up, then we obviously don't need
>Cell 507-7851 Desk 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" VLG
>
>
>Robert Empfield said:
> > Hi everyone.  Just subscribed to this mailing list today and wanted to
> > say
> > hi to everyone.
> >
> > A couple of days ago, I discovered MythTV and everything that it can do.
> > I
> > am highly interested in using MythTV but have a view questions before I
> > get
> > too involved.  I know there are a lot of questions listed and I am sorry
> > for
> > this.  Being new to this all, I wanted to get my questions out there so 
>I
> > can decide whether this is for me or not.
> >
> > 1.) I am a Linux newbie.  I am currently learning how to use Red Hat
> > Linux
> > 9.  Is MythTV to complex to install and configure for someone who is new
> > to
> > Linux or could I manage with my limited knowledge?
> >
> > 2.) I have an extra computer here that I would like to use for MythTV.
> > Here
> > are its specs:
> >
> > Pentium III 800 MHz Processor
> > 384 MB DIMM Memory
> > 4.2 GB Hard Drive (OS is located on this drive)
> > 30 GB Hard Drive (Used as storage)
> > Sound Blaster Live! PCI Sound Card
> > 64MB TNT AGP Video Card
> > 10/100 Ethernet Card
> > 56K Modem
> > Red Hat Linux 9
> >
> > Would this hardware be able to handle to use MythTV?  I would like to
> > connect this computer to my entertainment center and use it just like a
> > TIVO.
> >
> > 3.) In the hardware list above, there was no TV capture card listed.  I
> > know
> > that a video capture card is needed to run MythTV.  I am currently
> > looking
> > at the Hauppauge Win PVR 350.  I know that this card has a hardware
> > encoder.
> >   If this system were unable to handle MythTV because of the processor
> > speed, would this card help?  Is this card capable of working with
> > Linux/MythTV.
> >
> > 4.) Is there a distribution of Linux that is recommended for using with
> > MythTV?  Right now I have Red Hat Linux 9 installed on this computer.
> > Since
> > I mainly want to use this computer like a TIVO, do I really need this
> > Linux
> > version installed with a GUI?  Being that I am a Linux newbie, could I
> > get
> > away with a text-based version of Linux?
> >
> > 5.) I know that for some Linux distributions that someone must log in
> > because Linux was designed to be a multi-user OS.  Is there a way to
> > automatically log on, when the computer is booted, and also load MythTV?
> >
> > 6.) Can MythTV be used with a remote control like the one from 
>Streamzap?
> >
> > Thanks for any help that is given and, again, sorry for the length.
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online
> > http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > mythtv-users mailing list
> > mythtv-users at snowman.net
> > http://lists.snowman.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >
>
>_______________________________________________
>mythtv-users mailing list
>mythtv-users at snowman.net
>http://lists.snowman.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

_________________________________________________________________
Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail