[mythtv-users] How can I customize the frontend menu?

[Heiko Gerstung]

Joe Votour wrote:
>> There are a few questions and problems and I would kindly ask you to let
>> me know your opinion/feedback/hints.
>>
>> a) Frontend Menu Customization
>> Well, I do not have a TV card, I am viewing and recording TV shows with
>> my networked satellite receiver and the recordings are stored as mpeg2
>> files on my backend server. So, I just don't need the "Watch TV" and
>> "Manage Recordings" items in the menu and would like to know if there is
>> a way to simply hide them.
>>
>>     
>
> Searching the archives brings this up:
> http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/27712?search_string=customize%20xml%20menu;#27712
>   
Thanks for the hints, I was able to add a new theme with the menu
structure I need. Great!

>> b) Slow network connection
>> Although my LAN-over-powerline connection from my MythTV frontend to my
>> server (running the backend and providing data storage for recordings
>> and other media) indicates that it runs at ~56 MBit/s, the playback
>> quality of mpeg2 files is poor and it stocks and hangs all the time.
>> Carrying the MythTV HTPC back in my office and connect it via a standard
>> 100Mbit switch to my LAN resolves this and playback is smooth. It seems
>> strange to me that the recording (mpeg2 stream) is running fine over
>> that "slow" 56Mbit/s connection. Any hints on how to enhance the
>> playback quality for a slow network connection? One thing I could think
>> of is caching a video on the MythTV HTPC harddisk before playback
>> starts, but I have no idea how to solve this.
>>
>>     
> That 56Mbps you see if a physical link speed, in other words, that's the
> maximum number of bits per second that you could send over the interface. 
> Now, add in physical protocol overhead and potential line noise (if the
> wiring in your place is really old/in poor condition), and the real speed
> might be a lot less.  A real CAT-5 100Mbps tends to a lot cleaner in
> nature (both in terms of line noise, and likely protocol overhead),
> therefore you can push more data across the line.  (As an example, a
> 54Mbps wireless network connection typically only can send 25Mbps of real
> data.)
>
> So, to fix it, run CAT-5.
>   
I found out that there were 2 switches in between the server and the
powerlan adapter, so I bought a long cat5  cable and got rid of the
switches and it works fine now. Besides that I found that mplayer has a
parameter called -cache which seemed to help, too.

>> c) Control via Joystick/Gamepad
>> I always have my two Gamepads connected to my HTPC and I wonder if there
>> is a way to use them to control the MythTV menus (and maybe even mplayer).
>>
>>     
>
> I've never played with this, so I couldn't say for sure, but searching the
> archives indicates that there might be support.  Again, I'm not 100% sure
> on this, and I definitely don't know about mplayer.
>   

I was not able to get mythgames up and running, so maybe I just forget
about the joypad controls and use a IR remote (like my Logitech
Harmony). Setting up LIRC will be another quest so it might happen that
I come back for more ;-)


All in all a very pleasant experience so far. Thanks for all your
support. MythTV rocks!

Best regards,
Heiko