[mythtv-users] Proof of Concept a success!

David Frascone dave at frascone.com
Mon Apr 16 13:10:46 UTC 2007


So, this weekend I installed Ubuntu 6.10 on a spare box (P4-2.4Ghz, 1mb 
Ram, 100Gb disk), and installed mythtv.  I found an old Geforce 4 card, 
patched the kernel to make it work (card has wrong pci-id -- long 
story), installed the nvidia drivers, and got things working.

I tried Firewire to my STB (Dual Tuner Motorola Thingie), and it worked 
-- *all* channels.  Even premium highdef.

I eventually even managed to configure the music archive to see my 
tunes, and mythvideo to see my movies -- all good.

Highdef was taxing on the system -- there was some stuttering.  Also, 
the firewire seemed flaky at times.  Sometimes I would have to press 
watch TV a couple of times to get things to work.  But -- overall -- 
twas awesome!

Given what I've now learned, I've modified my next approach.  My 
first-cut system will have a backend.  I have two spare computers with 
around 100Gb each.  (I think one has 80Gb).  So, I'm going to combine 
both drives into one system and make it a dedicated back-end.  This 
leaves some backend questions:

1) mythtv-setup seems like a FE program -- is there a lighter weight 
version for dedicated backends?
2) Firewire is a bit flaky when it comes to getting a channel tuned.
   a) I bought a new 10' cable -- too long?  It was rated to 400mbit
   b) Configuration:  What speed should I choose?
   c) I'm choosing a DCT Set Top Box in the configuration -- but my 
number is different.  Does it matter?
3) Soon I'll be receiving my dual tuner card, and a STB dedicated to my 
myth setup.  Is there a way to have myth default to a tuner for most 
recordings, and only use the STB for digital channels?
4) This will be an initial setup, moving to a nicer rack mounted backend 
in the future -- is there an easy way to move recordings / setup when I 
do that?  Would it make it easier if I put the database on another 
machine (my normal file-server -- always up)?

And a couple of diskless frontend questions:

1) Geforce4 card
   a) I'm using the VGA input to my TV -- is that my best choice? 
   b) My TV has a resolution of 1366x768, but currently I'm set at 
1024x768 -- should I just find a compatible modeline?
2) NFS -vs- initramfs -vs- whatever . . . PXE Boot?  I'd rather save my 
DVD to just play movies, and boot off of the network -- any HOWTO's?

And, finally -- does anyone sell any pre-built diskless mythtv 
frontends?  Might be cheaper / better than building my own.

-Dave


-- 

David Frascone

                     Religion without heart is enslavement.



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