[mythtv-users] New frontend will not play video

Mike Perkins mikep at randomtraveller.org.uk
Thu Mar 8 14:12:54 UTC 2007


Shanon Mulley wrote:
> Rightio - I'll go searching for mysql.txt files when I get a chance.
> I'm a bit puzzled though - the mysql database on the backend contains
> the data about recordings, while the actual recordings are on the hdd.
> 
> Now, the frontend is able to get information about the recordings - I
> can browse thte list of recorded shows. Its only when I go to play
> them that I have a problem. Now, if the remote frontend can get enough
> information to display the listing of recordings from the backend, why
> would it have problems when trying to play the file?
> 
> On 3/8/07, Mike Perkins <mikep at randomtraveller.org.uk> wrote:
>> Shanon Mulley wrote:
>>> Mike,
>>>
>>> Are you talking about the password for the mythtv user (as in, linux
>>> login username), or the password for the mythtv mysql username? I was
>>> of the thinking that the mysql username/password was just for the
>>> local mysql database, not for the remote one.
>>>
>>> I'll try getting them all in sync anyway.
>>>
>>> Shanon.
>>>
>>> On 3/7/07, Mike Perkins <mikep at randomtraveller.org.uk> wrote:
>>>> Shanon Mulley wrote:
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a backend/frontend which has been working fine for over a year
>>>>> (currently running latest mythtv on FC5).
>>>>>
>>>>> I have just tried installed ubuntu on an old machine here (PIII), and
>>>>> installed mythtv (Using the standard repositories), with the intention
>>>>> of using the PIII (ubuntu) machine has a remote frontend.
>>>>>
>>>>> The problem is, it wont work. I can get it to connect, to the extent
>>>>> that I can browse recorded shows (although it wont show me a
>>>>> screenshot of it), but when I try to watch a recorded show, the screen
>>>>> goes to black for a second, then I am brought back to the recorded
>>>>> show browser.
>>>>>
>>>>> A similar thing happens when I try to watch live TV.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I try to schedule recordings (by having a look at the program
>>>>> guide) nothing pops up - it crashes mythfrontend.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I go into the system status from the new frontend, it cannot give
>>>>> me the status of the tuners (from the backend). It is supposed to?
>>>>>
>>>>> It does, however, give me accurate statistics ofthe MythTV server
>>>>> (Uptime, Load, RAM, Swap, Disc usage on the server).
>>>>>
>>>>> The only thing I have set up on the frontend is the IP address of the
>>>>> backend, and I assume this much is correct (as it can see some
>>>>> details).
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I kind of done things in the
>>>>> wrong order while installing mythtv on the ubuntu frontend. I
>>>>> installed mythtv before installing mysql. It gave me an error, but
>>>>> still installed. I ended up trying to remove mythtv and re-installing
>>>>> (using sudo apt-get remove mythtv), but am not sure if it really did.
>>>>>
>>>>> Can anyone suggest whats going on?
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> mythtv-users mailing list
>>>>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>>>>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>>>>
>>>> Ubuntu picks random passwords for the mythtv user for installs of
>>>> mythtv. Check to make sure you have the same password on the BE and the
>>>> FE. Also check the frontend log (by running mythfrontend from the
>>>> command line), that the protocol versions used by BE/FE are the same.
>>>>
>>>> Mike Perkins
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> mythtv-users mailing list
>>>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>>>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> mythtv-users mailing list
>>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>>
>> Ah, you only have one mysql database, it talks to the master backend
>> mostly. But you need to set the same password in the mysql.txt files on
>> both BE and FE (All of them that you can find!) to correspond to what
>> you set it to in mysql when you created the database.
>>
>> The mythtv user logins on each machine can have different passwords,
>> although you are just making life difficult for yourself if you do.
>>
>> I never use the mythtv logins on my systems, I treat them as system
>> accounts. Doesn't seem to cause any difficulties getting things to work.
>> I just use my normal user, and make that and mythtv members of the
>> 'video' group.
>>
>> Mike Perkins
>> _______________________________________________
>> mythtv-users mailing list
>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> 
Easy. When you browse for recordings, you are just using mysql to access 
the database and return queries. But when you want to play something, 
you need the BE to access the hdd and stream the data to the FE in a 
timely fashion. Which means the FE-BE connection is a different protocol.

Check - in mythtv-setup on the backend, that both the two entries for IP 
address, current machine and master server, have the actual IP address 
of the master backend. It is possible to use hostnames, you have to have 
your /etc/hosts file set up properly on all machines on your network.

Start mythbackend from the command line, and check that the addresses 
shown are the ones you entered. This is why you have to hunt for 
mysql.txt everywhere. Sometimes I have found not all of them get updated 
when you run mythtv-setup.

Then go to your front-end and run mythtvfrontend from the command line. 
If the command line shows connection to the same IP address as your 
backend, you're good. Otherwise, check Setup->Setup->General has the 
same IP address as the backend machine. Duplicate mysql.txt checks again 
if not.

Other possibilities aside from the above may be access permissions on 
various files (such as mysql.txt).

Mike Perkins


Mike Perkins


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