[mythtv-users] How to setup wakeup from frontend?

Craig Huff huffcslists at gmail.com
Mon Aug 30 10:27:13 UTC 2010


Jerry,

I have a MBE/FE + 2 remote FEs set up the way you discuss.  The BE
does not (AFAIK) need to have an FE configured on it to use
MythWelcome/Shutdown.  You _will_ need (even works through ssh tunnel
x-forwarded) keyboard, mouse, and video to configure
MythWelcome/Shutdown (unless you're better than me -- not hard -- and
can do it with mysql commands).

Here's what I do:

  A) BE runs MythWelcome on startup -- if using MythBuntu this is
simple: See notes in /etc/mythtv/session-settings.
  B) BE runs with the appropriate options turned on in
/proc/acpi/wakeup to allow ethernet wakeup to wake the system up.  I
had to experiment with the options displayed by "cat
/proc/acpi/wakeup" to find the right one -- seems to be different on
each MOBO.  You might also need additional one(s) to enable waking via
the RTC alarm so the BE will wake up to record shows.  I use a startup
script in /etc/init.d/XXXXX && /etc/rc*.d/SnnXXXXX to make sure this
is set each startup and shutdown (probably a belt and suspenders
approach, but it works).
  C) BE runs ethtool -s eth0 wol g to enable Wake-On-LAN (again using
startup script)
  D) Configure MythWelcome from it's pop-up dialogs invoked with 1)
"i-key" and 2) "F11" key
  E) Configure Shutdown from mythtv-settings

Then configure (repeat for each separate remote FE):
  A) FE to run MythWelcome
  B) FE turns on options in /proc/acpi/wakeup
  C) FE runs ethtool -s eth0 wol g to enable Wake-On-LAN (handy for
remote maintenance from the BE or any other ssh-enabled system).
  D) Configure MythWelcome (settings are defined per system so they
can be different from one BE, BE/FE, FE to another)

Don't need to repeat Shutdown config.  One size fits all, so consider
the settings in that light.  I set shutdown delay long enough so a
remote FE can use WOL to wake up the BE and have a chance to connect
to mythbackend before it (the BE) decides it has waited long enough
and shuts back down.  You also have to tell the FE (again via
mythtv-setup) to wake up the mysql server (same as the BE for me)
often enough and long enough so it is still trying when the BE gets up
to speed and 1) is listening on the ethernet, and 2) has
mythbackend/mysql running for the FE to connect to.

Also, think about how long it takes your BE to wake up and be ready to
record and dial the wake up lead time in mythtv-settings with some
safety margin.

I use ext3 partitions for my disk, so occasionally it wants to fsck
them on boot up.  To prevent this from happening when it is booting up
to record a show and delay the start of the recording I check to see
if it is due soon and modify the end-of-recording-session shutdown to
create the force-fsck flag file (don't remember it's name ATM) and do
a shutdown -r instead of shutdown -h (or in my case hibernating) so it
will come right back up, do the fsck, MythTV will time out again and
shutdown for good.  This requires changing the shutdown command (IIRC
it's in _both_ mythtv-setup -- for mythbackend to use -- and in
MythWelcome -- for mythwelcome to use) to invoke a script I wrote
which checks the fsck status, amongst other things, and takes
appropriate action.

Wrote this up quick, so if something doesn't make sense or it doesn't
work for you, post back and I'll take more time later.

HTH,

Craig.


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