[mythtv-users] Really frustrated trying setup MythTV

Mon Dec 2 19:43:14 UTC 2013

<< Vague "It doesn't work" queries don't generally solicit much
response as there's too little context/information to go on.

Specific queries in separate threads (with logs) will generally get you
much more help. >>

Sorry, I was being as specific as I know/knew how to be. As for logs,
sorry, there are many of them, as of yet I have little idea which
contains what which is relevant to what.

<< So I'm guessing you're setting up fresh 0.27 installs for a separate
backend (somewhere) and a remote frontend (on your "main PC"). >>

Yes

<< Do you also have a frontend on the backend machine (aka combined
frontend/backend) ? That would be useful for diagnosing where your
problem lies. If so, is that working properly ? >>

Yes, and it certainly seems to be, although that PC has no working
sound (and I have no real interest in it having sound).

I generally use SSH and VNC to connect to and use the backend, this
allows me to configure, schedule and watch (in a very subomtimal way)
any recorded TV.

<<

Where is this error from? The mythfilldatabase log would be useful. But
searching "mythfilldatabase error 2" led me to
[1]http://lists.ourshack.com/pipermail/mythtvnz/2012-June/012849.html

Are you sure xmltv is configured properly
? [2]http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Uk_xmltv >>

OK, that appears to have moved me forward, in so much as I now have two
XML files that match my video sources, except I'm slightly confused as
they are located in my /.mythtv folder rather than the
/home/mythtv/.mythtv folder where I would have expected them to live
(since the backend logs in as "mythtv" I believe).

Also during the configuration of these sources I get these errors:

"XMLTV channel 'border.itv1.itv.co.uk' (25) not seen on RT site

Use of uninitialized value $chan_name in pattern match (m//) at
/usr/bin/tv_grab_uk_rt line 690.

Use of uninitialized value $chan_id_to_name{"border.itv1.itv.co.uk"} in
uc at /usr/bin/tv_grab_uk_rt line 697.

no 'id' attribute in channel at /usr/share/perl5/XMLTV.pm line 2345."

I have no idea if this is important or not.

But as of right now, I still only have 8 days of scheduling data which
I always had from the on-air schedules anyway.

<< <<I've installed the frontend on my main PC, but it kept installing
the backend as well, I had to go into Myth-Control-Centre to explicitly
switch to Frontend only,>>

More details on your installation method needed. I thought the
Mythbuntu ISO explicitly asks for the requested configuration. The
frontend packages from aptitude also shouldn't drag in the backend
AFAIU. MCC suggests it thought you wanted a combined frontend/backend
(the default) >>

"sudo apt-get mythfrontend install" was the installation method.

I had to use MCC to get rid of the backend that dragged in with it.

<< The answer will lie in your logs, once you know how to interpret
them. Post the mythbackend.log and the remote FE's mythfrontend.log in
a new thread using pastebinit and someone will quickly diagnose the
problem.

[3]http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Posting_Logs#Posting_Logs_to_the_Mailing_
List_or_IRC >>

OK Thanks

----- Original message -----

From: Roger Siddons <[4]dizygotheca at ntlworld.com>

To: Discussion about MythTV <[5]mythtv-users at mythtv.org>

Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Really frustrated trying setup MythTV

Date: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 16:57:19 -0000

Vague "It doesn't work" queries don't generally solicit much response
as there's too little context/information to go on.

Specific queries in separate threads (with logs) will generally get you
much more help.

So I'm guessing you're setting up fresh 0.27 installs for a separate
backend (somewhere) and a remote frontend (on your "main PC"). Do you
also have a frontend on the backend machine (aka combined
frontend/backend) ? That would be useful for diagnosing where your
problem lies. If so, is that working properly ?

I haven't configured the stock Mythbuntu for some time and haven't yet
updated to 0.27 but hopefully can help you decompose your problems to
get the answers you need.

On Sun, 01 Dec 2013 23:07:15 -0000, Jason Ward <JasonFWard at gmail.com>
wrote:

> So, despite 3 years more experience of Linux under my belt, I still
find

> MythTV bizarrely hard to setup.

>

> I won't go into the trials and tribulations I've been through to get

> where I currently am, but it has been a long and frustrating road.

>

> Right now, as best as I can tell my back end is not downloading

> schedules from The Radio Times, no idea why, I just see that "error
2"

> was reported. Although schedules off the air appear to be working
fine.

Where is this error from? The mythfilldatabase log would be useful. But
searching "mythfilldatabase error 2" led me to
[6]http://lists.ourshack.com/pipermail/mythtvnz/2012-June/012849.html

Are you sure xmltv is configured properly
? [7]http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Uk_xmltv

>

> I have questions about DVB-T and DVB-T2 tuners in the same backend,
does

> the fact that one of the turners sees more channels than the other
mean

> that I need to have 2 separate video sources, one for each type of

> tuner?

Many answers lie in the archives once you've figured out the right
terminology. I don't use HD myself but found this

[8]http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/548763?do=post_vi
ew_threaded#548763

>

> Having installed the back end via fresh downloaded Mythbuntu ISO and
use

> Myth-Control-Centre to switch to v0.27 is there a reason that Ubuntu

> Update Manager refuses to do the upgrade needed and I have install

> aptitude and manually force the upgrade to happen?

AFAIU Update Manager only does 'updates' and not 'upgrades', which are
potentially much more destructive. Having MCC start an upgrade is
probably undesirable. It's only necessary when changing Myth versions -
I'm mildly surprised there isn't a 0.27 ISO out yet.

FWIW I agree with Zig. Selectively upgrading a single package (as in
the Askubuntu link you posted) is a solution when you don't wish to
change an otherwise stable system. But if you're doing a fresh install
then a full upgrade won't break anything; is safer; and may prevent
future trouble/frustration later on.

>

> I've installed the frontend on my main PC, but it kept installing the

> backend as well, I had to go into Myth-Control-Centre to explicitly

> switch to Frontend only,

More details on your installation method needed. I thought the
Mythbuntu ISO explicitly asks for the requested configuration. The
frontend packages from aptitude also shouldn't drag in the backend
AFAIU. MCC suggests it thought you wanted a combined frontend/backend
(the default)

> I can apparently connect to the backend with

> credentials asked for when the front end first runs, but I can see no

> data from the backend and I keep getting a an error overlay telling
me

> that "mythcontext" could not contact the master backend.

>

> I have no idea what mythcontext is, how its setup or what it does,
and

> Googling for information just led me to source code.

The answer will lie in your logs, once you know how to interpret them.
Post the mythbackend.log and the remote FE's mythfrontend.log in a new
thread using pastebinit and someone will quickly diagnose the problem.

[9]http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Posting_Logs#Posting_Logs_to_the_Mailing_
List_or_IRC

>

> All I want is have a frontend that I point at the backend and have
just

> work, can someone give me any help with this task?

>

> Sorry guys and gals that I'm sure work hard and invest much time into

> MythTV, much as I know its a great system when it works, but I'm very

> frustrated after many hours of trying to make MythTV work it seems to
me

> to be temperamental (it seems to work then it doesn't), needlessly

> delicate (little changes cause unrelated parts to fall over) and

> unrelentingly complex to setup. If I had the skills myself, or the

> money to pay for someone else’s skills, I would I would be investing

> into the "just make it work" category.

>

> Jason

> _______________________________________________

> mythtv-users mailing list

> mythtv-users at mythtv.org

> [10]http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

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References

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1. http://lists.ourshack.com/pipermail/mythtvnz/2012-June/012849.html
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3. http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Posting_Logs#Posting_Logs_to_the_Mailing_List_or_IRC
4. mailto:dizygotheca at ntlworld.com
5. mailto:mythtv-users at mythtv.org
6. http://lists.ourshack.com/pipermail/mythtvnz/2012-June/012849.html
7. http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Uk_xmltv
8. http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/548763?do=post_view_threaded#548763
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