[mythtv-users] Newbie getting to know mythtv (long)

[David Watkins]

On 25/07/05, Torbjørn Heltne <torbjorn.heltne at amelektronikk.no> wrote:
> Hello everybody!
> 
> Intro/Background:
> 
> It is pretty hard to decide which MB, case etc to buy. In the meantime I
> want to familiarize myself with MythTV, so I have installed the other HW
> (pvr-350,DVD-burner/hard disk) in a somewhat retired workhorse (P3/500
> w/384MB).
> 
>  From what I understand that should be plenty horsepower to run MythTV
> because of the pvr-350. Right?
> 
> I have used Linux for years for a number of different, mostly server
> related, purposes both around the house and at the office. I have not
> played with that many different distributions, mostly RH and Fedora and
> also a little bit Debian.
> 
> I am going to use the Myth-PC in a set-top setup where it will be
> connected between the existing cable TV in the building and an ordinary TV.
> 
> I have read Jarod's guide for installation on FC3 while trying to
> install - but I used FC4 as base.
> (Side note: After reading Jarod's step-by-step guide the first time I
> tried to follow it. It went well for a *short* while until I did the
> first apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade. After finishing,
> "everything" was broken. The apt-tools had disappeared and even rpm
> barfed when used. I decided that continuing with a questionable base
> linux install would probably not be a good idea. When using FC4 that
> problem disappeared.)
> 
> ***
> 
> Right now all is installed and I have tried to configure according to
> Jarod's descriptions. I have also borrowed xorg.conf files from others
> on the 'net, therefore I have managed to get KDE and also mythfrontend
> on the TV-screen. First I want to get the DVD player up and running. So
> far I have had no luck. After a number of lines about the DVD itself I get:
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~
> ...
> ...
> DVD successfully opened.
> MPEG-PS file format detected.
> VIDEO:  MPEG2  720x576  (aspect 3)  25.000 fps  9800.0 kbps (1225.0 kbyte/s)
> ==========================================================================
> Opening audio decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg/libavcodec audio decoders
> Cannot find codec 'dts' in libavcodec...
> ADecoder init failed :(
> ADecoder init failed :(
> Opening audio decoder: [hwac3] AC3/DTS pass-through S/PDIF
> No accelerated IMDCT transform found
> hwac3: switched to DTS, 768000 bps, 48000 Hz
> AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, ac3, 768.0 kbit/50.00% (ratio: 96000->192000)
> Selected audio codec: [hwdts] afm:hwac3 (DTS through S/PDIF)
> ==========================================================================
> vo: X11 running at 720x576 with depth 24 and 32 bpp (":0.0" => local
> display)
> ==========================================================================
> Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
> VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred csp: Mpeg PES)
> Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
> Opening video filter: [scale]
> The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
> VDecoder init failed :(
> Opening video decoder: [libmpeg2] MPEG 1/2 Video decoder libmpeg2-v0.4.0b
> Selected video codec: [mpeg12] vfm:libmpeg2 (MPEG-1 or 2 (libmpeg2))
> ==========================================================================
> Checking audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/ac3 -> 48000Hz/2ch/ac3...
> AF_pre: 48000Hz/2ch/ac3
> alsa-init: 1 soundcard found, using: iec958:{CARD 0 AES0 0x02 AES1 0x82
> AES2 0x00 AES3 0x02}
> ALSA lib setup.c:549:(add_elem) Cannot obtain info for CTL elem
> (PCM,'IEC958 Playback PCM Stream',0,0,0): No such file or directory
> alsa-init: playback open error: No such file or directory
> audio_out: alsa9 and alsa1x modules were removed, use -ao alsa instead.
> ~~~~~~~~
> 
> Based on this printout I have tried to find some useful information on
> the 'net, but I'm a bit too unfamiliar with audio/video tools on computers.
> 

Getting DVD's to play nicely through the PVR 350's output is
non-trivial because the hardware acceleration is not supported by the
stable version of the ivtv driver (2.0.x).  My 1GHz EPIA could almost,
but not quite, play DVDs smoothly with mplayer.

You'll need to use the unstable (3.0.x) version of the ivtv driver
and, as a self-confessed newbie, you'll may need to ask for help.  I'm
afraid I'm not qualified to give that help though.

A good start for you would be to go to the archive of this mailing
list, on Gossamer Threads, and search for PVR 350 and DVD.  You'll
find loads of stuff - concentrate on the most recent.

I've read that with the unstable (series 3) ivtv drivers then DVDs can
be made to play smoothly on low-powered machines.