[mythtv-users] On the verge of giving up

[Michael T. Dean]

On 09/18/2007 05:47 AM, Damian wrote:
> I was almost at the end of my MythTV project the other day. It's just 
> too temperamental for me. To many things still yet to do on it and each 
> time I try to sort something, something else breaks. And in amongst that 
> I've got random crashes and random inability to watch anything but a 
> blank or scrambled screen. Followed by myth behaving perfectly for a 
> week before it all crumbles again without me touching anything.
>
> It's a shame, but on Sunday I even thought of just buying Windows media 
> centre and having done with it!
>
> I've pulled myself together since then.
>
> I simply don't have time to put such effort into a system. Something has 
> got to change or I'll just buy a Freeview box or something.
>
> I've gone back to basics however. Someone's due to be coming this 
> afternoon to check my signal. Once I know that's ok we can move on from 
> there with baby steps. If he says that the signal is perfect, then I'll 
> probably format and try Mythbuntu and if that gives me the same trouble 
> then I think I'm out of her. In the past I'd have loved to spend day 
> after day learning more and more about Linux and tweaking Myth. these 
> days, with a demanding job, 3 kids (one of which is just a month old) 
> there's just no time for a system that needs so much attention and 
> demands the user to learn so much just to get it to work half ok.
>
> Here's hoping that the ariel guy tells me that my signal is rubbish so 
> that my system is not totally to blame for all of the problems!

IMHO, MythTV is a very expensive DVR solution--it costs a /lot/ of time
to learn what you need to learn to make it a good DVR and to keep up
with support, maintenance, development/changes for upgrades, etc.  That
being said, I feel it's worth the time cost to me because I love hacking
on it and learning from it.  If it's not worth the time cost to you,
then Windows MCE (if you're willing to spend some time on it) or a
cable-/satellite-company provided DVR or a 3rd party DVR like a
TiVo/ReplayTV (if you'd rather it just work) is probably a better solution.

If you "give up" on Myth, you're not admitting defeat--only admitting
that the cost is greater than you're willing to spend on a DVR solution.

This isn't intended to run you off to some other solution, but as a more
realistic way of looking at Myth than the way most tend to look at
it/present it--"there's no license cost, so it's free" (the license is
usually the cheapest part--even for Windows MCE).  If you decide to
spend the time, there will be people here willing to answer any specific
questions you may ask (but, again, that will take more time ;).

Good luck on your journey--wherever it may lead.

Mike