[mythtv-users] Frontend requirements

Mitch Gore mitchell.gore at gmail.com
Mon Feb 16 23:07:43 UTC 2009


On Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 8:44 AM, gonzalo diethelm <gdiethelm at dcv.cl> wrote:
> Please forgive me for touching upon a subject that must be very
> recurrent.
>
> I plan to have a backend with all my recordings / videos / music / etc.
> and a separate frontend next to the TV, probably connected to the
> backend via wired Ethernet (at least 100 Mbps). From what I am able to
 I have digital SD
> cable that requires a decoder (for which I pay), so I have that decoder
> next to my TV (where the frontend will also be located).
Is this decoder a set top box?

>So I foresee
> that I might be forced to use the frontend as the piece of hardware that
> connects to the decoder, catches the decoded TV signal and either
> encodes it itself or sends it to the backend for encoding; the frontend
> would also have to control the decoder (probably via IR) to turn it on /
> off, switch channels, etc. Is this a common setup? Does this impose new
> hardware requirements on the frontend? Should I be planning on
> implementing TV recording in some other way?

Not really, your basically making a backend.

This is off the website:

MythBackend
The backend server application runs the core "behind the scenes"
functionality for MythTV. The bulk of this is taken up by scheduling
and recording your TV shows, but also includes keeping your TV
listings up to date, managing the database, and performing routine
maintenance on any files generated in the recording process. Backend
servers are also responsible for streaming recording files to any
remote frontends that do not have direct access to them.

Having a separate backend application allows ambitious users to split
their MythTV setup between different locations best suited to each
task. For instance, a powerful (i.e. large and noisy) server to host
recording files and hardware, hidden away in a closet, and a minimal
(i.e. small and quiet) frontend machine kept next to the TV.

MythFrontend
The frontend client is the human interface to MythTV. This is where
you watch TV, listen to music, etc. Each frontend communicates with
one or more backend servers in order to determine which recorded shows
are available to be watched, or which TV tuners are available to watch
live TV.

In addition to this, the frontend also provides access to system
status, the TV listings guide (so you can schedule new recordings),
upcoming shows that will be recorded, and much more. If you install
plugins like MythMusic and MythVideo (so you can watch a DVD or listen
to music), you will also see these listed in the frontend. As you can
see from the table of contents for this guide, there are many plugins
to choose from.

If you connect your STBto your FE you have a slave backend. I would
move the STB to your backend and have ur capture cards there. Then
make ur Frontend a frontend.

A frontend is just a standard PC.  You have have a HDD install,
network boot it, USB boot it etc.  You run mythfrontend and configure
it to connect to the backend and it streams the video over the
network.  Only requirement is you machine is capable of playing
whatever video source you have, HD, SD, MPEG2 H.264 etc.

-- 
Mitchell


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