[mythtv-users] Advice please: school mythtv project

[Phil Wild]

> Personally I'd push them to install a second machine with linux just for the frontend.

I have recently organised for the donation of around 20 moderately new
computers to the school (all dual core desktops) and the school is now
in a pretty good position as far as computers go. It is a very small
school, single stream K-6. Each classroom has at least four or five
computers in it.

Primarily though, the video will be displayed on a whiteboard at the
front of the room via a projector fitted to the ceiling. This is run
from the teachers laptop (all teachers have a new laptop to drive
these displays).

I have recently organised the installation of a 802.11N network
throughout the school to support these laptops and the video will
stream over this network.

I have removed all HD channels from mythTV to keep the bitrate and
recording size down. I don't see the value in it given all content is
also broadcast on the SD channels.

> Failing that the systems could have linux installed instead of windows and then run windows in a virtual machine.

Too much trouble... I am already investing/donating more time than I
should to the school. I need to keep it as simple as possible or I run
the risk of the project failing.

>
> Failing both of those, just how bad is the windows mythTV client? I had read that it works pretty well but it was hard to set up.

I got it running, but it would mean managing the installation across
the school which would be a headache. mythweb and streaming means I
have one installation on the backend to manage, provided all clients
have vlc installed of course.
>
> If they're not going to budge on installing a linux frontend I'd suggest that you donate a frontend PC for them to use in one of their classrooms and let them use it for a while. When they have a choice between hacking something together with VLC on a windows box and controlling a full frontend with an IR remote they might change their minds.

I initially set up the server in their staff room as a combined
frontend/backend for them to play with... The problem of installing
this on every computer though is still a problem for me....

>
> I remember back in the day when we were sent to the library to collect a VCR when we had to watch a video. With the little "net-top" PCs available today I am imagining people booking out something that looks like a large textbook, plugging it onto the network and getting access to thousands of hours of multimedia, ain't technology wonderful?

I agree, I also remember having to collect the trolley with the CRT
and VCR bolted to it...

>
>> What are people's thoughts on ad skipping/removal, transcoding and
>> de-interlacing?
>>
>
> ad skipping will be fraught with troubles with Aussie TV. Very few programs on Aussie TV commercial flag perfectly. Often you miss the start or the end because they run one show directly into the next (channel 7 are notorious for this). If you are wanting to clip the ads out permanently because you need to view it via VLC you would want to be checking the recordings manually every time.

This is kind of what I was expecting... sigh....

>
>> Any suggestions on the process of setting up recordings in a shared
>> environment?
>
> What do you mean?

I was wondering about possible setting up recording groups for each
teacher so that their recording are grouped together rather than
pooled. Then I was wondering if this was a good idea or not in that I
may be making it more complicated for them. I also don't like the idea
of one staff member being able to delete a recording from another
staff member but we work with what we have I suppose... I have not
programmed in many many years and would have to say I was never really
any good at it...

Cheers

Phil