Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Ctrl-Alt-Del => Topic started by: ABlipInContinuity on 25 June, 2008, 05:02:08 pm
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Hi,
I was thinking of turning a redundant PC into a media PC using Ubuntu and MythTV.
Has anyone else tried this, or similar?
Thanks
Daniel
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Dez had done something similar, but, normally an aficionado of all things Linux, I believe he decided for some technical reason which is beyond me to use Windows for this.
This now means that our large television rarely gets watched and only picks up the 5 terrestrial channels whereas the cable box is permanently attached to Dez's computer so that he can watch every episode of "The Simpsons" that has ever been made. And "Family Guy", "South Park", ...
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Dez had done something similar, but, normally an aficionado of all things Linux, I believe he decided for some technical reason which is beyond me to use Windows for this.
I'm also an aficionado of all things Linux, and I also, in the end, used Win for this.
Myth is a bit tricky to set up anyway, and Linux doesn't have great support for IR remote controls. What clinched it for me, though, was that I wanted to use twin Freeview PVR cards, and they just weren't supported. Freeview cards - yes. PVR cards - yes. But not combined ones. The PC also has a fairly decent graphics card, with an HDMI out, and that was a bit of an issue too.
In the end I got an OEM version of XP MCE for not very many £, and it works pretty well. It still has the occasional Windows moment, but mostly it is good and the Guide works very well.
Economically - don't bother. For the cost of a couple of decent cards and the remote you can buy a twin tuner PVR box :)
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I am currently watching Wimblydon on such a setup. The latest MythTV is excellent - it now supports watching/recording different channels on the same multiplex, which is very useful.
Anyhoo - MV is right, it's quite a task getting it all running; though it has to be said, the current version available via apt in Hardy Heron all "just worked" out of the box. How much that is due to me knowing what I was doing having set up several other installations before - well, probably quite a lot really.
As a primary home system - forget it; use a Humax.
For rather more specialised uses, MythTV has a place. Eg: My Mum can't get C5 and is a Neighbours fan. She is also blind, so uses the Descriptive dialog which is broadcast with Neighbours. I've scripted auto recordings and DVD burning with MythTV - and this is where Linux shows Windows up for the stone-age tool it is; all I need do is put in a DVD on Friday morning, and after Friday's episode it does various Advert removal tasks, then burns a DVD with a nice menu, containing 5 episodes of Neighbours, ads removed, with Descriptive Audio channel mixed with the main audio.
It took me fooking ages to get it to work. I have better things to do with my time really!
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My tuner card arrived yesterday to start my MythTV project ;D.
Let me know how you get on with yours and I'll report on mine! Are you going for a combined F&B end? I'm going to put the back end in our "server cupboard" and build a front end with a mini-ITX mobo (fanless, hopefully).
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Actually, I didn't use Windows.
I run Mythdora on the machine connected to the cable box via an analogue TV card (a LifeView FlyVideo 3000). I control the cable box with a home made IR transmitter (http://lirc.org/transmitters.html). I have Mythbuntu just running mythfrontend on my old laptop so I can watch TV in bed.
There is a version of MythTV for OS X which I've tried on my MacBook Pro, but as it doesn't handle aspect ratio changes, I don't use it at the moment - I just switch to the D-sub input on my 24" monitor to watch TV. I've tried a Windows Myth client (MythTV Player, I think) but it's not much good as it doesn't let you edit your recordings.
I've got an old machine upstairs which I'm also going to install Mythbuntu on so my sister can watch TV in her room.
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Actually, I didn't use Windows.
I run Mythdora on the machine connected to the cable box via an analogue TV card (a LifeView FlyVideo 3000). I control the cable box with a home made IR transmitter (http://lirc.org/transmitters.html). I have Mythbuntu just running mythfrontend on my old laptop so I can watch TV in bed.
There is a version of MythTV for OS X which I've tried on my MacBook Pro, but as it doesn't handle aspect ratio changes, I don't use it at the moment - I just switch to the D-sub input on my 24" monitor to watch TV. I've tried a Windows Myth client (MythTV Player, I think) but it's not much good as it doesn't let you edit your recordings.
I've got an old machine upstairs which I'm also going to install Mythbuntu on so my sister can watch TV in her room.
Thank you for this.
I think I'm gonna start by running Windows and MediaPortal. Looks like the simple route. I'll probably image it off and then try mythbuntu. Looks promising.
...hmm... in fact might be easier than removing all the crap ware from the restored OEM Windows image... (Thanks HP)
...that said, I'm not short of hardware to try it on.
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The Mythbuntu install CD has a Live CD mode so you can try it out without even installing it. It can be downloaded here:
http://www.mythbuntu.org/downloads (http://www.mythbuntu.org/downloads)
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Blip: have you got anywhere yet? I'm still torn between an all-in-one unit and separate front and back ends ???
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I have a Mythdora install at home that works flawlessly, three DVB-T cards and 70G of music, all streaming around the house. this now sits in the understairs cupboard.
the DVB-T cards will soon be replaced by 2 DVB-S cards so I can use Freesat (and particularly the HD channels)
I agree that Mythtv can be a pain to setup, but once it is going (and the support MV spoke of is getting better, but like any HTPC you are best checking the compatibility BEFORE you buy anything, especially the tuner cards and IR remotes.
From experience I have found that the best supported cards are made by DViCo and the best remote is the ATI one (which is wireless, not IR, so works round corners and is definately in the IJFW category for Linux)
PM me if you need more help, I spent ~9 months on a commercial project using Mythtv that never came to fruition.
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This project has gone on hold for us while we move house.
I went for a Windows based solution using Media Portal but I did not get as far as resolving the installation problems with the current release candidate for version 1.0.
I'm slightly concerned that Media Portal doesn't support the TV card we have got out of the box either. I don't know whether the same will also be true of Mythbuntu etc.
I do intend to try a few things before settling on something. Plan is link the media PC upto the TV and probably stream music to other PCs in the house.
I'll post an update on progress when there is some!!!
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Which cards are they blip? Let me know the make and model and I'll find what I can about them for you.
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I hope I'm not thread hijacking but I have a Q on this subject...
If I (initially) go for a combined box for Myth, I will use a micro-ATX mobo and AMD "e" or "BE" lower power CPU. My question is: is there any problem with going for a cheapie mobo? Or, put another way, what advantages are to be gained by spending more than, say, £35 on a mobo?
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Woofage, not for a microATX board, good quality boards can be had for sub £35, and TBH the features on the more expensives ones are overkill for a standard STB.
If you can try to get one with a PATA channel on it, it will make the install easier....