Mythtv Quick Start Guide

MythTV Quick Start Guide This guide was written and tested with 1 SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime (3 tuners) and a Schedules Direct subscription (lineup previously configured for your location), but should be easily adaptable to other configurations and countries. It is written from the perspective that this is the first MythTV system in the network. MythTV contains many different configuration options. This quick start guide shows the minimum recommended setup required to begin using MythTV. Although this guide is long, it is because it shows each screen (many with no changes necessary) and is intended for MythTV beginners. Any question, comments, or concerns regarding this quick start guide should be directed to our mailing list at [email protected] MythTV Quick Start Guide Terminology Backend Frontend Install Mythbuntu Configuration Exit Mythfrontend Setup static IP address Enter the MythTV Backend setup 1. General 2. Capture cards 3. Recording Profiles 4. Video sources 5. Input connections 7. Storage Directories 8. System Events Exit setup Terminology Taken from http://www.mythtv.org/detail/mythtv Backend 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. Frontend 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. Install Mythbuntu Boot the Mythbuntu CD and select "Install Mythbuntu". Select “Continue” Do not select “Download updates while installing”. The Mythbuntu team provides daily updates of the MythTV fixes branches via an external repository, so updating later is recommended as the external repository isn’t active yet. Select “Erase disk and install Mythbuntu”, then select “Continue”. Select the hard drive you want to install to then select “Install Now”. This will format the hard disk and install Mythbuntu. Choose your timezone and select “Continue”. Select your keyboard layout and select “Continue”. Enter a name, computer name, username and password. The username cannot be mythtv. If you intend to use this machine as a frontend it is recommended to select “Log in automatically”, otherwise if this will be a backend only machine select “Require my password to log in”. Then select “Continue”. Select the type of system this will be in the network. The most common setup is a single machine running both the frontend and backend. To do that select “Primary Backend w/ Frontend”. Select the additional services you want installed and activated. If you wish to remotely administer the machine (eg. for updates), ensure the SSH Service is checked. If you want to access the MythTV backend from other machines (eg. using the MythTV Unity scope), ensure the MythTV Service is checked. If you have a remote control, select the type you have here. The most common remote control is the Media Center remote (which can be found under “Windows Media Center” in the drop down box). Sit back and let Mythbuntu finish installing. Once installation is complete, reboot the machine. Configuration Exit Mythfrontend Once Mythbuntu has rebooted, if you have selected an option that included the frontend it will start the frontend automatically. If you selected an option that includes the backend, you will need to do some additional setup. Exit the frontend by hitting the ESC button. Use the arrow keys to move up and down and Select “Yes, Exit now”. Setup static IP address If this system is a MythTV backend, and you’ll have remote machines connecting to it you’ll need to setup a static IP address. You may be able to do this using your router’s setting to hand out the same DHCP address. If not, open Network Manger by clicking the network icon in the system tray and going to “Edit Connections...”. On the “Wired” tab, select “Wired connection 1” then select “Edit...”. Select the IPv4 tab. Change the “Method:” to “Manual”. Under “Addresses” insert an address that is valid for your local network (usually starting with 192.168.x.x). Once done, select “Save...” and exit back to the desktop. Enter the MythTV Backend setup Start the backend setup by going to “Applications > System > MythTV Backend Setup” You will be prompted to stop the backend process. Click “Yes” Stopping the backend process will require elevated permissions. Enter the password (the one created during install) to stop the backend process. 1. General The “General” section contains the general configuration options for the MythTV backend and is the first step in configuration. Select “1. General” Ensure that both the “Local Backend” IP address and the “Master Backend” IP Address are the same as the static IP address you set in Network Manager. Configuration here will differ if this is a secondary MythTV backend, but that is not covered in the scope of this guide. Once finished, select “Next >” Select the TV format and channel frequency table. Since we’re using a HDHomerun Prime here and grabbing channel data from Schedules Direct, we’ll leave these default. In the US, EIT data is practically non-existent. A user in the US will be lucky to get the next 12 hours of guide data using EIT, and that guide data is lacking in data and accuracy. You can skip shutdown/wakup options for now. You can skip wakeup settings for now. You can skip backend control for now. You can skip job queue for now. You can skip global job queue for now. You can skip job commands for now. You can skip program download options for now. 2. Capture cards The next section is capture cards. Select create new capture card to add a new card. From the drop down, find the capture card type you have. For HDHR prime, there will be 3 devices. You’ll have to go through this each time for each device. The signal timeout should be fine by default. Make sure for HDHR prime that max recordings is set to “1” for each tuner. Non HDHR prime digital devices can record multiple programs on the same multiplex. Cable card devices can’t. Here’s what it should look like when you’re done. Hit ESC to exit. 3. Recording Profiles You don’t have to do anything in recording profiles right now. 4. Video sources Video sources sets up the guide data that is downloaded. Before you go in here you should have an account created with Schedules Direct ( http://www.schedulesdirect.o rg ). Schedules Direct provides guide data for the US and Canada for a nominal fee. In other countries, you may be able to use EIT to get guide data, but that is beyond the scope of this guide. Mythbuntu has no affiliation with Schedules Direct. Create a new video source. Select schedules direct and put in your information. If you have multiple lineups you created (say some OTA line up and cable lineup), pick the right one. Here’s what it should look like when done. 5. Input connections Input connections lets you associate the line up with a tuner. You’ll have to do this for each of your tuners. Remember HDHR prime has 3 tuners. Select the appropriate video source. For HDHR prime, you’ll just hit fetch channels from listings source and it will download the channels. For non HDHR prime you’ll hit scan for channels and actually need to do a scan. You can skip the input interaction screen for digital tuners. Repeat for all tuners. 6. If the scan or channel download yielded channels you don’t want, you can remove them in the channel editor. Remember to remove the channels from schedules direct too if you decide to delete any of them here. You can just hit the “del” key to delete individual channels. 7. Storage Directories Storage directories are where all the mythtv plugins will be storing their content. If you have a single partition/drive you won’t need to make any changes here. MythTV directories are already created for you at /var/lib/mythtv/*. If you have multiple partitions and/or drives, once you mount them to a directory (outside of MythTV), you can add those directories here in the relevant Storage Group. If you are working from multiple HDD’s, MythTV will intelligently store content across the drives. No need for RAID0 or anything. Just make sure it knows about all the mount points. 8. System Events You can skip this section. Exit setup WHen you’re done, hit esc. Hit enter to this popup.

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