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diff --git a/abs/core-testing/local-website/htdocs/mythtv-doc/mythtv-HOWTO-23.html b/abs/core-testing/local-website/htdocs/mythtv-doc/mythtv-HOWTO-23.html deleted file mode 100644 index 8b7439e..0000000 --- a/abs/core-testing/local-website/htdocs/mythtv-doc/mythtv-HOWTO-23.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1193 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN"> -<HTML> -<HEAD> - <META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="LinuxDoc-Tools 0.9.21"> - <TITLE>Installing and using MythTV: Miscellaneous. </TITLE> - <LINK HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-24.html" REL=next> - <LINK HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-22.html" REL=previous> - <LINK HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23" REL=contents> -</HEAD> -<BODY> -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-24.html">Next</A> -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-22.html">Previous</A> -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23">Contents</A> -<HR> -<H2><A NAME="s23">23.</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23">Miscellaneous. </A></H2> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.1">23.1</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.1">I'd like to watch the files without using MythTV / I'd like to convert the files to some other format</A> -</H2> - -<P>First, check if the <B>mytharchive</B> plugin does what you want. If not, then -read on:</P> -<P>MythTV comes with a utility called <B>mythtranscode</B> which can -decode nuv files into raw format for use with other applications. This -command-line utility was not designed to be used by the end-user, but -instead to be called by other applications or scripts. Programs like -<B>nuvexport</B> ( -<A HREF="http://forevermore.net/myth/">http://forevermore.net/myth/</A>) are better suited for the end user. -However, since <B>mythtranscode</B> can be a useful tool, directions on -using it follow.</P> -<P><B>mythtranscode</B> creates raw streams, which means that they do not -contain any container information such as resolution, frame-rate, or audio -sampling rate. In order to process the output, you must supply this -information to the processing utility. <B>mythtranscode</B> provides the -relevant information on STDOUT.</P> -<P>There are two modes in which <B>mythtranscode</B> can create raw streams. -The first has no synchronization and assumes that the processing utility -will read audio and video at a constant rate. This method is useful when a -single application will be processing the raw output, such as -<B>mencoder</B> or <B>ffmpeg</B>. The second method assumes that two -separate applications will be processing the audio and video streams -independently, and there is no rate control between them which means that -the two programs don't coordinate their efforts to maintain synchronization.</P> - -<H3>mythtranscode example</H3> - -<P>First, start <B>mythtranscode</B>. You will need to determine the -channel and the start time manually. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mythtranscode --chanid 1036 --starttime 2003-10-20T15:30:00 --profile \ -autodetect --fifodir . & -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>When <B>mythtranscode</B> begins executing, it will create two FIFOs -("audout" and "vidout") in the directory specified (in this case ".", -meaning the current directory) and will print out information about the -video stream.</P> -<P>The next step is to start the processing application. The following assumes -that the stream is NTSC 640x480 with 32Kbps audio.</P> -<P>To use <B>mencoder</B> you would enter a command like: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -mencoder -audiofile audout -audio-demuxer 20 -rawaudio rate=32000 \ --rawvideo on:w=640:h=480:fps=29.97 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -o out.avi \ -vidout -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P> -<FIGURE> -<EPS FILE="stop.eps"> -<IMG SRC="stop.png"> -<CAPTION><B>NOTE</B>: You must use mencoder 1.0PRE1 or later. <B>mencoder</B> -version 0.9x <EM>WILL NOT WORK!</EM></CAPTION> -</FIGURE> - -Using ffmepg: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -ffmpeg -f u16le -ar 32000 -ac 2 -i audout -f rawvideo -s 640x480 -r 29.97 \ --i vidout -vcodec mpeg4 -b 2000 -acodec mp3 -ab 128 out.avi -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Or to play directly using mplayer (again 1.0PRE1 or later is needed): -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -mplayer -audiofile audout -audio-demuxer 20 -rawaudio rate=32000 \ --rawvideo on:w=640:h=480:fps=29.97 vidout -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>If you wanted to write the raw data to separate audio and video files for -later processing, the following would work (note the use of --fifosync -for rate-control): -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mythtranscode --chanid 1036 --starttime 2003-10-20T15:30:00 \ ---profile autodetect --fifodir . --fifosync & -$ cat audout > audio.raw & -$ cat vidout > video.yuv -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.2">23.2</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.2">Using a different window manager</A> -</H2> - -<P>MythTV is not dependent on any particular window manager. If you wish to -run a lightweight window manager, the <CODE>contrib/configfiles/</CODE> directory has an -example of a <CODE>.twmrc</CODE> and <CODE>.fvwmrc</CODE> file you may use.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="capture_resolution_"></A> <A NAME="ss23.3">23.3</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.3">What capture resolution should I use? How does video work? </A> -</H2> - -<P>While MythTV allows you to set various GUI and capture resolutions, not -all combinations make sense.</P> -<P>First, analog video signals have a defined vertical resolution. In NTSC, -the video standard specifies that there are 525 vertical scan lines. Once -the "extra" lines are removed (they're used to synchronize the video signal, -and encode closed captioning data), you have 480 horizontal lines stacked -vertically.</P> -<P>In PAL, there are 625 "raw" lines of resolution, with a net of 576 -horizontal lines stacked vertically.</P> -<P>Horizontally, the maximum value allowed for a Bt8X8 chip is 720. However, -due to limitations in the chip and other limitations of broadcast -television, there may not be a noticeable improvement in image quality -beyond 400 or 500 pixels.</P> -<P>With this in mind, there are certain commonly accepted values for -resolution. While other values may be accepted for the vertical -resolution, they will cause scan lines to be repeated or dropped.</P> -<P>From "best" to "worst", in NTSC: -<UL> -<LI>720x480 "DVD" resolution. ReplayTV High and medium resolution</LI> -<LI>704x480 DVD standalone recorder standard resolution</LI> -<LI>640x480 4:3</LI> -<LI>544x480 TiVo Best resolution</LI> -<LI>480x480 SuperVCD (SVCD) Video CD resolution, TiVo High resolution</LI> -<LI>352x480 ReplayTV "Standard" quality, TiVo Basic and Medium resolution, DVD "LP" resolution</LI> -<LI>320x480 </LI> -<LI>544x240</LI> -<LI>480x240 </LI> -<LI>352x240 Video CD (VCD) resolution</LI> -<LI>320x240</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>As you can see, the lower quality values are half of the better ones. -720x240 is possible, but isn't a good tradeoff relative to the number of -vertical lines lost. In a PAL country, the you would use values like -720x576 or x288.</P> -<P>The higher resolutions will be more CPU intensive if you're using software -encoding (PVR-250/350 will have minimal host CPU impact even if you're using -720x480). If the CPU is overtaxed, frames will be dropped causing uneven -motion. You will likely see the best results at resolutions which average at -least 10% CPU idle time. You can use system tools such as <CODE>top</CODE> or -<CODE>sar</CODE> to check the CPU % idle while recording. If the CPU average -usage is consistently exceeding 90%, frames will need to be dropped during -peak times when more than 100% of the available CPU would be needed to -process all of the frames.</P> -<P>If you'd like to read more on this, go to the vcdhelp website at -<A HREF="http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/94382.php">http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/94382.php</A>.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.4">23.4</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.4">MythTV GUI and X Display Sizes</A> -</H2> - -<P>MythTV is designed to be run as dedicated full screen TV application -but can also be run as a desktop application on a computer monitor. Here -are a few consideration for configuring sizes to best suit you needs.</P> - -<H3>X Dimensions</H3> - -<P>For output to a Television, common resolutions are 640x480, 800x600, and -some rare devices support 1024x768. Generally, higher resolutions are -better. However, you may find that you prefer the picture quality at one of -the lower resolutions. Everything in MythTV is scalable and should 'fit' -regardless of the resolution you choose.</P> -<P>Edit your X configuration file, usually <CODE>/etc/X11/XF86Config-4</CODE> for -XFree, or <CODE>/etc/X11/xorg.conf</CODE> for Xorg, so that the resolution you -want to use is listed first in the lists under "Screen". If this resolution -is higher than the resolutions supported by your output device, you will see -a 'panning' effect where moving the mouse to the edge will scroll around a -desktop area which is larger than the display size. If this happens, edit -your X configuration file to match the display size then restart X.</P> - -<H3>MythTV Dimensions</H3> - -<P>From "mythfrontend" go to Setup->Appearance. -The default for the height and width is "0" - this will cause -MythTV to automatically size itself to full screen.</P> -<P>If the MythTV GUI width and height are not 0, mythfrontend uses these GUI -dimensions and is anchored to the upper left corner of the X Desktop. If -the GUI X and/or Y are not 0, the upper left corner is positioned at the -specified coordinates. If the "Run the frontend in a window" box is checked, -the window will have a frame and can then be dragged to any position on the -desktop.</P> -<P> -<FIGURE> -<EPS FILE="stop.eps"> -<IMG SRC="stop.png"> -<CAPTION><B>NOTE</B>: When the GUI is full screen, you may see windows rapidly -flipping on top of each other. If this happens you will need to set your -window manager to 'Click to Focus' for windows to stack properly.</CAPTION> -</FIGURE> - -The fonts for the GUI and OSD will scale to whatever sizes you use. Most -font sizes can be changed in setup selections or in the .xml files under -<CODE>/usr/local/share/mythtv/</CODE> . Make sure to use fonts large enough -to be read on a TV screen from a distance.</P> -<P>The full screen TV size is based on the X display size. For Xinerama, you -can specify a screen in Setup->General. The TV picture will be stretched -to fit the entire GUI area regardless of the -<A HREF="#capture_resolution_">capture resolutions</A> used. However, during playback, the "W" key can -to used to correct differences between 16:9 and 4:3.</P> - -<H3>Overscan Dimensions</H3> - -<P>Because picture edges can be ragged and screen edges aren't straight, -Television is designed to project an image larger than the physical screen. -This is called "overscan". Underscan is fitting the entire image inside the -screen. Underscan is useful for computer monitors so that toolbars and -scrollbars at the edges can be seen.</P> -<P>For best results, match the X display area as close as possible to the edges -of the physical screen. This can only be adjusted by your tv-out device or -by the settings for the television set. Many sets have these adjustments in -a 'service mode'. If you cannot make these adjustments, there will be black -borders around the edges of the X desktop, MythTV GUI and TV playback.</P> -<P>MythTV has settings for "Overscan" in Setup->Playback. These can not, and do -not, cause the image to display beyond the edge of the X display area. The -purpose of these settings are to cut off rough edges and to expand the image -so that objects will appear to be the same size as a normal overscanned TV -picture.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="backupdb"></A> <A NAME="ss23.5">23.5</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.5">Saving or restoring the database </A> -</H2> - -<P>See the <B>mysqldump</B> manpage for more information. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysqldump -u mythtv -pmythtv mythconverg -c > mythtv_backup.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>To restore: (assuming that you've dropped the database) -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u root -mysql>create database mythconverg; -mysql>exit -$ mysql -u mythtv -pmythtv mythconverg < mythtv_backup.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>You may need to alter the MySQL permissions if this database is being shared -with multiple systems. See the -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-6.html#modify_perm_mysql">Modifying access to the MySQL database for multiple systems</A> section for more -information.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.6">23.6</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.6">Deleting the MySQL database</A> -</H2> - -<P> -<FIGURE> -<EPS FILE="stop.eps"> -<IMG SRC="stop.png"> -<CAPTION><B>NOTE</B>: Performing this step will remove the entire database. You will lose all of your settings and will need to re-run the mc.sql script -to setup the database structure before running the mythtv-setup program.</CAPTION> -</FIGURE> - -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u root -mysql> drop database mythconverg; -mysql> quit -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.7">23.7</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.7">Moving your data to new hardware</A> -</H2> - -<P>This assumes that you will be moving your data to newer / bigger hardware -and don't want to lose your programs.</P> -<P>The first step is to create a database backup as demonstrated in an earlier -section.</P> -<P>Next, you will extract only the data that is relevant to the programs: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ grep "INSERT INTO record " mythtv_backup.sql > restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO recorded " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO oldrecorded " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO recordedprogram " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO recordedrating " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO recordedmarkup " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO recordedseek " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P><B>NOTE</B>: Newer versions of <B>mysqldump</B> place backticks around -the table names. Backticks are not the same as apostrophes! On a typical -North American keyboard, backticks are located to the left of the "1" key, -on the same key as the tilde. Also, because the <B>bash</B> shell may try -to interpret the backticks, make sure you use a \ before each one.</P> -<P>If your <CODE>restore.sql</CODE> file is empty, you'll need to re-run the -commands like this: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`record\` " mythtv_backup.sql > restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`recorded\` " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`oldrecorded\` " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`recordedprogram\` " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`recordedrating\` " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`recordedmarkup\` " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -$ grep "INSERT INTO \`recordedseek\` " mythtv_backup.sql >> restore.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Note the space after the table name and the ">>" to append to the file for -all but the first <B>grep</B>. "recordedmarkup" and "recordedseek" are -huge and there may be hundreds of thousands of lines if you had lots of -hours of recordings.</P> -<P>After you have moved the data files to the new hardware, configure MythTV -using the <B>mythtv-setup</B> program as you normally would with a -standard MythTV installation.</P> -<P>At this point we will restore the information about your programs back into -the database: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u mythtv -pmythtv mythconverg < restore.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>After successful insertion of the data you may delete the -<CODE>restore.sql</CODE> file.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="btaudio"></A> <A NAME="ss23.8">23.8</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.8">btaudio </A> -</H2> - -<P>btaudio allows you to obtain the audio data from your tuner card directly -over the PCI bus without using a sound card. This is useful if you would -like to use multiple tuner cards in a system without adding a sound card for -each one, or if your existing sound card is not capable of full-duplex -operation.</P> -<P>In order to use btaudio, your tuner card will need certain hardware -installed on it, and that hardware must be wired correctly. The chip that -will allow you to use the btaudio module is the MSP34xx. However, having a -MSP34xx is no guarantee that you will be able to use the btaudio module.</P> -<P>As of 2003-03-31, this is the current list of cards and their status: -Works with btaudio:</P> -<P> -<UL> -<LI>Hauppauge WinTV-radio with dbx-TV stereo, model 401</LI> -<LI>Hauppauge WinTV-Theater, model 495, 498 (Europe)</LI> -<LI>ATI TV Wonder</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>The following cards do not work: -<UL> -<LI>Pinnacle Studio PCTV Pro - note: this has a MSP34xx, but it's not -wired correctly to the BT878 chip.</LI> -<LI>ATI TV Wonder VE</LI> -<LI>Leadtek Winfast 2000 XP (PAL, UK and NTSC)</LI> -<LI>I/O Magic PC-PVR. No MSP34xx chip.</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>The following cards have been reported to work, but have issues: -<UL> -<LI>Avermedia AVerTV Studio (no digital DSP output, "whiney noise" on -analog)</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>Once btaudio loads, it should register additional <CODE>/dev/dsp</CODE> and -<CODE>/dev/mixer</CODE> devices. Typing <CODE>$ dmesg</CODE> will let you know -what's going on.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.9">23.9</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.9">Removing unwanted channels</A> -</H2> - -<P>If <B>mythfilldatabase</B> grabbed a channel which you do not want to -include in your TV listings, you can remove the entries from the grabber -configuration and the MySQL database. This often happens with premium -channels; for example, HBO or Showtime may be available on your cable TV -system, but is scrambled because you're not a subscriber to that channel. -Since you can never watch it, you want to get rid of it.</P> -<P>If you are using the DataDirect service, login to your account at -<A HREF="http://labs.zap2it.com/">http://labs.zap2it.com/</A> to -modify your lineup. Uncheck the boxes for any unwanted channels, and they -will no longer be included in your download.</P> -<P>If you are using a grabber from XMLTV, comment out the channel from the -<CODE>~/.mythtv/<sourcename>.xmltv</CODE> file by inserting the word "not -" (including the space) in front of the unwanted entry. This will prevent -<B>xmltv</B> from grabbing future listings.</P> -<P>Next, delete the unwanted item from the channel table so that it will not -appear in the EPG or when changing channels. To delete the data from the -database we need to perform some steps. First, assuming that HBO is channel -15, we need to find out the internal <CODE>chanid</CODE> used by MySQL: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u root mythconverg -mysql> select chanid from channel where channum=15; -+--------+ -| chanid | -+--------+ -| 1015 | -+--------+ -1 row in set (0.00 sec) -mysql> delete from channel where chanid = 1015; -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Old program data will be removed over the course of a week. However, you may -want to immediately delete any current program listings for the channel that -has been removed: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u root mythconverg -mysql> delete from program where chanid = 1015; -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.10">23.10</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.10">NFS</A> -</H2> - -<P>You may want to use a central server to store your files. </P> -<P>On the host machine, (in this case, the hostname is "masterbackend") you'll -want to edit your <CODE>/etc/exports</CODE> file and use something like: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -/var/video (rw) -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>To export the <CODE>/var/video</CODE> directory with read / write privileges.</P> -<P>On the "slave" machine, you'll want to edit the <CODE>/etc/fstab</CODE> file and -add something like: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -masterbackend:/var/video /var/video nfs rsize=8192,wsize=8192,hard,intr,nfsvers=3,actimeo=0 -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Then run <CODE># mount -a</CODE> to re-read the file to mount the file system.</P> -<P>In this case, the source is a machine called "masterbackend" which is -exporting the directory "/var/video", which we're mounting locally at -"/var/video". The rsize and wsize options are used to increase the -performance of NFS; "hard,intr" is there because that's the recommendation -of the NFS-HOWTO, the nfsvers is required for filesizes over 2GB and actimeo -is used to turn off file attribute caching. Attribute caching for a shared -media point causes problems; you always want to see the latest state of the -directory and files. See -<A HREF="http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Optimizing_Performance">http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Optimizing_Performance</A> for -additional information regarding performance optimization.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.11">23.11</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.11">Automatically starting mythfrontend at system boot time</A> -</H2> - -<P>Here's an example submitted to the mythtv-dev list by Pat Pflaum -<A HREF="mailto:pat@netburp.com">mailto:pat@netburp.com</A> using fvwm: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ cat > .xinitrc -fvwm & -mythfrontend -^D -$ cat > .fvwmrc -Style myth* NoTitle, NoHandles, Sticky, WindowListSkip, SloppyFocus, GrabFocus, BorderWidth 0 -^D -$ -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>The following also works with blackbox: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ cat > .xinitrc -xset -dpms s off & -irxevent & -mythfrontend & -blackbox -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Make sure that your <CODE>.blackboxrc</CODE> file has: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -session.screen0.focusNewWindows: True -session.screen0.focusModel: SloppyFocus -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> - in it.</P> -<P> -<A NAME="mythbackend_autostart"></A> </P> -<H2><A NAME="ss23.12">23.12</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.12">Automatically starting mythbackend at system boot time</A> -</H2> - -<H3>Red Hat And Mandriva</H3> - -<P>Here's a method for automatically starting mythbackend submitted by Mike -Thomson ( -<A HREF="mailto:linux@m-thomson.net">mailto:linux@m-thomson.net</A>) and Stu Tomlinson ( -<A HREF="mailto:stu@nosnilmot.com">mailto:stu@nosnilmot.com</A>).</P> -<P>Copy the files from the MythTV <CODE>contrib</CODE> directory or from Mike's web -site ( -<A HREF="http://m-thomson.net/mythtv/">http://m-thomson.net/mythtv/</A>) as follows:</P> -<P><CODE>etc.rc.d.init.mythbackend</CODE> should be made executable and copied to -<CODE>/etc/rc.d/init.d/</CODE>: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ cd contrib -$ su -# chmod a+x etc.rc.d.init.d.mythbackend -# cp etc.rc.d.init.d.mythbackend /etc/rc.d/init.d/mythbackend -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P><CODE>etc.sysconfig.mythbackend</CODE> should be copied to -<CODE>/etc/sysconfig/</CODE>: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ cd contrib -$ su -# cp etc.sysconfig.mythbackend /etc/sysconfig/mythbackend -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Edit <CODE>/etc/sysconfig/mythbackend</CODE> if you want to change the defaults -(the userid that should start mythbackend, location of the logfile and (if -required) the name and location of the mythbackend binary).</P> -<P>Use <B>chkconfig</B> to make sure the script is called when -entering runlevels 3, 4 or 5: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ su -# chkconfig --level 345 mythbackend on -# exit -$ -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P> -<A NAME="logrotate"></A> </P> -<H3>Log files </H3> - -<P>By default, the log file for mythbackend will be written to -<CODE>/var/tmp/mythbackend.log</CODE>. This has been tested and is known to work -on Mandriva and Red Hat, but many people prefer to place logs under -<CODE>/var/log/</CODE>.</P> -<P>To do this, create a group called <CODE>mythtv</CODE> (or anything you prefer) -and add your usual MythTV users to that group. If you changed the user that -starts mythbackend from the default of root you <EM>must</EM> perform this -step.</P> -<P>Create the directory <CODE>/var/log/mythtv</CODE> and set its -permissions as follows: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ su -# mkdir /var/log/mythtv -# chown root:mythtv /var/log/mythtv -# chmod 0775 /var/log/mythtv -# exit -$ ls -ld /var/log/mythtv -drwxrwxr-x 2 root mythtv 4096 Apr 28 21:58 /var/log/mythtv/ -$ -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Create a <CODE>mythtv</CODE> file in <CODE>/etc/logrotate.d</CODE>: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ su -# cat > /etc/logrotate.d/mythtv -# Set default values for all log files first... - -# Rotate the logs once a week, or more frequently if they -# exceed 10Mb in size (size is checked daily). -weekly -size 10M - -# 'copytruncate' is used for logs generated by -# currently-running programs that should not be restarted -# (and can't be signalled to start a new log) after the -# rotation. It duplicates the existing log file and then -# sets the length of the existing file to 0. The only time -# this would break would be if the program writing the log -# was using lseek. -copytruncate - -# After rotating the files, leave the most recent rotated -# copy alone but gzip everything else to save space. -compress -delaycompress - -# If a log isn't present then don't worry about it. -missingok - -# Don't rotate an empty file. -notifempty - -# end of the global options - -/var/log/mythtv/mythbackend.log /var/log/mythtv/mythfrontend.log { - # Keep logs until they are 2 months old or the number of - # logs reaches 12. If the log files stay small, the age will - # kick in first and you'll only have 8 log files. If they - # get larger than 10Mb then you won't keep all 60 days. - rotate 12 - maxage 60 -} - -# Different options for mythfilldatabase: -/var/log/mythtv/mythfilldatabase.log { - rotate 2 -} -^D -# -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> - -<H3>Mandriva </H3> - -<P>Mandriva adds one more twist in the form of the <CODE>msec</CODE> utility, -which runs regularly and (at the default or any higher security level) sets -permissions on many files, including those under <CODE>/var/log</CODE>.</P> -<P>To tell msec about the MythTV log files and their directory, you need to -edit the <CODE>/etc/security/msec/perm.local</CODE> file to include the -following: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -# /etc/security/msec/perm.local -# Local overrides to the msec program -# -# Full file path user.group permissions -/var/log/mythtv/ root.mythtv 775 -/var/log/mythtv/* root.mythtv 664 -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>A copy of the above has been included in the contrib/ directory. You may -add it by typing: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ cd contrib -$ su -# cat etc.security.msec.perm.local >> /etc/security/msec/perm.local -# exit -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Finally run the <CODE>msec</CODE> tool to check and implement your -changes. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ su -# msec -# exit -$ -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P> -<FIGURE> -<EPS FILE="stop.eps"> -<IMG SRC="stop.png"> -<CAPTION><B>NOTE</B>: msec can only <EM>reduce</EM> the permissions of files, so if -you don't get the results you expect, check that you're not asking -<CODE>msec</CODE> to add missing permissions to the files or directories you -created.</CAPTION> -</FIGURE> -</P> -<H3>Gentoo</H3> - -<P>The portage file for MythTV has scripts that will allow you to run -mythbackend at startup.</P> -<P>To run mythbackend as a daemon which starts at boot time: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -# rc-update add mythbackend default -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> - -To stop mythbackend as a daemon: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -# /etc/init.d/mythbackend stop -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>To obtain a list of options: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -# /etc/init.d/mythbackend -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> - -<H2><A NAME="advanced_backend_config"></A> <A NAME="ss23.13">23.13</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.13">Advanced Backend Configurations </A> -</H2> - -<P>MythTV is flexible in the way that you define multiple backend tuner -configurations. The only hard-and-fast rule is that the Master backend -<EM>must</EM> have a capture device defined, but shouldn't imply that the -capture device in the Master backend must be the first capture card defined in the -database.</P> -<P>One example of an advanced configuration is the round-robin scheme. Rather -than defining all of the cards on the master, you could first go into -mythtv-setup on the master to define globals such as the general configuration -and the channel lineup but not the host-specific configuration item like the -capture card. In this example, we will use a 4 tuner configuration, where two -slaves have one card each and the master has two. -<OL> -<LI>Add the first capture card on one of the slaves. Complete the -configuration, connecting the input source to the card. This will get -cardid #1 in the database. Exit mythtv-setup.</LI> -<LI>Configure the first capture card on the master backend. This will get -cardid #2 in the database. Exit mythtv-setup.</LI> -<LI>Configure the first capture card on the second slave. This will be -cardid #3 in the database. Exit mythtv-setup.</LI> -<LI>Configure the second capture card on the master backend. This will -get cardid #4 in the database. Exit mythtv-setup.</LI> -</OL> -</P> -<P>Using this scheme, the master backend will not use both capture cards until -one of the following happens: -<UL> -<LI>There are four recordings scheduled for the same time</LI> -<LI>Both slaves are unavailable</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>The scheduler in MythTV checks whether an encoder is available; if a slave -backend isn't running, its encoder isn't available, so the scheduler will -look for the next available encoder. This makes MythTV very flexible; slave -tuners can come and go, and as long as there are enough tuners for what -you'd like to record it doesn't matter which tuner in particular is going to -be used.</P> -<P>Using this round-robin scheme along with a shared storage directory like -NFS and enabling the Master Backend Override setting will allow you to view -content even if the slave backend that recorded a program is not available.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.14">23.14</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.14">Using the transcoder</A> -</H2> - -<P>MythTV's built-in transcoder re-encodes recordings from one codec to -another. The transcoder has three primary uses; it can transcode MPEG-2 -files captured using a hardware encoder (PVR cards, DVB cards, ATSC HD, -etc.) to MPEG-4, it can be used to transcode RTjpeg files (usually only used -on systems that can not real-time encode to MPEG-4 using a framegrabber) to -MPEG-4, and finally it can be used to remove commercials from a MPEG-2 file -while leaving the file in MPEG-2 format.</P> -<P>When MythTV transcodes a file to MPEG-4 or RTjpeg the resulting file format -is NuppelVideo (nuv). NuppelVideo is a container which provides a method of -keeping the audio and video in sync throughout the recording, which is why -it is used instead of the <CODE>.avi</CODE> format. You may have difficulty -playing <CODE>.nuv</CODE> files in non-MythTV systems.</P> - -<P>The original file is removed when the transcoding process is complete. -Unless you're sure that you will be satisfied with the result you may want -to enable the <B>mythtv-setup</B> option which causes <B>mythbackend</B> -to keep the original file after transcoding. This option is on the second -page of the General section in mythtv-setup. Enabling this allows you to -compare the two files and restore the original if you like. Outside of the -initial setup phase it usually isn't necessary to leave this option enabled. -A recording can be transcoded in two ways:</P> -<P> -<UL> -<LI>Automatically transcode the file once it has completed -recording.</LI> -<LI>Manually choosing to transcode a recording, usually after -importing a cutlist or manually marking commercials to be -removed.</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>The second method can be used on files that have already been transcoded (or -files which were are already in the desired format), so only the frames -immediately following a cut section will be re-encoded, resulting in a -minimal loss of quality when removing commercials with the added benefit of -being extremely quick.</P> -<P>The current transcoding system has a lot flexibility, but there are -a number of steps involved in setting it up. In order to -automatically transcode a given recording you must do the following: -<OL> -<LI>Configure recording profile for your capture source and enable -transcoding on one or more profiles.</LI> -<LI>Configure one or more transcoding profiles.</LI> -<LI>Create or alter existing scheduled recordings to enable -transcoding for that recording.</LI> -</OL> -</P> - -<H3>Configuring Recording Profiles to Allow Transcoding</H3> - -<P>Enter the Utilities/Setup > Setup > TV Settings > Recording Profiles -section in <B>mythfrontend</B>. Choose the option that corresponds to -your capture source (ignore the Transcoders for now.) Choose the quality -profile you are interested in using for transcoding. Ensure that "Enable -auto-transcode after recording" is checked. </P> - -<H3>Configure Transcoding Profiles</H3> - -<P>Enter the Recording Profiles > Transcoders menu. There are three quality -settings to choose from and a two special Autodetect settings. Later, when -scheduling recordings you'll have to choose one of Autodetect, High, Medium, -and Low Quality transcode settings in addition to the recording profile we -set up above. If you choose the Autodetect transcoding profile for a -recording, MythTV will use the "Autodetect from RTjpeg/MPEG-4" profile for -recordings which are RTjpeg/MPEG-4 files. Otherwise, it will use the -"Autodetect from MPEG-2" profile provided it's an MPEG-2 recording. If you -choose one of the others (High, Medium, Low) it will use the settings in -that profile regardless of the codec of the original recording.</P> -<P>There are a number of options for transcoding but the simplest is to enable -lossless transcoding (the first option) which subsequently removes all other -options. Enabling lossless encoding simply removes commercials (if you've -marked them) and attempts to clean up MPEG-2 streams. Note that with this -option MythTV will not apply any sort of filters and will only attempt to -normalize the stream into something cleaner and less likely to have trouble -with other less forgiving MPEG-2 hardware/software (including players, video -editors, etc.)</P> -<P>If you enable resizing of the recording the next page has the settings for -choosing the final resolution. MythTV will scale the video as appropriate, -not crop it to this resolution.</P> -<P>The final two pages allow configuration of the video and audio codecs. -Although RTjpeg is an option for video codec there is no reason to transcode -<EM>to</EM> this format because it will produce larger files than MPEG-4 and -the recording will take <EM>more</EM> CPU power to play back. The MPEG-4 -settings are described in the documentation for the <B>ffmpeg</B> project -at -<A HREF="http://ffmpeg.sourceforge.net/ffmpeg-doc.html">http://ffmpeg.sourceforge.net/ffmpeg-doc.html</A>. It's a matter of -trial and error to discover which settings achieve a good compromise between -size and quality.</P> -<P>If you wish to return to the default settings, they are Bitrate: 2200-2500, -MaxQ: 2, MinQ: 15, MaxQDiff: 3, and "Scale bitrate for frame size" is -enabled. The other options are unchecked. </P> - -<H3>Create/Alter Scheduled Recordings to Enable Transcoding</H3> - -<P>Transcoding is actually enabled on a per-recording basis. Two things -must be true before any given recording will be auto-transcoded, however. -The first is that the recording must have been made with a recording profile -that has auto-transcode enabled. Under "Storage Options" for the recording -you must set the "Record using the "X" profile" to the profile you -configured in the first step. In addition, under the "Post Recording -Options" section of the recording you must also set "Transcode new -recordings." This is also where you specify the Transcoding profile to use -(Auto, High, Medium, Low.)</P> -<P>It may not be obvious from above but the flexibility of this system is -primarily to make it possible to auto-transcode a show recorded via one -source (ie: pcHDTV 3000), and not transcode that same show if it's recorded -on another kind of card (ie: PVR-250.) There are other uses however. You -could have a PVR-250 and a V4L card. You may want to transcode the MPEG-2 -from the PVR-250 but there is no need to transcode the recordings made with -the V4L card, as it's already likely to be MPEG-4.</P> -<P>As an example, you could configure the Default profile for "Hardware DVB -Encoders" (the profile group used for DVB cards, including ATSC cards like -the pcHDTV 3000) to "Enable auto-transcoding". In the Default profile for -MPEG-2 Encoders (PVR cards) you'd leave "Enable auto-transcoding" unchecked. -For programs that are available on both kinds of cards you'd set the -recording profile to Default and enable auto-transcoding in the record -settings. Then you pick your transcoding profile. The result is that when -a program is recorded on your DVB card, it will get transcoded. When it -plays on a channel available via your PVR card, it won't be.</P> - -<H3>Manual Transcoding</H3> - -<P>Manually transcoding is activated while watching a show by hitting 'x', -from the OSD menu by choosing the Transcode option, or by choosing Job -Options/Transcode from the info menu from the Watch or Delete -Recordings screens.</P> -<P>The transcoding profile used for manual transcoding is whatever was set when -the recording was originally configured, even if you didn't enable -auto-transcoding. The only way to change what transcoding profile will be -used is to alter the transcoder column in the recorded table in the -database. The transcoder column contains a number which corresponds with -the id column in the recordingprofiles table. You can find out the id -number for each profile in the transcoder group with an SQL command like:</P> -<P> -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -mysql> select r.* from recordingprofiles r,profilegroups p where p.name='Transcoders' and p.id=r.profilegroup; -+----+----------------+------------+------------+--------------+ -| id | name | videocodec | audiocodec | profilegroup | -+----+----------------+------------+------------+--------------+ -| 21 | RTjpeg/MPEG4 | MPEG-4 | MP3 | 6 | -| 22 | MPEG2 | MPEG-4 | MP3 | 6 | -| 27 | High Quality | MPEG-4 | MP3 | 6 | -| 28 | Medium Quality | MPEG-4 | MP3 | 6 | -| 29 | Low Quality | MPEG-4 | MP3 | 6 | -+----+----------------+------------+------------+--------------+ -5 rows in set (0.01 sec) - -mysql> -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>Armed with the knowledge of what the profile ID's are you can also choose to -run mythtranscode from the command line and explicitly specify the transcoder -profile. Run <CODE>mythtranscode --help</CODE> for usage information.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.15">23.15</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.15">Changing your hostname</A> -</H2> - -<P>If you need to change the name of the computers used with MythTV you'll -need to perform a sequence of steps. There are a number of pieces of -information that MythTV keeps track of which are tied to the hostname of the -box, so changing the hostname involves altering the name in the -operating system and in the MySQL database. In the examples below, the old -name of the system was "frontend1" and we're going to change it to -"kidsroom".</P> -<P> -<FIGURE> -<EPS FILE="stop.eps"> -<IMG SRC="stop.png"> -<CAPTION><B>NOTE</B>: Changing the hostname using direct SQL update commands will -break things. You <EM>MUST</EM> use this indirect method.</CAPTION> -</FIGURE> - </P> -<P>1. Stop all backends. If you run <B>mythbackend</B> from a terminal -session, press control-c. If your backends are started with an init -script, you would do something like the following: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ su -# /etc/init.d/mythbackend stop -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>2. Change the hostname.</P> -<P>For Red Hat and derived distributions, edit the -<CODE>/etc/sysconfig/network</CODE> file. Look for -<CODE>HOSTNAME=frontend1</CODE> and change this to -<CODE>HOSTNAME=kidsroom</CODE> or whatever you'll be using. For other -distributions, refer to the documentation, such as the -<PRE> -hostname(1) -</PRE> - man page.</P> - -<P>To alter the -hostname in the current session, run: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -# hostname kidsroom -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>3. Dump the database. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysqldump -u mythtv -pmythtv mythconverg -c > mythtv_backup.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>4. Rename the host in the database. First, ensure that the new hostname -you'll be using isn't already in the database. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ grep kidsroom mythtv_backup.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> - -Now we're actually going to change the name. The following should all be -typed on the same line: -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ cat mythtv_backup.sql | sed s/\'frontend1\'/\'kidsroom\'/g >> mythtv_restore.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> - -If you don't feel comfortable using <B>sed</B>, you can open the -<CODE>mythtv_backup.sql</CODE> file in a text editor and perform a global search -and replace. When saving the file, make sure you use the new name, -<CODE>mythtv_restore.sql</CODE> or the rest of the steps below will fail.</P> -<P>5. Drop and recreate the database. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u root -mysql>drop database mythconverg; -mysql>create database mythconverg; -mysql>exit -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>6. Restore the database using your edited version. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -$ mysql -u mythtv -pmythtv mythconverg < mythtv_restore.sql -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>If you are running slave backends or frontends, don't forget to re-enable -access as detailed in -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-6.html#modify_perm_mysql">Modifying access to the MySQL database for multiple systems</A>. </P> -<P>7. Start the backends. If you use init scripts, do the following, otherwise -start them from terminal consoles. -<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE> -<PRE> -# /etc/init.d/mythbackend start -</PRE> -</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE> -</P> -<P>8. Quit and restart all frontends. Delete the <CODE>mythtv_backup.sql</CODE> -and <CODE>mythtv_restore.sql</CODE> files.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.16">23.16</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.16">Can I run MythTV on my TiVo?</A> -</H2> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.17">23.17</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.17">Can I run MythTV on my ReplayTV?</A> -</H2> - -<P>No.</P> -<P>While it is true that the TiVo runs the Linux kernel, and TiVo has released -their changes to the kernel under the GPL, the TiVo is <EM>not</EM> a -general-purpose computer, and there is no programming information available -for the custom hardware contained within a TiVo. TiVo is under no -obligation to release the source code to their <EM>application</EM>.</P> -<P>The ReplayTV runs VxWorks, a Real Time Operating System from Wind River -Systems.</P> -<H2><A NAME="ss23.18">23.18</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.18">Can a wireless connection be used between the frontend and the backend?</A> -</H2> - -<P>Yes, assuming that your wireless connection has sufficient bandwidth to -maintain the datarate between the frontend and the backend. 802.11b should -be sufficient if the encoded bitrate of the content is less than the -datarate of your wireless connection, which in the case of 802.11b would be -approximately 4 Mbps. (The advertised rate of 11Mbps gives an actual -throughput of 4 Mbps.) 802.11a and 802.11g, if operating in their high-speed -modes, or proprietary 802.11b "Turbo" schemes should be adequate. Multiple -wireless frontends, poor signal strength or other factors can severely -impact the viewing experience on the frontend.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.19">23.19</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.19">How can I burn shows that I have recorded to a DVD?</A> -</H2> - -<P>Use the mytharchive plugin.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.20">23.20</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.20">Using the DBoxII within MythTV</A> -</H2> - -<P>The configuration of the DBoxII for use within MythTV is tricky (as of -May 16 2005), that's why it's covered here. Your DBoxII has to be running -linux and the Neutrino GUI instead of the stock BetaNova firmware. For -further information, please refer to -<A HREF="http://www.tuxbox.org">http://www.tuxbox.org</A>. Additionally, you need to enable the SPTS -mode in Neutrino.</P> -<P> -<UL> -<LI>Add a new "Capture Card" in the setup. The "Card type" is "DBOX2 Input", -the other values have to be adjusted according to your setup. -The default values, except for the "DBOX2 host ip", should work fine.</LI> -<LI>Define a new video source. It doesn't need to be configured, -you just need to define it. MythTV grabs the EPG from the DBoxII.</LI> -<LI>Connect the DBoxII to the newly defined input source in "input connections".</LI> -<LI>Since channel scanning is not implemented yet, you need to define channels -in the "Channel Editor". Make sure that you use the same value for -"Channel Name" as on the DBoxII. You can get a list of available -channels from the web interface of Neutrino at http://ip-of-your-box:80/. -Associate the channel with your new video source and repeat when needed.</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>You may leave the Setup now and proceed as usual.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.21">23.21</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.21">What do the icons on the Watch Recordings screen mean?</A> -</H2> - -<P>Press "1" or F1 to get a popup.</P> -<H2><A NAME="ss23.22">23.22</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.22">What do the letters mean when I change channels?</A> -</H2> - -<P>These letters let you know what's going on with the backend as it tries -to tune to a channel.</P> -<P>Lower case = seen</P> -<P>Upper Case = seen & good -<UL> -<LI>l/L = Lock : This could be seen by PVR-250/BTTV users</LI> -<LI>a/A = PAT : Any recording transmitted in MPEG </LI> -<LI>m/M = PMT : Any recording transmitted in MPEG </LI> -<LI>g/G = MGT : ATSC only</LI> -<LI>v/V = VCT : ATSC only</LI> -<LI>n/N = NIT : DVB only</LI> -<LI>s/S = SDT : DVB only</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<H2><A NAME="ss23.23">23.23</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.23">What is the difference between the various Hauppauge PVR models?</A> -</H2> - -<P>This is covered in the hardware section, and extensively covered on the -Hauppauge website. ( -<A HREF="http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/compare_pvr.html">http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/compare_pvr.html</A>) Please check the -Hauppauge website for the most accurate information.</P> -<P>A PVR-150 comes in a number of versions: -<UL> -<LI>The PVR-150 (Model 1045) is the retail kit. It comes with a remote -control and an IR Blaster. It does not have a radio tuner.</LI> -<LI>The PVR-150 MCE (Model 1042) will usually come in a plain white box and is -sold as an OEM device. It does not come with a remote control, since it's -usually used as the second, third, etc capture device.</LI> -<LI>The PVR-150 MCE Kit (Model 1062) does not have a radio tuner and -comes with a Microsoft Media Center remote control instead of Hauppauge's.</LI> -<LI>The PVR-150 low profile (Model 1086) is a low-profile card. It has a -radio tuner and is approximately half the height of a standard card. -However, it comes with a low-profile PCI bracket, so it is not suitable for -use in a standard PCI slot without removing the bracket, which may not be -worth the trouble.</LI> -</UL> -</P> -<P>A PVR-250 (Model 980) is a retail kit which comes with an IR receiver and a -remote control.</P> -<P>The PVR-250 MCE (Model 975) contains a FM radio tuner. The PVR-250 MCE does -not contain a IR receiver or a remote.</P> -<P>The PVR-250 Rev 1 contained an MPEG-2 decoder. However, this function was -not connected to any output jacks, and there doesn't appear to be any way to -pull decoded video from the card, so it's a fairly useless feature.</P> -<P>The PVR-350 (model 990) has the features of the PVR-250 as well as being -able to decode MPEG-2. The encode and decode functions may be used -simultaneously. The MPEG-2 decoder function gives superior video quality -compared to what you'll find on a standard video card. However, the decoder -function is only available once Linux has started, so you will not see any -boot-time messages. Also, the card is not capable of resolutions higher -than 720x480, so it cannot be used with HDTV. Make a conscious decision -(and ask for advice on the mailing list) that you want to tradeoff potential -HDTV use in the future compared to video quality.</P> -<P>The X-driver for the PVR-350 support playback using Xv efficiently but does -not support any other 2D or 3D acceleration. For some application this may -place a large load on the host CPU, some will run without any problem and -others (mplayer, xine, xmame etc.) should be configured to utilize the Xv -interface.</P> -<P>Note that for the PVR-350 there are some -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-3.html#PVR-350">considerations</A> -regarding the way audio is handled.</P> -<P>The PVR-500 is a dual-encoder version of the PVR-150 card, so you can -simultaneously record two different programs at the same time, because there -are two encoder chips on the PCI card. Hauppuage has also installed an -onboard splitter, so you can use one COAX to feed both tuners. Current -versions of the PVR-500 should come with an adapter to allow you to connect -a second S-Video or composite input, but this will take up a second PCI -slot. Early adopters may need to purchase this item separately.</P> - -<H2><A NAME="ss23.24">23.24</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.24">Changing channels on an external Set Top Box</A> -</H2> - -<P>If you need to use an external Set Top Box (STB), such as for satellite -TV or for digital cable you will need some way for MythTV to tell the STB to -switch to a new channel. There are several methods: -<OL> -<LI>Use an IR blaster. An IR blaster is an infrared transmitter connected -to your computer. When MythTV needs to change channels it will send IR -pulses, thereby emulating a remote control.</LI> -<LI>Use a direct serial connection. Some STB's have a serial port on the -back, although it may not look like a serial port. It may look like a phone -jack, or a strange VGA connector. It may be labeled "Low Speed Data". A -direct serial connection is more reliable than an IR blaster. Not all STB's -that have a Low Speed Data port have it enabled; you may need to convince -your service provider to turn it on. Stating that you have a Tivo may help; -the Tivo has a direct-connect capability.</LI> -<LI>Use a firewire connection. There is a <CODE>6200ch.c</CODE> in the MythTV -contrib directory which may work for you.</LI> -</OL> -</P> -<H2><A NAME="ss23.25">23.25</A> <A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23.25">Configuring one machine to flag all commercials</A> -</H2> - -<P>Commercial flagging can be CPU intensive. By default, the backend that -created a recording is the one which will flag commercials. You may wish to -use a different machine to run commercial flagging.</P> -<P>On the slower machine:</P> -<P>Start the mythtv-setup program. Advance through the pages until you get to -the Job Queue page. Turn off the setting that says "Allow Commercial -Detection jobs", thereby preventing any commercial flagging jobs from -running on this machine.</P> -<P>Next, make sure that "Run Jobs only on original recording host" is turned -OFF so that new jobs are allowed to run anywhere.</P> -<P>Restart <B>mythbackend</B> since it only reads this setting when it starts -up.</P> -<P>On the faster machine:</P> -<P>Start the <B>mythtv-setup</B> program. Advance through the pages until -you get to the Job Queue page. Ensure that "Allow Commercial Detection -jobs" is turned ON for this machine.</P> -<P>Run <B>mythjobqueue</B>. <B>mythjobqueue</B> will examine the JobQueue -and run any jobs it finds. <B>mythjobqueue</B> should be left running so -that it will pick up any new commercial flagging jobs that are added to the -queue, otherwise new jobs will be added to the queue and your programs won't -be flagged until you run manually run <B>mythjobqueue</B>.</P> -<P>Using this technique it's possible to add commercial flagging machines as -needed, even on systems that aren't running a backend. It's also possible -to run the commercial flagger in a virtual machine environment such as -VMWare.</P> - -<HR> -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-24.html">Next</A> -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO-22.html">Previous</A> -<A HREF="mythtv-HOWTO.html#toc23">Contents</A> -</BODY> -</HTML> |