Mythtv and Freeview

[Pantera116]

Iam in the UK and have used Mythtv in few different configurations since 0.21 on top of suse originally

I have recently completed a Frontend /Backend box. I thought i would share the details.

The build and installation of my planned mythtv combined frontend/backend system has gone well. The system is running
mythbuntu 10.04 64bit and is now in regular use.

I used the following hardware:

Coolermaster aluminium case
ASUS A8NE motherboard
Athlon64 x2 3800 processor (standard 2000 mhz clock)
2 Gb coarsair ddr ram (4x512mb dual channel)
MSI nvidia 220gt graphics card for vdpau version 4
3 sata drives 40gb for os 2 x 1 Tb for storage
Hauppauge nova t pci dvb tuner with remote
Avermedia volar usb dvb tuner
Leadtek winfast usb dvb tuner
Kworld kW399u usb dual dvb tuner (only using 1 tuner currently)
viewsonic va2213w monitor

I had initial problems with the mythbuntu cd not booting, i had to select nodetect as a boot option to get it working.

I partisioned the drives as follows on the 40 gb os drive / 15 gb, /home 20gb and /swap 5gb. for the storage drives

disc 1 var/lib/mythtv 130gb var/lib/mythtv/recordings 800gb

disc 2 var/lib/mythtv/videos 700gb var/lib/mythtv/music 230gb

The partisioning was setup within the mythbuntu installer using the manual option. Using Mythbuntu makes the process of
setting up Mythtv easier than previous setups when i started with suse and added the programs manually.

All the dvb -t tuners installed ok, they are used to recieve the free to air uk terrestial tv service "freeview" via an
aeriel and booster. I am using multirec on all the tuners so in theory 5 programmes on each of 4 different multiplexes can be
recorded at the same time , 20 channels in all . I have not found myself short of tuners yet.

I am only recieving sd programming (PAL-I format) however the VDPAU high quality setting really does give an excellant
picture on the viewsonic monitor, also CPU use is minimal.

I have been taking the updates as they become available and this has resolved some issues i was having with missed recording
and remote control behaviour. Missed recording occured because of 'no lock' on the channel later firmware fixed this.
I am using the /dev/input/event method for the remote. The remote is what seems to be known as snowboard remote due to its
shape, a sticker in the battery compartment gives a model number of a415 hpg. The remote is not listed directly in the list
of remotes so i bit of work was required to sort out the lirc codes. I eventually found it worked as a hvr 1100 and all
buttons function as they should. One initial issue was the double response i was getting on the number and cursor buttons as
hal was registaring them as a keyboard as well as lirc responding to them. I did a work round in the home directory lircrc
files so that hal did cursor keys and numbers and lirc did the rest. Later on a update resolved the hal inteferance and i
re editted the lircrc to put it all under lirc control.

I should also mention that the i have locked the /dev/input/event number for the remote to avoid losing function. I have also
setup my router to make the frontend/backend ip address fixed so that i can use a remote frontend.

Already since early june my recordings drive is half full.

[DaveQB]

My backend is of similar core hardware spec.

I capture HD content off Freeview (Australia)
Do you just not have HD content over Freeview there??

I find my Nova-T needs to have the power pulled from the system if I need to reboot at all, otherwise it does not work. Something to do with firmware loading.

[Pantera116]

Hi DaveQB
In answer to your questions there is HD available over the air in the UK via Freesat or Freeview HD.

I currently do not have dish so sorting out Freesat reception would cost about £100.

Regard the Freeview HD tuners are only just appearing on the market for PC's. May take a while for driver support
to be sorted out.

I do not have any issues with The Nova-T , as Iam running Mythbuntu 10.04 and take all the updates may be on a later
version of the firmware.

[DaveQB]

That might be it. I am running 9.10 which was an upgrade from 9.04.

Thanks for the tip on that.

[Pantera116]

Hi DaveQB
I had a look at my lib/firmware directory on my frontend/backend, oldest modified date of any file or folder is April 2010.

Was not able check this before, sent my earlier response from a linux laptop i use at work on my lunch break
(web access via Vodafone 3g stick).

[DaveQB]

root@myth:~# ll /lib/firmware/ -d
drwxr-xr-x 8 root root 12288 2010-07-25 19:19 /lib/firmware/

Thanks!

Is this the folder you meant?

[Pantera116]

yes that is the folder i meant.

i was going to ask is your nova -t a single tuner or the dual tuner t 500?

mine is the single, if i review dmesg if identifies the card as a model 90003 rev c2b0

iam sure that i have read that the t 500 is significantly different, being effectively two
usb dvb -t tuners housed on a pci card.

see www.linuxtv.org for more detail.

[DaveQB]

Thanks Pantera116

It is the dual tuner model.
I am hoping that an upgrade (or re-install) to 10.10 may contain a fix for this issue. That would be nice, will then allow remote reboots and power on from a blackout will also work.