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new page[[File:mythtvmythbuntulogo.png]] November 06, 2016: Mythbuntu as a separate distribution will cease to exist. The Mythbuntu team recommends users who want to use Mythbuntu to install the latest release of the Xubuntu Linux operating system and then add the Mythbuntu PPA (Personal Package Archive), which will continue to provide the latest MythTV releases and other related packages. <big>Mythbuntu Alternative: [[LinHES]]</big> Since the Mythbuntu distribution has been discontinued you have a number of options. Of course you can still install Ubuntu and then MythTV. Obtain Ubuntu by downloading and installing the latest Xubuntu or Ubuntu Desktop LTS version. MythTV is available through apt. Another alternative is to install [[Mint Linux]] and [https://community.linuxmint.com/software/view/mythtv software package mythtv]. Mythbuntu is a media center linux distribution which combines an operating system (ubuntu) with software (mythtv) to achieve a complete DVR and video library system. Create a home theater PC ([[HTPC]]) or media center computer using Mythbuntu. Mythbuntu is an official Ubuntu flavor focused upon setting up a standalone MythTV based PVR system. Mythbuntu is a custom Ubuntu distribution with a prebuilt MythTV install, and it is a Ubuntu that has been optimized for use with MythTV. [[Ubuntu]] is a linux distribution that typically uses Gnome Windows Manager. Mythbuntu does not use Gnome. Mythbuntu uses [[Xfce]] as the Window Manager. [[MythTV]] is a software that runs on Linux to virtually turn a Linux desktop system into a DVR. MythTV can run entirely on a single system, or utilize a front-end back-end configuration. ''MythTV is "beta" quality DVR software for a PC running Linux. Even under the most standard, typical hardware configurations Mythbuntu and MythTV work reasonably well but not without errors and annoyances. The use of the term "beta" is opinion rather than an official designation by the developers (-2014).''== Typical Problems with Mythbuntu == * HDMI audio does not work by default* pulseaudio server will not start* smb/cifs not included by default* unexplained crashes* scheduled recording fails when tuner on LiveTV* storage group design makes alternate video player fail* screen goes black See the Section: [[Mythbuntu#Troubleshooting]] === unexplained crashes === While watching LiveTV, or while watching a recording which may be associated with a tuner active in recording another program at the time, popup crash messages appear. Messages are infrequent, however, seemingly random and very annoying. [[File:mythtv-sys-prog-prob-det-popup.jpg]] The Cancel button is clicked. Playback of a recorded program continues, even during the error popup. The popup blocks part of the viewable screen space. Once the popup goes away, a new popup appears. [[File:mythtv-app-backend-setup-closed-unexpectedly-popup.jpg]] Send an error report? Sounds like Microsoft! Click "Show Details" and lets find out what went wrong so it can be fixed. [[File:mythtv-app-backend-setup-closed-unexpectedly-popup-cr1.jpg]] The error report itself has now crashed. Meanwhile the video is still playing behind all these popups. The cause for the error is never determined. The error report will not complete. This is a fairly common problem with Mythbuntu installations on common PC hardware. Due to the attitude towards bug reports by the MythTV developers, it is unlikely the problem will be addressed in the near future. Fortunately, this tends to be a once-per-day type of error in most cases and like most things with buggy software in our modern age, simply gets tolerated. RESOLUTION: none. == Customization ==Use the [[The apt-get Package Management Tool]] to install packages. === Theme Notation === The most common screen resolution of an LCD panel television is 1920x1080 - which is 16:9 . Some themes do not work well on the common television. * Arclight - not recommended.* Steppes - fair. Glitches in media library view.* Mythbuntu 25.30 - excellent. === Key bindings to mimic VLC === I like to have the SPACE BAR pause and resume to mimic the behavior of VLC Player. Setup, Edit Keys, TV Playback, Pause, and press the SPACEBAR when prompted in the empty slot after the "P." The key binding conflicts with another which can easily be removed. Setup, Edit Keys, Global, Select, and select the slot with SPACEBAR to remove the binding.Press ESCAPE and Save Changes. === Using VLC Player for playback === {{:MythTV Setup Series- Use Alternate Player}} == Paths: File Locations ==MythTV DB does not care about the exact path to a recorded program video file. It only cares that the file resides somewhere in the configured root path, and the specific name. With Mythbuntu, and perhaps most MythTV installs on Linux, media is stored under /var/lib/mythtv unless otherwise configured differently by the user. See these common directory names under /var/lib/mythtv /var/lib/mythtv/ banners bare-client coverart db_backups fanart livetv music pictures recordings screenshots streaming trailers videos * /var/lib/mythtv/livetv - all live TV contact for the current period (typically for the last 24hrs) that has been watched or recorded. Sometimes scheduled recordings fail to show up in the Media Library-Recordings list can be found here too. Names on FS are not meaningful and are associated with MythTV DB entries. SEE: [http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/LiveTV MythTV Offical Wiki: LiveTV] * /var/lib/mythtv/recordings - user recorded tv programs. auto configured to share as \\Mythtv\recordings on Windows network. Recorded programming is moved from /livetv to /recordings upon completion of scheduled recording or user initiated recording. So to speak, everything is recorded, that which is marked recorded is moved here. * /var/lib/mythtv/streaming - MythTV directories that are shared to Windows network neighborhood are done so with [[Linux CIFS Utils and Samba]] with the configuration file {smb.conf) being at the path /etc/samba/smb.conf - example: [[Example Mythbuntu SMB Shares]]. If you modify smb.conf you will need to restart the service: service smbd restart && service nmbd restart == Menu Structure of Mythbuntu 25.30 Theme MENU == Mythfrontend 0.25 | +---Media Library | +---Watch Recordings | +---Watch Videos | +---Listen to Music | \---Image Gallery | +---Manage Recordings | +---Schedule Recordings | | +---Program Guide | | +---Program Finder | | +---Search Words | | +---Search Lists | | \---Custom Record | | | +---Recording Rules | +---Upcoming Recordings | +---Previously Recorded | \---Set Priorities | +---Information Center | \---System Status | +---Optical Disks | +---Play Optical Disc | +---Import CD | \---Eject Media | +---Watch TV \---Setup +---Setup Wizard +---General +---Appearance +---Theme Chooser +---Audio +---Video +---Media Settings +---System Event Handlers +---Edit Keys +---Artwork and Metadata Sources \---Screen Setup Wizards == Operating System Adjustments == {{:MythTV Setup- Operating System Adjustments}} == Adding files from a windows share to MythTV media library =={{:Example_of_cfis_fstab}} See [[Linux CIFS Utils and Samba]] for more information on installing cifs-utils and mounting Microsoft Windows shares. Now for any media such as video files from those shares to show up in MythTV-Frontend under "Media Library, Watch Videos" the backend configuration needs to be modified. (Steps for that coming soon...) == Troubleshooting ==For troubleshooting it helps to know your Mythbuntu version cat /etc/lsb-release === There's sound on line out, but not on HDMI === Manifestations #Audio present in MythTV frontend but not in X.org #Audio absent in MythTV frontend and present in X.org#No Audio in MythTV frontend and X.org ==== CORRECT IN MYTHTV SOFTWARE ====In MythTV this can be corrected easily. From the MythTV Frontend:# Setup# Audio# Change "Audio output device" to "ALSA:dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=3" (or whatever soundcard and device tag matches your system)The default here was "PulseAudio:default". When there are problems with PulseAudio, which is common, it is better to specify your soundcard and output device specifically. For our example we had an Intel ACH audio board. ==== CORRECT IN X11 (X.org) simple ====This is a quick fix. Use this solution only if:* You previously had audio in X.org apps, perhaps before a reboot or other event* You already have PulseAudio Control installed "pavucontrol"* You use an HDMI cable for audio and video to a monitor TV Sometimes users of Mythbuntu drop back into the xfce to run media software, such as VLC. Even though MythTV Frontend has a working audio configuration, the desktop may not. Once configured, users are noticing that Pulse Audio loses its setting after a reboot or other event, and audio for apps in X.org stop working. '''Quick Fix''': (''assuming you have checked cables are not loose'')* Simply open pavucontrol and click the configuration tab. If it is correctly set to "Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output" (or whichever you typically use) inwhich it should be working, and has in the past worked, but is now not working, change it to another option, and then change it back to "Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output." This basically "refreshes" or reminds Pulse Audio what output you wish to use. This seems to kick start the audio and get it working again for most people. If your problem doesn't meet the 3 bullited criteria above or the Quick Fix solution fails, proceed to attempt the thorough troubleshooting that follows... ==== CORRECT IN X11 (X.org) thorough ====If you go to console and type aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wavand do not hear anything out of the TV via HDMI, but do hear if you connect speakers or headphones to the line-out jack, try this: speaker-test -c 2 -r 48000 -D hw:0,3Again, the test is on a system with Intel ACH audio and the HDMI puts it on hw:0,3 - yours could be on another like hw:0,7. Here is how to find out where yours is, type this: aplay -lHere we seen: card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]The card number and device number you need to know. Another test is to: aplay -D plughw:0,3 /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wavSubstitute plughw:0,3 with the correct values for your card and HDMI based on the output of aplay -l Install the mixer. apt-get install pavucontrolOpen mixer pavucontrolIn the mixer choose the "Output Devices" tab. If you do not see "HDMI / DisplayPort" listed in the dropdown then do the following:* click on the Configuration tab and select "Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output"* Go back to the Output Devices tab and look for "HDMI / DisplayPort" If at this point you found and selected the HDMI DisplayPort option, and tested audio is working then stop here. Be sure to test within a program such as VLC and not using aplay from console. VLC will use the pulseaudio device you selected in pavucontrol. If there is still no sound via HDMI, then proceed... Now we need to edit the pulseaudio configuration file "/etc/pulse/default.pa" and uncomment, and edit a couple lines: load-module module-alsa-sink load-module module-alsa-source device=hw:0,3Set the "device=hw:0,3" to the appropriate values for your card that you discovered though testing above. Now start or restart pulseaudio killall pulseaudio start-pulseaudio-x11 If it starts, then Good! Now you need to open the PulseAudio Volume Control applet in [[Xfce]]* Applications, MultiMedia, PulseAudio Volume ControlNow click the drop-down box named "Port" and choose "HDMI/DisplayPort" Now the default audio is set to the HDMI into your television. Next time you reboot you might have a problem with PulseAudio again. See the troubleshooting below if this is the cause. It basically means you have to remark out those two lines in default.pa and manually start pulseaudio service "start-pulseaudio-x11" === pulseaudio: pa_context_connect() failed: Connection refused === pulseaudio does not start with system boot and you try to manually start it and get: $ start-pulseaudio-x11 Connection failure: Connection refused pa_context_connect() failed: Connection refused The problem may be caused by an error in one of the pulseaudio config files. Those files are located in:* /etc/pulseIn order to get HDMI audio working, two lines that were enabled in default.pa later caused a problem after reboot. load-module module-alsa-sink load-module module-alsa-source device=hw:0,3Those lines were uncommented in order to get HDMI sound working. After a reboot those lines needed commented out once again so that pulseaudio would start. Why? Who the hell knows? pulseaudio is very buggy. === random screen blanking / goes black === This happens sometimes when I pause live TV, or sometimes when browsing the video library. It has nothing to do with inactivity. Screensaver off, [[DPMS]] off, not related to either. Screen goes black, MythTV is temporarily non-responsive on the HDMI display device (LCD TV). No discernible pattern or triggers. I can watch three hours of live TV and everything is fine. Another time the screen going black happens in the first 15 minutes of a show when I pause or try to skip past commercials. Again, no discernible pattern. I mentioned my recorded buffer was being lost originally but that is my fault as it is happening with my keyboard actions trying to get the display back. I discovered if I connect with VNC viewer I can see the picture there. It is blanking on the HDMI device. ''Screen blanking is also caused by the display device going into standby because it misunderstands the video signal. Vizio displays are infamous for this.'' ===Login screen loops unless you login as Guest===I login and there's this black screen where I can only read some text or error (doesn't matter) and then it goes right back to the login screen. The graphical login just keeps coming back after the correct password. Other text consoles work. Resolved: Lost permissions to /home/username/.XAuthority - it has been taken over by root owner. Go into /home/username and change it back to your ownership. Do this for ALL files in /home/username that were somehow taken over by root. == Backend Configuration == === Adding an additional backend === On the backend machine, open the /etc/mysql/my.cnf file sudo vi /etc/mysql/my.cnf Comment the line that begins with bind-address by placing a # in front of it. # bind-address = 127.0.0.1 Now restart the MySQL server. sudo service mysql restart References:* http://emmanuelcontreras.com/content/how-setting-multiple-remote-frontend-mythtv-backend* http://asrockion.wiki.zoho.com/adding-an-extra-Mythtv-frontend-1.html* http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php === Master Backend Info- Security Key === You will need this set to add additional mythtv frontends to the network. #In the xfce windows interface use the dropdown menu in the upper left "Applications" and choose System, MythTV Backend Setup.#In the MythTV backend setup choose: General, Security PIN (required) == Distribution Release Notes == === Determine the version of MythTV you have ===console type: apt-cache policy mythtvOr if you are in Xfce environment you can open a terminal (Applications -> System -> Xfce terminal) and type the following: mythfrontend --versionThe mythfrontend command won't work from a remote ssh terminal. === Determine the version of Ubuntu you have ===type: cat /etc/issue=== Determine the version of the Linux kernel ===type: uname -r === Mythbuntu Releases ===Mythbuntu distribution releases are listed on their official web site. * [http://www.mythbuntu.org/downloads Mythbuntu Downloads] Starting with 12.04, the Mythbuntu team will only be doing Long Term Support (LTS) releases. Ubuntu does an LTS release about every two years. Mythbuntu ISOs will only be released for LTS releases. During the LTS life cycle, there will be point releases that roll up fixes into a new ISO. Even though Ubuntu LTS releases are usually every two years, MythTV releases are more frequent. The Mythbuntu version coincides with the Ubuntu distribution version. Mythbuntu 14.04.1 was released Thursday, July 24th, 2014. (point release)* MythTV: * Ubuntu: Trusty Tahr* Kernel: 3.13 Mythbuntu 14.04 was released on Thursday April 17th, 2014. (LTS)* MythTV: MythTV 0.27* Ubuntu: Trusty Tahr* Kernel: 3.13 Mythbuntu 12.04.3 was released on Thursday September 6th, 2013. (point release)* MythTV: 0.25* Ubuntu: Precise Pangolin* Kernel: 3.8* ISO filename: mythbuntu-12.04.3-desktop-amd64 Mythbuntu 12.04 (LTS)* Ubuntu: Precise Pangolin Keywords: mythubuntu mythbuntu myth-ubuntu mythtv myth-tv myth tv television capture pvr dvr linuxpvr linuxdvr[[Category:Computer_Technology]][[Category:Linux]][[Category:Ubuntu]][[Category:MythTV]]