Mythbuntu

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. Mythbuntu is an official Ubuntu flavor focused upon setting up a standalone MythTV based PVR system. MythUbuntu 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. MythUbuntu does not use Gnome. MythUbuntu 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.

Typical Problems with MythUbuntu

• HDMI audio does not work by default
• pulseaudio server will not start
• smb/cifs not included by default

Customization

extras

Install vim editor

apt-get vim

Set VNC password

sudo x11vnc --storepasswd

To connect to windows shares you need cifs

apt-get install cifs-utils

disable screen blanking

After my computer with ubuntu 12.04 has been idle for a short while, the screen will go blank, and even enter standby mode. Drop out of MythTV frontend to Xfce and on the menu in the upper left:

• Applications, Settings, Screensaver

Change "Blank After" to 0 or any value you want.

Troubleshooting

There's sound on line out, but not on HDMI

CORRECT IN MYTHTV SOFTWARE:
In MythTV this can be corrected easily

CORRECT IN 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/pulse

In 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:0,3

Those 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.