Overview

Below are details about my setup (Increment III), including how to get everything up and running in Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy).

• Increment I - a low powered MythTV system with Debian Etch
• Increment II - updated for new hardware on Debian Etch
• Increment III - updated for Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy)

System Components

• Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5200 @ 2.50GHz
• 1 GB RAM
• Operating System: Ubuntu Linux 8.10 (Intrepid) - Kernel 2.6.27
• 500 GB ATA Hard Disk
• DVD-ROM and CD-RW Drive
• nVidia Corporation GeForce 8500 GT (Full HD Output)
• Hauppauge PVR-250 (with hardware MPEG encoder and remote control)
• pcHDTV 5500

Performance

Encoding

Virtually zero CPU usage due to the hardware MPEG-2 encoder on the PVR-250. I haven't tried any software encoding (MPEG-4).

Decoding

1920x1080 MPEG-2 HDTV (7 GB/hour) - 50% CPU playback
Hulu Desktop Flash 480p - 90% CPU playback

Installation

These are instructions for installing MythTV on Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy)

You should apt-get the following packages to get a basic system up running:

apt-get install mythbuntu-desktop mythtv
apt-get install mythplugins mythstream
apt-get install mythtv-themes 
apt-get install mythtv-transcode-utils mythtvfs

You probably want to install libdvdcss in order to watch encrypted DVD discs:

/usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh

Drivers

If you are using an Nvidia card, you need to install their driver for TV-out:

apt-get install linux-headers-generic
cd /usr/src
ln -s linux-headers-2.6.22-14-generic/ linux

init 3
Run NVIDIA driver install
Change the Driver in /etc/X11/xorg.conf from nv to nvidia
init 5

Add libXvMCNVIDIA_dynamic.so.1 to /etc/X11/XvMCConfig

comment out all entries in /etc/modprobe.d/lrm-video

/etc/init.d/gdm restart

Sound

apt-get install alsa-utils alsamixergui

Remote Control Setup (optional)

All you need to do is create ~/.mythtv/lircrc for your system.

Edit configuration files

REMOVE line from /etc/mysql/my.cnf.

bind-address = 127.0.0.1

Automatically login the mythtv user with GDM, add to /etc/gdm/gdm-cdd.conf:

[daemon]
AutomaticLoginEnable=true
AutomaticLogin=mythtv

Automatically start mythfrontend upon login, create ~/.config/autostart/MythTV.desktop:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=0.9.4
Type=Application
Name=MythTV
Comment=
Exec=/usr/bin/mythfrontend -l /var/log/mythtv/mythfrontend.log
StartupNotify=false
Terminal=false
Hidden=false

You should reboot here to make all of the changes take effect.

MythTV Configuration

To populate the channel icons:

perl mkiconmap.pl
mythfilldatabase --import-icon-map iconmap.xml --update-icon-map

or (without xmltv):

mythfilldatabase --import-icon-map master_iconmap.xml --update-icon-map

For Mythflix, run twice:

/usr/local/share/mythflix/scripts/netflix.pl -L 
<netflixusername> <netflixpassword>

Performance Tweaks

Utilities>Setup>TV Settings>Playback, and check the box for "Enable realtime priority threads." Add to /etc/security/limits.conf:

mythuser     -      rtprio       50
mythuser     -      nice         0

Logout, login.

Other Suggested Services

apt-get install openssh-server samba mt-daapd snmpd