MythTV backend. Mostly working. Next steps?

[tophee]

Hi guys,

I found a nice little blog post recently that showed me how to get mythbackend installed inside a jail. Though followed it successfully, to a point, I've now run into a brick wall and I'm hoping some people out there can help me get to a point where I can record TV using an internal tuner card.

So here is the link to the blog: Here I cannot take any credit for the information detailed and must give all to John Payne author of said blog.

For those who cannot be bothered following the link, here is what I did.

1. From FreeNas gui under Jails, I added jails. As guide said it was using port, I set jail to be a "portjail". Ok that, after assigning web address. All other check boxes were left as found.

2. Wait to complete. Had a cup of tea... oh didn't take that long... right onwards ;-)

3. opened a command prompt into jail. From blog post followed copied and pasted these in turn and 'Ok'd each in turn.
pkg_add -r mythtv
pkg_add -r mysql55-server
pkg_add -r libXv
pkg_add -r qt4-webkit
pkg_add -r xauth
pkg_add -r xorg-fonts

Then add lame port via going to this directory: cd /usr/ports/audio/lame
and issue the command "make install" (without the speech marks)
4. Enable X11 forwarding over ssh.

Copy and paste these into the terminal you are working in. Ok each in turn.

echo 'sshd_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf
echo 'ListenAddress 0.0.0.0' >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
echo 'PermitRootLogin yes' >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
echo 'PasswordAuthentication yes' >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
echo 'X11Forwarding yes' >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
echo 'X11UseLocalhost no' >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
service sshd restart
NB: Change mythtv jail root password via passwd commandfrom command line. Make a note of it you will need it later.

5. Set up SQL server

Copy and paste these into the terminal you are working in. Ok each in turn.
echo 'mysql_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf
service mysql-server start
mysql < /usr/local/share/mythtv/database/mc.sql
mysql_tzinfo_to_sql /usr/share/zoneinfo | mysql -u root mysql

I followed the instructions on the original blog how to access the forwarded X11, but I had to use the securecrt 30 day trial. (I would have rather just used putty, but I could not get it to work. if anyone had any advice on that, my desktop is Windows 8.1.)

So I ran Mythtv-setup and could get into the backend setup. However the tuner card was not detected by Myth. On the Freshports page for MythTV there is a reference to using the V4L drivers (with a warning on them being beta and all). On my previous standalone Mythbox I had to add my own firmware for my tuner card.

Can anyone give me any guidance on how to do this?

Also, while researching what to do, I say this warning

DANGER! do not use the pkg_add command in a FreeNAS® jail as it will cause inconsistencies in your package management database.

And I am concerned on if the process I have followed is going to come back and bite me.


Any thoughts, suggestions and offers of help, gratefully received.




Chris

 

[mysticpete]

Setup Remote X11 access from your PC/Laptop
Download Xming from here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/
Download PuTTY from here: http://www.putty.org/
1) install Xming server and start it on your local machine
2) install PuTTY on your local machine
3) configure the default profile in PuTTY with the IP and SSH port of your myth Server
4) Go to the Connection panel then select ssh and enable compression, then the x11 tab and check "Enable x11 Forwarding" box, then enter localhost:0 in the "X Display Location" and check "MIT-Magic-Cookie-"
5) go to "Session" and hit the save button

With the Xming server started, open the PuTTY session you saved and login (with the user you created earlier) to the myth server, then type mythtv-setup, this will open an Xwindow on your local screen and load the myth setup screen.
If you get a message saying X11 server not found then you did something wrong.

 

[mysticpete]

pkg_add becomes pkg add superseded by pkgng now

 

[tophee]

Hi MysticPete,
Thanks for your input - I've been away so missed this.

Do you have a fully functioning mythbackend? Are you using an internal tuner?
Does using pkgng give better results? Should I wipe the jail and start again?
Thanks

 

[mysticpete]

The server I have been building is using as many media tools as I can, so the plugins, Couchpotato, Sick Beard, Transmission and PLEX are all running, and I also have Mythtv backend running but I have made an annoying cockup that I am in the middle of diagnosing. there are other considerations not taken into account in previous iterations of getting a full mythtv backend running and interacting with a third party app. ( I am using RASBMC with MythBox) most of the issues come down to permissions, also mysql is locked to localhost by default, which is why so many people have issues with mythbox connecting to the backend. I am hoping to complete a full tutorial by the end of this week, time permitting.

 

[jyavenard]

aFAIk, there's no support for most acquisition card (DVB-T/C/S, ATSC etc..) under FreeBSD. You must use a network based one like an HD Homerun.

It is surprising that you would need to manually install all those dependencies to get the mythtv package to run. The mythtv packages should install all that it needs (MySQL client, Qt etc...)

 

[mysticpete]

aFAIk, there's no support for most acquisition card (DVB-T/C/S, ATSC etc..) under FreeBSD. You must use a network based one like an HD Homerun.

It is surprising that you would need to manually install all those dependencies to get the mythtv package to run. The mythtv packages should install all that it needs (MySQL client, Qt etc...)

It does not in FreeNAS. there are dependencies you have to meet, regarding TV cards, my first iteration used the x16 slot with an Avermedia HD dual tuner located on the server, it work very well. I have now migrated to HD Homerun tuners and used the x16 for a 2 port USB-3 card. The HDHR tuners are a cinch to setup and provide additional functionality that I wanted.

 

[tophee]

Right, so it is possible to use an internal pci tuner. That was the impression I got from the Freshports page. And mysticpete - a how to would be awesome. I'd be using an internal Nova-HD-S2 card (ideally) to get HD channels, though I do have an old Nova-T card (again internal). I don't really want to outlay for a new tuner atm.

 

[mysticpete]

OK, first thing I did was to ensure that the solution would work in a desktop environment. so, install the card and run up a copy of freebsd onto an 8gb USB stick, install it into the HP server with a monitor attched, there's plenty of tutorials about this, install Mythtv as a plugin from the install script and make sure you can get it working with that card, I went through 3 cards before I found one that worked with the hardware and software.

 

[tophee]

Ahhh. Ok. Fortunately I've an old pc I can use for this purpose.
I'm coming from LinHES (originally KnoppMyth built from Knoppix/Debian and now as LinHES built from Arch) and had to tweak that to get my card to work - mostly by adding the correct firmware. Though my other card (a Nova-T) has been well supprted by MythTV for ages. Hopefully by FreeBSD.

Oh, and I look forward to your finished tutorial!

Thanks again

 

[jyavenard]

Which card was it?
In any case, even if the PCI/USB card is recognised in FreeBSD (which I still doubt), the mythtv backend is extremely unlikely to work with it as the only internal card protocol it supports is the V4L protocol (aka video for Linux). Other non v4l device supported are HDHR (HD homerun) and HD-PVR, and some FireWire capture cards.
As FreeBSD doesn't support V4L, you won't get far with a USB/PCI card and mythtv

 

[mysticpete]

OK here is the full HOW-TO

http://mysticpete.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/create-media-server-hosting-freenas.html

 

[jyavenard]

It's kind of missing the most important part :) What capture card are you going to use with your FreeNAS?. Otherwise, mythtv serves no purpose. as mythtv won't even start without one configured

 

[mysticpete]

Ahhh. Ok. Fortunately I've an old pc I can use for this purpose.
I'm coming from LinHES (originally KnoppMyth built from Knoppix/Debian and now as LinHES built from Arch) and had to tweak that to get my card to work - mostly by adding the correct firmware. Though my other card (a Nova-T) has been well supprted by MythTV for ages. Hopefully by FreeBSD.

Oh, and I look forward to your finished tutorial!

Thanks again

OK tophee I had to clear the cobwebs from my brain to find setup I had previously and I can confirm that it was in fact TVheadend that I was using and not mythtv to service the PCI card, sorry about that. I think that it was the limitations at the time of Mythtv that jyavenard talks of that I chose TVHeadend.

 

[jyavenard]

Looks like I was wrong... There's a port available for FreeBSD: multimedia/webcamd that can run the linux/v4l drivers in userland/ That works with USB DVB/ATSC adapter...

so you may be lucky there.

Otherwise, the multimedia/cx88 ports add V4L compatibility support for CX2388X PCI based card. That's a rather old chipset, I have a PCI one around that works well in linux. Maybe should give it a try in linux

 

[tophee]

Hi mystic pete, I've just had a look at your blog. Awesome work there. I think I'll get rid of my install and follow your instructions. I might well be back for more help.
Hi jyavenard, Yes I think that's what I saw. Just need to work out how to install it...

 

[mysticpete]

No Problem tophee, thanks for the thumbs up on the blog.

 

[Hisma]

Great job! This was the one thing missing that still required a separate server on my home network.

Can't wait to try this out.

Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2

 

[R3jected]

No Problem tophee, thanks for the thumbs up on the blog.

I saw your blog too, so there is an actual way on how to integrate a tv server / recording station into my FreeNas server (tvhe or mythtv)?
There for is it stable and fully working or not?
Here is my thread: http://forums.freenas.org/index.php...plex-in-one-server-package.23156/#post-139869

 

[mysticpete]

I saw your blog too, so there is an actual way on how to integrate a tv server / recording station into my FreeNas server (tvhe or mythtv)?
There for is it stable and fully working or not?
Here is my thread: http://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/freenas-dvr-nas-plex-in-one-server-package.23156/#post-139869

Yes... and Yes :)