MythTV

The default MythTV menu.

Mythcenter theme for MythTV.

Introduction

MythTV is an open source PVR (personal video recorder) with many additional plugins available to extend it into a full HTPC frontend, similar to Windows Media Center and Meedio.

Features include:

• Digital TV capable
• Pausing, recording, seeking of Live TV
• Scheduling of recordings
• Electronic Program Guide (EPG), either through the digital stream or via the internet.
• Compatible with Analog TV (was originally built for analog cards, with DVB support later added)

MythTV runs on linux, and is built on a server-client architecture, allowing you to easily have multiple 'front ends' in different locations with just one server. There are also projects underway to use the Xbox as a mythfrontend.

Official Website

Latest Stable Version 0.20
The major changes in this release are:

• Added MythArchive plugin for archiving recorded shows
• Menus are now drawn by MythUI using OpenGL. This option can be enabled/disabled in the Appearance settings.
• Improved internal DVD player - now supporting menus and other missing features
• Added MHEG content implementation (Interactive TV in UK)
• Added Hotplug support for removable media in Media Monitor and MythGallery
• Added support for the HDHomeRun encoding device
• Added support for basic FreeBox recorders
• Added support for H.264 (aka MPEG-4 AVC) TS decoding
• Added an MPEG1/MPEG2/MPEG4-AVC IP network recorder
• Added internal UPnP server support for TV and Music
• Added experimental second commercial detector
• New socket class for backend communications
• OSD image cache which improves channel changing speed
• Fixed program transition while Watching LiveTV
• Added beginnings of firewire capture support for MacOS
• Support for DVB radio channels and guide data collected via EIT for them
• Added mouse support in menus, including gestures

Useful Links/Threads

One of the more popular 'MythTV in Fedora' guides
Linux+Myth=WIN (OCAU Forums)
A good TV tuner? (OCAU Forums)
Installing MythTV using a DVICO Fusion HDTV DVB-T
A long thead which works through several niggling problems (DVICO card) to, eventually, a fully working system
Helpful guide to using MythTV (Gentoo Orientated)
A guide to setting up MythTV on Gentoo)
A guide to setting up MythTV on Arch Linux
Television with Linux
MythDora is a FC4/OS with MythTV all on one CD

Supported TV Capture Cards

The Conexant 2388x and Brooktree878 are the most common chipsets amongst DVB-T capture cards. Both of these chipsets have full support under the Linux Kernel 2.6.12+. Below is a list of TV capture cards that have been confirmed to work in this thread.

DVICO (Ultraview) Fusion HDTV Plus
Chipset: Conexant 2388x (bt878 successor)
Support: Full Support under Kernel 2.6.12+
Kernel Module: cx88_dvb
Chris Pascoe - the guy who developed the DVICO Australian DVB Driver

DVICO (Ultraview) Fusion HDTV Lite
Chipset: Brooktree878 (Later bought out by Conexant)
Support: Full Support under Kernel 2.6.12+
Kernel Module: dvb_bt8xx

V-Stream XPERT DVT-DVB-T PCI
Chipset: Conexant 2388x
Support: Full Support under Kernel 2.6.12+
Remote: Comes with a remote, but do not use it

Twinhan DVB-T
Chipset: Brooktree878
Support: Full Support under Kernel 2.6.12+
Kernel Module: dvb_bt8xx

Compro VideoMate DVB-T300
Chipset: Philips SAA 7134
Support: Requires Kernel 2.6.12 or greater and the latest CVS from video4linux and linux-dvb
Installation:

• Grab the CVS for video4Linux and linux-dvb, instructions can be found at LinuxTV.org
• Goto the video4linux directory and run scripts/merge-trees.sh
• Edit the Make.config file and make sure saa7134-dvb = n is changed to saa7134-dvb = m (builds the dvb part as a module)
• Run make && make install
• Then modprobe saa7134 oss=1 card=70
• Then modprobe saa7134-dvb and you should be good to go.
• Remote Control: I've added support for the remote control as well. It uses the linux input layer and so you'll need to configure LIRC accordingly. This change will be checked into the CVS by the time you read this

Compro VideoMate DVB-T200
Chipset: Philips SAA 7134
Support: Requires Kernel 2.6.12 or greater and the latest CVS from video4linux and linux-dvb
Installation:

• Grab the CVS for video4Linux and linux-dvb, instructions can be found at LinuxTV.org
• Goto the video4linux directory and run scripts/merge-trees.sh
• Edit the Make.config file and make sure saa7134-dvb = n is changed to saa7134-dvb = m (builds the dvb part as a module)
• Run make && make install
• Then modprobe saa7134 oss=1 card=71
• Then modprobe saa7134-dvb and you should be good to go.
• For the DVB-T200, you will also need firmware. Please check the Documentation/dvb directory in the kernel source how to obtain and install it.
• Remote Control:I don't have this card so I'm not sure if the patch for the T300 will work. If someone wants to try there's only a few lines to change in the saa7134-cards.c and saa7134-input.c files. Shoot me an email if interested.

Digitalnow DNTV Live! DVB-T
Chipset: Conexant 2388x
Support: Full Support under Kernel 2.6.12+
Kernel Modules Required: cx88xx, cx88-dvb. Drivers will autodetect card type
Remote: Works under lircd 0.7.2+. Requires /dev/input support in lircd

Technisat Airstar 2 DVB-T
Chipset: B2C2 Flexcop II
Support: Full Support under Kernel 2.6.12+
Kernel Modules Required: b2c2_flexcop_pci, b2c2_flexcop. Drivers will autodetect card type

Digital TV Frequencies

As of MythTV 0.19, the ability to scan for digital TV channels has been implemented. Consequently, the following channel frequencies are redundant, but have been left here for completeness.

Sydney
ABC 226500000
Seven 177500000
Nine 191625000
Ten 219500000
SBS 571500000

Brisbane
ABC 226500000 | Inversion AUTO | Bandwidth 7mhz
Seven 177500000 | Inversion AUTO | Bandwidth 7mhz
Nine 191625000 | Inversion AUTO | Bandwidth 7mhz
Ten 219500000 | Inversion AUTO | Bandwidth 7mhz
SBS 585625000 | Inversion AUTO | Bandwidth 7mhz

Perth
ABC 226500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE
Seven 177500000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QAM64 8k 1/8 NONE
Nine 191625000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE
Ten 219500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE
SBS 536500000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QAM64 8k 1/8 NONE

An example channel.conf generated by Chris Pascoe

Common Problems and Fixes

Electronic Programme Guide and TV_GRAB_AU

Please visit the tv_grab_au section of this Wiki for a comprehensive explanation and howto.

No sound on Channel Seven or SBS

Symptoms: No sound occurs on channel Seven or SBS (In Australia, they have ac3 audio streams) when they are tuned to from another channel (i.e. You are watching channel nine, and change to channel Seven). There is however sound if you choose channel Seven, exit live TV mode and then re-enter live TV.

Fix: It appears there can be weird problems like this when using PS format to watch TV. It can be fixed by:

1. Exit mythfrontend and mythbackend
2. Enter mythtv-setup
3. Go to card options
4. Select your DVB card
5. Go to 'Advanced Settings'
6. Select 'Recording Options'
7. Check the box that says 'Record in TS format instead of PS'
8. Exit mythtv-setup, and restart mythbackend and mythfrontend

No display when watching LiveTV

Symptoms: When trying to watch LiveTV the screen is blank and no input is accepted, after a few moments will drop back to main menu.

Fix:

1. Stop mythbackend
2. Run mythtv-setup
3. Select Option 4. Input Connections
4. Add a starting channel (ie. 7)
5. Close myth-setup, restart mythbackend and test