[mythtv-users] Non-master backend capture card

[Joseph A. Caputo]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org]On Behalf Of Colin Armstrong
> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 5:43 PM
> To: Discussion about mythtv
> Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] Non-master backend capture card
>
>
> Ok then, maybe I should ask this question: Can I have a master backend
> that does all of the capturing and has all of the capture cards, and
> still have a slave backend that just gets the tv that the master backend
> sends to it?
> Thanks,
> Colin

I think what you want is a single backend with all of your capture cards,
and a remote *frontend* (or more than one) that can view TV & recordings
from the backend.  While you *could* setup a backend with no capture cards,
it really wouldn't be useful for anything.  Or, if by "slave backend" you
mean you want a separate box to act as a storage repository for whatever the
master backend records, you could just set it up as an NFS mount.

I think it's time for some terminology clarification:  the main MythTV
module consists of two programs: mythbackend & mythfrontend.  'mythbackend'
interfaces with the capture cards and handles the scheduling & recording of
programs.  'mythfrontend' is the GUI that the user interacts with & views TV
or recordings.  When someone refers to a 'separate backend', they usually
mean a (possibly headless) box running mythbackend, but not mythfrontend.
Likewise, a 'frontend box' is a box (possibly hooked up to the TV screen)
running mythfrontend, but not mythbackend.  Or, they could have a combo
frontend/backend, which is a box that runs both.  Regardless of what kind of
network/computer setup you have, you need at least one instance of each of
these programs running.  Each box with any number of capture cards needs to
run at least mythbackend (one of these boxes must be designated the
'master', the rest are 'slaves').  Each box connected to a TV or monitor
that you want to watch MythTV on needs to run at least mythfrontend.  The
mythfrontend makes requests to the mythbackend for it to send program
streams and other information.  Capisci?

-JAC