[mythtv-users] How hard is it to build an HD MythTV?

[Mitch Gore]

On Fri, Mar 28, 2008 at 12:07 PM, allene222 <nabble at oldpaloalto.com> wrote:

>
> I am getting ready to buy a new computer to do this but have a question
> before I spend the big bucks.  How much difficulty am I going to have
> getting this thing running right?  I don't want to buy everything and find
> I
> can't get it to work.
>
> I know, it depends.  Background: I have put together a web and email
> server
> and have maintained it for maybe 10 years.  Problem is it is so stable
> that
> I forget everything by the time it comes to change anything as I don't use
> Linux otherwise.  For example, changing to Fedora 5 from Red-Hat 7 was a
> huge pain.  I have done a fair amount of C programming, so that isn't an
> issue.  I have also programmed in php and have limited exposure to MySQL.
> (I coded www.paloaltophoto.com in a text editor for example).
>
> But I read the solutions posted in this forum and they go right over my
> head.  Oh, just put this patch in some conf file...  Then what, recompile
> the kernel (something I have never done) or just reboot?   Where in the
> conf
> file???  I can't make heads or tails out of most of the patches I read
> here.
>
> So, what is the scale of effort required for someone like me?  How hard is
> this thing going to be to maintain?  Is this easy or another hobby?
>
> btw, I am looking at a HDHR -> combined frontend/ backend on a new
> croe2duo
> cpu -> nVidea6200 -> 720p projector and SPDIF audio / SD TV with analog
> audio
>
> Allen Edwards
>
>
>

Hello Allen and welcome to MythTV!

MythTV is very flexible.  It can be very "easy" or very
"difficult/involved".  here is how it breaks out:

Easy: Mythdora, Mythbuntu, etc
these are pre-built ISO's/OS's that configure and walk you through
everything.  With no experience i would say you should be running in 2-4
hrs.  That is if you pick supported/commonly used hardware.

Medium:  Use a common distro (Fedora or Ubuntu) and install MythTV packages.
There is alot more involved in this.  May take a couple days of solid work
your first time.  The advantage is you will understand what is happening
behind the curtain.   When you want to customize something you have an idea
where to start.  And when you break something you can fix it, or at least
ask good questions.  If you want to tinker and customize this is the way to
go.  (I started this way and now I can get a system going in ~2hrs)
(you can even install the SVN with bleeding packages that are made every
week or two)

Hard/Expert:  build from SVN on your distro of choice.  This is much more
difficult as you need to compile everything (Make & Make install, etc)  The
advantage being you can use bleeding edge enhancement's and work on or test
patches.

Its your choice where to go.  if you like to tinker go with option two, if
you do one and tinker you will break stuff and be completely dependent on
people who know that pre-built version.  If you want more of a appliance the
first is the best.

Your selection of HDHR and nvidia 6200 are good choices.  Motherboard is an
important choice as well, read about that and post for advice as well.

Does this help?

Mitchell
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