[mythtv-users] Advice please: school mythtv project

[Nick Rout]

On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 2:33 PM, Phil Wild <philwild at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Tools can be used properly or improperly, and Myth is certainly a tool that
>> has a lot of potential for education.
>
> I have been told that the teachers are quite excited by the idea of
> being able to record material for use in the classrooms. Windows being
> the standard desktop operating system is my biggest issue. I would
> like this changed but it is just too hard to do.
>
> I would however like to get this thread back on topic.

oops sorry...

>
> Are there any suggestions relating to simplifying the user experience?
> As much as I would like to have a frontend installed in every
> classroom, the computers need to run Windows and this presents a
> problem. I guess I could dual boot but I don't believe that would be
> practical and this could potentially detract from the acceptance of
> the solution.

How about a bootable cd which boots straight into mythtv, with all the
backend settings properly defined, you'll not do anything 'bad' to the
windows system. There are plenty of packages that allow you to
customise a bootable cd. Start with, say, a mythbuntu system, and make
a few small changes (set up a mysql.txt/config.xml file and make the
frontend autostart should do it.



>
> What are people's thoughts on ad skipping/removal, transcoding and
> de-interlacing?

I hear ad skipping is difficult in your part of the world, why
potentially spoil their experience, skipping past is not hard.

Why transcode unless you are short on disk space?

why de-interlace? VLC will do so.

>
> Any suggestions on the process of setting up recordings in a shared environment?
>

You mean so only certain mythweb clients can set it up to record? Use
authentication and tell the teachers not to give the kids the
password!

> It kind of sounds like no one has done this before?
>