[mythtv-users] New user trying to get started - basic operation test

[Mark V. Tollefson]

I have just set up MythTV (system details below).  I can watch cable
TV using a program called TVTime, so I know that Linux can detect
and handle the card and that the card itself is working.

MythTV is set for combined front/back end.

Is there any way to test whether MythTV will work without signing up
to purchase schedule information?  I really want to just try it out to
(manually) record anything and see/learn how the system works.
Configuration of the back end seems to require connecting to the
schedule service.  Can't I just request to record channel 40 for 30
minutes at 6:30?

Actually, I may not have even run the front end program yet.  (Can
I run it from the command line rather than waiting for the configuration
process to get me there?)

Setup:
Ubuntu 9.10 on a
dual  Xeon processor Dell with a
KWorld PlusTV Analog Lite PCI card.
Location: Cleveland, TN, USA

                                         Mark