ECS LIVA: Gentoo-based MythTV Backend & Frontend Setup Guide

Note: These instructions are a work-in-progress, and are not yet completed.
I will continue to update this page as I work through transcribing my notes, and capturing the setup configuration details from my completed and running Gentoo LIVA MythTV systems.
- DStulken (talk) 19:29, 10 May 2015 (UTC)

ECS LIVA: Gentoo-based MythTV Backend & Frontend Setup Guide

(Start instructions part way through: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:AMD64/Installation/Disks
see also: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-p-7670034.html)

Note: This is *not* a step-by-step walk through that follows the Gentoo Handbook docs, nor is it a general-purpose guide for Gentoo on the LIVA, MythTV on Gentoo, or MythTV on the LIVA.
Instead, it is a condensed refinement of my setup notes and long list of lessens learned, which have been re-arranged and simplified to produce the easiest set of instructions sufficient to replicate my results from a new LIVA to a working BE+FE system in the shortest amount of time possible.  :-)

Installation Goals:

• Absolutely bare-bones minimimal "lean-and-mean" OS and software installation
• As optimized as possible for the LIVA's specific hardware
• Full MythTV backend with multiple HD tuner support
• Full MythTV frontend with hardware-accelerated playback, LIRC remote, etc.
• Wireless networking using the wifi card that comes with the LIVA

Despite being out-of-order per the Gentoo Handbook, I'll try to leave enough comments that you can tell what is being done (and why), and also know the jumping off points for where to go for different installations for your own needs.
Feel free to make corrections, additions, or improvements, as long as you think they fit the theme and intent of my installation.  :-)

- DStulken (talk) 19:58, 10 May 2015 (UTC)

Prerequisites & Setup

• Lots of time. This installation will take SEVERAL DAYS to complete.
• Previous experience with Gentoo, or a commitment to learn.
• Gentoo live media won't boot on EFI system...
  • Recommendation: Use the Linux Mint 17.1 XFCE LiveUSB instead.
• A first-generation ECS LIVA from the SECOND or later production batch.
  • First generation first production batch has N2806 CPU (Not recommended)
  • First generation second (and later) production batch has N2807 CPU
  • Second generation (called the "LIVA-X") has different hardware (CPU, wireless, BIOS, power method, etc, etc), and is not covered by this guide.
• Assemble the LIVA from the parts included in the box
• Create the LiveUSB stick
• Ensure you have a WIRED network connection available (wireless will not work within the Mint live environment or initial Gentoo until later on).
  • Setup of Gentoo without a network, using 'sneakernet' of packages, is possible...
• Configure LIVA BIOS options as follows:

 * ???? (copy from other machine)

• Boot the Mint USB
• Open a terminal window

Disk (eMMC) Partitioning

• Partition the LIVA's eMMC:

Using GParted:

/dev/mmcblk0
GPT partition table (Device->Create Partition Table->GPT type)
(ignore "fix" warnings..)

(sda1) /dev/mmcblk0p1  128MB  fat32  'grub'  BIOS boot partition  (bios_grub flag)
(sda2) /dev/mmcblk0p2  128MB ext2  'boot'  Boot partition
(sda4) /dev/mmcblk0p3  26.87GB  ext4  'rootfs'  Root partition
(-na-) /dev/mmcblk0p4  2GB   ext4  'tempData'  Data Partition (NOT SWAP!)

Apply, and close GParted.

Set partition 1 type to EF00 using gdisk (gparted will call it "boot" after this)

sudo apt-get install gdisk
sudo gdisk /dev/mmcblk0
t, 1, EF00, q