Difference between revisions of "Windows Watching Recordings in Windows with MythTv Player"

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(Prerequisites)
(Installing MythTv Player)
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==Installing MythTv Player==
 
==Installing MythTv Player==
  
[[http://www.sudu.dk/mythtvplayer/ Download MythTv Player ]] by selecting one of the version links on this page. I have run the testing verison, 0.3.1. The link opens a zip file, so save it to your machine and open it with Winzip or use the windows option to open it with "compressed folder". You should extract the contents somewhere you can run it from, such as c:\mythtvplayer.
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[[http://www.sudu.dk/mythtvplayer/ Download MythTv Player ]] by selecting one of the version links on this page. I recommend the latest  testing verison, currently: 0.3.3. The link opens a zip file, so save it to your machine and open it with Winzip or use the windows option to open it with "compressed folder". You should extract the contents somewhere you can run it from, such as c:\mythtvplayer.
  
 
==Edit Config file==
 
==Edit Config file==

Revision as of 14:47, 13 January 2007

Introduction

There are many ways to watch MythTV recordings on Windows. MythTv Player is the easiest so far to set up and use for streaming recordings over a local network. Over my home wireless 802.11g network, I am able to watch in progress recording from my Windows laptop in a different room.


Features

  • Plays MPEG2, transcoded recordings and High Definition. I've only tested MPEG2 recordings from my Hauppauge WinTV PVR-250.
  • Support for MythTv version 0.18 to 0.20.1, I've used it on 0.20.
  • Independent, so no need for external codecs or other annoyances.
  • Configs are quick, you need to edit a text file to include the host name or static IP for the Myth backend.

Prerequisites

If you have not already altered MYSQL on the Myth backend to allow for remote connections to the Myth DB, you will need to do this step:

In a shell on the MythTV backend connect to MYSQL as root

$ mysql -u root mythconverg

mysql> grant all on mythconverg.* to mythtv@"192.168.1.%" identified by "mythtv";

mysql> flush privileges;

mysql> quit

If you have set a MYSQL password for the root user, put a -p on the first command line and enter the root password when prompted.

The 192.168.1.% means any machine on my local network, where the router gives out addresses in this range. Some routers use 192.168.0.%.

Installing MythTv Player

[Download MythTv Player ] by selecting one of the version links on this page. I recommend the latest testing verison, currently: 0.3.3. The link opens a zip file, so save it to your machine and open it with Winzip or use the windows option to open it with "compressed folder". You should extract the contents somewhere you can run it from, such as c:\mythtvplayer.

Edit Config file

You have to run the program once to generate the config file. Run MythTv Player and you will receive an error that the config file does not exist. Close the application and look in the install directory. You should now find config.xml. There is a readme here with complete instructions, you might want to look at that too.

Edit the config.xml with notepad and find the line


<HostName></HostName>


Change this line to include the name or IP of your MythTV backend. For example:


<HostName>192.168.1.123</HostName>


Save the file and restart MythTV Player.

Using MythTv Player

When you open MythTv Player, you initially have two windows, one is for controlling, and the other is the resizable viewing window. I usually watch it in slightly less than full screen.

File:Mythtvplayer1.jpg

To choose a recording, click the button on the right next to the S button. It looks like a square with a small rectagle above it. This opens a 3rd window, showing your recordings on the Myth Backend so you can choose one to view.

File:MythTvPlayer2a.jpg

That's it. Just choose the recording and press Play. You should resize the view window to your liking.

The Status button on the control screen is helpful. It is the S button. There you can see the frames per second, dropped frames, and the buffer size and levels. The control has Play, Pause, foward and backward. The control window also shows the current position in the stream and the total recording length, and your throughput.


Keys

You can use several hotkeys while a recording is playing back:

  • (P) to Play or Pause the recording
  • (F) to toggle between fullscreen/window
  • (Q) to go back to the prior commercial cut point
  • (Z) to go forward to the next commercial cut point
  • (L/R arrows) to navigate the recording (forward or back 2 minutes)
  • (spacebar) to set a bookmark at the current position