Operating system
MythTV was originally built on linux, but has been extended to some a couple other platforms, including Macintosh OS X and FreeBSD.
Contents
Linux distributions
A linux distro (distribution) is a complete, installable operating system based around the Linux Kernel.
There are some that are especially good for dedicated MythTV boxes (the kind you'd have on a HiFi stand in the lounge), others are especially suited for use as workstation PCs -- though you can use them to run MythTV as well, if you're sufficiently motivated.
Debian
Debian is a widespread distribution, Debian has a huge community and is probably the most 'free' and socially driven distribution - an excellent choice and MythTV is well supported. There are a couple of guides:
- Mythtv Installation Guide for Debian
- Debian Guide
- Another Debian Guide
- A.M.I.C.U.S. - An automatic MythTV installer with a guide and menu script specifically designed for new users of GNU/Linux and/or MythTV. Minimal hardware requirements and suitable for older/low end PCs. New major release version 0.03
There are also several debian pages in the wiki.
Fedora
Fedora is a very popular distro - especially well supported by the famous Jarod's Guide. Some work is also being done to write a single "kickstart" script based from Jarod's Guide. You can find this script here
There is also the Fedora Core 2 Guide
Here is a pointer to some resources: Fedora_Core2
Gentoo
Gentoo - If you are scared of command prompts, Gentoo is not for you. On the other hand the installation is extremely well documented in the Gentoo Handbook. Gentoo is more customizable than other 'binary' distros and each install can be optimized to the specific processor you use.
Gentoo MythTV setup guides:
- Gentoo-Wiki.com Guide (2.6 kernel)
- Gentoo Guide (2.6 kernel) - out of date
- Install MythTv system (2.6 kernel)
Official Gentoo MythTV Guide:
- MythTV on Gentoo - currently Incomplete
Kanotix
Kanotix is one of the many Debian based Live CDs, which itself is based on the popular Knoppix Live CD, except Kanotix has the ability to be easily installed on to a harddrive, from which a fully working easy to maintain Debian system is had.
KnoppMyth
KnoppMyth is probably the easiest way to install MythTV. After all - that's what it was made to do. It's mainly oriented towards dedicated Myth boxes (though of course it runs a complete GNU/Linux OS so no worries about serving music or other files). Insert the CD into a 'blank' PC and you'll be running Myth after a few minutes. It's Knoppix-based (a Debian derivative) and, as a special trick, MythFrontend will run from the CD without installing.
Mandrake
Mandrake - Another of the big distributions - and there's a Mandrake Guide too.
- There's also the Setting up MythTV under Mandrake 10.1 Guide
- The MythTV How-To wikibook uses Mandrake as an example
MiniMyth
MiniMyth boots over a network and runs MythFrontend on diskless Via EPIA mainboards that have either CLE266 or CN400 hardware MPEG2 decoders (e.g. Via EPIA M or Via EPIA SP mainboards). This is great for 'satellite' systems - like having one in the bedroom or kitchen...
Although the official site is desperately out-of-date, the forum you can find there is active and very usefull. Yet, this is probably the best place to get started.
Red Hat
Red Hat - Now oriented as more of a commercial distribution and philosophically superceded by Fedora, Red Hat nonetheless has it's devotees and a Red Hat 9 guide.
Slackware
Slackware is one of the eldest linux distributions and still going strong. Historically often used for servers. Some of the MythTV users use this for both backend as well as frontend purposes.
SuSE
SuSE, a popular distro in Europe and the US. Known for it's YaST installer. The company was recently purchased by Novell.
- 8.2
- 9.1
- 9.2
- 9.3
- 10
- Suse Howto wiki here. Yast and RPM. (covers 9.3 and 10.0)
- SuSe 9.3/10.0 MythTV 0.18/0.19 from YaST and RPM Howto
- Possibly deprecated
- Suse Howto 2f Red Carpet Setup - this article appears to ready for deletion. Could some SuSE user's please check this article's history and verify whether or not it is deprecated? --Gregturn 23:57, 28 February 2006 (UTC)
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a Debian based solution.
- Ubuntu Hoary Installation - A step-by-step guide for setting up MythTV on Ubuntu Hoary (5.04)
- Ubuntu Breezy Installation - A step-by-step guide for setting up MythTV on Ubuntu Breezy (5.10)
Xebian (for Xbox)
Xbox-linux - With this distro you can run MythFrontend on your Xbox (ie you need another 'proper' machine too!). Most are for the Xebian distribution which is based on Debian. Here are some guides:
- MythTV Xbox source code
- Xbox Guide
- MythTV frontend HowTo
- Complete Xebian V1.1.4 MythTV frontend HowTo
Non-linux distributions
FreeBSD
FreeBSD (or any BSD for that matter) isn't really a Linux distro, but Myth runs on it too. (Plus, it's a BSD, which are UNIX-based, and Linux is also UNIX-based.)
- FreeBSD - Stacey Son has provided a FreeBSD port of MythTV
Mac OS X
Yes, Mac OS X is UNIX-based (as is Linux), as I'm sure you already know from Apple's Mac OS X site, and MythTV runs there too!
- Myth on Mac OS X
- Open Darwin is a distribution that runs on Mac hardware
- Mac OS X Frontend build instructions