System should be prepared as described in Prepare Debian Base Install for MythTV
Modify apt sources
$ sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
Add a mirror to deb-multimedia to your apt sources list
$ sudo aptitude update
$ sudo aptitude install deb-multimedia-keyring
$ sudo aptitude update
$ sudo aptitude dist-upgrade
If needed, place channel changer script in /usr/local/bin and test it
Install mythtv-frontend or mythtv; I also install xine, though you certainly may omit
$ sudo aptitude install <mythtv-frontend mythtv-themes|mythtv> mythtv-perl xine-ui
For a slave backend, after installing mythtv, you will want to remove mysql-server.
$ sudo aptitude remove mysql-server
Add appropriate users to mythtv group for proper access
$ sudo adduser <user> mythtv
Logout and logon again for group membership to be reflected
Run MythTV Setup (also available from the application menu)
$ mythtv-setup
1. General
- Use proper IP if additional frontends will be connecting; DO NOT use FQDNs!
- Change Job Queue CPU Usage to medium if backend-only
- Allow all jobs
2. Capture Cards
3. Video Sources (master backend only)
4. Input Connections
- Enter change channel command script
- Skip fetching channels and starting channel; will do this later
6. Storage Directories
- Set default to /var/lib/mythtv or /mnt/myth/tv/1
Get listing data and channels for a couple of days
$ mythfilldatabase --max-days 2
Return to mythtv-setup and set starting channel
Start backend
$ sudo /etc/init.d/mythtv-backend restart
Install lircrc
$ cd .mythtv
$ cp <location of valid lircrc> ./lircrc
$ cd ..
$ ln -s .mythtv/lircrc .lircrc
Load channel icons
$ channel_icons.pl --find-missing
Start frontend (also available from the application menu)
$ mythfrontend
Setup system
- Utilities/Setup -> Setup
General
- Audio: set volumes to ~ 90%
- Miscellaneous: Halt is sudo halt; Reboot is sudo reboot
- Myth Database Logging: Enable logging and automatic cleaning
- Mythfilldatabase: Enable automatic mythfilldatabase
Appearance
- Theme: Paint engine is OpenGL unless bad card
- QT: Popup background is Image
TV Settings
- General (Basic): Enable Avoid conflicts...
- General (Jobs): Enable transcoder
Program Guide
- 2/2: Enable Use select...
Playback
- Playback Profiles: set to Normal or Slim
Recording Profiles
- Enable auto-transcode... on all MPEG-2 profiles
- Move all volumes to 100%
- Transcoders: Disable Scale bitrate... (may have to set twice)
Quit mythfrontend
Add key bindings - could run mythwelcome instead of mythfrontend
$ cd ~/.config/openbox
$ nano lxde-rc.xml
lxde-rc.xml:
...
<keybind key="A-m">
<action name="Execute">
<command>mythfrontend</command>
</action>
</keybind>
<keybind key="A-x">
<action name="Execute">
<command>lxterminal</command>
</action>
</keybind>
...
Set autostart
$ cd ~/.config
$ mkdir autostart
$ cd autostart
$ ln -s /usr/share/applications/mythtv.desktop
Logout of X
Start gdm config
- Security tab: enable automatic login
Restart gdm or reboot to test