[mythtv-gta]: A MythTV building workshop?

[Colin McGregor]

On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 3:05 PM, R. G. Newbury <newbury-Q6Ug6qEURudg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On 08/08/2010 11:03 PM, Colin McGregor wrote:
>>
>> On Sun, Aug 8, 2010 at 9:56 PM, Ushnish Sengupta
>> <ushnish.sengupta-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>  wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi
>>> No PCI-Express capable machines at Free Geek Toronto that I am aware of.
>>
>> Unfortunate, but not a big issue, just means that showing off the
>> tricks a VDPAU card can pull will not be an option using a machine
>> from FreeGeek. What is the fastest machine I could count on being able
>> to borrow at FreeGeek?
>>
>>> Perhaps we could have more of a discussion if we dont have all the
>>> available
>>> equipment, or would you rather have the equipment in place and have more
>>> of
>>> a demonstration?
>>
>> Thinking out loud here ... ideally I guess I would like to do an
>> install demonstration with Mythbuntu 10.04 (a version of Ubuntu 10.04
>> tailored for installing MythTV). This would be installed on a box
>> during the evening and during the dead time bits, (while waiting for
>> files to be copied from CD-ROM to hard drive) showing some slides off
>> my laptop (slides with sources / resources for MythTV). I would also
>> like to walk people through getting an account set-up with Schedules
>> Direct (required for North American TV listings).
>
> You might want to touch on the fact that in a year, Canada is doing the
> digital switchover, which will not affect basic cable, but will affect OTA.
> And also touch on solutions for digital cable boxen...

Good points, though it looks like CBC will be pressing for a delay in
the analog shutdown :
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/08/06/cbc-digital-television-transition.html

>> My plan would I think run as follows:
>>
>> Bring the following bits:
>>
>> - Laptop with MythTV related slides
>> - Copies of Mythbuntu 10.04 on CD
>> - MythTV friendly TV tuner card(s)
>> - Rabbit ear style indoor TV antenna
>> - Simple coax splitter and some coax cable
>>
>> What I would hope to borrow for the duration of the evening from FreeGeek:
>>
>> - Video projector
>> - High speed internet connection
>> - PC as fast as possible with 1GB+ of RAM, 40 GB+ of HD space, nVidia
>> graphics card (GeForce 5200 or better), 1+ available PCI card slot(s),
>> Linux supported sound card, Linux supported Ethernet card, keyboard,
>> mouse, monitor, and speakers.
>
> Actually, it might be better if you do what the cooking shows do: Do 99% of
> an install beforehand on one box, then do the commencement of the install as
> the live demo, and switch to the installed box for the rest of the setup.
> That way the interminable portions of the install, especially the update
> portion can be skipped in the demo.

Another good idea if I can come up with 2 suitable demo boxes and the
time to set one up in advance...

> I did a re-install some time ago on my mythbox, and it took me about 45
> minutes of 'sit-at-the-computer' time, over about 6 hours of a Saturday. I
> would start something and go back to cleaning the garage, cutting the
> frontlawn, come back to reboot, start the update cycle, cut the back lawn,
> reboot, start the dependencies and mythtv svn download scripts, run over to
> Home Depot from something, start the mythtv build script, etc.
> No-one coming to this sort of event wants to wait through those delays (most
> of which don't exist on Mythbuntu anyway!). But you have to show how to do
> the first steps. Especially and including some discussion of disk
> partitioning, multiple hard drives etc.
>
>
>> People attending would be invited to bring in their own PCs if they
>> would like to follow along doing an install... Cost to those attending
>> the talk would be as follows:
>>
>> - My time / effort - $Free
>>
>> Anyone wanting to follow along and do their own install would face the
>> following additional costs:
>>
>> - Blank CD-ROM(s) for making a copy of Mythbuntu 10.04
>> - Schedules Direct TV listings account - free for a 1 week trial
>> account, otherwise, up to $20 (US) per year (depending on the package
>> selected).
>
>> - MythTV friendly hardware - $ how much do you want to spend and/or
>> what sort of hardware can you scrounge via sources like FreeGeek :-) ?
>
> We could/should figure out a list for a handout of the hardware we are
> actually using, which we can *personally* vouch for.

What I am using NOW, and what I have used over the last 5 years with
MythTV are somewhat different animals...

> Analog tuner
> PVR 500

PVR-150 (used in the past, my first MythTV tuner)
PVR-350 (used in the past)
PVR-500 (currently in use)

> Digital tuner
> HD HomeRUn
> Hauppauge HVR950

pcHDTV-5500 (used in the past)
HVR-1250 (currently in use)
HVR-1600 (currently in use)

> Remote Receiver
> iMon Soundgraph (in SilverStone case)
>
>
> Remote Control
> iMon Soundgraph
>
> Remote Extender
> Channel Vision Technology IR5000
>
> Antenna
> Channel Master 4228
> Channel Master 4220

Wineguard GS-2200 (currently in use)

>> Does the above work for everyone?
>>
>>
>> Colin.
>>
>>> Are we a go for a Myth TV discussion/demonstration for 6:00 pm on
>>> Thursday
>>> Aug 26th?
>>
>> August 26th sounds good to me.
>
> Ditto
> What's the exact address?

51 Vine Ave., Unit B. This is a short walk north of Dundas Ave. W.,
west of Keele. By TTC, for most people the best route would be to go
to Keele Subway station, then take a northbound Keele bus to Dundas
St. W. then walk north to Vine Ave.. Remember that Dundas Street does
go north of Bloor for a little while, and FreeGeek is in the area
where Dundas is north of Bloor...

Also, the FreeGeek space is somewhat limited, so the person
co-ordinating things so the space doesn't get overwhelmed is Mr.
Ushnish Sengupta <ushnish.sengupta-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>. Anyone interested in
attending the MythTV build workshop should drop Ushnish a note asking
him to reserve a spot for you...

Colin.

> Geoff
>
>             R. Geoffrey Newbury
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