Seeking advice on niche MythTV backend setup

[waldo22]

This topic really doesn't fit anywhere, but the MythTV integration thread is in here, so I thought it might as well go here.

I have a dilemma...

1) I'm going to build an XBMC Linux PC for my front end.

2) I currently have a huge 12.5 TB RAID6 array running on plain old Windows XP machine in my office.

3) I'm going to add an r5000 HD satellite tuner box that will interface with my MythTV backend. http://www.nextcomwireless.com/R5000/home.htm
(this allows unmolested recording of .ts streams, both HD and SD, from satellite via a USB 2.0 connection installed in the STB)

Right now, this genius-guy named alannisota (the same guy who developed the CoreAVC patch for Linux (http://code.google.com/p/coreavc-for-linux/)) has integrated support for using this r5000 upgrade as a TV Tuner into MythTV (http://svn.mythtv.org/trac/ticket/4752).

So the dilemma is,

-Do I install the MythTV backend on the same Linux box that I run the XBMC Linux frontend on, plug the sat box directly into it, but have it save the .ts streams across the network onto my 12TB Windows "NAS"? I'm worried about network bandwidth/reliability for pausing/rewinding Live TV at HD resolutions, even if I use GB Ethernet. (this would presumably require two streams, one saving the stream to the NAS, and another to watch it off of the NAS, which seems inefficient)

-or-

-Do I wait until they finish the MythTV backend port for Windows (which may be a long time, as only the frontend has been started), install it directly on my Windows "NAS" and plug the satellite STB into it, thus saving the streams directly onto the NAS and just streaming the content across the network when viewing?

-or-

Will someone please give me a brilliant and much more desirable solution? :o

The STB plugs in via USB to save the .ts streams, and is also controlled that way.

The ideal solution would be to plug the STB directly into the "NAS" and still have the MythTV Backend on my XBMC machine, which could see it as a tuner and control it from across the network, but as far as I know, that functionality doesn't currently exist, and I don't know if it's feasible.

Whaddyouthink?

-Wes

[topfs2]

I can almost garantue they won't port the backend to any other O/S seeing it's tightly integrated with linux specific libraries such as Video4linux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V4l).

SO whith that in mind I'd say record em on your linux box and do a batchjob to transcode and transfer the videos ie every night to your NAS.
Or install linux on the NAS and put the tvcard there :)

Another solution that might happen quicker (when any dev is arsed to do it :)) is support for team-mediaportals TVEngine. This might not happen aswell seeing it may be a real PITA as the API is scarce atm.

[BLKMGK]

I have a dual networked HD tuner - an HDHomerun - that is equipped with just a 100meg NIC and it has no issues with bandwidth. I'd question running a "NAS" on XP but bandwidth shouldn't be an issue at least even with two streams if everything else is GigE. Worth a try perhaps before looking for other solutions. I'd suggest unRAID for a NAS solution but it's write speeds might not be good enough. There are some good true RAID done in Linux that would be higher performance should you find XP lacking.

[waldo22]

I'd question running a "NAS" on XP...

yeah, it's not really a NAS, just a bunch of smb:// shares set up on a dedicated RAID6 array. I am using a 3Ware/AMCC hardware RAID card, though, so it's pretty top-notch....

I didn't want to have to buy ANOTHER new computer, so I'm using my "main" computer for the purpose. I really just use it for email, web anyway otherwise.

@Topfs2

I can almost garantue they won't port the backend to any other O/S seeing it's tightly integrated with linux specific libraries such as Video4linux.

I was going on the info from here: http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Windows_Port

Where they say:
A Windows port of MythTV is in-the-works, using MinGW as the build platform, and MS Direct3D as the display layer. The frontend compiles, and most basic functionality works, but it crashes regularly. The patches are currently working their way into SVN, so check the -dev list, and Trac for the current state. Once the frontend is reliable, we can start to see about getting the changes necessary to get MythBackend to run.

They may not get to that for along time, though, if at all..


Or install linux on the NAS and put the tvcard there ...


I was afraid you'd say that :) This is still my primary system, and I'm terrified of making the all-out switch to Linux. Maybe it's time to man-up and do it.


Another solution that might happen quicker (when any dev is arsed to do it ) is support for team-mediaportals TVEngine. This might not happen aswell seeing it may be a real PITA as the API is scarce atm.

I think support for mediaportal will be great. I've read that they have much broader support for TV tuners than Myth, but ATM Myth is a much better backend. Plus, there's no support for my r5000 Satellite mod in mediaportal. One guy expressed some interest (http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/general-talk-233/r5000-hd-support-tuner-plugin-28175/) (and you'll notice my support added to the post :) ), but nothing has come of it.

Anyway, I think adding Myth support first was a great call, and lots of XBMC users will be able to enjoy it.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[topfs2]

Originally Posted by MythTV Win32 Port info
A Windows port of MythTV is in-the-works, using MinGW as the build platform, and MS Direct3D as the display layer. The frontend compiles, and most basic functionality works, but it crashes regularly. The patches are currently working their way into SVN, so check the -dev list, and Trac for the current state. Once the frontend is reliable, we can start to see about getting the changes necessary to get MythBackend to run.
Cool, I didn't know that :)

You could try just booting the NAS with a LiveCD and see what you can get going. Most of the stuff will work in live but is way slower. If you're happy with the result you just install. If your not, then restart and XP is none the wiser.

[Freddo]

I have no actual experience with this but couldn't you run a virtualised Ubuntu install ontop of windows and mythTV backend inside that?

[waldo22]

Wanted to update this thread...

MythTV now has a working and stable Windows Frontend, and a stable backend, but it doesn't have tuner support yet (which is pretty important, I'd say...)

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Windows_Port


A Windows port of MythTV is NOW WORKING!!!!!!!
Using MinGW as the build platform, and MS Direct3D as the display layer. The frontend, backend (without any tuners), and most utilities compile, and most functionality works.
The patches are all now in SVN. Check the -dev list, and Trac for the current state.

Now that the frontend is reliable, we can start to see about getting the changes necessary to get MythBackend.exe to connect to a Tuner!