Linux

From DIY PVR DVR HTPC Wiki

Table of contents

1 Introduction

2 Linux PVR & related software

3 Linux PVR & related hardware

4 HTPC/PVR tailored/friendly linux distros

5 How To Information/Resources

5.1 General Linux Guides or non-distro specific guides
5.2 Linux Distribution Specific Guides

6 Misc Resources, Forums, & Mailing lists

7 Specialty/useful linux driver info/downloads

7.1 graphics
7.2 Wifi
7.3 Misc.

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Introduction

Linux (known also as GNU/Linux) is an Open Source operating system for PCs and many other platforms. It has a reputation for being reliable, powerful, low cost and secure.

As a clone of Unix, Linux adopts the K.I.S.S. or "Keep It Simple, Stupid" philosophy, this is summarized in the motto "Do one thing, do it well." Components are are loosely coupled, so if one part is unsuitable another can often be substituted from a good selection. As a result many find Linux more customizable and powerful than other, more closed platforms.

Being Open Source, Linux is part of a thriving ecosystem of Free and Libre software. Such software is typically free-as-in-beer to download, use and share. Not only is this legal, it's encouraged.

Linux is well suited to use in a PVR because of it's reliability, adaptability & because it's fun to play with. Hardware support is wide & comprehensive - especially on older hardware that would would be underpowered for Windows Media Center. Linux PVRs are also free of DRM & subscription fees.(Schedules Direct excluded from the no subscription fee)

Also Mythtv is broken into a front-end, backend topology. Making it ideal suited to network an entire house with media centers.

Most of the stuff below is from the Linux Resource Sticky (http://forum.byopvr.com/dvr/index.php/topic,1980.0.html) in the BYOPVR Linux Forum (http://forum.byopvr.com/dvr/index.php/board,8.0.html)

There's also an excellent list of resources sites in this mythtv talk forum post (http://www.mythtvtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65)

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Linux PVR & related software

MythTV: Local MythTV Wiki Page, Official MythTV site (http://www.mythtv.org), MythTV's own wiki (http://wiki.mythtv.org), MythTV Users Mailing List (http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/), MythTV Developers Mailing List (http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/dev/)
Freevo (http://freevo.sourceforge.net/)
SageTV 3 linux (http://www.sage.tv) (Java based... oem builders only at this point: commercial)
Flava (http://flava.sourceforge.net/) node based PVR (QT/GTK)
VDR: Video Disk Recorder (http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr/index.htm)
PlutoHome (http://www.plutohome.com) HTPC and total home control distro/software
Dave & dina project (http://www.davedina.org/content/) multimedia distro (dormant?)

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Linux PVR & related hardware

Popular hardware includes:

EPIA motherboards: Wiki for Linux on VIA EPIA mini-itx systems (http://www.epiawiki.org/wiki/tiki-index.php), EPIA mini-itx linux info (http://radagast.bglug.ca/epia/epia.html) (excellent but no longer maintained 3/2005)

Hauppauge WinTV-PVR x50, thanks to the IVTV driver: IVTV dev mailing list searchable archive (http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/ivtv/devel/), SHSPVR IVTV (pvr150/250/350/500 linux driver) Forum (http://www.shspvr.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=30), (wintv pvr x50) OSS driver (http://ivtv.sourceforge.net/IVTV)

Supported Cards Mythtv Wiki (http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Tuner_Card)

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HTPC/PVR tailored/friendly linux distros

knoppmyth (http://www.mysettopbox.tv/) (knoppmyth is a debian/knoppix based distro tailored to installing MythTV and all it's dependencies. It's a pretty newbie friendly way to install linux, mythtv, dependencies, etc...)

epios (http://www.epios.net/) (closed beta?!)

minimyth (http://linpvr.org/) lightweight epia linux

MythDora (http://g-ding.tv/) FC4 mythtv tailored distro

Mythbuntu (http://www.mythbuntu.org/) Mythbuntu Ubuntu derivative focused upon setting up a standalone MythTV system

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How To Information/Resources

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General Linux Guides or non-distro specific guides

The Linux HTPC Howto (http://www.linuxis.us/linux/media/howto/linux-htpc/) does an excellent job of explaining the basic hardware needed to put together a system from scratch. It answers troubling questions like: which CPU works best for HDTV decoding? which video card works best with Linux?

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Linux Distribution Specific Guides

MythTV on Fedora HOWTO (http://wilsonet.com/mythtv/fcmyth.php): Jarod Wilson's Excellent guide to configuring MythTV with Redhat's Fedora Core community distro

MythTV Installation Guide for Debian (http://www.wilson-stowe.com/drupal/mythtv)

Maiku's Setting up MythTV under Mandrake 10.1 Guide (http://www.byopvr.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-13-page-1.html) (byopvr)

homebrew's HowTo: Slackware Linux 9.1 MythTV Install Guide (http://www.byopvr.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-6-page-1.html) (byopvr)

KnoppMyth Wintv PVR 500 Guide (http://www.bitbenderforums.com/~ralpha6/knoppmyth/knoppmythtv.htm)

Gentoo linux MythTV HOWTO/wiki (http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Setup_MythTV)

ubuntu mythtv install / howto (http://www.abarbaccia.com/)

freevo on slackware 10.1 (http://floptical.net/freevo/)

HowTo: Mandriva Linux 2005 C3 VIA EPIA Mini-ITX MythTV Guide (http://groundstate.ca/c3mythtv)

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