Looking for Info on Making a MythTV pbi/script

[brw02005]

Hi,
I am a recently unemployed chemical engineer with a minor in IT and I would like to make a MythTV plugin/script.

I recently got MythTV working perfectly on my 9.3 Freenas box with HDHomerun and would like to make it easier for other people to get it up and going. I have been looking into making a PBI but I don't think that will work given the complexity of MythTV. It appears PBIs generally install one package in a jail. If I am incorrect in this assumption please set me straight.

MythTV is a monster with lots of dependencies and needs a properly set up database as well as remote access with X11 forwarding. I am pointing in the direction of a setup script given the size and complexity but I would still like to have a place to host the config files etc to grab with wget. I am looking into input on how best meet this need. Also if nobody is into using a script like this I will probably not develop it as this is truly a niche thing.

Please let me know what you guys think and how best to execute this. Once I have a plan on how best to execute this i can begin making the script.

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

Creating a PBI for FreeBSD/NAS 9.X has been pretty complicated since September 21, 2014. But, feel free to try. Things should be much simpler/cleaner once FreeNAS 10 is a thing.
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/more-plugins.14626/page-2#post-175364

 

[brw02005]

I think one of my major problem is my PBI would need to have multiple ports as well as execute some sql commands to set up the database. MythTV needs certain programs to work that are not listed as dependencies. Without a clear way to do this I think a setup script is the best way. Although the information you provided is very useful and thank you.

I always felt MythTV should clean up its install and improve usability. A simple first run setup that sets up that sets up the database would be a start. Granted, I know you can have master and slave backends but the people who do that can deal with learning sql setup. Here ends my MythTV rant.

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

I think one of my major problem is my PBI would need to have multiple ports as well as execute some sql commands to set up the database. MythTV needs certain programs to work that are not listed as dependencies. Without a clear way to do this I think a setup script is the best way. Although the information you provided is very useful and thank you.

I always felt MythTV should clean up its install and improve usability. A simple first run setup that sets up that sets up the database would be a start. Granted, I know you can have master and slave backends but the people who do that can deal with learning sql setup. Here ends my MythTV rant.

You can add additional dependencies (not part of the main port in your pbi.conf)

I've thought about creating a plugin with mysql configured out of the box. It shouldn't be too difficult, but I haven't had a chance to pursue this yet.

 

[brw02005]

Ok I think I can work my mojo with tweak-rcconf to set up the SQL and the SSH with SSH forwarding. The problem is I need passwords set up for this stuff. Anyway to warn people to change default passwords or take user input before the install?

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

Ok I think I can work my mojo with tweak-rcconf to set up the SQL and the SSH with SSH forwarding. The problem is I need passwords set up for this stuff. Anyway to warn people to change default passwords or take user input before the install?

I'm not that familiar with what you need to do exactly with SSH/x forwarding. You can't run mythTV headless and use a webinterface? I don't know enough about mythTV to give specific advise =P

But, there's no need for tweak-rcconf. you can use 'sysrc' if you need to edit any settings in rc.conf
https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=sysrc

 

[brw02005]

Nope MythTV is stupid like that there is a special gui program called mythtv-setup. It connects straight to the the SQL database setting up the tuner card, EPG guide source, and channels, as well as the folder to save the recordings. Mythweb is an addon web interface but you can only watch shows and schedule recordings from there. It's stupid but I am definitely not smart enough to reprogram it in my lifetime.

Wow PBI structure changes quite a bit over time was looking at old info. I'll take debian packages over this anyday. Looks like adding stuff in post-install.sh should do the job.

Is there a good place to get a virtual box image for building or just start with a clean install and make it work?

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

Nope MythTV is stupid like that there is a special gui program called mythtv-setup. It connects straight to the the SQL database setting up the tuner card, EPG guide source, and channels, as well as the folder to save the recordings. Mythweb is an addon web interface but you can only watch shows and schedule recordings from there. It's stupid but I am definitely not smart enough to reprogram it in my lifetime.

Wow PBI structure changes quite a bit over time was looking at old info. I'll take debian packages over this anyday. Looks like adding stuff in post-install.sh should do the job.

Is there a good place to get a virtual box image for building or just start with a clean install and make it work?

ahh, I experimented with MythTV a few years back, even had a TV tuner working. I do remember it being pretty complicated and didn't stick with it.

yeah post-install.sh is where I do any plugin specific tweaking

I guess I could post my virtualbox image, though it's about 20GB cause it has a bunch of plugins + dependencies. Do realize building a PBI can be hell because all of the issues I mentioned in that link, the first time you build you will also be building FreeBSD userland+all dependencies. But once you get everything in place updating plugins isn't too bad.

 

[brw02005]

No worries I have an 18 TB RaidZ2 NAS for storage, A core I7 gaming rig to compile it, and a 120 mb/s connection to download your image and Freenas stuff. I used to do custom Linux HTPC setups for rich people but that has kind of gone down hill since streaming is taking off.

Pretty sure a hacked fireTV running Kodi connected to a freenas running MythTV and storing all your movies and recorded TV is the way to go. One single device that can access anything including livetv and never switch inputs. Getting a used $35 Fire Stick to see if I can work out the interlacing issues with 1080i. The cablebox companies should have rigged up something like this but they never will. Hopefully the cable company does not obsolete cablecard too soon or I'm hosed.

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

No worries I have an 18 TB RaidZ2 NAS for storage, A core I7 gaming rig to compile it, and a 120 mb/s connection to download your image and Freenas stuff. I used to do custom Linux HTPC setups for rich people but that has kind of gone down hill since streaming is taking off.

Pretty sure a hacked fireTV running Kodi connected to a freenas running MythTV and storing all your movies and recorded TV is the way to go. One single device that can access anything including livetv and never switch inputs. Getting a used $35 Fire Stick to see if I can work out the interlacing issues with 1080i. The cablebox companies should have rigged up something like this but they never will. Hopefully the cable company does not obsolete cablecard too soon or I'm hosed.

Nice setup. Ever since I started using sickbeard years ago I've been just relying on others recording and uploading the content for me to download, but there are downsides. My wife loves watching live basketball and we have always tinker around with different streams on our HTPC. They're usually low quality or laggy =/

 

[brw02005]

So how do I download that virtualbox image?

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

So how do I download that virtualbox image?

I haven't made one for posting. maybe I could just post my current setup on my owncloud (but 20GB might be over some limit?).

I posted what I know about getting a working setup here.
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/more-plugins.14626/page-2#post-175364