Digdilem

On doing a dist-upgrade of ubuntu this weekend, and after sorting out the million little problems that become apparent, one with myth-tv reared its head. The files weren't being renamed correctly.

If you don't know, myth-tv creates files like "5287_20100704195600.mpg". I like to have them named something "Build_A_New_Life_In_The_Country_-_2010-06-30,_1-56_PM_-_Untitled.mpg" so I can browse the pvr machine's network share and play the files from either laptop, my desktop and my Popcorn Hour plugged into the big telly.

I run the network between four physical rural sites. One is the main office, two satellite offices and one home worker (me!)

This has previous been kept up by using DG834's throughout each site, which each have a nice VPN pointy-clicky setup. Not knowing much about VPN this was a blessing.

Honestly, I do do other things with my life than play around with TV systems.

But... No sooner had I found as near to the perfect dvr software as I think exists (Myth-TV), my signal against starts deteriorating. I'm in a valley with nothing like a clear line of sight to any repeater TV aerial, so my signal bounces up the valley a few times and is very weak and echoey when it gets here. With the set top box also struggling to maintain signal and no analogue signal, I started to get more and more frustrated with freeview. (DVB-T)

root@pvr:/tv# apt-get remove vdr vdradmin
root@pvr:/tv# apt-get install mythtv mythweb

My continuing search for the "Ultimate DVB PVR" has got a whole lot closer. Finally I've gotten Myth installed.

Disclaimer: I know this makes Ubuntu less secure, but nobody else has access to my laptop and I'm bored with typing in my password constantly.

For others frustrated by Ubuntu asking you for a password on your laptop when you restore from suspend or hibernate;

Run gconf-editor
Open Apps -> gnome-power-manager -> Lock

Untick those boxes and it won't nag you again. In my mind, this should be the default when autologin is enabled.