# Forum Home Renovation Television, Computers & Phones  MythTV

## rusel

Just wondering if any one else is using this great FREE system?
For those who do not know.
My son installed this about 3 years ago and it has revolutionise my TV watching.
Gone are the add yes Mythtv get it right 80-90% of the time and the adds are just zapped the show just goes from start of add break to end of add break and where it does not get them just a click or two for the same result.
To do this and many other tricks all shows are recorded and watch when you are ready.
At the moment I have about 250 shows, moves docos ready for me to watch or re watch. You can watch live TV, purse it, rewind, frame by frame, two screens at once and much more.
For the recording the mythtv find when the show is on and you have these choices 
   *   Don't record this program.
    * Record only this showing.
    * Record this program in this timeslot every day.
    * Record this program in this timeslot every week.
    * Find and record one showing of this title.
    * Find and record one showing of this title each day.
    * Find and record one showing of this title each week.
    * Record at any time on channel ABC3.
    * Record at any time on any channel.
If the TV station advertise a changed time slot mythtv usually can catch it and still record it or when the show start again in the new season it will auto pick it up and record.
Note I can record 2 simultaneous channel stream this mean all the channels from one station can be recorded letting me record 2 or more show simultaneously have had up to 6 recording at once with start and over laps. I have a auto 20 minute add on to the end of all shows to allow for station over runs so often I have over laps 
The other thing we do for example is if watching something and a question comes up we purse the TV flick to another desktop and google it and flick back to the TV desktop and resume the program. This come in handy for when you just what to look some thing up e.g. train time table as the system is always on just turn the TV on and look it up. 
What really buy this to my attention was that I found the TV thread on this site and now I can program my TV from my phone from anywhere where I could only do this from a computer before. 
Well I have gone on about it now but it is really a great system and it is FREE to download from MythTV, Open Source DVR
It does so much more than I have put in here. If anyone wish to know more let me know. 
Russell

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## rusel

Just had telstra ring me and try and sell me foxtel. So I told the young bloke about what I use and he going to get his brother to look at a install.  
Well it is Free 
Russell

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## petersemple

I have a mythTV box based around an old computer that wasn't in use anymore.  I have 2 tuners (I have a third but it's not as good and so far I haven't desperately needed it so it's not installed at present) and 500GB hard drive in it.  It is wonderful.  For a while I just used a 20" widescreen monitor, but now it's plugged into a 42" TV.  Brilliant stuff.  It can take a bit of stuffing around to get it working perfectly, which is why I am reluctand to upgrade to the newest version now that it's all working. 
Peter

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## rusel

Hi Peter
Glad to hear someone else has found mythtv is a good thing.
Yes it does take a bit of setting up, my son has done most of mine. What he did with mine was once he had his set up he just copied the setup on to mine and in ten minutes it was running.
Do you down load the tv program guild from internet onto your set up?
Just upgraded to latest version yesterday no problems 
Russell

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## petersemple

I got fed up with a few of the TV stations seeming to take ages to make guide info available through the broadcaast system, and now use a system called shepherd, which uses several internet sources to comile and download guide info for Australia.  It's free so you don't need to pay for a subscription to get the guide downloaded.  It uses several sources because apparently the free websites change their format often to trick up downloaders.  Anyway - it works for me. 
As for setup, I had a few extra features that a lot of people don't use which took some time to set up.  My tuners have drivers available but they are not yet included with Linux, so I had to comile and install the drivers, and do some manual configuration of the remote.  I also have mine set up to automatically shut down the computer when it's not in use, and boot up automatically to record a scheduled show.  That took a bit of stuffing around to get right but I thought it was worth it for the power saving and convenience. 
Peter

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## rusel

Sound like we are using the same internet source for tv guide.
That turning off and on sound pretty nifty.
We have ours on full time but we use a low powered cpu and motherboard it cost a few extra dollers but  we like to flip desk tops and look up internet stuff any time one thinks of it even in the middle of a show just to check there facts. Just go and google it now, problem solved. This work well with the hire res screen we use it can be used as a desktop monitor of tv so you can stand up close to it and use just like a computer.
We look at using a remote but thought that a keyboard would give use more options. We use a remote keyboard  a 'shintaro' it has a track ball in it and all mouse control on it, the back is moulded to fit on your lap  :Smilie: 
With the two tuner cards on our set up we have had up to 6 programs recording simultaneity while watching a previous recording. I love to brag about that but it goes over most people heads who do not understand the mythtv system. Do find it hard to make people understand it
It is just good to find some else who does understand 
Russell

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## petersemple

If you are interested, here is the info on automatic bootups  ACPI Wakeup - MythTV 
I had a remote that cam with the tuners, so we just use that.  There is also a wireless mouse and keyboard that I use for more "computer" things like the internet etc.  That computer can also boot into Windows.  The kids love some of their games on the big TV and with sound through the big stereo. 
Peter

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## president_ltd

> I got fed up with a few of the TV stations seeming to take ages to make guide info available through the broadcaast system, and now use a system called shepherd, which uses several internet sources to comile and download guide info for Australia.  It's free so you don't need to pay for a subscription to get the guide downloaded.  It uses several sources because apparently the free websites change their format often to trick up downloaders.  Anyway - it works for me.

  glad you like shepherd.  not only do i contribute on renovateforum, i'm one of the people behind shepherd.   :Cool:

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## petersemple

:2thumbsup: Excellent, thanks 
Peter

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## rusel

And a second big thanks from me for shepherd Mr president_ltd

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