Mythbuntu
Encyclopedia
Mythbuntu is a media center
operating system
(OS). It is based on Ubuntu
and integrates the MythTV
Media center software as its main function, and does not install with all of the programs included with Ubuntu.
Following the principles of KnoppMyth
and Mythdora
, Mythbuntu is designed to simplify the installation of MythTV on a home theater PC
. After Mythbuntu has been installed the MythTV setup program begins in which it can be configured as a frontend (a media viewer), backend (a media server), or combination of the two.
Mythbuntu aims to keep close ties with Ubuntu thus allowing changes to be moved upstream for the greater benefit of the Ubuntu Community. Due to the close link with Ubuntu, easy conversions between desktop and standalone Mythbuntu installations are possible. The development cycle of Mythbuntu closely follows that of Ubuntu, with releases occurring every six months.
desktop interface by default, but users can install ubuntu-desktop
, kubuntu-desktop
, or xubuntu-desktop
through the Mythbuntu Control Centre, allowing users to get the default interfaces from those flavors of Ubuntu. The only software that is included in this release is media-related software such as VLC
, Amunix, and Rhythmbox
.
The Mythbuntu Control Centre provides a GUI which can be used to configure the system. The user can select what kind of system (Backend, Frontend, Both) they wish to have installed. Inside the Control Centre, the user can perform common actions such as installing plugins for MythTV, configuring the MySQL
database, setting passwords, and installing drivers
and codecs
. Configuration of remote controls and a range of other utilities and small programs are performed all from within this program.
and server
). The front-end is the software required for the visual elements (or the GUI
) and is utilised by the common user to find, play, and manipulate media files. The backend is the server where the media files, tuners, and database are actually stored. A full frontend and backend system may have an advantage in that it has 'portability', i.e. it is a standalone device that is not dependent on a separate server (like a gaming console
for example).
Alternatively, Mythbuntu can be used to install a MythTV client, front-end only system. For example, users may have a central storage device (server) in their home that can be accessed from numerous other devices throughout the home over a network. The central storage device can act as MythTV server, and the MythTV front-end client software can be installed on devices containing minimal hardware. Mythbuntu can also run directly from a CD-ROM (i.e. without installation), providing that there is a network connection
to a PC with a 'complete installation' (a MythTV back-end server).
Using a 'server' separate from one or more front-end units offers the advantage of providing multiple clients with simultaneous access to a single repository of shared media files. The server used would generally have hardware of a relatively high specification and can be kept outside of the main living room or other entertainment area of the home. An advantage of keeping the server PC outside the living room is that some configurations can be quite noisy (especially with certain hard drives or server power supply fans), and it can be expensive to invest in fanless/heat sink equipment to avoid such noise problems.
Home theater PC
A Home Theater PC or Media Center appliance is a convergence device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that supports video, photo, music playback, and sometimes video recording functionality...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
(OS). It is based on Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
and integrates the MythTV
MythTV
MythTV is a free and open source home entertainment application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or home theater...
Media center software as its main function, and does not install with all of the programs included with Ubuntu.
Following the principles of KnoppMyth
KnoppMyth
KnoppMyth is a Linux distribution designed for use on Home Theater PCs . As of version R6, it is now called LinHES . The most recent release is based on Arch Linux, though previous versions were based on Debian Linux with configuration scripts from the Knoppix Linux distribution...
and Mythdora
MythDora
MythDora is a specialized operating system based on Fedora and MythTV. Since 2009, the version number comes from the version of Fedora used followed by the version of MythTV used. For example, the current version 12.23 uses Fedora 12 and MythTV 0.23. Like KnoppMyth, MythDora is designed to simplify...
, Mythbuntu is designed to simplify the installation of MythTV on a home theater PC
Home theater PC
A Home Theater PC or Media Center appliance is a convergence device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that supports video, photo, music playback, and sometimes video recording functionality...
. After Mythbuntu has been installed the MythTV setup program begins in which it can be configured as a frontend (a media viewer), backend (a media server), or combination of the two.
Mythbuntu aims to keep close ties with Ubuntu thus allowing changes to be moved upstream for the greater benefit of the Ubuntu Community. Due to the close link with Ubuntu, easy conversions between desktop and standalone Mythbuntu installations are possible. The development cycle of Mythbuntu closely follows that of Ubuntu, with releases occurring every six months.
Desktop
Mythbuntu uses the XfceXfce
Xfce is a free software desktop environment for Unix and other Unix-like platforms, such as Linux, Solaris, and BSD – though recent compatibility issues have arisen with regard to BSD Unix platforms...
desktop interface by default, but users can install ubuntu-desktop
GNOME
GNOME is a desktop environment and graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system. It is composed entirely of free and open source software...
, kubuntu-desktop
KDE
KDE is an international free software community producing an integrated set of cross-platform applications designed to run on Linux, FreeBSD, Microsoft Windows, Solaris and Mac OS X systems...
, or xubuntu-desktop
Xfce
Xfce is a free software desktop environment for Unix and other Unix-like platforms, such as Linux, Solaris, and BSD – though recent compatibility issues have arisen with regard to BSD Unix platforms...
through the Mythbuntu Control Centre, allowing users to get the default interfaces from those flavors of Ubuntu. The only software that is included in this release is media-related software such as VLC
VLC media player
VLC media player is a free and open source media player and multimedia framework written by the VideoLAN project.VLC is a portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer supporting many audio and video codecs and file formats as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It is able to...
, Amunix, and Rhythmbox
Rhythmbox
Rhythmbox is an audio player that plays and helps organize digital music. Originally inspired by Apple's iTunes, it is free software, designed to work well under the GNOME Desktop using the GStreamer media framework. However, Rhythmbox functions on desktop environments other than GNOME.-Music...
.
Mythbuntu Control Centre
MySQL
MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...
database, setting passwords, and installing drivers
Device driver
In computing, a device driver or software driver is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device....
and codecs
Codec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
. Configuration of remote controls and a range of other utilities and small programs are performed all from within this program.
Complete Installation (Front-end and Back-end)
Mythbuntu can be used to install a full MythTV system on a single device (acting as both clientClient (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
and server
File server
In computing, a file server is a computer attached to a network that has the primary purpose of providing a location for shared disk access, i.e. shared storage of computer files that can be accessed by the workstations that are attached to the computer network...
). The front-end is the software required for the visual elements (or the GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
) and is utilised by the common user to find, play, and manipulate media files. The backend is the server where the media files, tuners, and database are actually stored. A full frontend and backend system may have an advantage in that it has 'portability', i.e. it is a standalone device that is not dependent on a separate server (like a gaming console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
for example).
Front-end only installations
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
to a PC with a 'complete installation' (a MythTV back-end server).
Using a 'server' separate from one or more front-end units offers the advantage of providing multiple clients with simultaneous access to a single repository of shared media files. The server used would generally have hardware of a relatively high specification and can be kept outside of the main living room or other entertainment area of the home. An advantage of keeping the server PC outside the living room is that some configurations can be quite noisy (especially with certain hard drives or server power supply fans), and it can be expensive to invest in fanless/heat sink equipment to avoid such noise problems.
Adding Mythbuntu to Ubuntu
Mythbuntu is an Ubuntu derivative that offers an easy single-click conversion from Ubuntu to Mythbuntu. This means a user no longer needs to type in command line, which can be daunting to new users, or hunt for packages in the various package managers.Version history
- Mythbuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon (with MythTV .20) was released on Monday, October 22, 2007.
- Mythbuntu 8.04.1 Hardy Heron (with MythTV .21) was released Monday July 14th, 2008.
- Mythbuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex (with MythTV .21) was released on Thursday Oct 30th, 2008.
- Mythbuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope (with MythTV .21-fixes) was released on Thursday April 23rd, 2009.
- Mythbuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala (with MythTV .22) was released on Thursday October 29th, 2009.
- Mythbuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx (with MythTV .23) was released on Thursday April 29th, 2010.
- Mythbuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat (with MythTV .23.1) was released on October 19, 2010.
- Mythbuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal (with MythTV .24) was released on April 28, 2011.