Building a home media center with MythTV
TV IN LINUX
MythTV and its extensive ecosystem of add-ons let you turn your Linux computer into a full-featured home media center.
MythTV is a collection of software tools for TV in Linux. The MythTV website [1] calls MythTV “a GPL-licensed suite of programs that allow you to build a mythical home media convergence box on your own using Open Source software and operating systems.” MythTV provides an interface from your computer to your cable or satellite television service. You can use MythTV to pause, rewind, or fast forward television programs. MythTV with a video capture card lets you record TV programs. And MythTV runs on a network-ready Linux system, so you can configure several front-end devices in your house to view and access a common set of video resources. At first glance, MythTV looks like nothing more than a Open Source clone of Tivo – a hard-disk-based video recorder that’s basically a digital version of a VCR. But MythTV offers much more functionality than Tivo. Yes, it can record, pause, and playback your favorite TV shows, but it also offers a huge suite of add-on applications that can do much more. Also, because MythTV is an Open Source project, it is not feature-encumbered like many of the commercial DVR systems. For example, MythTV provides automatic commercial skipping. On the other hand, although you used to be able to hack your Tivo to skip commercials, Tivo is now implementing flash-based pop-up advertisements that will display when the user is fast forwarding.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
OpenMandriva Lx 23.03 Rolling Release is Now Available
OpenMandriva "ROME" is the latest point update for the rolling release Linux distribution and offers the latest updates for a number of important applications and tools.
-
CarbonOS: A New Linux Distro with a Focus on User Experience
CarbonOS is a brand new, built-from-scratch Linux distribution that uses the Gnome desktop and has a special feature that makes it appealing to all types of users.
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.