Hi. I'm a complete Linux n00b. I only ask for a nudge in the right direction, I'm willing to go learn this stuff, but I'm just not finding it on my own yet.

I have the equipment, and I burned the disk for Knoppmyth. Install went fairly smoothly, as far as I can tell. I can boot the machine and it goes all the way into Myth, but it doesn't do anything.

I suspect that I may need drivers, but I don't know how device drivers for linux work or how they are supposed to be installed. I don't think the TV card (ATI TV Wonder (pci version - no usb, no remote, NOT an AIW card)) is working, I get black screen when I tell it to watch TV. (not even snow). During boot, it seems to say something about not finding a compatible network card (hp desktop computer with onboard lan). I figured that even if the tuner and network don't work, I should at least be able to insert a DVD, but when I do, and I select watch DVD, it won't even try to spin up the disk.

Keyboard works fine, mouse seems to work at the desktop, using a plain monitor (no tv out yet) but nothing else is working. Myth itself looks beautiful.

Can someone give me a nudge in the right direction? I think I need to go learn how to understand drivers. I've poked at several linux tutorials, but they all want to teach me how to run programs, not configure this box. Help?

First problem: you've posted in the wrong forum and therefore this thread may well be deleted. Read the sticky at the top of the forum: this is for problems with the KnoppMyth installation (i.e. while the disc is in the drive). If it installs correctly (i.e. you've rebooted), it's no longer an Installation question.

Seoncd, I think you need to search some more. If your network card is not working, then the database won't be filled, and if that's not filled, then you won't have any channel data and you will not be able to watch or record TV. So making sure your network card is working is your first priority. But that's not an installation problem.

DVD playback: search the forum and the wiki. This is a FAQ. Playback of encrypted DVDs cannot be supported directly due to the US DMCA.