I was reading the wiki, and a couple threads here, and it looks like setting up a slave backend is a relatively simple task.

I've come for the need, because I want to upgrade the sound in my be/fe machine (to an av-710), and the two tuners are using the available PCI slots. The plan, is to move one tuner (pvr150) to a second machine, to free up a spot.

Though, if possible, and it seems like this is how it works, I want everything from the sbe to be stored on the mbe, since that's where all my large drives are.

So, since I want this transition to be as smooth as possible (don't want to miss too many recordings) I'm going to try and write out here what I plan to do, and hopefully someone can let me know if the plan appears good, or if there's a visible flaw.

MBE/FE
vi /etc/mysql/my.cnf
#skip-networking
bind-address = 192.168.0.3

/etc/init.d/mysql restart

vi /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 localhost
192.168.0.3 mythtvmaster
192.168.0.? mythtvslave

mkdir /mnt/mythtvslave

vi /etc/fstab
mythtvslave:/myth /mnt/mythtvslave nfs rsize=8192,wsize=8192,soft,nfsvers=3

vi /etc/exports
/myth 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(rw,no_root_squash,async)

update-rc.d nfs-kernel-server defaults

In mythtv-setup:
set local ip (default 127.0.0.1) to 192.168.0.3
set master backend ip to 192.168.0.3

SBE
vi /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 localhost
192.168.0.3 mythtvmaster
192.168.0.? mythtvslave

mkdir /mnt/mythtvmaster

vi /etc/fstab
mythtvmaster:/myth /mnt/mythtvmaster nfs rsize=8192,wsize=8192,soft,nfsvers=3

vi /etc/exports
/myth 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(rw,no_root_squash,async)

update-rc.d nfs-kernel-server defaults
update-rc.d -f mysql remove
update-rc.d -f apache remove
rm -fr /etc/cron.daily/mythtv-backend
cd /mnt
ln -s mythtvmaster/tv tv

vi /etc/mythtv/mysql.txt
DBHostName=mythtvmaster
DBUserName=mythtv
DBPassword=mythtv
DBName=mythconverg
LocalHostName=mythtvslave

In mythtv-setup:
set local ip (default 127.0.0.1) to 192.168.0.?
set master backend ip to 192.168.0.3
setup capture cards

Reboot both machines

Issues?
I'm thinking when I pull the tuner from the MBE/FE that I have to remove it from the tuners in the setup as well correct? How will I know which one it is I removed?

After all this work, will it be hard to add the sound card to the MBE/FE and get it setup and working with optical out?

Thanks a bunch everyone!
-C

ps I'm assuming an AMD 1.2 should have no trouble with a single pvr-150, but what size HD do I need in the SBE if I plan on storing all the recordings on the MBE/FE anyhow?

pps Would it be simpler to grab a 3rd tuner to setup the SBE and remove the second from the MBE after the MBE/SBE combo is working? Since I just realized I have one that isn't used just yet (putting together a machine for my sister in the next month or so and have the card doing nothing at the moment)

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

Anybody?

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

That reads essentially what I had to do with my 2 sbe/fe boxes and the mbe.
I might comment that the instructions for LinHes on the Mythweb page are good.

They do miss the bind address step (you have that)

Also they use a slightly different /etc/exports which is the one I use.

They only other comment on that is they are written somewhat generic and you have taken box names into account in your script.

Two things I saw both in the previous setup and this rebuild for R5F27 I always had to dump all the tuner cards and build them one by one from the MBE out.

That may address your concern about which to drop. When I brought mine back up, I found that the mythtvbackend on MBE, was slow to start first time, and once it was up I then I could bring up each of the SBE boxes.

Basically once I had done the main configs, I still had to add tuners.
I found I had to proceed as below, because of the tuners coming up with strange numbers in the System Status menu and acting wierd.

I started at the Slaves, did Alt-2 on each box, then starting at an sbe, entered Myth-TV setup "Alt-M" deleted "all" tuners, went to next SBE followed same steps, then went to MBE followed same steps.

At this point I shut them all down.

Next I started them up from MBE back out to the SBE's

Exited the Frontend on each, Went back out to the Penguin on the couch.
At each box starting from SBE #2 did Alt-2 then Alt-S (mythtv-setup)
Now I loaded capture cards starting at SBE #2 added sources and attached them to the Tuner(Input connections), then progressed to SBE#1 then to MBE. Finally I began at SBE #2 exited Mythtv setup, progressing to MBE where I finally ran Mythfilldatabase.

That done I now started the Backends (Alt-3) from MBE out to SBE#2 and started the MythFrontend Alt-M.

It all has worked great from there outside of the occasional power issue, that used to let the SBE's (they boot faster) come alive before the MBE (The horsepower box.) I noticed in R5F27, I have inadvertently left an SBE running while I did a powercycle for a change on the MBE and it picked up just fine.

Disk size? I have either a 6 or an 8 gig in one of my SBE's and a 60gig in the other one. (eventually I will map my music to that one or use Storage groups.)

My lowest processor is an AMD Duron 1800, that is probably very similar in overall power to your 1.2. on that Frontend I run a PVR 500 and occasionally have both tuners running, tha box has 256 meg ram and an fx5200 video but the ram is only PC100 ram. So somewhat of a lowend machine by todays standards. It can record two streams and watch tv at the sametime.

All the network is 100 mbps but I have a poor b/w switch in the middle of it. I haven't seen any problems with the capacity of any of it.
Just notice the poor b/w when I try to move a file from the MBE say to my home pc for upload onto one of my SD cards for a PPC.

I hope this is helpful and I am by no means an expert, but this is what has worked for me.

ymmv

here is my stuff

_________________
KnoppMyth R5.5
MBE: AMD64 3400+, K8N Neo4 Plat., 1Gig, Asus Extreme N6200, 320G pata, 2x320Gsata, 750Gsata, PVR-150 Retail w/Blaster
SBE: AMD XP2000, GA 7ZMMH, 1 Gig, XFX 256M 6200, 20 Gig, PVR-150 Retail w/Blaster
SBE: AMD Dur1800, 512M, PVR500

Would it be easier to just make your current FE/BE machine a MBE and create a new FE-only box?

_________________
Mike
My Hardware Profile

I thought of that, but not really because I need to leave a tuner in it, for the remote, and, I'd have to grab the mother board, and video card for the fe...so I'd literally have to tear everything apart, and start from scratch...and just change to a mbe and sbe/fe scenario...effectively the same thing, but a lot more work to get it there.

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

Mike, if you were talking to me, I agree, except. I didn't want 4 Satellite dish controllers running from the same room, Power outlet, cable clutter etc. Satelltie is my only choice here.

I think Gibble mentioned he needed another PCI slot. hence splitting boxes.

bigbro,

You mean the exports of?
/myth *(rw)

Hmm, ok, I suppose that would be simpler...more open, but more likely to work.

With the tuner config. You're saying, just drop them all, from everything (sbe, then mbe), then reboot and add them (sbe then mbe)?

I'll hopefully find time to try this...probably Sunday evening.

At least the changes to the mbe are relatively minor, so if I do manage to break it, I should be able to revert to the be/fe state I'm currently in.

Thanks.

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

Yep, sadly, that's all it is...I want space to upgrade from onboard sound...though, this will teach me a lot, and help when I decide to add some high def to the setup

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

No that was directed at Gibble. Looks like we posted at about the same time.

_________________
Mike
My Hardware Profile

Gibble, I missed the other ressponse. Yes my /etc/exports looks like that /myth *(rw)

As far as making it all work yes you caught what I was trying to say. Now mind you I am not sure that is how anyone elses works, but that is what I worked out to get it work and display Tuner 1, Tuner 2, etc. It used to show them as random numbers because the database didn't seem to clear out.

One other thing. Build your SBE first and make sure it is a Working Mythbox, i.e it has it's own backend and can tune independently etc. It doesn't know the other box exists.

Then one you confirm it works, just Watch Live TV and maybe setup a quick record to tune, and go. Then go in and do all the changes to have it join your MBE.

Make sure once you pull a tuner card and before you start mucking around your MBE is functioning as a 1 tuner box too.....

That way if you run into problems you first knew the box worked before trying to join it to the party.

I think Cecil recommends that in his LinHes instructions, I missed that step my first one, and chased forever to find out I had a Tuner card fimrware problem.

You know yours works so it should be easy....

Regards. Oh and don't forget to run a Backup of your MBE before you start. Better safe than sorry. Afterall you are making a configuration change.

Thanks for all the tips, maybe I'll start on this tonight, depending when I get home, who knows. Likely though, it'll be Sunday evening...g@h I hate waiting :p

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

Thanks bigbro! The procedure below saved me from going completely insane trying to get both tuners visible!



Cheers,
~blake

_________________
www.blakerobertson.com

--------------
Master
AMD 1600XP
PVR150

Slave
Emachine Box
PVR350

Good to see this worked for someone...I still haven't had a chance to try it...stupid short 24 hours days :p

_________________
"The amount of time needed to solve a problem is inversely proportionate to the complexity of the solution" -- Me

KM: R5.5
CPU: Athlon 3800+
Vid: nvidia 7300GT
Snd: Chaintech av-710
Tuner: PVR150
HD: 1000gb sata + 750gb sata + 500gb usb

Gibble,

I don't know if I read your first post properly or not but it looks like you are mount the SBE on the MBE and vica versa. From what I understand there is no need to mount the SBE on the MBE as there is nothing to gain from this.

With your export of the /myth directory, if you simply mount this as the /myth directory on your SBE you theoretically don't need to change any directories etc.

I may be over simplifying it, I don't know for sure I have never set it up personally. For TV I don't believe you even need to mount it as this is all exposed through the MythTV protocol.

_________________
Girkers

You could always go diskless. Take a variant of the diskless front end approach and make it a diskless backend.