i have been running knoppmyth for a few days now and i was , so really impressed with the ease of install and the amount of "out of the box" functionality. (it wasn't 100% but very nice considering my past experiences with linux software.)

however after looking through the forums, i think i want to try running mythtv on a different linux distro, just because some of the secondary features are quite important to me, and they seem quite difficult to get running on this distro.

i am talking about: commercial DVD playback, vlc, bit torrent, and the use of apt-get to install these and other apps.

from what i have read on the forums, enabling the repositories needed to install them and doing an apt-get update would mess up my current system badly, but i know i can get all those things running under ubuntu quite easily and i also know that they have a mythv package for ubuntu as well.

i know there are legal reasons for the DVD thing (although i don't why other distros seem to have no problem talking about the solutions on their forums.) so i guess i'm just saying that it's too bad that using apt-get will screw up the system (unless i'm way off base on this, and the issue is gone.)

please don't take this as complaining, it's not meant in that way, it's just meant to be feedback, that's all (and i may be back with knopmyth soon if ubuntu doesn't work out for me.)

If you follow the well documented direction to switch to the stable respositories and proceed with reasonable caution apt-get can be used to install things safely. The blood curdling warnings are to get people to excercise that caution, so that the forums don't fill up with messages about "I tried to install this package which wanted to add 50 other things, upgrade 120, and delete 73. I said yes and now my system doesn't work. What do I do?"

From the very first things I ever heard about Debian distros, using apt-get incautiosly was just about the fastest and easiest way available to terminally hose your system. With due caution it's a wonderful thing, but too many naive users don't understand what that means.

Hi,

KnoppMyth has been carefully put together by cesman, Dale and a small team of devolpers to do the task of home entertainment and do it darn well.

With that said, if you read the forum carefully, what is being said about apt-get is be careful as "somethings" will undo the work the KM crew has put together. Sort of like an orchestra that adds a new musician but upon his/her arrivial steps on someone elses instrument. Still works, but not quite right.

I do a lot of "extra" stuff with my KM machine(s), and rarely break them. If it says removing, that's a bad thing, upgrading maybe, install by it's usually ok.

I have made a few posts about extras. Look again.
Have a great day!
Mike

You don't need apt-get to enable DVD playback... see the last message in this thread:

http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1676

In fact, you might be able to get some things via apt-get, you just have to be careful and prepared to restore your system from a backup:

http://www.knoppmythwiki.org/index.php? ... Repository

I know that if you try to install DVD playback capability with Automatix under Ubuntu, it gives you a pretty strongly-worded warning when doing so.

http://linux.wolphination.com/data/0607 ... matix2.jpg

There is nothing I can do about commercial DVD playback. VLC is already included. But I suppose you want the GUI installed as well. MPlayer and Xine both work nicely. I'm not explaining the issue w/ apt-get again... I personally don't see a problem as everything that I can legally included to make KnoppMyth function as a PVR is included.

While future versions maybe more friendly in terms of adding new software, one still needs to realize what one is doing with apt-get. The number one function of KnoppMyth is and will always be PVR. Out the box, we'll support what we can and include what we can. Simply put, if you add something (and that can be from source as well) on the system that breaks it, I don't care.

I KnoppMyth team is small and we have limited resources. The core function of KnoppMyth is all I care about. I don't care about adding Firefox, gnutella or whateve else. I'm not trying to beat you down, simply stating the facts.

_________________
cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!

first off, i was very impressed with knoppmyth... don't get me wrong at all. it came really close to giving me off the shelf functionality as a PVR, and under linux that's amazing.

i am just giving you the feedback why this particular user chose to re-install with another distro, not complaining in the least. i am fully aware of the issues and reasons you don't include the stuff you don't... again just letting you know why i chose to switch.

vlc is installed? i wonder why it wouldn't play .mkv files then? maybe another codec i guess.



yes, i understand... and for the record, getting this running under ubuntu has been a total pain, and took 2 days, 3 re-installs... and i still don't have the remote control working 100% (which worked right away in knoppmyth.)

I can honestly say that for people new to Linux that Knoppmyth is a beautiful thing. I have walked many people through the install that have never touched Linux and they are succesful and impressed. The same people wonder why it takes me a week to install everything to my "special" needs on another distribution Thanks Cesman

I stumbled across Knoppmyth on the weekend, and after having never seen Linux before, had it up and running (without TV) playing videos, dvd's and music within hours of downloading it!

Great work Cesman, and everyone who has contributed. Knoppmyth is just the beginning for me, i can see myself using Linux a lot more now Well done guys!