Mailing List Archive: MythTV: Users

Multiple frontends on the same machine

Index | Next | Previous | View Threaded

blovquist at clarity

Mar 31, 2011, 7:22 PM

Post #1 of 18 (1554 views)
Permalink

Multiple frontends on the same machine

Hello

If you were to run multiple frontends on the same physical machine, same user where the machine has multiple graphics cards and control is via "network control". It is as simple as starting the two frontends with different values for the "DISPLAY" environment variable? Ideally of course, I would like both frontends to share the same configuration (other than the port that they are listening on for control input).

Or, must I configure the system as a multi-seat system and start up the frontends under different users?

Thanks
Bryan Lovquist

nick.rout at gmail

Mar 31, 2011, 7:26 PM

Post #2 of 18 (1535 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

you need to specify a different config file I think.

On Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 3:22 PM, Bryan Lovquist <blovquist [at] clarity> wrote:
> Hello
>
>
>
> If you were to run multiple frontends on the same physical machine, same
> user where the machine has multiple graphics cards and control is via
> “network control”. It is as simple as starting the two frontends with
> different values for the “DISPLAY” environment variable? Ideally of course,
> I would like both frontends to share the same configuration (other than the
> port that they are listening on for control input).
>
>
>
> Or, must I configure the system as a multi-seat system and start up the
> frontends under different users?
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Bryan Lovquist
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
>
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

keemllib at gmail

Mar 31, 2011, 7:43 PM

Post #3 of 18 (1531 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On Fri, 2011-04-01 at 02:22 +0000, Bryan Lovquist wrote:
...
> I would like both frontends to share the same configuration (other
> than the port...

Hi;

See:

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/470255?#470255

Bill

_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

raymond at wagnerrp

Mar 31, 2011, 7:51 PM

Post #4 of 18 (1537 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 3/31/2011 22:43, Bill Meek wrote:
> On Fri, 2011-04-01 at 02:22 +0000, Bryan Lovquist wrote:
> ...
>> I would like both frontends to share the same configuration (other
>> than the port...
> See:
>
> http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/470255?#470255

Specifically see the last post in that thread that talks about the
ServicePort. In 0.24, MythTV blindly assumes that it will have access
to a port (default 6547) to serve screenshots and other information
from. If that port is already in use, the frontend will segfault.
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

nick.rout at gmail

Mar 31, 2011, 7:52 PM

Post #5 of 18 (1539 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 3:22 PM, Bryan Lovquist <blovquist [at] clarity> wrote:
> Ideally of course,
> I would like both frontends to share the same configuration (other than the
> port that they are listening on for control input).
>
>

But hold on ... they can't both use the same video card and audio device :)
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

jyavenard at gmail

Mar 31, 2011, 7:53 PM

Post #6 of 18 (1537 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 1 April 2011 13:22, Bryan Lovquist <blovquist [at] clarity> wrote:
> Hello
>
>
>
> If you were to run multiple frontends on the same physical machine, same
> user where the machine has multiple graphics cards and control is via
> “network control”. It is as simple as starting the two frontends with
> different values for the “DISPLAY” environment variable? Ideally of course,
> I would like both frontends to share the same configuration (other than the
> port that they are listening on for control input).
>
>
>
> Or, must I configure the system as a multi-seat system and start up the
> frontends under different users?

You would have to setup mythfrontend with different configuration
option, and in particular different identifiant.

mythfrontend settings are stored in a mysql database where by default
the name of the computer / IP address is used to distinguish settings.

You wouldn't be able to specify a different audio cards otherwise, and
would only get audio in one frontend only.

That and some other issues
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

brian at interlinx

Apr 1, 2011, 4:39 AM

Post #7 of 18 (1504 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 11-03-31 10:52 PM, Nick Rout wrote:
>
> But hold on ... they can't both use the same video card and audio device :)

OP said:

> the machine has multiple graphics cards

And since he understands enough that he needs multiple graphics cards I
would bet money that he understands he needs multiple audio devices also
-- or some reason facsimile, such as re-purposing the "rear" channels
(not saying how well this would work) of a {5,7}.1 device for the second
seat.

b.

Attachments:

signature.asc (0.26 KB)

raymond at wagnerrp

Apr 1, 2011, 9:15 AM

Post #8 of 18 (1497 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 4/1/2011 07:39, Brian J. Murrell wrote:
> On 11-03-31 10:52 PM, Nick Rout wrote:
>> But hold on ... they can't both use the same video card and audio device :)
> OP said:
>
>> the machine has multiple graphics cards
> And since he understands enough that he needs multiple graphics cards I
> would bet money that he understands he needs multiple audio devices also
> -- or some reason facsimile, such as re-purposing the "rear" channels
> (not saying how well this would work) of a {5,7}.1 device for the second
> seat.

The point is that the chosen audio and video device are tied into the
machine profile in the database. If they are running two independent
frontends on the same machine, they must be using two completely
independent machine profiles. Thus there is no possibility for the two
frontends to be sharing the same configuration.
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

brian at interlinx

Apr 1, 2011, 10:26 AM

Post #9 of 18 (1494 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 11-04-01 12:15 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>
> The point is that the chosen audio and video device are tied into the
> machine profile in the database.

Right.

> If they are running two independent
> frontends on the same machine, they must be using two completely
> independent machine profiles.

Understood.

> Thus there is no possibility for the two
> frontends to be sharing the same configuration.

Right. I assume this is in response to my remark about sharing a sound
device with more than 1 pair of outputs. I was pressuming that the use
of multiple pairs in an audio device was being done through some kind of
virtual access to the hardware that presented as separate devices.

I have a faint recollection of somebody cooking up a solution for doing
this but I cannot find anything about it now. Of course it would
involve having to mix two "virtual" inputs into the card to get it to work.

Maybe this is what I had read before:
http://alsa.opensrc.org/.asoundrc#Splitting_front_and_rear_outputs

b.

Attachments:

signature.asc (0.26 KB)

blovquist at clarity

Apr 1, 2011, 11:26 PM

Post #10 of 18 (1480 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

"And since he understands enough that he needs multiple graphics cards I
would bet money that he understands he needs multiple audio devices"

You might be giving me to much credit there.

Somehow I had come to believe that if I was using HD Digital TV (DVB-T) tuners (and I will be)
then there would be no need for a audio device. The audio is included in the compressed
video stream from the tuner and would be included in the HDMI signal from the graphics
card.

Is my understanding incorrect?

Thanks
Bryan Lovquist
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

mythtv at theseekerr

Apr 1, 2011, 11:35 PM

Post #11 of 18 (1481 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On Sat, Apr 2, 2011 at 5:26 PM, Bryan Lovquist <blovquist [at] clarity> wrote:
> "And since he understands enough that he needs multiple graphics cards I
> would bet money that he understands he needs multiple audio devices"
>
> You might be giving me to much credit there.
>
> Somehow I had come to believe that if I was using HD Digital TV (DVB-T) tuners (and I will be)
> then there would be no need for a audio device. The audio is included in the compressed
> video stream from the tuner and would be included in the HDMI signal from the graphics
> card.
>
> Is my understanding incorrect?

The graphics cards appear to ALSA as an audio device.

So everyone is right: Yes, you have all the audio devices you need,
and Yes, MythTV needs one audio device per frontend.

- Chris
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

jyavenard at gmail

Apr 2, 2011, 12:14 AM

Post #12 of 18 (1477 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 2 April 2011 17:26, Bryan Lovquist <blovquist [at] clarity> wrote:

> Somehow I had come to believe that if I was using HD Digital TV (DVB-T) tuners (and I will be)
> then there would be no need for a audio device. The audio is included in the compressed
> video stream from the tuner and would be included in the HDMI signal from the graphics
> card.

Only if using a video cards that presents an audio device as well.
Like a nvidia GT >= 2xx
ATI >= 45xx etc..
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

blovquist at clarity

Apr 2, 2011, 1:37 PM

Post #13 of 18 (1461 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

In summary then.

I cannot share the same configuration between multiple frontends. But if
I was to create two startup scripts:

------------------------------------------------------------------
export MYTHCONFDIR=~/mythTV/livingRoom
export DISPLAY=:0.0
mythfrontend
------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------
export MYTHCONFDIR=~/mythTV/masterBedRoom
export DISPLAY=:1.0
mythfrontend
------------------------------------------------------------------

I would be able to run two frontends on the same physical machine under the
same user with each frontend having their own configuration.

The two configurations would be very similar and may in fact differ only in the
specification of the port to listen on for network control directives.

================================================================
Is there anything on the development plan to allow a frontend to "inherit" a default
configuration and then override some specific attributes?

================================================================
I have seen a reference on another thread to command line options to a frontend
but cannot find any details on those option. Could somebody direct me to the
appropriate URL.

Thanks
Bryan Lovquist
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

blovquist at clarity

Apr 2, 2011, 1:40 PM

Post #14 of 18 (1465 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

nick.rout at gmail

Apr 2, 2011, 1:51 PM

Post #15 of 18 (1474 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 8:37 AM, Bryan Lovquist <blovquist [at] clarity> wrote:
>
> In summary then.
>
> I cannot share the same configuration between multiple frontends. But if
> I was to create two startup scripts:
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> export MYTHCONFDIR=~/mythTV/livingRoom
> export DISPLAY=:0.0
> mythfrontend
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> export MYTHCONFDIR=~/mythTV/masterBedRoom
> export DISPLAY=:1.0
> mythfrontend
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I would be able to run two frontends on the same physical machine under the
> same user with each frontend having their own configuration.
>
> The two configurations would be very similar and may in fact differ only in the
> specification of the port to listen on for network control directives.
>
> ================================================================
> Is there anything on the development plan to allow a frontend to "inherit" a default
> configuration and then override some specific attributes?

there is a table in the database called settings. It has the settings
for all the frontends, with each entry having a hostname to relate it
to the right frontend. You could use mysql tools to copy the settings
for frontend1 to a new set of rows for frontend2, then make the
changes you need on frontend2.

>
> ================================================================
> I have seen a reference on another thread to command line options to a frontend
> but cannot find any details on those option. Could somebody direct me to the
> appropriate URL.
>

mythfrontend -h
Valid options are:
-l or --logfile filename Writes STDERR and STDOUT messages to filename
-r or --reset Resets frontend appearance settings and language
-display X-server Create GUI on X-server, not localhost
-geometry or --geometry WxH Override window size settings
-geometry WxH+X+Y Override window size and position
-w or --windowed Run in windowed mode
-nw or --no-windowed Run in non-windowed mode
-O or --override-setting KEY=VALUE
Force the setting named 'KEY' to value 'VALUE'
This option may be repeated multiple times
--override-settings-file <file>
File containing KEY=VALUE pairs for settings
Use a comma seperated list to return
multiple values
-G or --get-setting KEY[,KEY2,etc]
Returns the current database setting for 'KEY'
--version Version information
-v or --verbose debug-level Use '-v help' for level info
-p or --prompt Always prompt for Mythbackend selection.
-d or --disable-autodiscovery Never prompt for Mythbackend selection.
-u or --upgrade-schema Allow mythfrontend to upgrade the database schema
<plugin> Initialize and run this plugin

Environment Variables:
$MYTHTVDIR Set the installation prefix
$MYTHCONFDIR Set the config dir (instead of ~/.mythtv)

Nick.

PS still think it is FAR simpler to run a frontend at each TV :)
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

ajlill at ajlc

Apr 2, 2011, 2:32 PM

Post #16 of 18 (1462 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

Raymond Wagner <raymond [at] wagnerrp> writes:

> On 4/1/2011 07:39, Brian J. Murrell wrote:
>> On 11-03-31 10:52 PM, Nick Rout wrote:
>>> But hold on ... they can't both use the same video card and audio device :)
> The point is that the chosen audio and video device are tied into the
> machine profile in the database. If they are running two independent
> frontends on the same machine, they must be using two completely
> independent machine profiles. Thus there is no possibility for the two
> frontends to be sharing the same configuration.

It shouldn't be too hard to add a command line option to override the
hostname as the identifier for the profile. All the lookups are
handled in the Get*Settings routines, aren't they?

You'd think this would be useful enough for developers that it would
already be there.

_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

jyavenard at gmail

Apr 2, 2011, 2:34 PM

Post #17 of 18 (1466 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 3 April 2011 07:32, Tony Lill <ajlill [at] ajlc> wrote:

> It shouldn't be too hard to add a command line option to override the
> hostname as the identifier for the profile. All the lookups are
> handled in the Get*Settings routines, aren't they?

You can override the name used by the frontend locally.
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

raymond at wagnerrp

Apr 2, 2011, 4:31 PM

Post #18 of 18 (1452 views)
Permalink

Re: Multiple frontends on the same machine [In reply to]

On 4/2/2011 17:32, Tony Lill wrote:
> Raymond Wagner<raymond [at] wagnerrp> writes:
>
>> On 4/1/2011 07:39, Brian J. Murrell wrote:
>>> On 11-03-31 10:52 PM, Nick Rout wrote:
>>>> But hold on ... they can't both use the same video card and audio device :)
>> The point is that the chosen audio and video device are tied into the
>> machine profile in the database. If they are running two independent
>> frontends on the same machine, they must be using two completely
>> independent machine profiles. Thus there is no possibility for the two
>> frontends to be sharing the same configuration.
> It shouldn't be too hard to add a command line option to override the
> hostname as the identifier for the profile. All the lookups are
> handled in the Get*Settings routines, aren't they?
>
> You'd think this would be useful enough for developers that it would
> already be there.

It shouldn't be too hard to just change the HOME environment variable to
point to a different configuration directory with a different config.xml.
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

Index | Next | Previous | View Threaded

Interested in having your list archived? Contact Gossamer Threads