Im re-posting this because it wasnt relevent to the other thread

Barebones kit:
Chaintech SK8T800 Socket 754 MoBo
AMD SEmpron 2800+ Socket 754 Palermo core CPU
Ultra 512MB PC3200 DDR 400MHz CL3

Added Hardware:
[s]Chaintech XGI V3 Chipset 128MB Video Card TV & DVI[/s]
nvidia ms-8878
Seagate 250GB EIDE HDD 7200/8MB/ATA-100

ive been strugling with this mythbox for a week now. i have all the hardware "working", in the sense than it runs the os. my problems are as follows.

1. cant get it to play tv. i did get about ten chanels briefly, but that stopped workign, and im not sure why, now all i get is black. the chanel guide, the weather, the news, those all work, just no tv.

2. no s-video. it runs fine off a standard computer monitor, but when i run m video card to the tv, nothing. no signal at all.

3. i think most of these probelms could be solved with installing the linux drivers for the hardware, but i havent the slightest idea how to do that.

seriously, im up for any ideas and suggestions. im half tempted to wipe the system, install a basic version of linux, and compile mythtv on top of this. like i said, im an uber-noob to myth AND linux, so i really need a helping hand here. i thank any one for their time in advance.

I'm not familiar with your specific hardware. Do the logs show anything especially as being able to recognize your capture card? You can try these basic test...

1. Open a terminal (Alt-X I think) and do cat /dev/video0 > test.mpg Let it run for a few minutes and then mplayer test.mpg. Does that record/show anything? If not then your capture card isn't being recognized or setup properly. Note: You may have to change /dev/video0 to match your setting.

2. Did you follow the docs (look at the wiki too) and change the XF86Config-4 settings and reboot?

3. I wouldn't do that just yet. It may be something simple.

_________________
ASUS A7N266 Micro-ATX Motherboard
Athlon 2200 processor
512K Kingston PC2100 Memory
MicroAtx Case
2 PVR250's w/remote
eVGA e-GeForce mx4000 (64 Ram with Tv/Out (Svideo))
Lite-on DVD cd-rw combo
120 GB Western Digital

as for loading the drivers the main one you'll need for the tvout is the nvidia driver and it can be loaded by getting to a root console (ctrl+alt+F2 login as root with the password you created during setup) and typing install-nvi<tab><tab> (the tab is for the actual tab key. once you hit it twice it will list two files, and you complete the filename you want. unless you are running 1080i (you won't be on svid) then use the 77?? version) then you will need to look at the tvout information on the wiki. the most important part is the vertical refresh that you need to change in your XF86Config-4 file. I haven't looked at the wiki in a while, but if it talks about twinview or showing stuff on both monitor and tv don't do that it just makes things more difficult.

As for installing a base linux and compiling myth on top of it you can do that if you like, but even if you do run into dificulties with knoppmyth it is still 100x easier than trying to get myth running on another distrobution.

_________________
Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

well it took me forever, but i figured out how to install the drivers for the graphics card... i think. im not sure if it was the right driver, as it STILL wont show up on my tv.

still no tv on the monitor wither. i press "watch tv" and its just black. no sound, no picture, nothing. i ran the test.mpg, and it was the same, a few minutes of blackness.

as for my XF86Config-4 file, i have no freaking idea what that is, or how to mess with it.

i know im a noob with this stuff, but im trying to learn. if anyone can be a little more specific with these instructions, i might be able to get some where with this.

/frustrated as crap.

if your test mpeg is black you have a problem with your ivtv drivers they are not recording properly. you can search the forums, as there is a ton of this going around right now as hauppage just switched to the 980 model which requires newer drivers than knoppmyth ships with. As for the config file you need to get to a root command prompt and edit the file most newbies like to use nano so at the root command prompt type

nano /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

then edit the file so that the horizontal refresh rate is 60 If you look through the file you should find the horizontal refresh rate setting. also make sure that the driver setting is nvidia not nv.

_________________
Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

i tired nano /etc/x11/xf86config-4, but it seems to be a blank file.i have options in black and white on the bottom of the screen, such as cupt, paste, page down, an such, but there is nothing there to edit. its blank. could this be part of my problem in not being able to change chanels, rather than my ivtv information?

well here's the deal linux is case sensitive, so /etc/x11/xf86config-4 is not the same as /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

_________________
Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets