I am a newbie to Knoppmyth and Linux in general. My installation went well but I have a couple issues I cannot resolve. In the installation instructions it says I need to edit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 to adjust the refresh rate. First off, I don't have that file, I have XF86Config.in and I have no idea how to open it to edit it. I don't want to destroy my tv. Second problem is, I have a external hard drive that I believe everytime I plug it in to take files off of it, it stops Myth's frontend from starting. I have no idea how to start it, therefore I have had to reinstall a couple times until I figured out it was the external hard drive causing the issue.

The installation instructions need refreshing: for any KnoppMyth since R5D1 the file you should edit is /etc/X11/xorg.conf, which you should have.

Depending on the TV you have, and depending on how your computer is connected to it, it might work out of the box, or it might need some editing.

Even though this is a new install, it's still a good idea to read and keep handy the R5F1 hints and tips that tjc has created:

http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15195

Can't help with the external hard drive situation, but you should mention whether it's USB or FireWire or eSATA or whatever...

The computer will be connected via video card using S-Video out to a rear projection tv. The external hard drive is connected with USB. I have tried plugging it in after installation and before installation. I can access the files and copy them to the computer, but when I reboot whether it is plugged in or not I get the knoppmyth screen. It never goes back to Mythtv.

I do not know if I am using the wrong command but when I try to open the files XF86Config or xorg I receive "Permission Denied". I am trying to open the file by typing "./xorg.conf". What the heck am I doing wrong. Maybe I should point out again I am a total newbie, please don't laugh. Just kidding. Laugh all you want.

Just kidding, I'd never laugh.

You should open the file with an editing program, and as root (and that means the root user, not "./")

So type "su" and enter your admin (root) password. You're then on as root. Then type "nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf" to edit the file in a simple editing program called nano.

I wish I could tell you what you need to edit but I've never used S-video out so can't say. Do some searches here and at www.knoppmythwiki.org for that.

You also might try some searches on "usb external drive" and see if that turns up anything helpful.

Are you getting any video signal at all?

If you are, then you might not have to edit anything. I started off with S-Video and it worked from the start. When I started trying to use VGA, DVI/HDMI, or component, that's where I started running into problems.

I am getting a video signal but I have yet to hook it up to the tv. Currently I have it hooked up to a monitor. I have been reluctant to hook it up to the tv until I know if the refresh rate is correct. I don't want to have to by a new tv. Maybe I am just being to paranoid.

Here is a wiki entry to some linux tips

http://knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=LinuxTips

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R5F1 - Dell P4 2.4Ghz 500MB - PVR250 x 2 - GeForce FX 5200 - Onboard sound/NIC 80GB ATA/250GB ATA/400GB SATA

You can hook it up through S-Video without harming your TV.

Well, I am gonna give it a shot but first I have discovered I have another problem. You guys are gonna end up hating me. haha. Anyways, My Myth time is 3 hours behind and I don't know what to do about it. Something is messed up because my system bios time is, I think, six hours ahead. I have changed the bios and it keeps reverting back. Not that the bios is your problem but I don't know if it is a symptom. I have gone into Xterminal and changed it by typing "time" then the rest. When I rebooted, it changed back. I need a new hobby!!! This gets aggravating. I think I need to change the time zone but how? I have gone into /etc/timezone and /adjtime and /localtime. Nothing I can see that should be changed to help.

did you search? 'timezone 3 hour' yields many links

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R5F1 - Dell P4 2.4Ghz 500MB - PVR250 x 2 - GeForce FX 5200 - Onboard sound/NIC 80GB ATA/250GB ATA/400GB SATA

See the "ProgramGuideIsOff" troubleshooting page. By default KM wants the hardware clock set to UTC. The nice thing about UTC is that it's a single universal time standard which doesn't seasonaly shift around, and from which you can readily compute the time for any given timezone.

Thank you everyone. I have yet to try to fix the time but I believe I have been steered in the right direction. I hooked it up to the tv and it works well. I think I may need to upgrade the capture card because the quality is good but not great. At this point, I have two remaining questions. First, the video does not fill the total screen. On my 48" tv it fills all but 1-2" on either side. I have fiddled with the aspect ratio and with the recording settings but neither have made any difference. Anybody have any thoughts? Second, would anyone or everyone recommend me trying to network this computer with a Windows XP computer or is a little out of my league?

You should check into the "nvidia-settings" program: it will allow you to adjust overscan to hopefully fill the screen better.

As for networking to a Windows machine, you need samba, which is pretty straightforward to set up:

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

Most of these issues are covered on the various troubleshooting pages on the KM wiki. Picture quality, overscan, blue borders, ...