Hi guys,

I have my box up and running and can access it remotely to download shows using mythweb. I can also edit setting using a vnc client. Every feature that I need I can do save one. Is there anyway that I can remotely edit the shows (ie cut the commercials and then transcode the shows). Is something like this possible?

easy.. just pop in the knoppmyth CD and boot to the mythfrontend on the remote computer, it
won't install anything and should work like a charm :)

It can also be done via VNC. Start mythfrontend as root from a terminal and use the arrow keys to navigate. I've even done this while my Wife's watching TV. It annoyed her to hear the second or so of audio from the second file playing back, so I stopped

You can play the recording and hit E to edit--a cool thing I found is if you hit Z it loads the flagged commercials so you have a place to start. Unless you have watched the video and trust that all of the flagged commercials are correct, I wouldn't just go with that.

Also, if you arrow down enough, it will get to an option where you can jump from cutpoint to cutpoint.

I can do it from my Windows box without rebooting (and even from anywhere I have a broadband connection--I tunnel the VNC traffic through SSH).

L0o0ky

Ok thanks for the info so far. L0o0ky I am still a bit confused. When I use the VNC client to get to my box, I can see the desktop just as if I had a monitor plugged in. I go to the recordings. I can see the small thumbnail of the clip I am about to watch. The clip is moving. When I try to start the to play the show however I just get a blue screen and nothing happens. My backend not all that powerful (800 mhz, 256 MB ram). Could it be that it just can't handle it? Or could the resolution be messed up? The thing that has me wondering is that in mythweb I can go to my recorded show and watch it right there with media player streaming with no problems. Hmm thoughts?

Are you seeing what's actually on the TV/monitor through VNC? In other words, if you VNC in, can you make changes happen on the monitor/tv that you watch your TV on?

Here's what I do.
I start the vncserver on the knoppmythbox via ssh (as root) with:
>vncserver :2
Then I use the VNC client to connect to:
server-ip:5902
I get a pretty boring desktop with a xterm window where as root I execute:
>mythfrontend

From there, I get the video running and hit E to edit etc...

A couple of things come to mind as possibilities.
1)I use tightvncserver on the knoppmyth box--perhaps you are using a different server.
2)I currently use either UltraVNC on the client (my laptop) or SSHVNC if I'm out on the road--What flavor of VNC are you using and how good is the network between them?
3)When you see the blue screen, try hitting E to edit. It's poossible that the server is having trouble keeping up with the amount of data transfer. You might try dropping the "quality" of the connection. UltraVNC allows you to choose how much bandwidth you want to use as well as an "Auto" which seems to find a good match most of the time.

Yes, when I VNC in I can make changes happen on the monitor/tv that I watch my tv on. I installed the vnc on the knoppmyth box using the directions found on the knoppmythwiki here:

http://knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=x11vncHowTo

On my windows box I am using RealVNC and TightVNC and UltraVNC. The connection is over a LAN so bandwidth should not really be a problem. I get the same result with all of them. When I press E to try to edit nothing actually happens. The screen goes black, and then a blue.

Have you tried starting a second VNC server as root?

SSH in as root, start a second VNC server ( >vncserver :2) and connect to that with your vnc client at server-ip:5902. Start mythfrontend as user root--not as user mythtv.

I'm using tightvncserver for my Knoppmyth box. I've had no problems connecting and editing--although if I try and actually watch the video, it's more of a slide-show than a video.

Another question:
When you VNC in and start the recording and hit E take a look at the monitor/tv where you normally watch the show. Is it showing the edit?

Oh and make sure you aren't hitting E twice... Once enters edit mode, the second time clears the edit mode and goes back to watching.

Why would I need to be logged in as root just to watch video? I am wondering if it doesn't have something more to do with resolutions. Regardless I'll try what you suggest, right after dinner

I don't think its about resolution, its more likely that video playback is using overlays. VNC (as I understand) reads the video memory, but when using overlays the image is not in video memory.

I still have yet to try your suggestion Looky


@nermander - then how is Loooky able to see the video?

I'm no expert on VNC etc... but I know what I've got running works.

I am using the tightvncserver--which doesn't appear to be the same version/flavor you are using. It's possible that when the video playback is run on display 0 (monitor/tv) that it uses overlay, but who knows what's going on on a virtual display.

And as far as running mythfrontend as root, I think it has something to do with being allowed to overcome some restrictions that stop the mythtv user from being able to run it. I get errors if I try; however, if I run mythfrontend as root, it works.

L0o0ky

how would I install tightvnc server?

All I did to install it was run apt-get install tightvncserver (or something like that from the prompt as root.

http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8175

You might need to remove whatever vnc server version might be...

I ran across one thing in the VNC doc's. Is your computer blue-screening or is it just the vnc window goes to blue?

Have you been able to start the second vnc server on display 2?

Thanks Loooky,

I uninstalled the other vnc server, and installed tight vnc server. I then simply followed your directions.