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ASRock Nettop and Mythbuntu Demonstration
This page details my ASRock ION 3D Nettop computer running Mythbuntu Linux.
Upgrading to Mythbuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) enabled my ASRock remote control out of the box. The previous version was unable to detect the remote control.
Upgrading fixed playback of the high definitions channels as selecting some would crash the previous version of MythTV. All the high definition channels (ONE HD, ABC News 24, SBS HD, 7mate and GEM) now work.
I am still trying to enable the off air Freeview EPG. Currently the heading of Unknown is displayed where programming information should appear.
Screencast
Mythbuntu comes with MythTV installed. MythTV is used with TPG IPTV and Freeview in Melbourne. A copy of Octoshape for linux is used to watch GOD TV.
This screencast shows the computer booting and details the following television packages:
- Freeview Melbourne,
- Melbourne Amateur TV repeater,
- TPG IPTV,
- GOD TV streaming,
- TBN streaming,
- ACC TV streaming.
Screencast 1: Mythbuntu Linux on an ASRock Nettop
The screencasts shows TPG IPTV being streamed using VLC. This is due to the remote control being used in the demonstration. The TPG IPTV channels are also available in MythTV (Channels 300 to 330) but require different keystrokes on the console.
Accessories
I have added a few accessories to my ASRock ION 3D PC.
Photo 1: Rear View of the PC
Remote Control
I purchased a USB PC Remote Control Windows Media Center XP New from ebay for $7. This allows control of the desktop using both keyboard and mouse actions.
Photo 2: Remote Control
The remote control includes a receiver eye that plugs in to a USB port of the ASRock. It is about 40cm long and this should suit most installations. The receiver has a green acknowledgement LED built in. No additional software was required.
Photo 3: Remote Receiver
Video Converter
I purchased a PC VGA to TV Converter S-video Video RCA Adapter from ebay for $24. This connects to the blue VGA port of the ASRock and provides output to an old PAL tv. It is powered via a spare USB port on the ASRock.
Photo 4: Video Converter
I use an S-Video cable to connect the converter to my video switch.
DVB-T Tuner
I purchased a Leadtek Winfast DTV Dongle Gold USB TV Tuner from mwave.com.au for $40. It connects to a spare USB port on the ASRock. No additional software was required.
Photo 5: DVB-T Tuner
As the tuner has its signal input on the left side. I purchased an Adaptor 75 ohm TV Plug to F81 Socket Right Angle from jaycar.com.au for $5 (CAT. NO. PA3673). This enables easy entry of the RG6 antenna coaxial cable to the tuner.
Photo 6: Right Angle Coaxial Connector
FM Transmitter
As I have an old CRT Television I wanted a cheap way of being able to get stereo sound out of the computer. I purchased a FM Transmitter from ebay for $7. It connects to a the green speaker jack on the ASRock. No additional software was required. This allows me to listen to programs using a stereo boom box. I selected an unused FM frequency and tuned the boom box to that same frequency.
TIP: Buy a FM Transmitter with USB power. Most models on sale only supported battery and automobile.
Photo 7: FM Transmitter
As the FM Transmitter did not come with a USB power cable. I purcashed a 25cm Right Angle Male A to Male A USB Cable from ebay for $2. It connects to a spare USB port on the ASRock.
Photo 8: Right Angle USB Cable
Freeview
Freeview in Melbourne consists of the 5 main Australian television networks plus a community television station.
- ABC
- Seven Network
- Nine Network Australia
- Network Ten
- SBS
- Melbourne Community Television - C31
Screenshot 1: ABC 24 (DVB-T) |
Screenshot 2: Channel 10 (DVB-T) |
Screenshot 3: Channel 7 (DVB-T) |
Screenshot 4: C31 (DVB-T) |
Freeview Transponder List
Here is the Freeview transponders list for Melbourne, Australia.
# Australia / Melbourne (Mt Dandenong transmitters) # T freq bw fec_hi fec_lo mod transmission-mode guard-interval hierarchy # Seven T 177500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Nine T 191625000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Ten T 219500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # ABC T 226500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # VK3RTV T 446500000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QAM16 2k 1/4 NONE # SBS T 536625000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QAM64 8k 1/8 NONE # C31 T 557625000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QPSK 8k 1/16 NONE # SPARE #T 578500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM16 8k 1/8 NONE
The SPARE (or B) transponder was used to test 3D television. Tests were performed between 19 May 2010 to 19 July 2010 and 18 September 2010 to 8 October 2010 buy the Nine, SBS and Seven networks.
Freeview Transponder Scan
The above transponder list is passed to the MythTV scan application. The scan application outputs the off-air network and channel information.
Here is the Freeview transponder information for Melbourne, Australia.
Freeview channels.conf
Here is the Freeview channels.conf file for Melbourne, Australia. It was generated using the scan application and I have removed some of the duplicate unused channels.
Here is a downloadable version of channels.conf.
TPG IPTV Configuration
Follow this link for details on how to set up TPG IPTV with MythTV.
I have selectively enabled only the TPG IPTV channels that broadcast English programming.
Note that the channel listing provided by avenard.com does not include the English France24 service.
I have prepared a separate play list compatible with Video Lan that has the English services at the beginning. I called the file tpg-iptv.m3u.
Screenshot 5: Al Jazeera (IPTV) |
Screenshot 6: Bloomberg (IPTV) |
Screenshot 7: France 24 (IPTV) |
Screenshot 8: RT (IPTV) |
Screenshot 9: DW (IPTV) |
Screenshot 10: News Asia (IPTV) |
Screenshot 11: CCTV News (IPTV) |
Screenshot 12: VOA (IPTV) |
Other Channels
Melbourne Digital Amateur TV
The Melbourne Digital Amateur Television repeater is called VK3RTV.
http://www.vk3rtv.com/
See my Amateur Radio page
http://www.rocode.com/amateurradio/
for further details regarding my reception of Melbourne Digital Amateur Television.
Religious TV
I can access other religious channels from various internet streams.
A copy of Octoshape for linux is used to watch GOD TV.
Screenshot 21: GOD TV (P2P) |
Screenshot 22: GOD TV (P2P) |
I use desktop launchers to make start up of these services easy.
Screenshot 24: Desktop Launchers |
The desktop launchers call command scripts that start up the individual channel.
GOD TV
GOD TV Australia
This is the Octoshape client command script for GOD TV Australia.
~/octoshape/OctoshapeClient -url:octoshape:god.tv.global
GOD TV Live Events
This is the Octoshape client command script for GOD TV Live Events.
~/octoshape/OctoshapeClient -url:octoshape:god.tv.events
GOD TV 24 Hour Prayer Room
This is the Octoshape client command script for GOD TV 24 Hour Prayer Room.
~/octoshape/OctoshapeClient -url:octoshape:god.tv.prayerroom