Process for creating a Raspberry Pi 4 Over-the-air (OTA) DVR to watch and record TV shows.

These instructions were derived from this blog post: mythtv on Raspberry PI 4 (external site).

Hardware

• CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Starter Kit with Case
• Hauppauge WinTV-DualHD Dual USB HD TV Tuner
• Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD 500GB

Software

• Raspberry Pi OS Lite
• MythTV (external site)
• Schedules Direct - program guide listings

Prep Work

• Assemble CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 kit: includes heat sinks, fan, case, power supply, microSD card with NOOBS bootloader, HDMI Cable
• Attach a wired or wireless keyboard and optionally a mouse (SSH can be configured later)
• Attach external drive, TV tuner, HDMI cable to TV, optionally Ethernet cable if WiFi not available
• Plug the power supply in

Install Raspberry Pi OS

• Install Raspberry Pi OS Lite (32-bit)
• sudo raspi-config - config WiFi, autologin, localization, etc
  • Sony TV required setting -50 overscan in all 4 directions; allow overscan
• sudo reboot

Install MythTV

pi-utils are a set of scripts posted by MikeB2013 on GitHub (external site).

• sudo apt install git
• git clone https://github.com/Bamyers99/pi-utils.git
• ./pi-utils/pi-setup_mythtv_31.sh
  • default - No
  • mythplugins - Yes
  • auto start mythfrontend - Yes
  • Install mythbackend scripts - Yes
  • Enable SSH - Optional, depends on if want remote administration
• temporarily comment out $HOME/run_mythfrontend.sh in .bashrc
• sudo reboot
• ./pi-mythbackend-helper.sh
• sudo reboot

Configure Schedules Direct

• sudo su mythtv ; cd $HOME
• tv_grab_zz_sdjson_sqlite --manage-lineups --config-file $HOME/.mythtv/SD.xmltv
  • login after creating an account on Schedules Direct (external site)
  • 5: Initialize local database
• tv_grab_zz_sdjson_sqlite --configure --config-file $HOME/.mythtv/SD.xmltv
  • yes for lineup to use
• tv_grab_zz_sdjson_sqlite --days 0 --config-file $HOME/.mythtv/SD.xmltv
• tv_grab_zz_sdjson_sqlite --manage-lineups --config-file $HOME/.mythtv/SD.xmltv
  • Select Manage database lineup channel selection. Then Choose which channels are selected. n=no
• Switch back to user 'pi' by :exit

Setup MythTV backend

• ./run_mythsetup.sh
• General settings
  • Host Address Backend Setup, set Security PIN (required) to 0000
  • Program Schedule Downloading Options -> Automatically update program listings -> Guide Data Program execution start/end
    • Deselect Run guide data program at time suggested by the grabber
• Capture cards
  • New card
    • configure new card
      • deselect Use DVB Card for Active EIT scan
  • New card
    • configure new card
      • change the DVB Device to the second tuner (adapter1)
      • deselect Use DVB Card for Active EIT scan
• Video sources
  • New video source
    • configure new source
      • change name to SD
      • Listings Grabber: Multinational (Schedules Direct JSON web services with SQLite…
• Input connections
  • Card 1
    • Display name: Tuner 1
    • Video Source: SD
    • Scan for Channels
      • Scan
      • Insert all
  • Card 2
    • Display name: Tuner 2
    • Video Source: SD
• Channel Editor
  • Set unwanted channels to Not visible
• Storage Groups
  • Default: /srv/mythtv/recordings
  • DB Backups: /srv/mythtv/db_backups
• Exit setup

Setup MythTV frontend

The MythTV frontend can be setup on any computer with WiFi or network connectivity to the Raspberry Pi.

• ./run_mythfrontend.sh
• Setup
  • Setup Wizard
    • Audio device: ALSA:hdmi:CARD=vc4hdmi0,DEV=0
    • Dolby Digital
    • 5.1 Channel Audio
• Video
  • Playback
    • General
      • Action on playback exit: Always Prompt (excluding Live TV)
    • Current Video Playback Profile
      • Standard & OpenL YV12
        • Deinterlacer quality (single rate): None
        • Deinterlacer quality (double rate): None

To stop frontend exit from turning off the TV use: ./run_mythfrontend.sh -O PowerOffTVOnExit=0

Sony RMT-TX102U CEC Remote Setup

Steps to allow more remote control buttons to control the MythTV frontend.

The Sony TV forwards some button presses to the Raspberry Pi via the HDMI cable using the CEC protocol.

Sony remote button codes can be found in this blog post.

MythTV default key bindings can be found in this blog post.

• frontend Setup
  • Edit Keys
    • Global -> SELECT -> Add remotes Select button
    • Global -> INFO -> Remove binding
    • TV Playback -> OSDNAVIGATION -> Add remotes Display button
    • TV Playback -> MENUYELLOW -> Remove binding
    • TV Playback -> GUIDE -> Add remotes Yellow button
• Exit setup

Copy filesystem root to external drive

Copying the filesystem root to the external drive preserves a copy of the installation on the microSD card should the external drive need to be replaced.

• sudo systemctl stop mythtv-backend.service
• sudo ./pi-SDtoHD-helper.sh -d /dev/sda
• cat /mnt/etc/fstab : original root commented out, new root on last line
• cat /boot/cmdline.txt : root= should point to the PARTUUID for the external drive
• sudo reboot
• lsblk : verify that root (/) is mounted on external drive
• Uncomment $HOME/run_mythfrontend.sh in .bashrc

Installing Chromium

• sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg x11-xserver-utils xinit openbox
• sudo apt-get install chromium-browser
• Edit /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart and add the following

# Disable any form of screen saver / screen blanking / power management
xset s off
xset s noblank
xset -dpms

# Allow quitting the X server with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace
setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp

# Start Chromium
chromium-browser

• startx --
• Ctrl-Alt-Backspace to exit, F11 to toggle fullscreen