Being a ReplayTV lover for so many years, and seeing the Tivo win out in the market place, I feel cheated. I am compelled to get the next ReplayTV. I have been watching the different systems our their and MythTV is the most popular. I love it’s open architecture, the ability to turn not so great computer into a networked multimedia kiosk.

The setup for me begins with a good, well supported base. The 2 flavors of Linux I would choose are Fedora and Ubuntu. I tend to stick with Fedora for servers and Ubuntu for desktops, just a personal preference. A competitive server needs a good processor, sufficient RAM and drive space.

Like most people I have my “old” desktop to donate to the project. A Dell Dimension 8100, 1.5 GHz, 768mb RAM, 320MB HD. I had to yank the NVidia Video card since I could not get through the installer. I have a Haupauge model ?? video capture card.

I downloaded the Fedora 7 DVD and installed from there (this was attempt #2 since the first install I tried Fedora 8 DVD and the system locked up every 2-3 hours, I believe it did not like the video card). Choosing the Server configuration and disabling SELinux (old habit, i should find out why…). Either do the full install now or I choose to install more after the box was running.

After the reboot, run the Fedora firstboot setup, then reboot again if asked. As root do a yum update and update all the packages that are not current. After that madness, I logged into an X session and used the GUI Package updater. I like to install thin X environments like Fluxbox, XFCE, etc. Make sure you install a database or have one available. I have a primary database on another server and choose to have this once be a slave. My MythTV environment will point to the primary. I set up the replication as per the mysql.com documentation, all went smooth.

Now the MythTV install, I choose to use yum install mythtv and all the basic myth components are installed with that. Later I used yum to install a few more components. The install was quick and I followed the MythTV.org install guide.

I even installed and configured the MythWeb plugin, that is a nice bit of work, however there is no security built in and there is way too much control over the system for just anyone to log into. Make sure you protect that directory with .htaccess and deny unintended users access to the app. It is too bad there is not a better security setup built in.

MythWeather, my all time favorite part of MythTV is broken! The dev forum lists the issue going back for quite some time. The application relied on a screen scrape from the MSNBC weather page. That was a terrible architecture choice, however at the time this was created, XML feeds from weather.com were not free or encouraged, thankfully this has changed. I hope someone will convert the plugin to this format before I break down and do it.

I have yet to load some MythGames. I love this feature, especially for the intention of giving my children a kiosk computer system(s) that are easy to maneuver, control and monitor.

This is where I stand today, my next steps are to re-install the capture card and get this box hooked up to cable. Connect to a TV guide XML feed to get the guide functioning so I can start recording. I will add a network share to the 15 GB of images in the philiplawlor.com web site, so we can view them through the interface and to the 20-30 GB of CD’s I have ripped. Lastly, install/build MythTV Clients all around the network/house.

Spicy Mustard Crab Dip
with Shrimp Crackers

Serves 4 as an appetizer

2 pints picked crab, preferably blue crab or snow
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sambal
4 tablespoons mayo
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chinese sizzling shrimp crackers (or salt crackers)
Canola oil for frying

In a bowl, combine crab, Dijon, sambal, mayo, lime juice and chopped chives. Check flavor and season. Store in fridge. Meanwhile, prepare a shallow fryer: in a wok or high-sided pan, heat 2 inches oil until hot. Place crackers in hot oil — crackers will expand in a matter of seconds. Remove crackers to paper towel-lined plate. Ideally serve hot crackers with cold dip…yummy.

Wine Notes:

2004 Steele Catfish Vineyard Clear Lake Zinfandel
Deep brown sugar flavor with blackberry and raspberry that mellow out the mineral tannins. Good depth of flavor with a long finish. Pairs well with lamb and other deeply flavored meats. Drink this with the Steak Hoagie and enjoy!

2003 Potel Aviron Morgon Cote Du Py
Concentrated, with lots of cherries, and powerful fruit from the granite soil of Côte du Py. Silky tannins make this wine very smooth. Best served slightly chilled to bring out its flavor. Even though this is a red, it is very light and smooth and pairs nicely with the Spicy Crab Dip.

>>This recipe appears in Episode #509.

Serve these pancakes with butter and syrup.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• milk, just enough to make pourable batter

PREPARATION:

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in egg, oil, and enough milk for batter to pour easily. Mix lightly to blend. Cook pancakes on a hot, well greased griddle. This recipe for pancakes makes 2 to 3 servings.

Beaten egg whites make these pancakes fluffy. Serve these wonderful pancakes with your favorite syrup and butter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• vegetable oil

PREPARATION:

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and milk, egg yolks, and melted butter. Blend into the dry ingredients just until all ingredients are moistened.

Beat egg whites in another bowl until stiff peaks form.

Fold into the batter until well incorporated. Heat a small amount of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When skillet is hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle, scoop pancake batter onto the skillet in about 1/4-cup portions, spreading slightly. When edges are rather dry and bubbles are popping and bottoms are nicely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn over and cook the other side until browned, about 2 minutes longer.

Serve hot with butter and syrup.

Biscuits

Biscuits are so versatile! Serve them for breakfast with butter and jam or for dinner in place of bread or rolls. Prep Time:5 min Start to Finish:15 min Makes:9 biscuits
15 Ratings 3 Reviews Read Reviews Rate/Review Recipe

1 Serving: Calories 135 (Calories from Fat 45 ); Total Fat 5 g (Saturated Fat 1 g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 430 mg; Total Carbohydrate 19 g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 6 %; Iron 4 % Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Fat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pancakes

This is our all-time favorite recipe for pancakes! It’s simple and tastes so good. Prep Time:15 min Start to Finish:20 min Makes:12 pancakes
128 Ratings 23 Reviews Read Reviews Rate/Review Recipe

1 Serving: Calories 90 (Calories from Fat 25 ); Total Fat 3 g (Saturated Fat 1 g); Cholesterol 30 mg; Sodium 280 mg; Total Carbohydrate 12 g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2 %; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4 %; Iron 2 % Exchanges: 1 Starch
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Italian Pasta Sauce – Adapted from Grandma’s Recipe

1-2 lbs (or more!) Spicy Italian Sausage – Pick one that you like, I prefer ones with plenty of fennel and ones that are still juicy after cooking them for a while.
1 Head of Garlic
1 tsp Marjaram, dried
1 tsp Oregano, dried
1 tsp Parsely, dried
1 tsp Fennel Seeds, dried
1 tsp Rosemary, dried
2 Bay Leaves, dried
1 sweet Onion, sliced
Fresh, boxed or canned Tomatoes
Olive Oil

In a large sauce pot, put a fine layer of olive oil on the bottom and heat on med. Add Italian sausage, uncut. In small bowl or pot add Marjaram, Oregano Parsely and Fennel. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of boiling water to herbs and let sit while sausage cooks.

When sausage starts to brown and plump, pierce the casing with a fork or knife to let the sausage oil escape. Begin to cut the sausage into serving pieces of your choice, I prefer 2-3 inch links. Add Onions and Garlic, I buy pre-peeled garlic and use about a handful on anything I cook. put 1/3 in with the sausage, dice 1/3 and crush the last 1/3rd. This gets all the best garlic flavors into one pot!

Crush the fennel and rosemary with a mallet. Add herb mixture, save the herb water for later, adding now will not react well with all the oil. Have tomatoes ready to go into the pot once the herbs brown slightly. Add tomatoes and herb water.

Reduce to a simmer and add more herbs to taste. I do not add salt or sugar since the sausages bring a lot of that into the mix. Enjoy immedeatly, simmer all evening cook then freeze, it is all good. Top with a little fresh herbs if desired. Add meatballs if desired.

Serve with a good pasta that will hold sauce, Gnochi, rigatoni, springs (they all taste the same to me).

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons curry powder 2 Tablespoons fish sauce 1/3 cup ginger root, cut into thin strips 1 Tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup cooking oil

6 Pork drumsticks 2 Tablespoons black soy sauce 1/2 cup pickled garlic 1/4 cup tamarind juice 2 1/3 cups water

Curry paste

3 Tablespoons shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 l/2 Tablespoons lemon grass, chopped
2 Tablespoons garlic
1 Tablespoons shrimp paste dried large hot peppers

For making curry paste, ground all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside

Mix the pork drumsticks with black soy sauce and curry powder. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Using saucepan or wok, add cooking oil and place over medium heat. Stir – fry curry paste for a minute add pork. Stir 2-3 times.

Pour in water and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add ginger root, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and tamarind juice, a minute Stir 2-3 times. Cover. Simmer for l0-15 minutes, Remove from heat.

HUNG – LAY CURRY

1 TBSP DICED GALANGA
2 TBSP DICED LEMON GRASS
1 TEASP WHOLE CORIANDER SEEDS
1 TBSP SLICED KAFFIR LIME RIND OR LEAVES
6 WHOLE SEEDED DRIED CHILI (SOAKED IN WARM WATER FOR 1 HOUR)
6 CLOVES GARLIC
6 WHOLE SMALL SHALLOTS
1 TEASP CINNAMON POWDER
1 TEASP STAR ANISE POWDER
1 TEASP SHRIMP PASTE (OPTIONAL)

2 LBS CHICKEN, PORK, BEEF, OR LAMB (CUT INTO 1″ INCH CUBE)
1/4 CUP CURRY POWDER
1 TEASP TURMERIC POWDER
2 TBSP SWEET BLACK BEAN SAUCE
1/4 CUP OLIVE OR VEGETABLE OIL
1/4 CUP RED CURRY OR PANANG CURRY PASTE
2-3 CUPS VEGETABLE STOCK OR FRESH WATER
3/4 CUP TAMARIND JUICE
3 TBSP PALM SUGAR, BROWN SUGAR, HONEY
4 TBSP THAI FISH SAUCE SEASONING
1 CUP UNSALTED RAW PEANUT (OPTIONAL)
16 CLOVES SMALL PICKLE OR REGULAR GARLIC (HALF CUP)
1/4 CUP THINLY SLICED GINGER

Pound curry paste ingredients in a mortar and pestle or place in a food processor blends until it become paste or you can buy a jar of red or panang curry paste, it will do. Place pork into a large bowl adds curry powder, turmeric and sweet black bean sauce. Rub the Chicken until it thoroughly coated and set aside for 20 minutes. Place oil into a large deep skillet over high heat, add curry paste and stir for a minute, until you be able to see red color from curry paste appear. Add marinated chicken and stir for 2-3 minutes, Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduced heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for at least 1 hour or until meat soft and tender.