Is there a REAL install guide anywhere for MythZoneMinder!?!

[Jim March]

The instructions on the MythTV site were written by a nutcase. Example:

---
Then compile and install the plugins in the normal way.
---

Oh for...

The general notes on compiling stuff at ubuntuguide don't work on this stuff. There's apparantly a "standard mythtv compile method" of some sort, but they won't tell you what it is. They assume you're already well familiar with mythtv compiling. And everybody else in that community writes the same way, such as:

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/m ... ers/324672

Step-by-step isn't even in their vocabulary.

Please...if anybody knows how to make ZoneMinder and MythZM work, I'd appreciate it.

[coke]

I did a fair amount of googling at one point in history, to try out the myth zoneminder plug-in. Was hoping to get more of a DVR interface (boss-wise) than ZM. Ended up not having the time to argue with it.

If you find anything relatively direct, let me know.

[newlinux]

I'm a newbie to zoneminder, but not to myth. I wrote up some instructions that may help. They are specifically for ubuntu Hardy and 1.23.3, but probably can be modified to work with any distro and maybe even 1.24, provided the plugins work at all with 1.24


http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1243012

[MarkG]

I set this up yesterday using the mythzoneminder files from the Ubuntu 9.04 repository: the difficult part was getting the mythzmserver to run because Ubuntu doesn't include any kind of init script to start it automatically.

Took about two hours to write an init script that seems to work, and once I had that sorted the rest just worked.

[newlinux]

I set this up yesterday using the mythzoneminder files from the Ubuntu 9.04 repository: the difficult part was getting the mythzmserver to run because Ubuntu doesn't include any kind of init script to start it automatically.

Took about two hours to write an init script that seems to work, and once I had that sorted the rest just worked.

Can you share your script? I was lazy and just added it to rc.local. I'd like to add it to the howto...

[MarkG]

Can you share your script? I was lazy and just added it to rc.local. I'd like to add it to the howto...

Sure: I just want to test it some more (e.g. verify that it works on rebooting) then I can post it here.

[mitch]

this should be fairly straightforward to make mythzoneminder you have to do 4 things:
1) Install zomeminder
2) Install mythtv
3) Compile the mythzoneminder plugin (./configure --enable-mythzoneminder in plugins folder then make && makei nstall)
4) Start mythzmserver with the mythzmserver command, run same command at boot via /etc/rc.local or /etc/conf.d/local.start (depending on your os)

[newlinux]

this should be fairly straightforward to make mythzoneminder you have to do 4 things:
1) Install zomeminder
2) Install mythtv
3) Compile the mythzoneminder plugin (./configure --enable-mythzoneminder in plugins folder then make && makei nstall)
4) Start mythzmserver with the mythzmserver command, run same command at boot via /etc/rc.local or /etc/conf.d/local.start (depending on your os)

For step 3 you have to modify the code and configure file (see my link) otherwise the default plugin code and configure won't work with versions later than 1.22.3

Also, there are additional steps that some don't know regarding which libraries they need to install to compile the code, and if you need to compile and run mythzmserver on a different machine than your mythfrontend.

So there is a little more to it...

[MarkG]

There are the scripts that seem to work:

/etc/init.d/myth-zmserver (don't call it mythzmserver or it will kill itself when shutting down the server)

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          mythzmserver
# Required-Start:    $network $remote_fs $syslog
# Required-Stop:     $network $remote_fs $syslog
# Default-Start:     3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description:  Control Mythzmserver as a Service
### END INIT INFO
# description: Control Mythzmserver as a Service
# chkconfig: 345 20 20

# Source function library.
. /lib/lsb/init-functions

prog=Mythzmserver
ZM_PATH_BIN="/usr/bin"
PIDFILE="/var/run/mzm"
PROGRAM="/usr/local/bin/mythzmserver-wrapper"

start() {
	echo -n "Starting $prog: "
	/sbin/start-stop-daemon -g mythtv -c www-data --start --exec $PROGRAM --background $PROGRAM
	RETVAL=$?
	[ $RETVAL = 0 ] && echo success
	[ $RETVAL != 0 ] && echo failure
	echo
	[ $RETVAL = 0 ] && touch /var/lock/zm
	return $RETVAL
}
stop() {
	echo -n $"Stopping $prog: "
	/sbin/start-stop-daemon --name mythzmserver --stop mythzmserver
	RETVAL=$?
	[ $RETVAL = 0 ] && echo success
	[ $RETVAL != 0 ] && echo failure
	echo
	[ $RETVAL = 0 ] && rm -f /var/lock/zm
	
}

case "$1" in
'start')
	start
	;;
'stop')
	stop
	;;
'restart' | 'force-reload')
	stop
#	sleep 5
	start
	;;
*)
	echo "Usage: $0 { start | stop | restart }"
	RETVAL=1
	;;
esac
exit $RETVAL

/usr/local/bin/mythzmserver-wrapper:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
exec /usr/bin/mythzmserver -l /var/log/zm/mzm.log

Then it's just 'service myth-zmserver start' etc. I'm not sure whether it actually needs to run with the mythtv group or www-data, but it seemed safer to give it access to both.

Also, it's based on another init script, so some of the code in there may be irrelevant.

[mitch]

For step 3 you have to modify the code and configure file (see my link) otherwise the default plugin code and configure won't work with versions later than 1.22.3

Also, there are additional steps that some don't know regarding which libraries they need to install to compile the code, and if you need to compile and run mythzmserver on a different machine than your mythfrontend.

So there is a little more to it...

Very Sorry, as for step 3, I did not have to modify anything but I am also running mythtv trunk so its possible if you are just downloading a static version (or using your os to install it) it would.

You are also correct, mythzmserver should NOT be run on your frontend, but rather on your backend.

[T3G Terry]

Ok ...... first of all I am a rookie. I know jack squat about anything Linux. However I being a video surveillance person actually managed to get a working machine built on a P4 2.4 GB / 1.5Gb ram SS51G V.2 Shuttle box with Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop version, using an Axis 2420 IP camera. All is working great. It even has it's own url and user logins. Heck I even managed to get Carbozola installed and working. PROBLEM is like many posts I have read so far .......... I can not for the life of me figure out how to install, start and run Mythzoneminder on this server box. Furthermore I have downloaded and installed the windows version front end and installed it on a windoze box but that is useless unless the backend is working which it is not. Heck I can't even find out how to get MZM started manually much less automatically. Anybody care to help a brother out?

[whatboy]

I try to install MythTV... failed...
Try to install mythbuntu... failed...
Try to install Mythdora... failed...

So I stop trying!!! and now I have a winTV I can't use on linux... Prrrttt!!!

[Flasheart]

I run mythtv (backend with two tuners and mythweb) and zm on the same box at home. It's just Ubuntu 9.10

No need to build any software, no need for complicated lists of actions.

1. Install ubuntu 9.10 (Kosmic Koala)
2. Select Mythtv from the package manager (or: apt-get install mythtv mythweb )
3. Select Zoneminder from the package manager (or apt-get install zoneminder )

Have a cup of tea.

That is IT. Both will be installed and running.

Configuration will then need to be done of course, and Myth's /is/ a little unusual compared to other pvrs but there are some good guides to that out there.

[T3G Terry]

Flasheart .......... unfortunately it has not been just that simple for me. I have now gone from drinking tea to drinking long island ice tea to just throwing away the tea and drinking right from the bottle. I have ZM installed and running on Ubuntu 9.10. Works great with a few minor exceptions which will be discussed in another thread at another time. Minor issues. I also have mythtv backend up and running. I have managed to get mythzmserver functioning since my last post but ONLY because a very wise linux friend of mine assisted me. He had me open a terminal on the backend server and run the line "sudo mythzmserver -c /etc/zm/zm.conf". I then opended the frontend on that same machine and WHAMO it IS WORKING. Problem is that again I do not know squat about this stuff except that if the system gets rebooted then I have to run this command again manuaally to get it back up again. I have not figured out how to get this to start automatically when the system boots.

Any help in terms that a third grader could understand would be greatly appreciated.

In summary I have come to realize that the only thing in this world that I know less about than linux is women and I gave up on them years ago.

[T3G Terry]

P.S.

When I say it does not work after reboot I am referring to the mythzmserver. Zom=neminder does apparently boot and run as a server as well as mythtv. The only thing I have to do after a reboot is run that line in the terminal and all is well again. If someone would hold me by my old hand and help me resolve this issue I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks much again.