OK, so I got all the hardware for my new HTPC, put it together, ran the MythBuntu install and I have a mess on my hands. As near as I can figure out, the MythTV backend isn't running because there are no sources configured. However, I do not have a tuner card so I did not add any sources. Some googling indicates that I might be able to set a virtual tuner but I haven't had any luck finding documentation. I'd appreciate any suggestions or guidance.

Myth backend should (AFAIK, but I'm no myth expert) run without any tuners attached. That said, troubleshooting your issues will be difficult without knowing your level of expertise. Also, what led you to believe the backend isn't running? Did the frontend tell you or do you have some other indicator?

Steps to take:
1) Verify that mythbackend is indeed not running.
a) To do this from a GUI, open your system monitor (in Gnome, System->Administration->System Monitor or Alt-F2 gnome-system-monitor; don't know how to do in KDE as I haven't used it in years). Go to the processes tab and look for 'mythbackend.' If it is there, the backend is running, if it isn't then the backend isn't running.
b) From a CLI, type 'ps aux | grep mythbackend' and if will tell you if it is running.

2) If mythbackend is running, then your problem is in the configuration. You likely have a difference in the IP's of your front and backend or a password problem, etc. See: h t t p : / / w w w . m y t h t v . o r g / w i k i / U s e r _ M a n u a l : D e t a i l e d _ c o n f i g u r a t i o n _ B a c k e n d (take out the spaces, I don't have >3 posts needed to post URLs).

3) If mythbackend isn't running, there is probably a reason why. Go to the command line (in Gnome, Alt-F2, gnome-terminal) and type 'mythbackend -v important'. The output should be instructive; if you don't understand it, post the output here.


Edit: Just saw on another thread that you have been using Linux for 10 years on the desktop, so sorry if I assumed any lack of knowledge. I'm assuming you know for certain then that mythbackend wasn't running, what happens when you try to run it from the command line? Also, have you run mythtv-setup?

No worries, better to assume incompetence and give too much info than not. FYI, as far as desktops, it looks like MythBuntu uses XFCE.

I'm assuming mythbackend is not running because I keep getting messages to that effect from the front end. I did run setup, but I skipped a good portion of it because it dealt with tuners, sources, guides, etc. At the end it prompts me to run mythfilldatabase, which I agree to, and I noticed that it is emitting a message to the effect of "no sources, did you run myth-setup?" before disappearing.

This is a standalone backend/frontend combination, I tried assigning an IP in the LAN and using 127.0.0.1, and made sure both values agree.

I will try your suggestions when I get chance to get back to the box again, I imagine that running mythbackend from the CL will be illuminating.