View source for Changing MythTV Themes, and OSD (On Screen Displays)

 
[[Category:MythTV]]

== Changing the look of your MythTV ==

The standard mythtv theme that is installed by LMCE is the original G.A.N.T. theme. While effective, it is not very easy on the eyes. Also the default OSD (On Screen Display) is not the best for the "LMCE Look". As this is after all, mythtv, the themes and OSD's can be changed quite easily.

Mythtv stores its OSD, and theme files in:
 /usr/share/mythtv/themes
As a previous MythTV user, converted to LMCE, I miss some of the OSD's and themes I used before. As for my preferences, I use the [http://www.radixpub.com/vir/portfolio/mtvmc/ MythTV MediaCenter] as the theme, and [http://files.radixpub.com/MythTVMediaCenterOSD.0.20.tar.bz2 Mythtv MediaCenter OSD]. I think these compliment LMCE rather well, but you can decide for yourself. Just point your browser at [http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Themes MythTV Themes]

To install a theme in LMCE/MythTV, download the .tar.gz, .bz2, or .tgz file for both the theme and OSD you want to use, and extract them to:
 /usr/share/mythtv/themes
My example as root user from a KDE Desktop terminal (konsole):
 cd /usr/share/mythtv/themes
 sudo wget http://files.radixpub.com/MythTVMediaCenter.0.20.tar.bz2 
 sudo tar xvjf MythTVMediaCenter.0.20.tar.bz2
 sudo wget http://files.radixpub.com/MythTVMediaCenterOSD.0.20.tar.bz2
 sudo tar xvjf MythTVMediaCenterOSD.0.20.tar.bz2

Now to enable your newly acquired themes, from the same terminal launch mythfrontend
 sudo mythfrontend

After it is loaded, using your remote or the keyboard, go to 
 Utilities Setup
 Setup
 Appearance
Using arrows on keyboard or remote, go up to "Theme" and use the left/right arrows/remote keys to change to the new theme.
After you have selected it, go back down to "Next>" and continue hitting the space bar or ok/enter button on your remote. When you get all the way through, the frontend will reload, and you will now be in the new theme.

Now onto the OSD
Go to:
 Utilities/Setup
 Setup
 TV Settings
 Playback
Using the space bar or ok/enter button on your remote go ahead to the 8th screen. At the top you will see "OSD Theme"
Again using the arrow keys, or the remote directional keys, go up to the "OSD Theme" selection box, and using the left/right arrows, or the left/right direction keys, change to the theme of your choice. After selecting the theme, arrow down to "Next>" and complete the sequence with spacebar or ok/enter as needed until you are back to the previous menu.

Thats it. Exit from your terminal session, logout (or leave up) KDE, and go back to your orbiter. Fire up "TV" from the media menu, and test out your new theme, and OSD.

There are many combinations of themes/OSD's find one you like, change it as you see fit. Remember to read the notes on some themes. The newer themes like Glass, require mythtv 0.21 version or better, these will not work for us just yet, but eventually.....

Have fun. Hope this makes your LMCE experience even better than it already is.

Any questions or suggestions, feel free to edit or e-mail me at [mailto:sjerome1@jeromenet.org Seth]