[Ainer]

Introduction

Greetings, this is an updated Install, Setup, and Configuration guide for Sick Beard on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx). This guide should also be easily adapted to other GNU/Linux distributions like Linux Mint 9 (Isadora), Xubuntu, Kubuntu, and Lubuntu and somewhat close for Debian Squeeze, Sidux, and any other Debian (and even Gnome) based distos.

This guide will be actively maintained and updated throughout the two year life of the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx) release. Ubuntu 10.04 LTS is my supported and recommended operating system so I will not be doing specific guides for Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) or for any subsequent releases until Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (though this guide should be easily adaptable for any interim releases).

This guide is considered a companion guide to my SABnzbd+ Install, Setup, and Configuration Guide as it assumes you have a fully functioning installation of SABnzbd+. It can be used without, but it's not supported.

Since my last guide Sick Beard has seen steady and progressive development and while it is still considered developmental software, it is being used regularly by many with minimal issues. For anyone looking for a Usenet PVR application, or for anyone using Episode Butler or similar applications, I strongly recommend trying out Sick Beard, as I'd bet dollars to donuts that you might just stick with it (and for good reason!).

For those who are not familiar, Sick Beard is an application that can, at its basic level, be used to automatically scan any existing episodic content that your computer might have, create a list of all the files that are present and missing, and then automatically search for any missing episodes that you might want. It can then send these found sources to SABnzbd+ and then rename and organize them for you. Sick Beard when combined with SABnzbd+, XBMC, and some solid Usenet index sites can make for a fabulously streamlined setup (one which, is probably second to none).

This guide, like my others, is written in casual English in an effort to be accessible by as many as possible, we'll stay out of the command line as much as possible and stick to the good old graphical user interface. I do not think Ubuntu is a nerd only operating system and I try to write my guides so that even novices can utilize them (see my About page for more details).

With that out of the way, onwards!

For the rest (fully formatted) see here: http://www.ainer.org/?p=747

[Ainer]

I've updated my guide and script for anyone that's interested.

[coupas]

Thank you very much! Excellent guide.

[Robgue]

I used it before and it's still working well with a couple of the updates. Thanks.

[Dobyken]

Thanks for the guide...it came in handy when I did the SB install last week. In the configuration under Notifications you can check the boxes to import into XBMC. What exactly is the "Fall back to full update" do? Is it like "Scan for new videos" in XBMC? I think your guide just said select everything but didn't explain the option.

[Flomaster]

Ainer, Sickbeard has been moved to Git-hub as im sure you know, you should update your guide to have people install via git clone so then can update via git pull

its much easier to do

Code:

git clone git://github.com/midgetspy/Sick-Beard.git

than download, untar/ zip etc etc

-=Jason=-

[skunkfu]

Not enough praise for the guide, this helped me out a great deal dude !

Kudos.

[daemox]

Hey all,

Thanks for the kind words and suggestions.

Flowmaster, I have considered going that route before, but what's easy for some isn't easy for others and I try to stay out of the terminal as much as possible. I will reconsider it though. Thanks!

Dobyken, the fall back to full update option is there is case Sick Beard isn't able to trigger an update specific to the media file that it is working with. If it cannot just update that file it will tell XBMC to check for updates for any and all new media. Both are quick on an established setup, so I recommend checking them all. I will flesh out the details about those though, thanks for letting me know!

And thanks again to Robgue and coupas for letting me know the guide worked for you.

Take care all,
daemox

P.S.: Ditching the "Ainer" screen name and going with "daemox" from now on and across all sites. I've also added a couple new posts to Ainer.org for anyone that's interested and my Dharma guide should be out shortly after Dharma itself.

[skunkfu]

I would second flo. Perhaps extend your guide to provide easy and advanced intructions? When I installed SickBeard I had to install through terminal as I'm using XBMC Live, as im sure others are too! Just a thought

[Targettio]

I would agree about adding a section to use git clone.

Also, unless I missed it, you don't install Cheetah (one of the prerequisite pieces of software).

But a good guide

[daemox]

skunkfu, I've had a few others request a CLI based guide as well. I've been tentatively planning it, but it looks like more and more people want one (that I'm finding out about anyway), so I'll probably start putting one together.

I'll likely do a separate CLI Install & Setup guide and then refer it from there to the Configuration section of my existing GUI guide. The CLI guide may be much more bare bones and I'll likely install and set it up from a XBMC LiveUSB stick or a Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Server install.

As stated above, I'll also work on fleshing out the Configuration section to make sure everything's well explained.

Targettio, Cheetah should already be installed with SABnzbd+ on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. Not sure about other distro's though. I did have a section about it in my trouble-shooting section, but it got purged this last revision. I'll add a note about it in the installation section or bring it back in the trouble-shooting section.

If you guys have any additional (specific) points you'd like included or expanded on just let me know. Again, I'll be looking at using git clone either for both guides or just for the CLI one.

Thanks again for the compliments and feedback all!
daemox

[skunkfu]

Appreciated man.

I've just finished installing Transmission and set it up with SickBeard (will take the plunge with SAB soon), I had noticed in your older guide that you were likely to do a guide on that. That would be a massive help to others who choose not to go down the Usenet route.

I'm realising that yeah SickBeard does have 'limited' torrent support, aka I'm only able to pull very recent epsiodes and unable to find earlier ones. I'm not sure if there's a fault on my end or that's the limit. Either way it works. (ish).

Just an idea anyway. Keep up the awsome work dude!

[Targettio]

Targettio, Cheetah should already be installed with SABnzbd+ on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. Not sure about other distro's though. I did have a section about it in my trouble-shooting section, but it got purged this last revision. I'll add a note about it in the installation section or bring it back in the trouble-shooting section.

It is probably worth noting some where as some people may be planning to use sickbeard with torrents and so haven't installed SABnzbd+.

[zedug]

Just wanted to add my voice to the CLI version request.

I've used SickBeard/SABnzbd+ on a (now defunct) linux-based NAS and it's a great piece of software.

I am currently using an AppleTV that I reformatted with an excellent installation of XBMC Live upon Ubuntu with no desktop (the Minimalised Disk Image by pin87a as provided in this post), and I am eagerly looking forward to getting SickBeard running on that puppy.

I will even volunteer to beta test your guide if needed

Many thanks in advance.

[daemox]

Okay,

CLI Sick Beard guide it is.

I'm currently working on another guide, but once that's done I'll write a CLI guide on Sick Beard. Most likely I'll only do a list of commands, so this will be a much less novice friendly guide, but then, if you're adamant on using the CLI you should be okay with that.

And, just to clarify on another point, there's only so much I'm willing and able to do and support. I write guides for Ubuntu LTS, and I write my Sick Beard guide for SABnzbd+.

I understand there are other people with other interests (like Maverick, Windows, and Torrents), but it'll be a cold, cold day in Hell before I do a Windows guide, and torrents are currently not relevant to my interests (but will be eventually).

Having such a narrow focus allows me to ensure the guides and topics I do focus on are done well. It also allows me to keep them up to date (which to me is hugely important).

For requests like the CLI guide, with enough requests I can do a minimal guide on that as I'm in the CLI myself a lot as it is, and it's much the same as my GUI guide just with a few changes here and there. And I'll add a little section on Cheetah just in case people need it, but I want people to be aware of my perspective in case I say no in the future.

Take care all,
daemox