I assume my issues at this point are with MythTV
Totally true!
You have to remember linuxmce is a wrapper around many discrete packages. If you have an issue with that package, asterix/vdr/mythtv/xine etc, you will likely get better help on a website dedicated to that product. (No offence intended to anyone here)
The mythtv wiki is an excellent example of how they should be run. There is so much info there you'll definitely find someone who has experienced, and most often solved, any issues you come across
I've been struggling for a few weeks now, but once i found the mythtv website i moved along very quickly.
To get your listings working in mythtv though, choose your listings package, then alt-tab and the terminal window might be asking for your input to select channels etc. If this is the first time you have been here you need to run "mythfilldatabase --manual" command create a xmltx file and download the channel names and icons
alt-tab back to the backend setup
It may again ask you to do a mythfilldatabase for you. If it does not do not worry, nor even when it asks you to perform one.
Basically whenever you exit the backed set-up, it will ask you if you want to run mythfilldatabase. That's the time to do it if you did not do it in the terminal window
To go through the menus, use the left arrow to select item and the right arrow to change the option, mousing does not work
I'm jealous you got your opengl working so quickly!!
I see your taking notes which is great.
Work through each package incrementally.
once it is set up and working well, save a backup at that point from the web using the web interface.
If you then screw up a package, you can save the backup sets elsewhere, reload the dvd and restore from a good point.