Well, if you are a DBA, the database stuff should come easy, thats the part that most programmers have trouble with 😛
You will have to transcode ahead of time, most likely, or else somehow tell the Myth box to record in the right mp4 format 😕
I, too, recommend looking at "Hand Brake" (CLI) .. I was able to get a DVD to play pretty well using that. There may be problems at 1HR plus, but that shouldn't affect MOST TV shows 🙂
Tommy