How do I install Ubuntu TV on my computer?

All the information is on the wiki. I suspect these are going to evolve over the next few weeks so I won't copy-paste them here for now.

• https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuTV/Contributing

There is now a PPA from WebUpd8's Alin Andrei. It only works for 11.10 and contains a patched unity-2d package as well as the new unity-video-lens package. All you have to do is add the PPA, update, upgrade and install the new package:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/test3
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install unity-lens-video

Note this is a personal PPA. As ever you should note that there may be stability and security implications of using it. If you're oblivious to the risks, you probably shouldn't be using it.

• What are PPAas and how do I use them?

You can install Ubuntu by downloading it, buning it on a cd/DVD or a USB.
install Ubuntu, When booted in Ubuntu follow the steps bellow.

step 1
Remove the Video Lens that comes with the YouTube scope or else there will be conflicts:

sudo apt-get remove lens-video

Install Ubuntu TV using the test PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/test3
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install unity-lens-video

step 2
To generate previews for your videos (which should be placed under ~/Videos/unity/local/featured ), use: edit the ~/Videos to wherever you have your Videos

/usr/lib/unity-lens-video/create_tmb.sh ~/Videos

step 3
Logging in to Unity 2D won't work and you must run Ubuntu TV from the session you're currently logged in so open a terminal and copy/paste the following commands:

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity2d form-factor tv

if you were running Unity 2D already:

killall unity-2d-{panel,places,launcher,spread} && killall unity-2d-{panel,places,launcher,spread}

for unity 3d / Gnome-shell

metacity --replace &

to run ubuntu-tv copy/paste this in gnome-terminal

unity-2d-shell -opengl

to Close ubuntu-tv run this

for unity

unity --replace

for gnome-shell

gnome-shell --replace   

To revert the changes

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge ppa:nilarimogard/test3
sudo apt-get remove unity-lens-video

Source:

How To Install Ubuntu TV From A PPA ~ Web Upd8: Ubuntu / Linux blog

If you want to compile it from source(ubuntu-tv)
use this

sudo apt-get build-dep unity-2d
sudo apt-get install bzr dconf-tools ffmpeg gnome-common libdeclarative-multimedia
bzr branch lp:~s-team/ubuntutv/trunk ubuntu-tv
cd ubuntu-tv
cmake .
make
cd ..

bzr branch lp:~s-team/ubuntutv/unity-lens-video
cd unity-lens-video
./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc
sudo make install
cd ..

There are four dirs to be filled with media:

- ~/Videos/unity/local/featured

- ~/Videos/unity/local/rented

- ~/Videos/unity/local/purchased

- ~/Videos/unity/local/recorded

Generate thumbnails for your videos:

/usr/lib/unity-lens-video/create_tmb.sh "~/Video's/"

To refresh the video list

cd
cd ubuntu-tv/shell/dash/epgdata
python refreshdata.py
cd 

Set the formFactor D-Conf key to “tv”

GSETTINGS_SCHEMA_DIR=ubuntu-tv/data gsettings set com.canonical.Unity2d form-factor tv

Prepare your environment if you’re running unity-2d, you need to kill unity-2d-panel, unity-2d-places, unity-2d-launcher, unity-2d-spread (twice):

killall unity-2d-{panel,places,launcher,spread} && killall unity-2d-{panel,places,launcher,spread}

Run it like so:

metacity --replace &
cd ubuntu-tv
./shell/app/unity-2d-shell -opengl

Please read the below note first if you are on 12.04!

Note: Ubuntu TV is in an "experimental" state for 12.04 right now; install it at your own risk. No currently working (with 12.04) PPA is available, and you must build from source.

It only functions on 11.10; it does not fully work on 12.04, and is not designed to. Its current state is in flux because "Unity 2D, on which it is based, is being decommissioned."

The instructions below were adapted in part from two now-somewhat-obsolete sources: the Community/Contributing page, and blade19899's old answer above.

• Install the prerequisites and build dependencies:

  sudo apt-get build-dep unity-2d
  sudo apt-get install bzr dconf-tools ffmpeg gnome-common libdeclarative-multimedia
  

• The official UbuntuTV trunk has not been updated since November 2011 and does not compile on 12.04. So we get our source from what appears to be the latest branch of lead dev Michał Sawicz, updated June 2012., and build it:

  mkdir ~/ubutvsrc && cd ~/ubutvsrc
  bzr branch lp:~saviq/ubuntutv/precise_merge
  cd precise_merge
  cmake .
  make
  cd ..
  

• Install the alternate unity-lens-video:

  bzr branch lp:~ubuntutv-dev-team/ubuntutv/unity-lens-video
  cd unity-lens-video
  ./autogen.sh --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc
  sudo make install
  cd ..
  

• Create the Video sub-directories:

  mkdir -p ~/Videos/unity/local/featured
  mkdir -p ~/Videos/unity/local/rented
  mkdir -p ~/Videos/unity/local/recorded
  mkdir -p ~/Videos/unity/local/purchased
  

• Create thumbnails and settings:

  /usr/lib/unity-lens-video/create_tmb.sh ~/Videos/

• Set the dconf key:

  GSETTINGS_SCHEMA_DIR=~/ubutvsrc/precise_merge/data gsettings set com.canonical.Unity2d form-factor tv

• Start the Ubuntu TV interface!

  • If you are already using Ubuntu 2D, first kill these processes with:

  killall unity-2d-{panel,places,launcher,spread} && killall unity-2d-{panel,places,launcher,spread}

  and then start the Ubuntu TV UI with ./shell/app/unity-2d-shell -opengl

  • If you are using Unity (Ubuntu 3D) or Gnome-Shell instead, first disable the default window manager with:

  metacity --replace &

  and then start the Ubuntu TV UI with ./shell/app/unity-2d-shell -opengl

• You can close it with Alt+F4, or with Ctrl-C in the parent terminal.

• To restore your default desktop environment:

  • Run sudo apt-get --reinstall install unity-lens-video
  • If you were using Unity or Gnome-shell, run unity --replace or gnome-shell --replace
  • If you were already using Ubuntu 2D, first run gsettings reset com.canonical.Unity2d form-factor, then logout or reboot, using sudo reboot if necessary.

Just an update in 2020:

https://ubuntu.com/tv:

410: Page deleted

Ubuntu TV is no longer supported

So it's a dead project, not maintained anymore.