Topics

1

Users / LMCE is nice, but DVDs don't look good.

« on: April 04, 2008, 07:08:06 pm »

I like most of what I see in LMCE, but there are a couple of things that are bothering me.  I use UI-2 w/ overlays (aka Medium)
I'm using an NVidia GeForce 6200 AGP card to a Samsung HLN507W-1 DLP at 720p via DVI, and SPDIF for audio.

I've also experimented with MythTV and MythVideo.

• First thing is that I am starting with LMCE as a ripped DVD player.  I probably will add the automation and TV feature over time, but that's not where I am now.  There's no way to tweak the UI to hide the unused features.
• The cover art downloaded from Amazon look awful. Sometimes they look OK in the grid display, but then they look bad in the details display, and sometimes it's the other way around.  I find the coverart that MythVideo downloads to be consistently better.  And it does a better job of scaling the images for display.
• There's a problem with interlacing when playing back DVDs.  I get jaggies all over the place.  Don't see them with MythVideo.  Is there a setting I need to change somewhere?

2

Users / UI on FiireStation w/o FiireEngine

« on: December 28, 2007, 06:12:47 pm »

Do the FiireStations support UI2 even when used without a FiireEngine?
It appears that the FiireStations are disk-less PXE-boot MDs, so the proprietary Via Pro II drivers must be loaded from the Core.  This is fine when the Core is a FiireEngine, but what happens when the core is a "standard" LMCE Core?  Is only UI-1 supported in that case, using the viaarena drivers?

3

Compatible Products & Services / Pricing components in FiireStation Cube Set-Top

« on: November 20, 2007, 04:01:42 am »

I think I've found the exact components of the FiireStation Cube Set-Top Box:

VIA EPIA-EX15000G at AJUMP	$222.00
Free Shipping	$0.00
iStarUSA S Storm Series Mini-ITX Entertainment Case S-3 at Directron	$86.00
512MB DDR2 533 PC2-4200	$13.99
Shipping & Handling	$12.82
Grand Total	$334.81

The FiireStation Cube Set-Top Box goes for $499.00 + $39.26 S&H = $538.26
So, for about $204 you get:

• Assembly
• LinuxMCE installation & configuration (Video standard and port, but not resolution?)
• Test
• Licensed Unchrome Pro II drivers with UI-2 Alpha-blending support

That seems a little high, but not outrageously so.

4

Users / Automating import of video files with meta data

« on: October 30, 2007, 04:01:10 pm »

I have a bunch of video files with associated metadata in XML format.  I want to import these files into LMCE so that the metadata is visible and can be used for sorting.

I'd like to create a script to automate the process.
Any suggestions on where to start?  Should I just manipulate the database directly, or are there better ways?  I notice that MythTV recordings are added to the database using the SaveMythRecording.sh script, which in turn simply calls MessageSend.  Could I do it by calling MessageSend?  Are the message documented somewhere?

Thanks for any and all help.