Think I may have found a possibility - http://www.icp-epia.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=361

Your thoughts on this one would be very welcome! Doesn't have optical S/PDIF or 5.1 channel audio, but you can't have it all. It DOES have an RS232 port though.

Does anybody know how Intel® 915GM graphics would cope with UI2?

Thanks for your various replies, even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear!

So whilst the VIA UniChrome graphics aren't supported now at this moment in time, does that mean that they DEFINITELY will be when the new LinuxMCE comes out? If it's just a matter of time, then that's fine, but if there's any chance that these plans won't go ahead to allow mere mortals to use VIA UniChrome graphics without too much fuss, then I don't want to invest in the hardware.

This is the motherboard that I am currently most intested in - http://www.icp-epia.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=186

I haven't found anything else that has the features I am after. They are:

-Fanless CPU (my girlfriend won't sleep with any fan whirring away, no matter how quiet)
-Gigabit LAN
-S-video port (for use with my old CRT TVs)
-DVI port (so that I am "future-proofed" for when I eventually upgrade to flat screen TVs)
-Optical S/PDIF or 5.1 surround sound
-RS232 port (this motherboard doesn't actually have one, but would it be possible to use a USB to RS232 converter for controlling a TV?)

If anybody knows of a mini-ITX board with all of these features, and with onboard graphics that allow UI2 to be used without too much hassle, I would really appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction please.

"no dice" = "no luck" - it didn't work, in other words. You'll see that expression a lot on these forums

Hello All,

I am currently looking at building my own slim client using off-the-self components enclosed in a homemade metal case. Having produced a CAD model of the proposed design, I believe I can get it below 1.75" in thickness (allowing it to be fixed to the wall behind a flat screen TV, completely out of view).

My questions relate to the graphics options of my short-listed motherboards (all from www.icp-epia.co.uk). Could anybody please tell me what is the difference between "VIA UniChromeTM Pro II 3D/2D AGP" graphics, and "VIA UniChrome Pro AGP" graphics? Obviously(?) the latter precedes the former, but what is the difference regarding their support in LinuxMCE, and the quality of playback? I've been looking at these onboard VIA graphics as I read that they were relatively well supported, in much the same way as nVidia graphics; however, I also read that there may be problems due to drivers not being licensed, or something like this? Could anybody please clarify the situation?

Ideally I would want my media directors to work with UI2 alpha blending, but it's not the end of the world if alpha blending has to be turned off to improve playback quality (I have to do this with my nVidia card in my hybrid anyway, due to the dreaded horizontal tearing), although I would not be happy if I had to use the most basic graphics option (UI1).

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated, cheers.

Why not give it a go? You have a fully functional Kubuntu desktop at your disposal as well as everything mentioned by jondecker76, so you could always do your music stuff in this with whatever program you wish. Don't forget to check out the rest of it though :-)

Yes, under "network" and then "firewall rules" off the top of my head - sorry if this isn't exactly correct.

freymann & jondecker76,

Thanks for the sound advice guys. It's good to know these little workaround solutions for known problems as well.

Thanks again.

1. I'm going to have a stab at using Vonage with LinuxMCE over the next few weeks, so I'll let you know how I get on if you're still interested.

2. Thin clients, yes, pretty much anything, provided it can do a network (PXE) boot. Another hurdle is the graphics - if you're wanting to use the high end UI, then you'll need nVidia, or VIA UniChrome I believe, not sure about drivers for that though.

I've been looking at building my own thin clients using a mini-ITX motherboard. Having sourced the motherboard that I want to use (1 Ghz fanless processor, VIA Unichrome grpahics, S-video, DVI, gigbit LAN), along with the power supply etc, I intend on building my own case for it (due to the high cost/unavailablity/large dimensions of other thin mini-ITX cases that I have seen) which should end up around 1.5 - 1.75 inches thick. Not quite as good as the 1" Fiire ones, but remember this - I intend on mounting my computer to the wall, behind the TV, not on the VESA mount itself. This means that with a swing arm-type TV mount, I will actually be able to get the TV closer to the wall than would be possible with the 1" client. And for a much lower price.

For smaller TVs (where it really IS necessary to have the PC sandwiched between the TV and the VESA mount), I intend on building a custom all-in-one TV bracket and mini-ITX computer case. Ideally I want the PC and/or case to be removeable, but this may mean sacrificing how close you can get the TV to the wall. Not sure what I am going to do yet, but that's the fun of design. I'm working on the CAD for this now.

Thanks for your reply.

That is good news! So how would I go about using the on-screen orbiter to control that particular TV? I have never seen anything in the orbiter control menus that suggest I would be able to do this. Maybe a silly question, but how would I turn the TV back ON again using just the gyro mouse? Obviously in this case, the TV will be off, so I won't be able to use the on-screen orbiter!

Any help would be much appreciated. I've had a look on the forums and the wiki, but I couldn't find anything that answers these question - apologies if I've missed them.

Lol, I was quite looking forward to actually giving something back to the community then, after all of the help that I have received! Better luck next time.

Hi all,

I want to invest in a 3-buttoned gyro mouse for use with the bedroom media director (I intend on buying 1 Fiire chief, and that will probably stay downstairs for the lounge and kitchen).

My question: How do I control the TV? I'm assuming I would need the USB-UIRT, but my understanding was that this required the use of an IR remote control, in conjunction with the UIRT. Is it possible to gain control of the TV via the on-screen orbiter? This is a bog-standard CRT TV, no serial port.

Thanks.

Not just your free time - time when you should be working as well 

As an INEXPERIENCED user of LinuxMCE, I would definitely recommend the standalone LinuxMCE installation DVD, as opposed to installing Kubuntu first.

What are the specs of your laptop, namely the graphics? This pretty much dictates which UI you will be able to use. Do you intend on using it wirelessly (purely as an orbiter), or as a diskless (wired) media director?

The media library is fantastic at reading tags, be it for videos, music, recorded TV shows, or whatever. I am very anal with the naming of my music, and quite sloppy with the naming of my videos (because they invariably get deleted if I don't burn them), and LinuxMCE copes very well with both. I don't think you'll be dissappointed.

Last but not least, don't get worked up over a given response, just because it wasn't what you wanted to hear! colinjones' answer was very concise in my opinion, and these forums have been a lifeline to me. Best of luck with LinuxMCE.

Would you happen to know if these are available in Britain?

Thanks.

May I ask why not? I would just try it, but judging by the fact that you have suggested that I do not do this, I can't help but think that something horrible will happen!

So is the orbiter part of the media director? What aspects of the system does "media station" refer to?

Thanks for your replies.