Messages

46

Installation issues / Re: Wiki Needs Correction - LinuxMCE DVD Install for 0810

« on: April 22, 2010, 07:27:10 pm »

If it has been confirmed that the latest snapshot is the best way to go, and iptp has the bandwidth to support it, then the "Installing 0810" wiki should be updated with that link.  It also sounds like the downloads page (http://linuxmce.org/index.php/download) needs updating.  It doesn't provide any information about installing, and people are having bad luck with the links provided there...

47

Users / Re: Moving from single to double NIC

« on: April 19, 2010, 06:25:28 pm »

Search the forums.  This topic has come up at least 3 times in the past 2 months.

48

Users / Re: Android Orbiter

« on: April 19, 2010, 05:40:20 pm »

Any updates gentlemen?  Just want to know before I waste my time on something that's already close to completion.

The update so far when anyone has asked has been silence.  Because of that, I doubt anyone is working actively on it.  If you get an Android orbiter working, it will not be time wasted.  The only wasted time so far has been waiting for people to tell us that they are not doing anything...

I'd suggest you go search out this apk file in SVN and see what it does.  I asked about it earlier and have had silence since - so I doubt it's active.  You may also want to look at the RPC plugin, which is also in SVN.  There is no documentation for it outside of the source code.  Hari is the one who wrote it, I believe.  I have not used it, but it sounds like the web-based features would work well for Android-based applications.

Whichever approach you choose - please keep everyone up to date on your progress with either a wiki page or a thread in the developer's section.

49

Users / Re: Getting 5.1 surround sound?

« on: April 16, 2010, 08:24:59 pm »

Does the TV have digital audio output?  It may take care of the HDMI to SPDIF conversion for you...  I know some TVs act more like receivers in this manner, especially if the incoming signal is digital video/audio.

I'm not a huge fan of USB audio.  I had one made by Creative that was ok - not sure how it works with LinuxMCE's auto-setup stuff.  I remember that getting it configured for digital I/O manually was a bit flaky.  You might want to check and see if there is a header on the motherboard to add a digital expansion board.

50

Developers / Re: Remote API

« on: April 14, 2010, 07:46:39 pm »

Thanks wise guy. 

Is RPC Plug-in included in new installations?  Is the interface considered "complete" or are key pieces still undergoing changes?

51

Developers / Re: Why is nobody taking on the programming tasks?

« on: April 14, 2010, 06:44:32 pm »

klovell - there are other ways to contribute.  There is documentation to write, for instance.

52

Users / Re: Install mySQL

« on: April 14, 2010, 04:20:52 pm »

DO NOT DIRECTLY EDIT THE DATABASES UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

Look all you want, just don't touch.

...I'm assuming you've already installed LinuxMCE?  If that's the case, you already have one option.

To log in, execute:

Code: [Select]

mysql -u root

To see the databases:

Code: [Select]

show databases;

To use a database:

Code: [Select]

use {database name here}

Then you can do SQL from there.


The other option is MySQL Query browser - a graphical interface.  To get it:

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get install mysql-query-browser

Run it from the KDE desktop or with terminal command"

Code: [Select]

mysql-query-browser

In both cases, you will probably need to collect some knowledge about how SQL databases work.

53

Users / Re: User interface is not very good looking

« on: April 14, 2010, 04:14:47 pm »

Search out Thom's screencasts on designer.  They're on the forum somewhere, and I believe they're on the wiki too.

54

Developers / Re: Remote API

« on: April 14, 2010, 04:13:28 pm »

Hari, is there any documentation on the RPC plug-in?  What is its development/stability status?

55

Developers / Re: Why is nobody taking on the programming tasks?

« on: April 14, 2010, 03:52:38 pm »

The free distribution of the product would probably be more developers who could commit more time to achieve their economic ends.

I didn't see where you were going with your original post.  Long story made short, I agree with your comment, and, as Andrew said, it's happening.  There has been some PPL to GPL re-licensing in 0810 already, and I'm glad the project is moving in that direction.

56

Installation issues / Re: LAN media on server

« on: April 12, 2010, 10:15:08 pm »

As always, please note that single NIC setups are not supported, for the reasons documented in the FAQ.  For any new people reading this, you should avoid single NIC setups.

I'm assuming you've shut off DHCP, correct?

The "media radar" does not work on the external network.  This is why LinuxMCE is not automatically detecting your storage.

You may want to consider reorganizing your network to follow the guidelines. LinuxMCE does a great job at providing a central point to access all your your storage devices.  To do this, you put all your storage devices on the internal network, and access them via the core's share.  Setting up a segmented network will allow you to maintain separation between your existing network and the LinuxMCE network.  As you've already seen, it's fairly easy to configure the firewall to allow you to access the core's shares from the external network.  It would look something like this:

Internet ---> (WAN) Router (LAN) <--- (External) Core (Internal) ---> Network Switch <--- Storage Devices

Then you can access the core's file share to access all your storage devices.  New storage devices will be automatically detected and configured, eliminating the need to reconfigure your file clients.

If you've opened up the firewall, you can add storage devices manually, but this should be avoided.  This approach is not flexible, and you will not get all the benefits of the media radar, automatic device detection and configuration, and such.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Network_Attached_Storage#Add_NAS_to_the_.22External.22_LAN

57

Developers / Re: Why is nobody taking on the programming tasks?

« on: April 12, 2010, 06:40:33 pm »

Hello everyone, my apologies as usual for my English.
I follow this project now for 4 years, it is really great and the commitment of the few developers are really priceless.
My reflection probably clashes with the spirit of open source, but I think one of the problems afflicting this project is dependent license from pluto.

I would see a much better situation such as "Asterisk" where the Digium Asterisk allows free distribution and only sell hardware.

Emanuele

This has nothing to do with the topic of "programming tasks".  Start a new thread if you'd like to discuss it.

58

Users / Re: Network layout question - all-in-one router.

« on: April 12, 2010, 04:55:57 pm »

This discussion is useless and circular.

This is an open source project.  People can, and should, do whatever they want with it.

If people are frequently showing up to this project looking for things that it does not support, then there is a documentation issue.  Getting all pissed off on a forum is a waste of effort - spend that time updating the documentation that has mislead the user instead.

The issue that this thread was opened for - network configuration - is a ridiculously simple issue that should not attract so much attention and argument.  The number of times I've heard this issue reexplained on the forums, IRC, and wiki is ridiculous.  I suggest that instead of continuing yet another circular argument over the subject that those parties who have strong opinions organize themselves and update the documentation to avoid future confusion of new users.

I am willing to volunteer some time to organizing such an effort, and I would be willing to contribute to the discussion.  Let me know if there is interest, and if I should organize such an effort.

59

Users / Re: Network layout question - all-in-one router.

« on: April 09, 2010, 03:22:33 pm »

I've got another idea to float at the risk of angering the powers that be .  Sort of complicated and not even sure if I can configure it this way.

This sounds way too complex to me... but if you think you would get enjoyment out of doing it, have a ball.

60

Users / Re: Network layout question - all-in-one router.

« on: April 09, 2010, 03:21:28 pm »

I use a segmented network 100% of the time with no loss of functionality.  It is definitely the way to go for people who are not familiar with LinuxMCE.

Segmented network brings the following complexities:
- Configuring LinuxMCE services for outside access is more difficult, since you have 2 firewalls to get through instead of one
- Devices on the "non-LinuxMCE" network can't directly see devices on the "LinuxMCE" network without additional configuration
- You need 2 wireless access points - one for internal network, and one for external

None of these are very big issues for me, and I'm guessing others would agree.  Anyone working with LinuxMCE is probably smart enough to use port forwarding on their router and use the firewall configuration page in the LinuxMCE web-admin.  These are both fairly basic concepts, which you should understand before opening services to the internet anyway.  Since my core has picked up all my storage devices on the LinuxMCE network, I can access them centrally via the core's network shares.  Since the core has a single static IP on the "non-LinuxMCE" network, this is actually easier than tracking 2-3 NAS servers plus the core's onboard storage.  The folders within the shares also update when I add new storage devices, so I don't need to reconfigure clients at all.  For this to work, you simply need to open the samba ports in the LinuxMCE firewall configuration page.  Adding a wireless AP to the internal network is fairly trivial - I have a nice Cisco Aironet that is doing the job well, and I've also used wireless routers with the router/DCHP/DNS features deactivated.

The pros are many:
- Although I find the reliability of the core very high (I've had more problems with my router than my core), it is comforting to some users to have a device they know well at the edge of their network - whatever.
- I don't like the idea of having a server that is a file server for all kinds of stuff, has full access to all the other machines on my network via file shares, and has stored ssh keys for all systems on the edge of my network.
- Keeping the LinuxMCE network separate means that I can do LinuxMCE-related work that may put the stability of the network in jeopardy without worrying about other non-techies in the home loosing a connection
- I don't accidentally net-boot at least 2 of my systems, which refuse to disable PXE boot
- In the rare occasion that the core is having trouble, or I decide to reinstall I still have a reliable and uninterrupted internet connection

While I completely understand and agree with the need for the core to be a gateway device, I disagree that it must be a gateway directly to the internet.  That requirement is simply incorrect.

I, too, am fed up with this conversation.  I believe I described this approach on the wiki at one time, but it has been changed to something like "no, you must do it the only way that it will work".  For such a simple issue, there is really too much talk about it.  As far as I'm concerned, people should do whatever works well for them and makes them happy.  If there is an easier way, then they should probably do it that way, but I'm not going to tell anyone to do anything.  If you want to play network god in your home, that sounds fine to me so long as you don't blame your complex network on me.  If you want to put your core on the edge, then things will work fine.  If you want to set up a segmented network, then things will also work fine.  There is no need for thwacking over this subject.