After I select the install hybrid option and the penguin in the chair comes up the screen starts to roll.  I figure this is a driver issue but don't know how to fix it since the install doesn't even get very far.

That's a new one.

When you get to the install options (menu where you select hybrid install) please press tab. You will see a hard to read list of options. Please remove "quiet" and "splash" and add "nomodeset". Tell me what it does. When you are able to get to a terminal (ctrl alt f2) please tell me the output of lspci -nn | grep VGA

The rest of you can continue dissing me over my slight gaff, but I think there's no denying that LinuxMCE isn't exactly "user-friendly" by most standards, obviously that just comes with Linux, which is why I said "what else would I expect." I'm not saying the product isn't impressive, there's nothing out there like it. However, if this is really how you guys respond to new members to the community, that is definitely something I don't find impressive. This response was acceptable:The rest was insulting.

You suggested we don't cover many devices. This is patently untrue. We cover more devices, natively, than anything I am aware of. There are certainly wikis dedicated to pnp hardware... but we have the ability to make the overwhelming majority of linux capable devices pnp... someone who understands them just has to make a new template for a device. It came across as though you were unimpressed with one of our strongest features. How "user-friendly" LMCE is scaled by the abilities of the installer. We have worked very hard on making it user friendly... even to install... esp as of 1004... on a much wider array of hardware.

I am not "dissing" you. I was dead serious, if you just "buy stuff that sounds cool" without checking its compatibility, as you seemed to suggest you felt you should be able to do, I believe this is a poor practice. If you would like to clarify, that is fine... I don't know you... I don't know your familiarity with linux. I deal with a lot of noobs. I give support to a lot of noobs. I spoke to you exactly as I speak to anyone for whom I am unfamiliar a level of understanding on the subject at hand, especially following a profoundly inaccurate characterization of device handling. I was cordial, though you came across as insulting to the project. If you construe that as rude... then color me rude. I do not speak for the project... I was trying to answer your questions.

I posted this topic because I did my research and the results I found were that very few people had even attempted to use LinuxMCE wirelessly, and even less had even tried it using 802.11N, let alone ac. My comments regarding device support are based on the fact that there's no current support for the devices necessary for a completely wireless setup. I'm not dissing LinuxMCE's ability to perform the way you guys are using it, I'm pointing out an area that seems to have been set aside, and may potentially be viable with newer technology.

I would agree with you on prior wireless devices that claimed beamforming, but it's written into the spec on 802.11ac, so it'll be the norm.

That was exactly how it came across, and why I replied initially to explain what the actual problem with wireless was... because it seemed as though you had just read a bunch of stuff about 802.11ac, and not understanding how the messaging system worked, thought it might "fix" the misunderstood problem.

It would be awesome if it did. I thoroughly encourage you to test. I will gladly, and with more sensitivity to your fear you are being talked down to, lend any help I can. I hope this finds you well.

8.10 is unsupported. The standard repositories available to the install are no longer available for 8.10. They are now in old-releases. If I understand your issue, that is it... and to answer your original question, yes. You can update anything that is updatable (as per the release and repository availability). See the sticky in this category about intrepid repositories. http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,10901.0.html

Use 10.04. Much more better.
http://linuxmce.iptp.org/snapshots/

Fairly limited device support?

Relative to other systems it's great, but I definitely can't just purchase a device and expect it to be essentially plug n play.

Are you in the habit of buying devices without checking their compatibility for a given distribution of linux? If so, I would suggest that this is an unwise practice.

Anything *buntu 10.04 capable, we can use. For direct control/integration into the system a device template will be needed. We have thousands and thousands of device templates... and you have the ability to create your own fairly simply, depending on the device (which is why we have thousands).

SetupAudioVideo should still go... but you would have to go through avwiz I would expect to set the card number.

Again... it isn't actually a speed issue. The result will appear to be poor speed.

You just have to be able to pxeboot from wireless.

Because LMCE is unlike anything else. We open and close connections based on need/availability. We create a transparent data universe, which is then made visible by type. We DO media, but we are not a media player. How the architecture "works" is based on polling and queries... and our little post office sending messages around.

Collisions are disruptive to our system.

Again, this is just what I have gleaned from conversations. If collisions die down, then it may be a viable alternative. You are certainly free to experiment if you have the equipment and post your results, or problems. I would be happy to help you test.

Ever wonder why wireless routers don't have a collision light? Because they would stay lit.

The end result will appear to be slow speed, constant lost and regained connections. Ever had a movie stop in the middle and throw up the generic DVD not readable error?

Would be very bad with wireless. So, like with cars, it is not so much how fast you go... it is the collisions which matter. At least this is my understanding of the situation.

Please paste your old config (first pastebin) into /etc/pluto/alsa/virtual_cards.conf, and let LMCE create ITS audio profile (second pastebin). You will notice the first line of the new configs reference that file.

Tell me if that works, or there is more work to do. I believe some things were added to the database to try and handle that. I will try and get hold of the one who committed the changes, or look over them enough to understand them.

***Ok... talked to uplink. There is magic for this now.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Dianemo_S#Configuring_a_multi-channel_sound_card_as_multiple_Virtual_Stereo_cards
Describes how to setup virtual sound cards now. In short:
1 We have a "sound card"* template, and a "virtual stereo sound card" for its children
2 Create the first one, set the sound card, create children and map the channels to them
3 Run /usr/pluto/bin/SetupAudioVideo

******Ok looking at the templates, I do not see them, and may have to make them.
done

Can I see both in a pastebin please?

I guess I need to setup one of these squeezeslave things... cause I don't know it from a hole in the ground...

Acronyms... Who needs em?

Crap. I am an idiot. Please replace the ATI Rages Utils.sh with this

http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/export/27173/branches/LinuxMCE-1004/src/BootScripts/Utils.sh

The driver I BELIEVE will work for you (mach64) is currently hiding under intel detection instead of ati.

I think we have covered about every angle on that ATI chip l3mce.  This is the SuperMicro machine I picked up with intentions of using as either a headless core or a NAS.  I can now use it as a fully functional hybrid after finding an old Audigy card with the odd PCI voltage notches.  To the best of my knowledge I have never gotten this system into AV Wizard, but from all of my (work?) testing dozens of machines I learned a few tricks to get around problems.  As much as I tried, true programing and coding never came to me so these are ugly hacks only and as I describe them you will see how frustratingly limited they are.  One thing I had to give up was having the hybrid Orbiter UI on a physical KVM switch because something as simple as not having the hybrid/core set as the active display will break it and require another reboot.

Fresh install (internet connection or not)
I am going to get a blue screen Failed to Setup X
From blue screen I go to tty2 and manually startx
root@dcerouter KDE desktop is where I end up with 2 items in my plasma panel "Desktop" and "New.pluto.xorg.conf"  ~exact name I can not recall
Rename that file to xorg.conf and move it to /etc/x11/xorg.conf
Manually enter the memorized settings I have for this Media Directory into web-admin otherwise the Xorg resolution is larger than the orbiter is drawn and I have the floating UI problem
Reboot and ignore as everything works better than could be expected... until...

Rebooting w/o an active internet connection is a gaurenteed Failed to Setup X situation.  No internet access = no Linuxmce unless I want to repeat the above
With internet on reboot or startup I see the message that xorg.conf is missing when it tries to use the Radeon Driver.  flgrx is used instead automagically (or as a result of my doing by the above)
Asking for help is also now more difficult because I have an odd installation that could in some way be causing all types of other issues nobody else would see.

AVWizard should go. I want to continue to fight this thing. AVWizard is a requirement, to set the appropriate sound card. See http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13115.0.html  and links contained therein. Though we have done this before, I need you to give me the output of lspci -nn | grep VGA

MD1 -
MSI P45 Neo, onboard Intel 7 channel audio (though I have always just plugged into the green 3.5mm jack and run that cable along with my DVI to HDMI cable) XFX GeForce 7600 GT Using the bottom DVI port which is DVI/HDMI-2 in setup wizard
Three PCI Sound Blaster Live! (5.1? cards) which have only been installed as 'could eventually use' for setting up squeeze players.
This machine we worked together on for a while as it refused to go into AV Wizard. What is more accurate now that I have installed/reinstalled/broke/.../... so many times is that it will go to AV Wizard on first boot but after that will refuse to ever again.  I have tried the ssh /usr/pluto/bin/RebootWithAVWizard.sh command and the onscreen orbiter command.

Yeah... you are going to have to find a couple of hours and drop into chat with me. With all the changes made... I would expect the latest snap to "just work" on all of this.

analog multi-channel is supported, but you will have to do a small bit of work. More on that in a bit.

Questions:

The AlternateSC file is either a recent addition or something that previously didnt cause many issues so I am unfamiliar with it since my absence.  There is verbage in those threads that does not make much sense to me so I am quite lost on what to edit, where its located and what I want the outcome to be.  If anyonw could clarify these points for me I would be very grateful.

It goes in /etc/pluto.conf
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Audio_in_1004

Is Multi-Channel audio and Multi-Soundcard the same option?

No.

Are multiple sound cards required for running multiple Slim Device players? (linuxmce + squeeze[anything] pulls search hits for softsqueeze, squeezeslave, logitech media server, slim-devices, and about 30 others I cant recall offhand.  I just want to use use Slim Device Squeezebox Players/emulators)

I don't think so, others will answer this better.

Is alsamixer still being used?  I have edited and changed a lot of settings in the GUI version of this clicking unmute/mute and hoping it goes the right way.

Yes. I really did a lot of work to make all this work ootb. Please grab the LATEST snap in http://linuxmce.iptp.org/snapshots/  currently http://linuxmce.iptp.org/snapshots/LMCE-1004-20130208151527169.iso

It appears that xine player can rewrite the configuration files set up in AVwizard.  Where can I find a log of what application is using which system resource?  Using my pull out the cord and stick it back into each of the 10 green (analog?) and black (digital?) ports until I get sound works for announcements, and media.  It does not work for Asterisk calls or for MythTV, so I need a way to find out what they are trying to use.

This has changed a lot very recently. I expect that everything will work with the latest. Check /etc/pluto/xine.conf (all that is relevant to what we do is in the last 4 or 5 lines... so tail -4 /etc/pluto/xine.conf )

TSCHAK beat it into my head that the best way to break LMCE is to think I know better and start to /mnt or assign things manually but while they are not in use (pending question 2 response) can I flag them as do not use, disabled, reserved, blacklisted?

You should not need to. Once you select the sound card you want in AVWizard (new menu, see first link) LMCE will NOT drift across cards.

Go ahead and update... and see if the problem persists. An ati rage eh... are you installing this fglrx manually? Because if the scheme sees fglrx and does not not recommend fglrx, it will purge it and reinstall all the base xorg stuff.

It would be helpful probably to go over  all this in irc. I am off working today, but should be around tonight and tomorrow.

I think I have found the problem.

I have submitted a patch, and when freenode gets fixed it will hopefully be applied and dumped into repo. Will keep you apprised.