10.04 DVD install experience

[Armor Gnome]

I read the wiki:

LinuxMCE 1004    Alpha :: Considered to be "bleeding edge". Give it a try if you are able to fix problems alongside the developers.

I have submitted bugs (and will continue to) where I was confident I knew that something was not operator error.


This is a general experience update about things I have found functional and working under 10.04.  I will draw some comparisons to both the last stable version of 8.10 and to my second machine which is running a fairly slim Ubuntu 10.04 LTS.

Worked out of the box, or only took minor adjustments:

Media ripping and playback on the hybrid
Orbiter connection with webDT
IP camera (view only)
HD HomeRun
Aeon Labs Z-Wave usb stick
SchedulesDirect sync
WebOrbiter 2.0

For a media player on a single monitor the system at this point is the best available IMO.  If nothing else below ever becomes functional I will continue to use 10.04 for a movie watching computer.

Not Working, or so limited in functionality I moved it elsewhere:

DNS - despite many attempts to correct this apache2 returns a line at startup that it cannot resolve a name.
     * If this doesn't cause issues for Dyn DNS or VOIP settings I won't consider it a problem*

MythTV - using the dcecommon fix recently posted I can watch TV for approximately 2 minutes before it crashes and says too many errors were encountered.  Something about too many frame buffer errors.  I also have to rerun the apt-get install dcecommon command each time I change a channel.

Asterisk - Under 8.10 I did not have VOIP service but I could make calls from orbiter to orbiter.  Under 10.04 when trying to call a orbiter it immediately crashes.   Without FreePBX I do not know the status of my SIP registration to determine the status of my connection.  When I lift the receiver on my phone which connects to a networked ATA device I get a buzz sound for a few seconds and then nothing.  The status under Phone Lines in the admin page simply says "reguest request" on my providers SIP line.

Motion (IP Cam) - Unworking in 10.04,  motion either doesn't start, starts and fails or runs but does not report motion detected from the feed its watching.  Under 8.10 I was able to get it working and have events fire off motion. I have since moved this IP cam to my Ubuntu machine where motion detection is functional.

Motion (usb cam) - Unworking in 10.04 or 8.10.  I do have this working on my Ubuntu machine however.

Motion (analog cam via WinTV 150) - Unworking in 10.04 or 8.10 connected either composite or coax via a RF modulator.  Currently working on my Ubuntu machine after installing ivtv-utils and VLC media player.  The commands to display input is v4l2-ctl -I, to list all inputs is v4l2-ctl -n, and to select which input you want to use is v4l2-ctl -i <input number> the output remains as /dev/video0.  These commands do not work under LinuxMCE unfortunately or I would add that to my device data.

Detection of Networked Resources - LMCE is currently giving out IP addresses to any equipment I put on its switch, they are all able to connect to lmce-admin page and are also able to connect via network sharing options and pull-put files into /home/<my user name>/desktop.  LMCE however does not "see" these devices however and has failed to prompt about using them as file servers as it did in 8.10.

Ability to check updated sqlCVS information - Each time I run the update command with categories selected I get a pop-up window that takes a few minutes and then returns status successful.  Nothing happens after this though.  In 8.10 after running this command my next apt-get update would pull in updated UI files, new templates, etc.

Ability to apply apt-get update - Not currently functional.  

Email out from events or even the test email from admin page - Not functional in 10.04.  In 8.10 when I used the test email button I got the string of information across the top of the screen but never an actual email sent.  I tried using Mailx and was not able to configure that either.

Gyration Remote - Working but unregistered in 10.04.  Getting a discovered, installing software for new device, device is ready to use announcements every 5-10 minutes.  Worked in 8.10 without adjustment though I do not recall if it registered.
  * If it's a known issue I will not list it as non-functioning.  Its just annoying so will let the roommate use it*

Ability to unplug computer monitor and plug in my TV via DVI to HDMI cable - Not working without a reboot.
  * Fixed, I copied the output of nvidia x config tool into my /etc/x11/xorg.conf after setting it for twin view with +0+0 offset for second monitor (which is my tv) *

Ability to restart router or reboot without linuxmce being the active channel on my physical KVM switch - Not working in 10.04.  Performing a quick reload router, force reload router or reboot must be done while the video channel is active on my KVM or the screen locks to 500x420 resolution and is unusable without another reboot.
  * I have learned to always make lmce video feed active during startup/reboots.  My other PC also hates booting while non-active but between its login screen and its desktop it corrects the resolution*

KDE desktop wipe - This is an interesting one but frustrating to work with.  Occasionally when I return to KDE desktop I find all my settings and favorites wiped.  For example I pull the reactivate orbiter script out of desktop and add it as a panel item for ease of getting to.  The desktop widget that displays desktop folder also reopens itself occasionally.


I will continue to work on these issues and hopefully add some of this functionality back to my lmce system.  I love the software as a media player and have never had any problems with that.  Knowing that the system is capable of doing more, owning the equipment to do more all in one place but not having it work is frustrating.  Again, none of this is a complaint.  I actually owe lmce a great debt as it has helped me learn volumes more about the linux structure and general coding than I knew 4 years ago.  That improved knowledge and troubleshooting ability has already helped me to get various devices working on my other machines.  In time I may be able to get these devices working on lmce 10.04.

  

[l3mce]

Not Working, or so limited in functionality I moved it elsewhere:

DNS - despite many attempts to correct this apache2 returns a line at startup that it cannot resolve a name.

This is the same with network install... as I remember my 810 had the same behavior.

MythTV - using the dcecommon fix recently posted I can watch TV for approximately 2 minutes before it crashes and says too many errors were encountered.  Something about too many frame buffer errors.  I also have to rerun the apt-get install dcecommon command each time I change a channel.

Are you running this from an MD? Does the dcecommon version change?

Asterisk - Under 8.10 I did not have VOIP service but I could make calls from orbiter to orbiter.  Under 10.04 when trying to call a orbiter it immediately crashes.   Without FreePBX I do not know the status of my SIP registration to determine the status of my connection.  When I lift the receiver on my phone which connects to a networked ATA device I get a buzz sound for a few seconds and then nothing.  The status under Phone Lines in the admin page simply says "reguest request" on my providers SIP line.

Motion (IP Cam) - Unworking in 10.04,  motion either doesn't start, starts and fails or runs but does not report motion detected from the feed its watching.  Under 8.10 I was able to get it working and have events fire off motion. I have since moved this IP cam to my Ubuntu machine where motion detection is functional.

Motion (usb cam) - Unworking in 10.04 or 8.10.  I do have this working on my Ubuntu machine however.

Motion (analog cam via WinTV 150) - Unworking in 10.04 or 8.10 connected either composite or coax via a RF modulator.  Currently working on my Ubuntu machine after installing ivtv-utils and VLC media player.  The commands to display input is v4l2-ctl -I, to list all inputs is v4l2-ctl -n, and to select which input you want to use is v4l2-ctl -i <input number> the output remains as /dev/video0.  These commands do not work under LinuxMCE unfortunately or I would add that to my device data.

Don't deal with these areas of the software... someone else might have some insight.

Detection of Networked Resources - LMCE is currently giving out IP addresses to any equipment I put on its switch, they are all able to connect to lmce-admin page and are also able to connect via network sharing options and pull-put files into /home/<my user name>/desktop.  LMCE however does not "see" these devices however and has failed to prompt about using them as file servers as it did in 8.10.

This is not an issue on anyone elses stuff to my knowledge, and not on mine personally. Can you tell me a little more about your network, and what these shares are... and do they show up under web admin/advanced/configuration/unkown devices?

Ability to check updated sqlCVS information - Each time I run the update command with categories selected I get a pop-up window that takes a few minutes and then returns status successful.  Nothing happens after this though.  In 8.10 after running this command my next apt-get update would pull in updated UI files, new templates, etc.

Ability to apply apt-get update - Not currently functional. 

Um... I need to see the output of that. Again, nobody has encountered this. Sounds to me like something on the system has a broken install, hanging apt-get.

Email out from events or even the test email from admin page - Not functional in 10.04.  In 8.10 when I used the test email button I got the string of information across the top of the screen but never an actual email sent.  I tried using Mailx and was not able to configure that either.

I have never used email through LMCE.

Gyration Remote - Working but unregistered in 10.04.  Getting a discovered, installing software for new device, device is ready to use announcements every 5-10 minutes.  Worked in 8.10 without adjustment though I do not recall if it registered.

There are several threads about this. That was broken (and that goes for 810 as well) due to upstream changes, which caused it to hang something in HID crashing everybodies stuff. Tschak knows better.

Ability to unplug computer monitor and plug in my TV via DVI to HDMI cable - Not working without a reboot.

That should never work under any condition without a reboot.

Ability to restart router or reboot without linuxmce being the active channel on my physical KVM switch - Not working in 10.04.  Performing a quick reload router, force reload router or reboot must be done while the video channel is active on my KVM or the screen locks to 500x420 resolution and is unusable without another reboot.

This will have more to do with your KVM than LMCE. It is reporting dummy information to keep a signal I expect. We are tying these values in xorg.conf, but clearly once X tries to start again, it is getting some sort of error, and dropping resolution and driver most likely. It is probably using fbdev at that point.

KDE desktop wipe - This is an interesting one but frustrating to work with.  Occasionally when I return to KDE desktop I find all my settings and favorites wiped.  For example I pull the reactivate orbiter script out of desktop and add it as a panel item for ease of getting to.  The desktop widget that displays desktop folder also reopens itself occasionally.

*blink*
What?

I will continue to work on these issues and hopefully add some of this functionality back to my lmce system.  I love the software as a media player and have never had any problems with that.  Knowing that the system is capable of doing more, owning the equipment to do more all in one place but not having it work is frustrating.  Again, none of this is a complaint.  I actually owe lmce a great debt as it has helped me learn volumes more about the linux structure and general coding than I knew 4 years ago.  That improved knowledge and troubleshooting ability has already helped me to get various devices working on my other machines.  In time I may be able to get these devices working on lmce 10.04.

You have a LOT of one off issues. I want a detailed map of your network.

[JaseP]

Quote from: Armor Gnome on July 30, 2012, 06:36:37 am

KDE desktop wipe - This is an interesting one but frustrating to work with.  Occasionally when I return to KDE desktop I find all my settings and favorites wiped.  For example I pull the reactivate orbiter script out of desktop and add it as a panel item for ease of getting to.  The desktop widget that displays desktop folder also reopens itself occasionally.

*blink*
What?

I can somewhat confirm this behavior (if I understand what he means). Changes to the KDE desktop settings (not all changes, though) do not remain permanent from one KDE desktop instance to the next. Themes can be changed permanently, but desktop widgets, dock bar alterations, inclusion or exclusion of items from the desktop do not remain, regardless of going to the control panel and changing the session settings (starting with a blank session, starting with last session, etc.).

Other things do "stick," as far as I can tell. For instance, turning off nepomuk and akonadi server seem to stick (performance enhancements). It almost seems like there are some settings that are governed by config files that have their permissions set wrong, or are pulling the configuration for those settings from the general desktop configuration (used to configure new users on an ordinary KDE desktop system) each time a KDE instance is created.

I haven't investigated further since I only use the KDE desktop to monkey with configuration settings (easier to use Kate than nano,... ) or use a terminal or synaptic. Since I am not using the KDE desktop as a "feature," I just live with the current behavior (and eventually may attempt to remove it as a menu option from GUI2 on my MDs).

[l3mce]

I don't use desktop... at all. I guess i will have to investigate.


Thanks for reporting and confirming. I will look to see if a ticket exists.

[JaseP]

Oh,... one more thing,... I almost forgot... It seems like the more you use the KDE desktop, the more the returning UI2 interface appears to "ride up" on the screen, appearing ever so slightly higher and offsetting the mouse pointer (four-way arrow) by a bit (you seem to be selecting items higher than the pointer).

Again, since I only use the KDE desktop sparingly, I am usually resetting the system before it gets too obvious.

I don't know to what extent that the way the KDE desktop is called up and/or dismissed plays anything into this, or whether it relates to the issues above.

[Armor Gnome]

I somehow missed the responses to this post until tonight.  This is most likely due to having several devices marked as "keep me logged in" on these forums.  I will change that setting tonight so that each time I log in it will be more accurate when I pull up "show new posts." 

Thank you for your replies and it looks like I need to pull a lot of information for you.  It was frustrating with a majority of those issues that no other users reported similar behavior and I agree with what you are thinking that a reinstall may be best at this point.  Let me pull up my dvd install date that I used to create the DVD, pull a different date, verify download, verify burn then blow this drive away and reinstall from scratch.

[Armor Gnome]

Chalkboard Drawing of my network

Full network description:

My internet comes in via Verizon 3G usb dongle.  This plugs into a CradlePoint wireless router which as DHCP assigns IPs to wireless clients and it's one wired ethernet out, which connects to my core/hybrid.  Network name = Orphan's_Cradle, WPA security.  Gadgets and guests connect to this wireless network for internet access, as does my IP cam due to issues of having these cams on the same network as my core.   Core/hybrid IP is 192.168.0.7 assigned as static in the cradlepoint interface.  This connection is on the core/hybrid's eth0 (onboard) nic. 

From the core/hybrid out on eth1 is a Netgear wireless N router.  I am connecting from core/hybrid to LAN1 of this router making it function as a switch.  I told it to use IP 192.168.80.254 so that I can still get into it and add MAC addresses to allow wireless connection.  DHCP is turned off.  My iPhone for use with web orbiter 2 and my web DT 366 have their MACs listed so are the only wireless devices allowed on the network atm.  Broadcast is WEP (for the webDT) no password, network name LinuxMCE.

Other connections to the Netgear switch are HDhomeRun, My phone adapter, and this PC which is a ubuntu 10.04 install.  I am limited on adding equipment at this time as my gig switch fried during a firmware update and is now bricked.  So at this time everything comes into the core on eth0 and I can see other devices on the Orphan's Cradle network.  Internal devices connect to the core by eth1 which is on LAN1 of a netgear switch or LinuxMCE network.

That is for the most part my connectivity.  If you want more specifics about addresses and other devices I have on the core/hybrid I can supply those in a flow chart or ms project format if that is more helpful.

[JaseP]

I couldn't follow all that,...

For network you should have something like;

External network (DHCP turned on, external modem/router to internet/your 3G modem)
     --> LinuxMCE Core (DHCP server on, serves DHCP to internal network)
          --> Wired/Wireless Access Point
               --> MDs & other devices accessing LinuxMCE

Any non-LinuxMCE devices can connect to your external network and get DHCP from your external router.
Anything that is talking to LinuxMCE should connect to it through your internal router or switch (internals should have their own DHCP server turned off) and should have their DHCP served up by LinuxMCE. LinuxMCE will bridge your external network and serve up DHCP internally.  You don't necessarily need an external network (you could connect LinuxMCE directly to the modem), if you don't need one, but LinuxMCE needs to serve DHCP internally, or you will be in manual IP assignment hell with every device you want to connect to the internal LinuxMCE network. However, If you have no external network, your Core must be configured to reach the internet through its externally facing NIC. I don't think yours is... if I followed your description correctly.

[l3mce]

Ok... so this is what I took away.

3g dongle/router ) ) )
          |
          |_Core External
                   
             Core Internal
                    |
                    |_N router ) ) )  WebDTs, iPhone
               phone _|  |  |_HDHR
                             |
                         1004 PC

Nothing connected to the 3g router thingamajig right?

[JaseP]

I think he had the 3G dongle plugged into the docking port of a wireless router, made for the purpose. I think he indicates the DHCP router is turned on on that router (not sure I read it right). But I think he's saying he has his Core set to static IP,... which would cause his devices not to be seen unless (each was properly) manually configured).

If that's the case, I think I read it wrong (had it in reverse, with external router as no DHCP, and LinuxMCE Core with DHCP turned on). I need caffeine.

[l3mce]

His external can be a static assignment. It looks like he has things connecting to that 3g router wirelessly that he does NOT want on the system... like guests... I am a little fuzzy on the IP cams unless they are also wireless. All of this on the external  before the core. I guess he will have to clarify.

[Armor Gnome]

... what he said...

Sorry my description was so confusing to follow.  L3mce got it correct but let me see if I can clarify it even further.


USB Modem
plugs into the USB port of:
Cradle Point
The only other connection on this device is ethernet out which goes to my core on eth0
     Settings:  It is DHCP, for its own network that consists of wireless clients and the Core.
                   It gave the Core an IP of 192.168.0.7 I made this static so that port forwarding rules would stick even after a power loss or disconnection
                   Non-lmce devices connect to this wireless network which is named Orphan's Cradle
                   D-Link IP Cam sits on this network as well @ 192.168.0.162
                   My Core/Hybrid can see this network, however devices connected to eth1 of my core can not, obviously

Out from the Core/Hybrid which has a default IP address of 192.168.80.1 and is a DHCP for its own internal network:
     Netgear Router
     Settings:  This router is functioning as a switch, it has nothing on its WAN port and DHCP has been disabled
     This device was given a static IP by me from the Core of 192.168.80.254 (this was done so I can always get into the interface and add new MAC addresses to allow wireless access
     Wifi1 connection is WebDT (192.168.80.135)
     Wifi2 connection is iPhone4 (192.168.80.137)
     LAN1 is connected to eth1 of the Core
     LAN2-4 are connected to internal components (I cant recall which is on what atm)
           HD HomeRun (192.168.80.3)
           VOIP Adapter (192.168.80.4)
           Ubuntu 10.04 PC (192.168.80.136)


It looks worse in person if I was to take a photo of that wiring closet believe me.  Overall though, my Core gets its IP from an external network.  My lmce devices all connect to the internal network. Sorry for the confusion my cradlepoint (and description of it) caused. The only thing non-typical of an external router connected to eth0 would be my IP cam.  I had some issues with it dropping out after a while and after reading I found a work-around of adding it to an external network.  The core still considers it a lease even though it doesn't have the ability to give it a static IP on that network.  It shows up in DHCP leases of the web-admin as 192.168.0.162.  I have not had any dropping out issues since putting it out there.

And now that all of the admins know my external IP and all of my device IPs... If my myth starts recording adult films mysteriously I know who to blame!
     

[JaseP]

That camera is likely to cause some IP address headaches, especially if it's anything like my Panasonic. With my setup, I have something vaguely similar in that my IP camera is controlled by my MCV Vera (my external router, since it serves up a free connection to my home automation stuff). But I don't try to access it from inside the network. 

You might have to assign the camera a static IP, as well.

Are you getting ANY internet connection on the core, browser, apt-get, anything? Or is the apt-get error something else, like asking you to run a dpkg-reconfigure -a or sudo dpkg-reconfigure -a?

[Armor Gnome]

The cam is actually extremely stable.  Since putting it on the external network I have been able to leave it alone and check it say, when I hear a vehicle pull in the driveway.  I tap my orbiter and I see who stopped by.  I have toyed with different configurations such as using its built in motion detection, adding it under motion wrapper, having it email motion events, etc.  I realize it breaks every rule of lmce networking 101 to keep everything for lmce on the internal network but in this case it works fine.  It is the lmce motion function that I have not been able to get working.

  - After a good chat in IRC last night I have decided the best way to go with motion detection is to use dedicated motion sensors.  If 'they" detect motion then I am given the option to view the cam in that area, or activate established events.  I like that idea a lot better than having a wrapper look at images 5 times a second 365 days a year.

For connectivity everything gets out to the internet fine, I am posting this currently on a PC getting its IP from the core.  My primary error when trying to grab updates is "failed to fetch", or the occasional "something went terribly wrong" errors.  I have also seen a cannot download because there is no public key available error.  Typically after a apt-get update, I run an apt-get upgrade and see about 490megs worth of updates needed.  I enter yes and it fails for various reasons I will try and grab and share here.  If I then run it again I go through update/upgrade and see the same 490ish megs still needing to be DL'ed.

I haven't modified any of my sources since installing this on June 23, so I will scour the forums for any information on current sources lists and try the command again.  Another thing I haven't mentioned is my "ghastly bad" internet connection and how bandwidth crippled I am.  An alternative I would like to look into instead of trying to pull down 500megs is going the snapshot route.

If anyone can point me to a working snapshot with the latest dcecommon patch I would DL it from a friends house and come back home to install.  I know there is a wiki updated with the recommended snapshot but I see quite a few much more recent available on the snapshot page.

[JaseP]

Please give details of what you did to get your camera set up and stable. It could present itself as an alternate route to getting troublesome/unconventional hardware integrated into the system,... for the hacker set at least. Even if it's not the accepted way to get things working,... all knowledge is useful. While the general goal is to make LinuxMCE as simple/standard as possible, in a plug-n-play appliance sort of way, flexibility is always a nice thing.

Since you have an unreliable internet connection,... Occasionally, you might need to manually apt-get some missed packages to satisfy dependencies, get an apt-get upgrade, apt-get autoclean or apt-get autoremove to work properly or sometimes do a dpkg-reconfigure -a to straighten out the machine's package management system. If a package borks while trying to install, it could leave the system in an unstable condition. Please try to copy down the complete error you get and post it here. Without that, anyone here would be flying blind in trying to offer assistance.

L3me has prepared some awesome DVD install snapshots.  Generally speaking,... visit snapshot file area and pick the one with the newest date (but not the one marked "latest snapshot"). The DVD snapshot should have everything but proprietary codecs & apps and any experimental stuff he has been testing.

http://linuxmce.iptp.org/snapshots/

The dcecommon patch should not be a huge update, even if the latest snapshot doesn't have it.