Foxconn NetBox-nT330i as MediaDirector

[daballiemo]

It sounds like this unit is 100% functional after installing the Atheros NIC driver, setting the nomsi kernel option, and enabling WOL in the BIOS.  Can someone who owns one confirm that?  There were some HD playback issues mentioned previously, and I don't see a definitive resolution to those in this thread.

Also, how loud is the fan in this thing?

I can confirm that the unit is functioning 100% and HD playback does not give me any issues.

The fan, well, its not soundless so to say ;-) but bearable...

if somebody is interested in the initrd and vmlinuz files to overcome the Atheros driver stuff pm me and I'll send over the files.

rgds

Han

[Murdock]

Please post to the wiki for the foxconn so everyone may enjoy.

[totallymaxed]

It sounds like this unit is 100% functional after installing the Atheros NIC driver, setting the nomsi kernel option, and enabling WOL in the BIOS.  Can someone who owns one confirm that?  There were some HD playback issues mentioned previously, and I don't see a definitive resolution to those in this thread.

Also, how loud is the fan in this thing?

Well any Atom/ion machine on the market today should be fine. The only issues we ever see are NIC related and those are easily fixed and sometimes we see unusual mapping of the hdmi/dvi/ ports which is confusing sometimes too. Our latest rev of the AVwizard now auto-detects which port the display is connected to and sets most of the config based on EDID if the display reports back 'sane' values (some definitely don't lol!!). This means that no one should be left trying to figure out the output connector for their video hardware (we hope).

All the best


Andrew

[daballiemo]

Please post to the wiki for the foxconn so everyone may enjoy.

Its been there for months 

kr

Han

[tmwillett]

I have 4 of the nt330i's running as MD's and they work great.  There were some issues with the NIC drivers, but the wiki does a great job walking you through that.  I'm going to put up a new wiki with my complete build when I figure out how to add a wiki page (and get some time)..  HD video works great, but I suggest loading them up with memory.  I've got 2Gb of memory in them now, and it uses all of it when I'm playing a movie.  Fan runs all the time basically, but it's not that loud (especially compared to a normal sized pc).  Overall, I'm very happy with my set up using the Foxconn's and will buy another when I get the need.  Only outstanding issue I've got is HDMI sound, but I'll figure it out eventually.  I see others using XBMC have had similar issues, so it's a common problem.

[daballiemo]

I have 4 of the nt330i's running as MD's and they work great.  There were some issues with the NIC drivers, but the wiki does a great job walking you through that.  I'm going to put up a new wiki with my complete build when I figure out how to add a wiki page (and get some time)..  HD video works great, but I suggest loading them up with memory.  I've got 2Gb of memory in them now, and it uses all of it when I'm playing a movie.  Fan runs all the time basically, but it's not that loud (especially compared to a normal sized pc).  Overall, I'm very happy with my set up using the Foxconn's and will buy another when I get the need.  Only outstanding issue I've got is HDMI sound, but I'll figure it out eventually.  I see others using XBMC have had similar issues, so it's a common problem.

I have had some trouble getting sound up via HDMI but its running. If I can give a hand with printout of setting and so, let me know.

rgds

Han

[tmwillett]

That would be great if you could send me (or post) the configs that you have.  I'm running it through the DVI interface right now, and would love to get HDMI up and running. 

Thanks!

[daballiemo]

That would be great if you could send me (or post) the configs that you have.  I'm running it through the DVI interface right now, and would love to get HDMI up and running.

Thanks!

First of all - follow the wiki. I have been fighting with these thingies for some time and the wiki contains the steps I had to take to get a working system.  Especially the step were you have to press 3 when you know for sure AVWizard is running. And most of all "Give it some time". Its not like u press 3 and within a millisecond its there....

If it works you'll end up with a config like beneath

Xorg.conf

Code:

root@moon120:~# cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier      "XFree86 Configured"
        Screen    0     "Screen0"       0 0
        InputDevice     "Mouse0"        "CorePointer"
        InputDevice     "Keyboard0"     "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
#       RgbPath         "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
        ModulePath      "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
        FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/X11"
        FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
        FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/"
        FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
        FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID/"
        FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
        FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
EndSection

Section "Module"
        Load    "dbe"
        Load    "extmod"
        Load    "record"
        Load    "xtrap"
        Load    "speedo"
        Load    "type1"
        Load    "glx"
        Load    "int10"
        Load    "v4l"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Keyboard0"
        Driver          "keyboard"
        Option          "XkbLayout"             "us"
        Option          "XkbVariant"    "basic"
        Option          "XkbModel"              "pc105"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Mouse0"
        Driver          "mouse"
        Option          "Protocol"              "auto"
        Option          "Device"                "/dev/input/mice"
        Option          "ZAxisMapping"  "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Monitor0"
        VendorName      "Unknown Monitor Vendor"
        ModelName       "Unknown Monitor Model"
        Modeline        "1280x720" 74.250 1280 1390 1430 1650 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
        HorizSync       20-500
        VertRefresh     59-61
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option         "NoAccel"                               # [<bool>]
        #Option         "SWcursor"                              # [<bool>]
        #Option         "ColorKey"                              # <i>
        #Option         "CacheLines"                    # <i>
        #Option         "Dac6Bit"                               # [<bool>]
        #Option         "DRI"                                   # [<bool>]
        #Option         "NoDDC"                                 # [<bool>]
        #Option         "ShowCache"                             # [<bool>]
        #Option         "XvMCSurfaces"                  # <i>
        Identifier      "Card0"
        Driver          "nvidia"
        VendorName      "Unknown Vendor Name"
        BoardName       "Unknown Board Name"
        Option          "LinearAlloc"           "16384"
        #BusID          "PCI:0:2:0"
#       Option          "NoDDC"                         "true"
        Option "XvmcUsesTextures" "true"
        Option "renderAccel" "true"
        Option "NoDDCValue"
        Option "UseEDID" "true"
        Option "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "true"
        Option "NoLogo" "true"
        Option "NoBandWidthTest" "true"
        Option "ModeValidation" "NoDFPNativeResolutionCheck, NoEdidMaxPClkCheck, NoMaxPClkCheck, AllowInterlacedModes, AllowNon60HzDFPModes, NoEdidModes"
        Option "DynamicTwinView" "false"
        Option "UseEvents" "true"
        Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
        Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Screen0"
        Device          "Card0"
        Monitor         "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth    24
        SubSection "Display"
                Modes           "1280x720"
                Virtual         1280 720
        EndSubSection
        Option "RandRRotation" "True"
        Option  "TVStandard"    "720p"
        Option "XvmcUsesTextures" "true"
        Option "renderAccel" "true"
        Option "NoDDCValue"
        Option "UseEDID" "true"
        Option "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "true"
        Option "NoLogo" "true"
        Option "NoBandWidthTest" "true"
        Option "ModeValidation" "NoDFPNativeResolutionCheck, NoEdidMaxPClkCheck, NoMaxPClkCheck, AllowInterlacedModes, AllowNon60HzDFPModes, NoEdidModes"
        Option "DynamicTwinView" "false"
        Option "UseEvents" "true"
        Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
        Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
        Option  "AllowMouseOpenFail"    "true"
        Option  "AutoAddDevices"        "false"
        Option  "BlankTime"             "0"
        Option  "StandbyTime"   "0"
        Option  "SuspendTime"   "0"
        Option  "OffTime"       "0"
        Option  "AIGLX"                 "Off"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option "AutoAddDevices" "False"
EndSection
Section "Extensions"
        Option "Composite" "false"
        Option "RENDER" "true"
EndSection

aplay -l

Code:

root@moon120:~# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 0: ALC1200 Analog [ALC1200 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 1: ALC1200 Digital [ALC1200 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: NVIDIA HDMI [NVIDIA HDMI]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Alsamixer:




/etc/asound.conf:

Code:

root@moon120:~# cat /etc/asound.conf
pcm_slave.spdif_convert48k {
        pcm "spdif:0"
        rate 48000
}

pcm.spdif_playback {
        type plug
        slave spdif_convert48k
}

pcm_slave.hdmi_convert48k {
        pcm "hdmi:0"
        rate 48000
}

pcm.hdmi_playback {
        type plug
        slave hdmi_convert48k
}

pcm.asym_spdif {
        type asym
        playback.pcm "spdif_playback"
        capture.pcm "plughw:0"
}

pcm.asym_hdmi {
        type asym
        playback.pcm "hdmi_playback"
        capture.pcm "plughw:0"
}

pcm.asym_analog {
        type asym
        playback.pcm "plug:dmix:0"
        capture.pcm "plughw:0"
}
pcm.!default asym_hdmi

[Murdock]

FYI - via trac ticket http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/ticket/1265 I've implemented and tested a couple of MD builds with the Foxconn NT330i, this should now be seamless and not require any manual intervention as it did on 810.

I've also updated the wiki to distinguish between the 810 and 1004 setup: http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Foxconn_nT330i

This update will be available to everyone on the next deb re-package, which happen every couple of days. Once this repackage occurs you will need to re-run the /usr/pluto/bin/Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh (it takes about 30 minutes give or take). If you already have a media director built and want to test this out, go into the web admin and select media director --> scroll down to your media director and click 'rebuild image' - this will leverage the new compressed image created by the Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh file.

New installations should be able to simply plug and play.

[posde]

and if you want to be on the safe side, make a copy of your diskless directory tree before rebuilding the image

[Murdock]

ha - thanks possy

[Murdock]

HDMI audio via the avwizard by default has now been committed to SVN. The next repackage run will allow you to take advantage of this when building the foxconn (as well as any media directory using HDMI) so you don't have to hook up a VGA connection (i'm happy to bid farewell to that monitor i lugged around the last couple of years whenever I setup an md).

This concludes the last remaining issue I'm aware of for a seamless MD build for the foxconn nt330i.

If any issues are noticed please let me know.