Messages

1

Users / Re: RFID and Sensor Support?

« on: December 03, 2008, 02:23:16 am »

ah, thought you want to use it for presence detection/follow me. I'd better not use RFID for door locks. Not without expensive active crypto tokens.

best regards,
Hari

I don't follow you. I thought each tag had a unique ID. Are you saying for security applications, instead of just presence, not any RFID would do. Where's the problem - that they're easy to copy, or that they're not unique?

I also want to use it for a pet door, but in my case it's not just because it's geeky and cool. The door is for a big dog, and it's large enough for a man to get through. RFID on the dog's collar was the only idea I came up with.

Best Regards,
Richard.

2

Users / Re: LinuxMCE ignores xorg.conf?

« on: March 18, 2008, 04:52:36 am »

I am also having a terrible time trying to get a resolution supported correctly. As suggested, I modified /usr/pluto/share/Resolutions.conf
(I am trying to add support for 1366x768 resolution - I have 4 TV's with this native resolution)
I have the entry right below the 1080p entry. Everything looks correct, however, I do not get the option when I boot into the wizard.  Is there something I'm missing?

If you are someone comfortable editing Linux config files and the like (and you seem to be), why not just edit the xorg.conf to get it right. The AV Wizard is there just for those who must go through a GUI interface and don't understand what's happening behind the GUI.

Use /var/log/Xorg.0.log to find out what your video card/screen combination supports, then edit the xorg.conf to select the mode that comes closest to your requirements.

Best Regards,
RichardP.

3

Users / Re: Adding a drive after the fact to the core

« on: March 08, 2008, 05:18:00 am »

While moving things around and getting ready to have all this fun with LinuxMCE, I had an external I/O Magic 500GB USB Drive that has worked fine, but after I powered it down, moved it 4 feet, and powered it back up, it just sat there with the pretty blue light on the front blinking. Today I thought I would figure out what to do with that drive as it had all our photos, music and movies on it.

By asking "the google" I found others had similar problems. The drive either started working again magically or was toast. Fun.

I decided to remove the drive completely from it's "box" and connect it directly to an old machine via IDE cables, boot up into Puppy Linux off CD and see if the drive was alive.

And what a stroke of good luck, it was! Yippie! So I used a samba client and mounted the public directory on the core and proceeded to copy my photos and music and a few videos to the core.

Now that I've rescued what I need off the drive (all my other movies are backed up to DVD) I'm wondering where to put it, and I'm thinking, put it in the core!

The "core" has a 250GB Sata Drive and Sata DVD-Burner.

If I take the 500GB IDE drive, format it as EXT3, can I plug that into the core and use it? Will kubuntu automatically detect it or do I need to just mount it manually (which I'm capable of doing and adding add an entry to fstab).

I was going to put it into my HP Pavilllion but there's no room for it, so the core sounds like a good place.

I have another idea of which machine to put the drive in, but I'll ask that in a different post.

What a coincidence - two people asking the same thing at the same time. Go here, if you haven't already found it:

http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=4551.0

4

Users / Re: Basic LinuxMCE use

« on: March 06, 2008, 01:37:10 am »

Thanks guys.  I'm just looking for 1 computer.  Nothing more. I wouldnt be streaming or anything.  The wireless would just be used for internet access.  But what I could do is just use a wireless bridge and run a cable to the system if that would be a better option.  I will check out the Mythbuntu and see if thats a little bit better option for me if this doesnt work out.

I don't think you'll need to bother with a wireless bridge unless it is for other reasons. Just go the simple route, with wireless in the PC, and an access point (your router or whatever you currently use). As I've said, I've used LMCE on a wireless with no problems, but I haven't tried streaming. Since you're not interested in that, you don't have a problem anyway. LMCE doesn't care about how the connection gets there. The only reason people are concerned about wireless with LMCE is because of the issues of PXE booting and streaming speed, both of which don't affect you.

Best Regards,
RichardP.

5

Users / Re: Basic LinuxMCE use

« on: March 05, 2008, 04:49:56 am »

Since it is an apt. I was wondering how well it will work if I want to use a wireless card to get it connected to the internet.  If anybody has ever tried this and what their experiance was with it. 

Internet access over wireless should not present any problems at all. However, you may find it a little slow for streaming video to/from another computer (or you maybe not - I don't use wireless that way, so I don't know).

Best Regards,
RichardP.

6

Installation issues / Re: Stability Issues with 0710Beta3? Please post here....

« on: March 05, 2008, 01:26:32 am »

RichardP, darrenmason beat you to the punch.  He illustrated where it's being called from in the source here

176                     DCE::CMD_Spawn_Application CMD_Spawn_Application(m_dwPK_Device,pDevice_App_Server->m_dwPK_Device,
177                         "/usr/bin/mythfrontend", "mythfrontend", "-v\tall\t-w\t" MYTH_WINDOW_NAME "\t-geometry\t" + sWidth + "x" + sHeight,
178                         sMessage + "1",sMessage + "0",false,false,true,false);

I have already downloaded the full linuxmce source code and am recompiling as I post this message.  I removed the -v all option from the source code.  I also enhanced the firewall interface and capabilities because I got tired of having to specify my iptables rules at the command line in a startup script.  That was driving me nuts.

Oops. But I see why I missed it. Can you email me the file name and location? I'd like to change the code so the parameters can be specified using an external file, or maybe entered in the Admin site. It would be useful to be able to adjust for different hardware, I had a lot of grief in B3 with it, and I don't think it will change in B4.

Best Regards,
Richard.

7

Installation issues / Re: Stability Issues with 0710Beta3? Please post here....

« on: March 04, 2008, 02:51:37 pm »

So my next question, can someone tell me or point me to what and where the command is being called from so I can remove that parameter?

I've taken a look at the code for appserver, and it definately does not call myth or mythfrontend. That's what I DO know, but where it's being called from is something I DON'T know. I would guess that it's buried in the mass of scripts that make up the system, and a simple find won't find it because it is probably being called as a parameterised call (something like /bin/sh %1 %2) or something along those lines. I didn't spend all that much time because I was busy downloading beta4 and burning disks. Once I install and have a working system, I'll do my best to find it. In the meantime, have you had any luck with the suggestion from Colin - passing it through another layer of script to strip off the -v parameter?

Best Regards,
RichardP.

8

Installation issues / Re: Stability Issues with 0710Beta3? Please post here....

« on: March 04, 2008, 01:58:32 am »

I am going to give Richard's suggestion a shot in the dark.  But i've tried this on 3 seperate systems, only 1 of them worked properly.  The other two that freeze are PCI-E boards, the one that doesn't freeze is an AGP board. Don't know if that means anything, but eh.

Regardless of what kind of obscure hardware compatibility problem it could be, the fact remains, if I run mythfrontend without the "-v all" then it never ever ever ever never freezes, now if I could just get lmce interface to run mythfrontend WITHOUT the "-v all"... hmm...

Well I have somewhere to look now, but like I said, first glance, it's an executable that calls mythfrontend so i'm pretty sure i'm !FUCKED!

Things may not be so bad. Just from the point of view of good programming practice, options like that are usually read from configuration files. I think I've seen something related in previous messages regarding screen resolution. I'll see if I can find one. If I can't, I'll have a look at the code - although if it comes to that it will take me a few days.

Best Regards,
RichardP.

9

Installation issues / Re: Stability Issues with 0710Beta3? Please post here....

« on: March 03, 2008, 01:11:10 pm »

ECS NCFORCE6-MA
AMD X2 4800
4GB RAM
PCI-E Nvidia 6800
(freezes withint 1 - 20 seconds)

Just as an experiment, you might try dropping the memory to 2 gigs if you can with your current set of memory/slot combinations. 4gig systems must overlay some of the memory over bios sections and map it out, and if there are bugs in your bios, it may be causing issues as the system runs. It might also explain why you have the problem from LMCE but not from KDE - LMCE does other things while the media is being played back - things that KDE/Myth are not doing.

If this does improve the situation, the bright side is that 4gig systems SHOULD work, and the issues can be fixed with a bios upgrade.

Best Regards,
Richard.

10

Developers / Re: OK lets make a list of Australian PLCBUS stuff we want?

« on: March 03, 2008, 03:54:20 am »

Out of interest, does anybody know if the PLCBUS-AU stuff conforms to any standard light switch facia plate and wall box sizes? Or are they likely to require modifications to the walls and back panel fittings? Reason I ask is that I am currently renting a place, so modifications to the walls/fixtures could be an issue, and at the very least I need to be able to reverse out all the changes upon leaving... The modifications issue is especially true where current light switches are in solid brick/plaster exterior walls rather than Gyprock...

Colin, this is probably going to pose a big problem for you. You might have to bite the bullet and go CBus. The wireless range will let you replace your existing switches to achieve the same thing. Will probably cost more though.

I'm heading in the opposite direction - I'm an existing CBus user hoping to use PLCBus intead of or in addition to CBus, in order to sell my services to potential LMCE users.

I'd be interested in which way you finally go, as people in rented homes are likely to be rich source of potenial clients.

Best Regards,
RichardP.
PS: How is the video tearing issue?

11

Installation issues / Re: Component Video Out - NVIDIA

« on: February 28, 2008, 02:18:39 am »

Ok..  so I am a huge dumba$$.  I am running my HTPC into my AV receiver, and the Video Select was switched to a different sorce.  So Audio was working, but the video was showing the input of an unused device.

lol - Been there, done that!

12

Installation issues / Re: Component Video Out - NVIDIA

« on: February 26, 2008, 11:59:47 pm »

check back later to look at the info on your website.     
Time to head to work now, hopefully I can sneak in some reading while I'm there.

thanks
Kory

Kory,
Sorry about the website. I had a file I was going to put up yesterday, but I seem to have lost it. It'll be a few days before I get it together again. In the meantime, just ask here and we'll try to figure it out together.

Best Regards,
Richard.

13

Installation issues / Re: Component Video Out - NVIDIA

« on: February 26, 2008, 07:45:09 am »

Ok..  after several days of trial and error, and hours reading through the wiki, forums, etc...  I am finally giving up and asking for help.

I have a nvidia 7300LE video card.  It has VGA, DVI, S-Video, and Component Out (with breakout cable)

I can get video to work with everything except Component Out, and due to my setup, I will have to use component for HD output.  My receiver will not let me chose SPDIF audio when using HDMI for the video input (DVI to HDMI cable)   So..  I am stuck with having to use Component video and I just can't seem to get it to work out.

I have tried the AVWizzard and I can't seem to get a signal when I chose Component.  neither 480 or 720 work.

I have also tried to edit my xorg.conf file, however, I am still trying to learn how this all works.

If anyone has a similar setup, and has successfully got component out to work, could you please help me out.

as a side note, is it possible to have dual monitor output, where I could use this same card and just clone the output using both VGA and Component, assuming I can ever get component working?

I've gotten component (the SVideo) output to work on my 7300GT. I think your's would be similar. I've edited my xorg.conf manually - I believe there is a problem with the AVWizard when using the beta on SVideo.
Do a search for my posts, and for those of Colin Jones. They will give you a lot of help. Have a look at this page: http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers. It will not give you any specific information about your problem, but it will help you to understand the process and so make it easier to understand the steps that will lead you to a solution.

Later this evening, I'll upload a page to my website to give you some more help at this location:
http://www.pillayfamily.com/LinuxMCE/TVasDisplay.html. It currently just contains garbage (Its just a placeholder for the info I'll post).

Finally one piece of info: Your component output is likely to be "TV-1" or "Component", and the SVideo is likely to be TV-0. If you find any info before I get my web page up, substitute TV-1 (if that doesn't work, try Component) where other people mention CRT for the VGA connector, or DFP for the DVI connector.

Best Regards,
RichardP.

14

Users / Re: Display problem with nVidia 8600GT card on 1080p TV

« on: February 25, 2008, 03:02:43 am »

I must have spoken too soon...last night the 1080p was working. Today morning when I fire up the LMCE
...

Any suggestions are welcome. Will update this thread with my results.

Whoops - forgot to warn you. After you get your xorg.conf right, copy it over the Pluto version in the same directory. At certain times, the xorg.conf gets overwritten with the Pluto copy. I'm not sure when it happens - I know one of the times is when AVWizard starts, but there may be other times as well.

I generally keep a copy off the machine as well, together with several other files, so that anytime the machine is nuked or upgraded, I have copies.

15

Installation issues / Re: Media Director devices did not start

« on: February 24, 2008, 04:50:43 am »

I installed 7.10 successfully a couple of weeks ago. I then decided to change my sound card to a Soundblaster Audigy rather than the default one on the motherboard and upgrade my video card to an Nvidia Geoforce FX 5500. I installed the hardware and figured I would just do a re-install of LinuxMCE.  Have had nothing but problems since.  Even if I go back to my original hardware setup, I get the following problems.

1) During the Initial setup where it gives me the option to download additional software, I selected the w32codecs. I then got the message Cannot install software right now.  Please try again later. I did verify that my internet connection was still active and working, so I don't know why this would happen.

2) When LinuxMCE is starting (from the Launch Manager), I noticed the following the the message area - Starting device 15 App Server with the error Timeout waiting for device registration.  I then get a black screen with "There are some devices on this media director that did not...(can't see the rest because it is off of my TV screen).

3) When it does come up, I don't get the Flickr screensaver.

I am assuming that item #2 is the cause of all of my issues, but I don't know how to tell what device is giving me problems.  I would have thought it may have been the video card, but when I rolled back to the working card, I get the same errors.  Any suggestions on where to start?

Your problem is the same one I've been having. I'm assuming here you've got the Audigy Value - the base model - just as I have.

The problem here is that LMCE needs a master volume control, which the base model Audigy does not have. What you've got to do is create one in software. Have a look here: http://www.pillayfamily.com/LinuxMCE/CreativeAudigy2Value.html

If the link does not work, refresh the page after 10 seconds or so.