Messages

1

Users / Error Creating Child Device

« on: August 07, 2010, 11:01:14 am »

Hi,

Am a newbie, and I have LinuxMCE 7.10 Version: 2.0.0.44.0804112200 running as a Core only.

Machine boots straight into LinuxMCE, and I can login to the admin page fine.

Problem is, when I try and add a file server, or orbiter, (or any Child Device) to the Core, I get the following error:

ERROR: Error creating device. Be sure LinuxMCE is running.

Any suggestions as to whats going on, and what can fix this issue ?

Thanks,
Fog.

2

Installation issues / Multiport Serial

« on: June 21, 2010, 10:15:01 pm »

Hi,

What are you suggestions on options for Multi Serial Ports in my LinuxMCE Core ?

PCI card (Rocketport PCI...is that compatable with LinuxMCE?)
USB To Multiport Serial - Can you suggestion a model that will plug and play with LinuxMCE ?  8 RS-232 pref..?

Thanks.

3

Installation issues / USB Ethernet Adapter.

« on: May 17, 2010, 03:43:11 pm »

Hi,

Can anyone suggest / recommend a USB to Ethernet adapter for my (in design stage) Linux MCE core ?

I will be using a Dell Optiplex 755 Desktop (not sff) for the Core, and that only has one NIC (10/100/1000) which will be fine for the "inside" network.

I don't want to use up of the 3 (1 x PCIe, 2 x PCI) slots for a second NIC, and given the my home internet connection is the bottle neck to the outside world, I don't need Gig to the DSL router, 10 or 100 meg will do.

So any suggestions for a USB to Ethernet adpter that will work (out of the box pref) on the Gutsy install of Linux MCE ?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers,
Fog.

4

Installation issues / Re: Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 05:55:04 pm »

Hi - Excellent, so going with the centralised approach, I'd have the MD's, AMP, and Core in the comms cab, and then:

 - Hook the AMP up to the Core via USB or Serial.
 - Run enough Cat6 to the TV to:
         a) send the HDMI A/V to the TV.
         b) Send the USB/serial control singlas to the TV.

Would I then connect the TV's USB/serial port, via the Cat6, to the Core to MD for that room ?  I assume the MD ?

Also, if I added Sky into the mix, how do I get that out to the TV ?  I would assume this must be via a multizone amp with HDMI capability, and that the TV must have more that one HDMI in (meaning one more cable)....right ?

Thanks,
Fog.

5

Installation issues / Re: Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 04:07:50 pm »

Spot on - thanks.

Cheers,
Fog.

6

Installation issues / Re: Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 03:46:21 pm »

The Core will be tucked away in a comms cab in a closet, and all interaction will be via the MD.

What I'm struggling with is the whole audio amp thing.  I.E. if I am streaming to a MD in the front room then:
 - Should I hook an amp up to MD in the front room ?  I.E. to get 5.1 sound in the room.
 - Can / how does LMCE then control the Amp ?
 - Can / how does LMCE then control the TV ?

Or have I completely got this wrong ?

Thanks for your time.

7

Installation issues / Re: Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 02:53:49 pm »

Thanks - yes that looks like a great piece of kit - its on my list now.

OK - so having sorted this whole Blu-Ray / DVD business, I have one more question.  Maybe it should be another thread, someone tell me, but here it is anyway:

So, once all done I'll have the Core streaming to the Media Director connected via HDMI to the test PC.

What is the best way to get the audio coming out of dedicated speakers in the room where the Media Director is ?

Do I hook an amp up to the Media Director in the same room, or is there a more elegant solution ?  I like the idea of having a centralized amp with multiple zones, but how would this work with media streamed to a Media Director ?  Would you run the audio back out the MD to the AMP, and then back to speakers in the room where the MD is ?  = cabling and attenuation nightmare.

Or, can the MD tell the Core to send the audio to a centralized AMP, which is then also told by the Core which zone to send the audio to...?

So just to clarify, the kit would be:
 - Core in comms cab.
 - Amp in comms cab.
 - MD in front room hooked up to TV.
 - Speakers in front room cabled back to Amp (zone 1 for example).

 - MD gets stream and displays on TV.
 - MD tells Core to send audio to Amp.
 - MD tells Core to tell Amp to send audio to Zone 1.

Sorry about this, struggling with this bit conceptually - so feel free to point out that I'm an idiot.  The best way I see this working is to have a small yet decent Amp connected to the MD, and controllable from the Core/MD....then you can have different audio playing in different rooms - rather than one audio source coming from the Core....arhghg HELP.

Thanks,
Fog.

8

Installation issues / Re: Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 02:04:59 pm »

Hey purps,

Nice one, thanks for the response.

Yes, thats perfect - rip the Blu-Ray, stick it on the NAS or wherever, done.

I guess full Blu-Ray support will come in the end, just a matter of time.  BR support on the Media Director would be a bonus IMHO, as that makes it easy for the rest of my family to play the discs - just wish I had the skills some of these dev's have, quite simply astounding..! 

Cheers,
Fog.

9

Installation issues / Re: Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 01:42:58 pm »

OK - I just seen a whole bunch of posts about the Blu-Ray situaiton, sorry.

So looks like its an issue with the availability of the encryption keys for the HD content right ?

Thats so lame - these big companies could make even more money by embracing Open Source instead of fighting it..........!

so.....whats the best way around this ?

Can I get a Blu-Ray player running HDMI into the Core, control it from the Media Director, via the Core,  and then stream it back the Media Director ?

My skillzzz aren't up to hacking around with Linux to get Blu-Ray working, so whats the easiest route to get a workable solution ?

Thanks again,
Fog.

10

Installation issues / Advice For Newbie.

« on: May 13, 2010, 01:28:38 pm »

Hi,

Firstly - thanks to all dev's and users - LinuxMCE looks pretty damn awesome to me.  I only have it running in a VM for now, I just wanted to sort out any install issues first - but got it running like a dream (of course this doesn't counter any HW issues I come across with the main install, but its a good start).

My main question here is around Blu-Ray support, but I'll give you some thoughts around my install plan first.

 - Core - Will be built on a Dell Optpliex 755 with 4 gig mem, 160gig HDD, and 2 x 10/100/1000 NIC's, just using the on-board Intel GPU as this will not be a media player as well - just the Core.
 - Media - Will move all media (pics, music, films, etc) to a NAS of some sort (TBC) and let LinuxMCE catalogue - feel free to recommend a NAS (rack mount would be best, even self build - please point me in the right direction).
 - Hook it all together through a gig switch (cabling to be rolled out in the next couple of weeks).
 - I have the network layout sorted.  Am Network/Security engineer, and the suggested architecture looks spot on to me.
 - Get an ASUS eee, strip out the HDD, get the PXE boot working, and hook up HDMI to a test TV.

Bang - done, that easy ;-)

Assuming this all works, how do I then sort out my Blu-Ray wants and needs....?  Networks is my thing, not Unix/Linux or other user/server systems....

Is there a compatible BR drive I can stick in the Core and stream out BR HD from there ?  Or can I get the Media Director playing BR from its own drive (assuming I can get one with a BR drive) ?  My thoughts are the latter would be better, as then the processing overhead is taken off the core and placed on the Media Director.  I plan to eventually use the Core for full home automation, so it makes sense to me to take as much load off it as possible.

From what I've googled I understand that Blu-Ray is a bit "up in the air" where Linux and LinucMCE is concerned.

Please advise and comment on any of the above.

Sorry if this post is in the wrong place or/and a bit long winded.

Thanks for your time.

Cheers,
Fog.