Messages

16

Users / Re: is it possible

« on: June 06, 2008, 07:17:51 am »

I just installed Swisscenter on 710 with no problems using this guide http://www.swisscenter.co.uk/%5C%22http://www.swisscenter.co.uk/%5C%22http://www.swisscenter.co.uk/component/option,com_simpleboard/Itemid,42/func,view/id,2735/catid,12/ except for changing the port to :8090, :8080 is used by the web panel for LMCE.

17

Users / Re: is it possible

« on: June 06, 2008, 06:49:40 am »

probably its not possible to build a fully functional HD media director for less that $300-$400. However you could use a Digital Media Adapter to access the content on the core (The UI will be clunky and you WON'T get any integration or home automation functions). Possibly the cheapes way would be to get a Popcorn hour http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/ ($179 I think) and load Swisscenter http://www.swisscenter.co.uk/ on the core to give it access to the content. The TV access will be really clunky but possible. This will give good H.264 playback and be silent.

18

Users / Re: LMCE-compatiable control devices for lighting, projector screens, and shades

« on: June 04, 2008, 07:09:48 am »

Its interesting that regular switches can last 90+ years but electronics have a 3 year life expectancy. The two problems here are that first the technology moves faster than our expectations. The ten year old ZWave switch will still probably control the light but will definitely be well behind the curve and may not be compatible with the new stuff ten years from now. A cheap switch (and $35 is a cheap electronic switch) may not last that long.

I have been told by insiders in the commercial market that control systems are not expected to last more than ten years. But thats because there will be a remodel or a new tenant. When i posed this question to a specialist in ultra high end home installs ($100K+), the answer was essentially the same. Except the life was more like 5 years before a move. It must be nice to have that much money.

19

Users / Re: Playlist Editor - Rewrite

« on: June 03, 2008, 06:05:04 am »

I have been using it and I do have it working. The operation is a little mystical since it doesn't give a lot of clues as to whats happening. And if the metadata isn't right or hasn't been read by LMCE its, well, "lost".

I would really like to see more progress on it and a file manager/attribute editor component. The attribute editor in LMCE is very clunky and slow to use. However there aren't other options. I tried media monkey and its edits are not recognized by LMCE. I'm using FLAC so thats part of the problem.

20

Developers / Re: Missing bits and pieces for fairly complete features set....

« on: June 02, 2008, 05:14:08 pm »

4. connection of MD or Squeezebox (or any other media playing capable LMCE device) to amplifiers (mostly rs232 controlled)
- this scenario is not solved at the moment (briefly: audio pipe doesn't solve this one - pretty well described on other threads in forums)....
- I think this scenario is pretty common, at least for smaller one family houses (with one Core connected to rs232 controlled amplifier and one larger set of speakers in living room)....

I'm confused by this. I have seen LMCE work very reliably with Denon and Yamaha RS232 controlled receivers. Perhaps some more details will help me understand your issue.

21

Users / Re: LMCE-compatiable control devices for lighting, projector screens, and shades

« on: June 02, 2008, 05:08:37 pm »

ZWave stuff works and is more reliable than X-10 communications BUT the ZWave code in LinuxMCE needs an overhaul. LinuxMCE supports a number of systems and systems with straightforward RS232 interfaces can be implemented pretty quickly by experienced programmers (DDamron demonstrated this with Insteon).

I have a lot of ZWave stuff working here and most has been troublefree for me.

22

Users / Re: How to suspend/sleep/turn off a VGA LCD monitor

« on: June 01, 2008, 06:13:55 pm »

This site has the basics  http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/power/xorg_dpms/  and this site http://webpages.charter.net/dperr/dpms.htm  explains what they mean (Typical of computer docs- only explain if you already know the answer)

I will be experimenting with it also. I agree that it should be in the Media Director page.

23

Users / Re: 720P Component Overscan on KDE Desktop

« on: June 01, 2008, 05:40:32 pm »

Most TV systems (Projection, direct view, Plasma/LCD) overscan a lot. There are no easy work-arounds. The Video Wizard has an adjustment that adjusts LMCE's menu's but can't adjust the other sources. Scaling in the system could be done but it would be a long slow process of tweaking modelines and it may not work.

You should check the modelines you are using against the Myth database and see if they are optimum. The ATSC ones should work optimally since they are what comes in on broadcast.

24

Users / Re: Unmet dependencies installing slimserver

« on: June 01, 2008, 05:32:04 pm »

Which version of LMCE have you installed and how did you do it?  The 7.10 RC2(?) I have has Slimserver 6.5.4 installed by default. In 7.04 in installs 6.2.2. You do need to jump through some hoops to install a newer version in 7.04.

25

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Is LinuxMCE suitable for multiroom sound?

« on: May 30, 2008, 12:18:44 am »

Get a Squeezebox for each room. They are fully integrated into LMCE access the same music library syncronize or run independently, are managed through orbiter like a media director, have local volume controls, etc. Cheaper than an MD for music and sound better as well.

26

Users / Re: Touchscreen HTPC case Thermaltake DH102 -- does it works ?

« on: May 27, 2008, 06:57:58 am »

That configuration would work fine. However the drivers for that touchscreen are still flakey in LMCE. If you use an ELO or a 3M it all works pretty well and using UI1 as a music player works pretty well.

27

Users / Re: nVidia, VSync/Blank and jerky video...

« on: May 24, 2008, 02:15:12 am »

This is a little off-the-wall but are you running the display at the same frame rate as the source? Or you may be dropping frames somewhere in the chain. There are ways to look for this but they made no sense to me, way beyond my Linux skills.

I notice some jerkyness but only on really demanding material (HD at 20Mbps+ going in).

28

Users / Re: nVidia, VSync/Blank and jerky video...

« on: May 24, 2008, 01:42:15 am »

The interlace setting are an arbitrary mapping of the Descaler settings (http://deinterlace.sourceforge.net/index.php) that are part of Xine. The settings relate mostly to CPU usage. if you are going from an interlaced source to a progressive display the de-interlacing must be done BUT the quality matters a lot. just inserting the lines in makes for a very degraded picture- visible by the Venetian blind effect on moving objects. this is because the progressive frame has two images superimposed where the object moved between them. A good deinterlacer will figure out where each pixels is going between frames- not easy.

29

Users / Re: nVidia, VSync/Blank and jerky video...

« on: May 23, 2008, 06:06:22 pm »

The 1080i vs. 1080p may be significant. At 1080p the CPU is doing the deinterlacing something PC's are not good at. The display may be much better. there are no 1080p 60 Hz sources. Bluray is 1080p 24Hz and broadcast is 1080i and 720p. I will try it as well since the tearing is annoying. However we are hoping that the cpu won't be doing much beyond shuffling decoded bits to the video output. What happens with 480i remains to be seen

30

Users / Re: Dell Inspiron 530n as Core/Hybrid?

« on: May 23, 2008, 05:32:40 pm »

I probably would. I got one a year ago and returned it once I looked inside. Its well made but essentially custom and not very hospitable to external cards and such. Its quiet. Its much bigger than it looks in the pictures.