Messages

46

Users / Re: (Solved) I think. Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 13, 2008, 05:26:00 am »

I have it working now at least I can update a media file in less than 10 seconds weather I am changing media sub-types or actually deleting a bunch of attributes it is the same 10 seconds.

Whoooop!  Congrats!

Also - Roy - with that favico.ico issue, I copied that file from the wiki to my desktop - then I opened up dolphin and the /var/www files as root to past the file into that directory. When I ext Dolphin now I get an error that dolphin could not save the bookmark - What am I doing wrong here. I am not sure how to do this from terminal or the prompt.

CLI would be:

Code: [Select]

linuxmce@dcerouter:~$ cd Desktop
linuxmce@dcerouter:~/Desktop$ ls -l *.ico
-rw-r--r-- 1 linuxmce linuxmce 209 2008-07-12 22:14 favicon.ico
linuxmce@dcerouter:~/Desktop$ sudo mv favicon.ico /var/www
[sudo] password for linuxmce:
linuxmce@dcerouter:~/Desktop$ sudo chown www-data.www-data /var/www/favicon.ico
linuxmce@dcerouter:~/Desktop$ ls -l /var/www/*.ico
-rw-r--r-- 1 www-data www-data 209 2008-07-12 22:14 /var/www/favicon.ico

To test, tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log
Then open up a browser to pluto-admin, you shouldn't see any new favicon errors.

HTH,
Roy

Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but I find dolphin unusable compared to konqueror.   

47

Users / Re: linuxMCE is still not ready for real life!

« on: July 12, 2008, 10:34:52 am »

On my gentoo workstation/NFS file server, I've tickled a weird NVidia/JMicron bug. 

Basically the 8600GTS nvidia card and one of my Gigabyte X48-DQ6 motherboard's SATA controllers (JMicron 20360/20363) apparently share IRQ 16.  Something goes wrong about twice a week and the kernel (2.6.25) traps an error (irq 16: nobody cared), then disables IRQ 16.  This leaves the X server in a bad state (understatement) and disables the motherboard's ethernet ports.  The work-around I found googling (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=115703) is to not use the JMicron controller.  I'm at +1 days trying this so don't know for sure if this is the solution/problem.

A quick check for this problem is to grep your /var/log/kern.log for "Disabling IRQ".

If you happen to notice what time a lockup occurred (after weeks the problem finally happened while I was using the system), then start examining the logs around that time and google any questionable entries.

HTH,
Roy

48

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 11, 2008, 08:32:13 pm »

My bad, mixing up systems in my head.  The favicon.ico would need to go in /var/www

Just FYI, if you look in /etc/apache2/sites-enabled then you can find the DocumentRoot in the file pluto.  The favicon.ico needs to be in the DocumentRoot.

Code: [Select]

linuxmce@dcerouter:/etc/apache2/sites-enabled$ grep DocumentRoot *
pluto:  DocumentRoot /var/www/

I think the reinstall was a good decision.  Hopefully it will work this time.

Have fun,
Roy

49

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 11, 2008, 05:43:02 am »

To stop all of the favicon.ico missing errors, you just need to install a favicon.ico.  Two ways.  First way is to copy the blank one from LinuxMCE wiki (if you are using firefox 3, goto wiki, right click on a page, View Page Info, Media, select favicon.ico and save) to dcerouter:/var/www/localhost/htdocs.  The second is reportedly (I haven't tried it) to simply touch /var/www/localhost/htdocs.

To ignore these messages when viewing a log, do an invert match with grep like: grep -v favicon | less

HTH,
Roy

50

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 10, 2008, 11:52:02 pm »

Anything in /var/log/apache2/error.log?

51

Users / Re: DVD Playback Issue - Certain DVDs will not play

« on: July 10, 2008, 11:41:51 pm »

Ok looks like some good info and I will check into this.  However I still have to wonder, can anyone explain why I can play the DVD from the KDE desktop using regular Xine but not from LinuxMCE?

Play or rip then play?  I haven't had any problems with playing a physical dvd via LinuxMCE.

Now the theory is that the players will follow next block pointers, skipping the bad sectors, but the rippers will get tangled in the bad sectors.  Reportedly vlc is suppose to rip by following the pointers like a player, but I haven't taken the time to figure vlc out.

Welcome to the first phase of DRM control.  Here's a peek at the next phase (http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/#bluray_connection):

1.11     Will Blu-ray require an Internet connection?
No, you will not need an Internet connection for basic playback of Blu-ray movies. The Internet connection will only be needed for value-added features such as downloading new extras, watching recent movie trailers, web browsing, etc. It will also be required to authorize managed copies of Blu-ray movies that can be transferred over a home network.

Have fun,
Roy

52

Users / Re: DVD Playback Issue - Certain DVDs will not play

« on: July 10, 2008, 06:31:49 pm »

Here's a good starting point:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARccOS_Protection

Have fun,
Roy

53

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 10, 2008, 06:23:10 pm »

Thom, you just beat me to pointing out that the db check only verifies the db infrastructure and not the contents.  I've played a little with a brute force content checker but it currently runs really slow.  Oh, and on the HABTM design pattern, I wish it were, but unfortunately the join tables are not pure (they have fields in excess of two foreign keys), so it's more like a HABTM implemented with the Has Many design pattern.

Going back a few messages, if I understand correctly, UpdateMedia ran fine from the command line, the problem is just when updating from FAMS.  If so, then the place to look is /var/log/apache2/error.log. 

HTH,
Roy

54

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 10, 2008, 03:12:40 am »

Quick thought.  Can the core connect to the internet?  Just guessing an excess of connection timeouts might be the culprit.

HTH,
Roy

55

Users / Re: Thumbnail / Cover-Art.

« on: July 10, 2008, 01:41:41 am »

if we were to use dvd profiler, we would need to find a way of properly fingerprinting the discs (the EMI uses some freaky hashing algorithm which it passes to the web service on the other end..)

Please look at media identifiers and the commands needed to implement, to do this right.

-Thom

I don't look at DVD Profiler as a practical solution for LinuxMCE, but more of as a band-aid to get good meta data and cover art.  It's drawbacks include that it is windows based (but does work under wine) shareware designed for DVD, HDDVD, & BD library management, which it does very well.  It does not support ripping or playing of media.  That said, there are some really good features that we should consider. 

* When you add a media to your collection, it syncs the identifiers (title, ISBN, disc ids) from the main site, then all of your additions are looked up locally.  This allows you to rapidly add by title, by ISBN, or by disc id.  On the rare times that a disc is not in the database, you can create an entry, fill in what you can, then optionally upload it to the main site.  If you find an error or omission, you can edit and optionally submit to the main site.

If we sync'ed the identifiers with cron.daily, then there wouldn't be the 10-60 second lookup delay when ripping nor the failures due to net outages.

* It supports updating your media profiles from the main site.  This allows your collection's meta data to improve over time.  Note, it does support locking of parts of your meta data to prevent override.

Another cron.daily task, then forget about it. 

* It depends on user support for the meta data.  Not a corporate entity that favours matching commercially available media (multi-packs) and has no interest in complete meta data.

The extensions to the LinuxMCE database would include adding a "media unique" identifier and "media last changed on main site" timestamp to pluto_media.file, then add some locking attributes (lock genres, lock cast, lock cover art,...).

I'm not sure if SqlCVS would be the way to handle the sync'ing.

Food for thought.

Have fun,
Roy

56

Users / Re: Thumbnail / Cover-Art.

« on: July 09, 2008, 07:47:49 am »

And actually EMI works very damned well. Put in a disc to see what i mean.

Where EMI is weak is on older disks and less popular disks.  Also it's aggravating to put a single movie disk in and have it identified as part of a multi-movie pack.  Classic example is Kill Bill vol 1 (ISBN 786936-226997) and vol 2 (ISBN 786936-245783).  Two separately packaged and purchased DVDs.  LinuxMCE identifies both as the twin pack with poor cover art.  Amazon lookup gives the twin pack or the Japanese releases, again with poor cover art.

Also wherever the title comes from, there are a few percent with errors like extra/missing prefixes("A", "An", "The"), "and" changed to "&" (and vice versa).

I'd say EMI works good (when you have a good internet connection) and with a mostly reasonable lookup time, but the retrieved meta data needs improvement (too often missing the title or genres).

Personally, I've been very pleased with both the cover art and meta data now that I'm sync'ing my LinuxMCE database from my DVD Profiler database.

Have fun,
Roy

57

Users / Re: linuxMCE is still not ready for real life!

« on: July 08, 2008, 09:51:48 am »

My problem was thermal.  I ended up reversing the top fan to make in an input fan then adding a side exhaust fan.  It's been rock solid for months now.
My theory is one of the motherboard chips was not getting enough airflow.  No proof, but I did notice the southbridge was the hottest component when I used an IR thermometer.

I failed at all other attempts to capture info on the lockup.  lm-sensors didn't show abnormal temps, couldn't find any hint in the logs.

HTH,
Roy

58

Installation issues / Re: Issues with 0710 RC

« on: July 08, 2008, 09:37:34 am »

Howdy,

It sounds like you've done most of the basics, but there are a few more things to try.  What I don't like is that kubuntu live doesn't boot.  Do you get to the grub menu?  If so, try running memtest for a few hours.  Maybe try another liveCD/DVD linux distro, preferable a current release (the MB looks about a generate back from bleeding edge so should have good support in current releases).  What we are wanting is some warm fuzzy the the basics are working (power, cpu, memory, video, dvd) under linux.

Maybe pull out the MB manual and go over the bios step by step.  Disable frills, be conservative.

Visually inspect all connections again (MB 4- & 24- pin power connectors in particular) for full seating. 

Remove TV card to give you a minimal system (case, power supply, MB, CPU, memory, HDD, DVD) and try the liveCD/DVD.

Shotgun steps are: upgrade BIOS, replace DVD drive.

I suggest keeping with the nvidia 7300 video card until you have good hardware.  I don't think Kubuntu 0710 supports the 9xxx series without a driver update.

HTH,
Roy

59

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 07, 2008, 11:00:41 pm »

While I scratch my head on this one, I'm going to throw in an experience.  When first setting up NFS, performance was slow and unreliable.  Turned out to be a switch.  So the lesson learned is to try different network gear/config when things are flaky.  May or may not help, but you might try eliminating or replacing any switches and/or cables between your core and NAS.

60

Users / Re: Media Files Sync will not refesh or update.

« on: July 07, 2008, 03:33:09 am »

Another thing to verify is that the drives are accessible from /home/public/data/videos/*.  Actually cd to data/videos then ls each of the drives linked there.  Example (abridged):

linuxmce@dcerouter:/home/public/data/videos$ ls -l NFS\ Share\ \[39\]/
total 35463128
drwxr-sr-x 5 root public      20480 2008-06-28 07:40 Action
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root public 7686193152 2008-06-12 05:25 It Happened One Night - 1934.dvd
-rw-r--r-- 1 root public      79872 2008-06-22 23:41 It Happened One Night - 1934.dvd.id3

Next check ownership and permissions.  From the linuxmce side, you can see in the above example the files should be root:public 664

On checking the database:

Code: [Select]

linuxmce@dcerouter:/home/public/data/videos$ mysql -u root -e 'show databases;'
+--------------------------+
| Database                 |
+--------------------------+
| information_schema       |
| asterisk                 |
| asteriskcdrdb            |
| mysql                    |
| mythconverg              |
| pluto_main               |
| pluto_media              |
| pluto_myth               |
| pluto_security           |
| pluto_telecom            |
+--------------------------+
linuxmce@dcerouter:/home/public/data/videos$ mysql -u root -e 'use pluto_media;show tables;'
+-------------------------+
| Tables_in_pluto_media   |
+-------------------------+
| Attribute               |
| AttributeType           |
| Attribute_Settings      |
[snip]
linuxmce@dcerouter:/home/public/data/videos$ mysql -u root -e 'use pluto_media;select Filename from File where IsDirectory=0' | less


That should give you a warm fuzzy that your database is running.  It still could be corrupt but that's a can of worms to check...

HTH,
Roy