First-Time Install - Lots of questions

[archived]

Pardon my ignorance, but this is my first time installing Pluto, and I'm not much of a linux user.  Anyway, here are my questions in no particular order:

System:
Hybrid Install
AMD Athlon XP 2800+
Nforce 2 chipset (and SoundStorm audio)
ATI Radeon 9550

(1)  When it boots up, it never loads the Media Director interface.  Just presents this text-based menu http://plutohome.com/wiki/index.php/Image:Console.jpg with the Pluto Homes logo above it.  When it first started I went through the AV Wizard which asked about audio/video settings, so I've done that.  How can I get it to go into the Media Director?

(2)  Might be related to (1)... I have two displays connected to the 9550.  The VGA connection is an ancient 800x600 Elo touchscreen.  The DVI is a Sony VPL-HS10 projector with a native resolution of 1366x768.  Throughout the install and right up until the AV Wizard started, the only display I was seeing was the DVI.  However, when the AV Wizard started it switched to the VGA.  Because of this I selected 800x600x60 and VGA as the default resolution.  However, probably because the Media Director isn't loading, the VGA display is blank and the menu mentioned above is showing on the DVI.  Ideally, what I'd like is to have the primary interface on the DVI projector at 1366x768 and a secondary interface on the touchscreen at 800x600.  How would I go about doing that?  And is this configuration somehow causing the problem I'm experiencing in (1)?

[EDIT] So I did some more testing here and it turns out that even with only one display connected (800x600x60) through VGA, I still can't get the Media Director to load.  When I log in and run X I get the following error:

Code: [Select]

X: unable to open wrapper config file /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config

X Window System Version 7.1.1
Release Date: 12 May 2006
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.1.1
Build Operating System: UNKNOWN
Current Operating System: Linux dcerouter 2.6.16.20-pluto-2-686 #1 Tue Nov 7 17:16:24 EET 2006 i686
Build Date: 07 July 2006
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon Dec 18 15:17:29 2006
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(EE) Failed to load module "speedo" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) module ABI major version (0) doesn't match the server's version (1)
(EE) Failed to load module "v4l" (module requirement mismatch, 0)
(EE) module ABI major version (0) doesn't match the server's version (1)
(EE) Failed to load module "ati" (module requirement mismatch, 0)
(EE) No drivers available.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

(3)  My projector has unique IR codes which I can't seem to find in the predefined devices.  A sample is:

Input select
0000 0067 0000 0010 0060 0018 0030 0018 0030 0018 0030 0018 0018 0018 0030 0018 0018 0018 0030 0018 0018 0018 0018 0018 0030 0018 0018 0018 0030 0018 0018 0018 0030 0018 0018 03fc

How would I go about defining this device properly, given that MOST of the inputs have discrete IR codes, but DVI specifically doesn't (at least not that I'm aware of), so requires a two-step change (i.e. switch to the input before DVI in the cycle, pause, then hit Input Select)?

(4) Though this doesn't really matter until I get some sort of UI up and running, how would I go about translating PowerStrip specifications for my projector into something that Pluto (Linux) understands?  And, for that matter, what would I need to do to set this as a selectable resolution?

Code: [Select]

• Timing parameters: 1366x768=1366,65,142,207,768,1,3,21,79046,39
• Horiz res: 1366
• Vert res: 768
• Horiz refresh: 45 Khz
• Vert refresh: 56 Hz (most important value to obtain WXGA, needs to be somewhere between 55.9 and 56.9 Hz)
• H-sync: negative
• V-sync: negative

I've been reading the docs at http://plutohome.com/wiki/index.php/Getting_Started, but if there's something more comprehensive that I'm missing I'd be grateful for the pointer.

[archived]

So I swapped out the ATI card I was using and put in a GeForce 4200.  I'm pretty surprised though that this card works and the ATI didn't.  I've read some things in these forums about ATI having a bug that was introduced with .4x, but it seemed it was related to video playback, not general UI display/installation.

Anyway, it seems I'm talking to myself a bit in here.  Does anyone have any suggestions/input on the questions posed in the post above?

[archived]

So I swapped out the ATI card I was using and put in a GeForce 4200.  I'm pretty surprised though that this card works and the ATI didn't.  I've read some things in these forums about ATI having a bug that was introduced with .4x, but it seemed it was related to video playback, not general UI display/installation.

Anyway, it seems I'm talking to myself a bit in here.  Does anyone have any suggestions/input on the questions posed in the post above?

Hi,

There were some problems with the ATI drivers but if you are running .42 I think you should be ok as we have a system with an ATI card installed (not sure what the card is though) and it works fine.

Sometimes we have found that if the AVWizard cannot set a valid resolution then you will just get the Pluto console screen instead of the Orbiter UI when you first boot your Core. In that case we have found logging into the Web Admin and then setting the resolution of the Hybrid's Orbiter manually in Wizards -> Media Directors usually fixes the problem.

Happy Christmas!

Andrew

[archived]

Thanks for the response.  The UI issue seems to be fixed with the GeForce (and personally, I prefer nVidia to ATI so I'm ok with this configuration).  I'm now working on getting the dual displays up and running.  

So far I'm loving what I see with Pluto.  If only I was as skilled with Linux as I am with Windows, this stuff would be a breeze.

[archived]

with next release you can use the ati card too.
we managed to have UI2 working but not as good as the nvidia.
you need to choose medium settings from av wizard next time when you install the .43 release

[archived]

with next release you can use the ati card too.
we managed to have UI2 working but not as good as the nvidia.
you need to choose medium settings from av wizard next time when you install the .43 release

I'm assuming by UI2 you're referring to V2 Normal Horizontal (16:9) (Pluto Admin > Wizard > Orbiter > UI).  If so, I have an issue with this UI with my current setup.  I'm not sure if it's related to the video card I'm using or my custom resolution or something else altogether, but when I'm mousing around in it my mouse causes the menus to pop up, however I can't click anything.  Neither left nor right mouse buttons work.  It looked pretty for the few minutes I had it running, but due to the lack of control I've had to switch back to the original UI.

[archived]

with next release you can use the ati card too.
we managed to have UI2 working but not as good as the nvidia.
you need to choose medium settings from av wizard next time when you install the .43 release

I'm assuming by UI2 you're referring to V2 Normal Horizontal (16:9) (Pluto Admin > Wizard > Orbiter > UI).  If so, I have an issue with this UI with my current setup.  I'm not sure if it's related to the video card I'm using or my custom resolution or something else altogether, but when I'm mousing around in it my mouse causes the menus to pop up, however I can't click anything.  Neither left nor right mouse buttons work.  It looked pretty for the few minutes I had it running, but due to the lack of control I've had to switch back to the original UI.

Yes had that problem too under .42.

The ATI drivers though will make your ATI card work under UI1 and UI2 (ie the UI mention above).

.43 looks to have many improvements in the area of harmonisation between UI1 & UI2 and the ATI drivers appear to be working nicely too. .43 should be  released very soon to.

Andrew

[archived]

I have just installed .43 on a single core hybrid. As soon as i pick a resolution and refresh rate then click "ok" i get a black screen that never goes away. Any thoughts? is this the same issue? From what i have read .43 seems to have some issues that slipped through the cracks. Cheers.

[archived]

I have just installed .43 on a single core hybrid. As soon as i pick a resolution and refresh rate then click "ok" i get a black screen that never goes away. Any thoughts? is this the same issue? From what i have read .43 seems to have some issues that slipped through the cracks. Cheers.

Hi,

Yes .43 has quite a few 'gotchas' that slipped through the release process!

It sounds too me from what you describe that the resolution/refresh you are selecting in the AV Wizard is not acceptable to your monitor. You should be able to hit the 'escape' key when this happens which should return you to the screen where you choose the resolution/refresh... then you can try another combination and see if that works. We usually find that 800x600 (4:3) at 60Hz is acceptable to most monitors - give that a try.

Hope this helps you!

Andrew

[archived]

I had actually tried quite a few combinations and nothing seems to work. In fact when I try to hit the esc key to go back nothing happens either. At one point i did catch a quick glimpse of what i *think* was the same error message posted above. I guess i should have specified that i am using an ATI card.

A Little more info: I am relatively new to linux but i am learning fast, i had read the topic about yttron being down, so i edited sources.list thinking that might have something to do with the issue. I did apt-get update to make sure and it seemed that everything was installed correctly. Then i attempted installing without a connection as was also suggested, the same black screen occurs when i choose resolution.

System: Hybrid

Intel Pentium 4 2.66GHz
1 GB Ram
ATI Radeon 9700
Soundblaster Audigy 2

[archived]

I had actually tried quite a few combinations and nothing seems to work. In fact when I try to hit the esc key to go back nothing happens either. At one point i did catch a quick glimpse of what i *think* was the same error message posted above. I guess i should have specified that i am using an ATI card.

A Little more info: I am relatively new to linux but i am learning fast, i had read the topic about yttron being down, so i edited sources.list thinking that might have something to do with the issue. I did apt-get update to make sure and it seemed that everything was installed correctly. Then i attempted installing without a connection as was also suggested, the same black screen occurs when i choose resolution.

System: Hybrid

Intel Pentium 4 2.66GHz
1 GB Ram
ATI Radeon 9700
Soundblaster Audigy 2

Hi again,

You could try going into Web Admin Wizard-> Devices-> Media Directors and manually setting the resolution/refresh for you monitor. Otherwise it might be worth re-installing!

Andrew

[archived]

I have tried the reintall approach numerous times. My problem is i am installing on a hybrid so that computer is also my only (atm) media director. So on the initial startup when the av wizard starts up i get a black screen after the first step in the wizard. I left the thing over night to see if it just took a while to regenerate the screens but that didn't work. So is there a way i can skip the wizard? You know do all my settings manually? I don't really know how to do what you are suggesting if it black screens me before i ever get an actual media director. I am going to install .41 which i have read was fairly stable and see if that works. any help would be great. Cheers.

[archived]

Not sure if this'll help, but I noticed a problem with the AV Wizard when dual monitors were connected.  Also, not sure if you're connecting via DVI or VGA, but if one isn't working you might want to try the other.

[archived]

Yopu can also escape from the AV Wizard using CTRL-C if memory serves me corretly.  I had to do this on an older release and manually correct my Xorg.conf file, and use driver utilities to set tv out etc

NOS

[archived]

hmm, tried all the suggestions above and tried the .41 install and still no go. I am in the process of building a dedicated core but i really want to become familiar with it first. Perhaps i will wait for the .44 release and see if that solves any of these issues. Any other help or suggestions would be most appreciated. Cheers.