Shuttle XS35GT as MD boot problem

[jwilczek]

Hi, I am trying to use a Shuttle XS35GT as a Media Director but am having some issues, I know it has an unsupported NIC, but I have resolvled that with help from the wiki, and Homeboy. My problem now is when it I try to boot it up it goes through the splash screen and when it looks like its going to switch into the AVwizard it just goes to a black screen with a blinking curser??? I have tried the number keys 1-5 to switch the source and even used the VGA connector instead of the HDMI but I have had no luck. Any help would be great.

Thanks, Joe

[Homeboy]

Hi,
that's what I have mentioned in with PM, my XS35GT did it 3 times the same way you've described which took about 20 minutes and then the AV-Wizard starts.
Heinz

[bongowongo]

How did you get passed the freeze in the kubuntu splash screen
You turned ACPI off?
Which version of the jme drivers did you get.
I copied my Shuttle X50 v2 wiki towards the XS35GT, please update with your findings.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/ShuttleXS35GT

[Homeboy]

Hm,
I will update the WIKI with the procedure used to get the XS35GT working as MD. However, I'm not aware whether this is the right time to state it on the WIKI since I haven't got the audio running yet! After reinstalling the whole system due to broken core, there's no sound from the XS35GT even via MythTv.
Heinz

[Marie.O]

Using the wiki to document the process and findings, even if not successful, helps other people.

[jwilczek]

How did you get passed the freeze in the kubuntu splash screen
You turned ACPI off?
Which version of the jme drivers did you get.
I copied my Shuttle X50 v2 wiki towards the XS35GT, please update with your findings.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/ShuttleXS35GT

I had to turn the splash off for a bit to see what was going on. Turns out my son had plugged in a router up in his room for a small lan party with some of his buds, not a problem but it had dhcp turned on in its software so when the I watched the MD boot up it would first poll and get a pxeboot address from the DCERouter but then when it came to the point where it would load the lan driver and re-aquire an address it would grab one from the router in his room so it would just sit there as it didn't know where to get anything else from because it was on the wrong IP scheme. Talk about a headache.

I am using the 1.0.6.1 driver and I'm assuming Homeboy is the same as he gave me the directions on what to do to get that part of this thing working.

Homeboy, I'm not sure whats wrong with  your sound, mine is able to put it through the 3.5 jack or the HDMI without any additional driver installation. I have used it to play mp3's, video's over the Lan, DVD in its drive, and HULU. I tested for sound out of both 3.5 and HDMI from all without any issues, wish I could be of more help.

Joe

edit: I didn't ever turn off ACPI

[bongowongo]

Ok nice thanks
I will test with mine.
are you sure volume is up in alsamixer?

[jwilczek]

Well I had to rebuild due to some messing around trying to work out some other kinks in my setup, and now I'm having some of the audio issue's. I still have analog output all the time but now no HDMI. I upgraded the ALSA drivers on my core now to 1.0.23. What I need now from someone is how do I get that driver to update the Media Directors? They are still on driver 1.0.18. I've tried rebuilding the image. I'm not sure if you have tried to upgrade yours like this but what I see in Alsamixer is that there is no PCM control. I tried to run the upgrade by SSH into the MD from the Core but I can't run anything it seems from in there.

Thanks, Joe

[bongowongo]

ssh into the MD or at the MD go to KDE desktop.
Update alsa to 1.0.23.

[Homeboy]

Hi,
if you ran cat /proc/asound/version on your MD, you get the version installed which should be 1.0.23, since the kernel 2.6.27-17-generic comes already with the newer ALSA version. Can you please check whether you have sound in KDE via system settings.
However, we might  move this part to the other topic "sound issues".

Heinz

[jwilczek]

I ran the version check and both my core and MD had 1.0.18 on them, still using the 23388 snapshot DVD. I got them upgraded to 1.0.23 by running a script that I got from http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6589810 I will check out the KDE via system settings. Like I said I have analog audio all the time no matter what I select in the AV wizard. I can at least see 4 PCM outputs on the HDA Nvidia sound card in Alsamixer now, just still no sound.

Joe

[Homeboy]

when I check in lmce-admin 'Advanced' - 'Software' - 'Software versions', I get for the core and MD the following

alsa-base = 1.0.19.dfsg-3
alsa-modules-2.6.27-17-generic = 1.0.23+dfsg-0ubuntu1+2.6.27-17.46
alsa-utils = 1.0.18-1ubuntu11~dia1

and I never did an upgrade?!
I have sound via HDMI in MythTv and KDE but still non when I try to play DVD or Audio in LMCE.

Heinz

[jwilczek]

Hmm...
 Are you able to see the PCM outputs in alsamixer on your Shuttle MD? This was my main reason for running the upgrade I could not see any of them.

Joe

[Homeboy]

No, there are no PCM outputs available in alsamixer. Can you give me the output of your core and MD in Lmce-admin 'Advanced' - 'Software' - 'Software versions' please?

Heinz

[jwilczek]

I have the same for both, here is everything that starts with alsa, I ran the script on both machines, I see only the modules are listed as .23. I'm not sure if upgrading them on the OS is actually upgrading what LinuxMCE is using. I still havn't gotten around to testing the output on the KDE desktop of the Shuttle, when I try to get into the desktop it runs super slow and is a total pain to use but I will try it out.

Advanced-Softare-Software versions output of alsa:
alsa-base = 1.0.19.dfsg-3
alsa-firmware-loaders = 1.0.17-0ubuntu1
alsa-modules-2.6.27-17-generic = 1.0.23+dfsg-0ubuntu1+2.6.27-17.46
alsa-oss = 1.0.15-1
alsa-source = 1.0.19.dfsg-3
alsa-tools = 1.0.17-0ubuntu1
alsa-tools-gui = 1.0.17-0ubuntu1
alsa-utils = 1.0.18-1ubuntu11~dia1

Joe