Offer To Help: Updating The Quick Start Guide

[twodogs]

First let me say that I have the utmost respect and enthusiasm for Linux MCE and those who developed it. That being said, I'm off to what I'd consider a rocky start. Rather than complain about stuff that I'm certain will turn out to be operator error, I'd like to do something constructive. I think the root cause of my problems is that information is just too hard to find on the LMCE site.
I would like to make a LinuxMCE Quick Start Guide. I would keep this current and complete, including screenshots and videos as necessary. There would be minimum links to other pages.  Obviously, we would have to limit the scope to keep this from becoming an overwhelming task.
I think most newbies will probably want to test drive LMCE in a relatively limited way using hardware they already own, as much as possible. I'll go out on a limb and say that everyone considering LMCE already has an amplifier, speakers, and a TV or monitor that would work. They probably already own a suitable computer (or can get one for a few hundred dollars). Many already own a laptop that could be used as an orbiter. There are probably a lot of people who could put together a usable starting point merely by purchasing an NVIDIA video card, TV capture card, USBUIRT, and a remote control. It is for these people using this type of equipment that I propose to write the Quick Start Guide. It would focus on using LMCE as a media center. I'd be tempted to stop there, but LMCE is more than just a media center, so I would cover lighting as well. Once a newbie has built a working system to this point, he/she is no longer a newbie and can graduate to more advanced topics not covered in the Quick Start. Below is an initial framework.

Quick Start Guide To LMCE
Topology considerations
Select Hardware – Hybrid Core, Amplifier, Display, Controller, Networking, Interconnecting cables
Prepare for installation (download, burn ISO, Schedules Direct)
Initial installation and Wizard
Control LMCE (with keyboard, with remote, with laptop orbiter)
Control Amp through LMCE (serial, IR)
Control TV through LMCE (serial, IR)
Music (rip from CD, add pre-ripped files)
DVDs (watch live, rip to disk, add pre-ripped)
OTA TV (watch live, record/playback)
Web TV
Add storage (internal disk, NAS)
Lighting


I'm offering to write this, but as I said, I'm off to a rocky start and will need a hint or two.

John

[tschak909]

Go for it.

We'll try to help where we can.

-Thom

[valent]

Nice to hear from new people. John just go for it, I put in quite a few hours into wiki and labeling, organizing and connecting some of pages and topics. Wiki has some great content that is just not exposed, some duplicate and triplicate info all over the place and some topics are just not covered.

For last few months I had other project on my plate (www.fusionlinux.org which I started) but now I returned to my linuxmce, smart home project and this wiki. I hope that we also attract some other people (new but also senior members) and make wiki more useful for all of us.

Cheers,
Valent.

[Kezza]

Have you seen the user manual? http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User_Manual also has link to quick guide and install guide.

Very out of date but maybe could take info out/or modify those pages to create the guide and then eventually remove anything non relevant?

Once you decide which way your going with this I'll be happy to help update and and maintain.

[twodogs]

Points well taken. In fact, it would be far more helpful to edit existing wiki pages than to add yet another. It has seemed to me that each step of my installation offered multiple paths each leading to a maze. Some of these journeys have been fun, but others were excruciating. Most of us probably just want the cheese.
I'll plan to start writing this on OpenOffice, then I'll ask an expert to look at it and help decide where to put it. If you look at my signature you'll see that my hardware is pretty mainstream. I'll try to demonstrate several common ways to set things up. Two questions, though. First, will anyone be offended if I blatantly plagiarize wherever I can? Second, what remote control is the most representative? I thought it was the Gyration so I purchased one. I believe it was plug/play at one time, but that is not the case now. I also have a Windows MCE remote.

John

[valent]

Have you had any progress with writing? If you need some help just say what kind.

Cheers,
Valent.