Best Practices for setup of 710 beta3

[rnmixon]

I'm looking for some help for specific questions, but also for a general approach to setup. I have watched the video and read (and read and read) on the wiki and forums (not that I might not have forgotten some of the stuff I've read .

I've installed 704 a half-dozen times before, usually with mixed results. I just installed 710 beta3 - things are better but still not pretty.

Here's my equipment:

• Asus M2NPV-VM motherboard with AMD64 X2 4400, 1GB Ram, 400GB Seagate SATA
• S/PDIF optical out bracket setup and works fine.
• Hauppage PVR-500, only using 1st half to connect to my cable provider.
• Silicon Dust HDHomeRun, used for two sources of OTA television.
• Zapstream remote with included IR receiver
• Wireless keyboard/joystic combination with its own IR receiver (PS/2 based)
• ZWave ZCU000 controller with three lights.
• Global Cache GC100 that controls following three A/V components using IR:
  • Sony STR-DB830 receiver
  • Akai PT50DL14 DLP 50" TV
  • Motorola RG2200 cable box (connects to Qwest Choice TV over VDSL)

In my latest install attempt of 710 beta3 here's what I did

• I went through the setup wizard as far as I could, until it needed my A/V equipment.
• Exited
• Modifed the /usr/pluto/bin/gc100-conf.pl script and added my GC100
• Used the web admin pages to add my receiver, TV, cable box and Zapstream remote control
• Went back to the wizard and tried to define my inputs and sources. It would not let me define the lineup for my PVR-500->RG2200 cable source, only the two HDHomeRun tuners.

OK, I can watch TV via my RG22xx cable box, but not switch channels yet. I've had the IR switching for the cable box working before, so I'm sure I can get that handled with a bit of time. I cannot watch via the HDHomeRun sources.

My questions:

• Is there a recommended or better approach(s) for setting this up
• Why do I not see the S/PDIF and DVI outputs on my core/hybrid when I try and use the A/V wizard to connect the various equipment. I've looked for a way to define this, but do not see it. On the digram it just shows a generic input and output for the core/hybrid - unlike the specialized input/outputs for TV, receiver,etc.

Thanks you in advance for any ideas/suggestions.

[1audio]

You should get fine results with 704 with that hardware. I would go through the drill with 704 again as follows before adding the second set of questions with the Beta.
Your hardware should just work. Here is what i would do:
1) Update the BIOS on the Asus. It should be 0909 or higher.
2) Set up the HD Home Run with Windows to make sure its working and getting TV. It will update the firmware automatically with the latest GUI app.
3) I use a USBUIRT for IR control. It just works and is simple.
4) I use a usb-serial adapter for the serial control stuff.
5) Check for firmware updates for the GC100. (I have seen traffic here on problems with it. Its not as simple an implementation as the above)
6) Install and run through to the end without interrupting it. Interrupting those scripts can have unpredictable results. Get the TV and the other stuff working without the automation. Go back and add the automation through the web panel and restart the advanced wizard. Go directly to the stage you want to set up (media-AV devices) and configure from there.


Its easy to get too wound up with so much stuff here and so many details. I would look to make sure the devices are all working stand alone first. Thats why I recommend updating firmware everywhere. The GC100 I have no experience with myself. But I'm using the rest of the stuff (except the TV etc.) and its all working.

[rnmixon]

1audio,

Thank you for the detailed reply and approach/guidance. Just a bit of followup needed if you (or someone else) does not mind - let me explain.

Under 704, watching TV under MythTV was not possible - it would consistently freeze after about 15 seconds. Although I want all of the other automation features too, we had to at least be able to watch TV.

I checked the forums and this post indicated it was a known problem.
http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3170.0
and maybe this one too, though it seemed a bit DVB-S related:
http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=2273.0

I read elsewhere  (cannot find it after looking quickly) this would be fixed in 710. Do you know if that is so?

Anyway, that's why I moved to the 710 beta3, I understand that it is a beta and will have issues, and hoped I might help out by testing.

As far as the remote, I'm not hurting here (yet) - my wireless keyboard and mouse will suffice until everything else is close to working. Then I will try and follow the procedure in:
http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3678.0
If all else is working, I'll probably upgrade to the gyro remote anyway - but any remote seems better than the keyboard/mouse in the long run

Thanks again to all who provide such great support and help.