[mythtvnz] Linux MCE Report

Tue Jan 8 00:21:31 GMT 2008

Hardware:

Older ASUS motherboard (can't remember the number but will find out, 
anything ubuntu compatible should be fine).
Intel 2.8Ghz dual core
1Gb RAM
NVidia MX4000 Graphics
Onboard ethernet
20Gb Seagate IDE (primary boot, media off other boxes at the moment).
Microsoft USB mouse (for testing, live will use a wireless gyro remote).

Because this is running on Ubuntu Fiesty, I would have thought that 
compatibility wasn't too much of an issue.

Cheers
Toby

Russell Tester wrote:
> Great to hear Toby,
>
> Can you let us know what hardware you are testing on. My previous
> experience wasn't so hot but the concept is really
>
> Cheers,
> Russell Tester
> ServerWorks Ltd
> 03 9771750 // 021478611
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtvnz-bounces at lists.linuxnut.co.nz
> [mailto:mythtvnz-bounces at lists.linuxnut.co.nz] On Behalf Of Toby Mills
> Sent: Tuesday, 8 January 2008 12:05 p.m.
> To: mythtvnz at lists.linuxnut.co.nz
> Subject: [mythtvnz] Linux MCE Report
>
> A while ago I asked if anyone had tried LinuxMCE and got no responses.
> So I decided to give it a go myself to see what its like.
>
> Linux MCE is basically glue that joins together multiple open source 
> applications including MythTV and asterisk.
> It is based on Kubuntu.
> The download for it is around 3.5Gb so it is not small and needs to be 
> burnt onto a DVD.
>
> Installation went pretty smooth, it detected all my hardware and began a
>
> video assisted configuration wizard that walks you through setup. I've 
> never seen anything as smooth as this before. It all worked without a
> hitch.
> After installation it then downloaded some automatic online updates 
> which upgraded Mythtv to 20.1 + fixes
>
> After installation and configuration was completed it all came up with a
>
> fairly basic default setup. The software began detecting network shares 
> on my network and asked if I wanted to map them and use them to store or
>
> read media, as I already have a myth box on the network, it detected it 
> and mapped all the existing files so they appear in the Linux MCE 
> interface. It found our photo albums and MP3 collection and organised 
> them into an easy to use structure.
>
> Linux MCE uses mythtv in the backend for recording programs, but you 
> browse and watch the programs through the Linux MCE interface. Its very 
> different from mythtv, but much more powerful as everything is overlaid 
> over the top of your media. The interface is very easy to use and it has
>
> the most amazing gliding menus that I have ever seen . If I decide to go
>
> with it, I'll have to replace my remotes with a Gyro remote which really
>
> makes the system easy to navigate. It is desinged to be pointer based 
> navigation instead of mythtv's button based navigation.
>
> I decided to try and get tricky and plug in some extra gadgets I have 
> around the house to see if I could break it.
> This system is a gadget freaks dream. It supports just about every cool 
> gadget that has ever been invented and ties it into the system
> seamlessly.
> I added in my DLink IP cameras simply by using the IP camera wizard and 
> typing in the IP address of each camera. They instantly appeared in the 
> security menu so you can bring up a camera which overlays with 
> transparency on the TV program you are watching, very cool.
>
> Next I plugged in an X10 CM12 controller that I had lying around. I have
>
> a few X10 devices and light switches around the house but haven't been 
> actively using it because of lack of a nice interface. It took a little 
> bit of configuration to get it working, but it wasn't too difficult. Now
>
> I can control the lights in any room by using the Lighting menu while 
> watching any program. It brings up an overlay of your house layout and 
> you just navigate around turning stuff on and off  from your TV. You can
>
> setup scenes and time based rules easily using the web interface.
>
> Next I decided to get really tricky and try plugging in our security 
> system. I have a DSC Maxsys alarm panel which has a serial interface, to
>
> add it I just plugged in a serial cable and used the confirguration 
> wizard which supports this panel and many others. You can use the 
> security menu in Linux MCE to set the alarm, or can use a PIR sensor to 
> send messages and trigger events in Linux MCE. (eg walk into a room and 
> the lights turn on). For example, setting the alarm also sends messages 
> to turn off all the lights etc. The logic available is complex but very 
> powerful.
>
> There are a whole pile of extra features I'm planning on testing next 
> and will report back on how that goes.
> I have a bluetooth dongle that I will add, this allows the system to 
> communicate with bluetooth mobile phones and whenever a bluetooth phone 
> comes in range, it uploads a phone based version of the remote control 
> software. This can give you presence monitoring in each room and allows 
> your media to follow you. For example if you have two Linux MCE 
> frontends and you are watching TV in the lounge and move into the other 
> room, the media you are watching will follow you. It also supports 
> synchronisation so that multiple frontends can be playing the same media
>
> perfectly synchronised. This is something that has really annoyed me 
> about straight mythtv, especially when playing music.
>
> I haven't even tried any of the Asterisk stuff yet, I already have an 
> asterisk box but if it works well, I may merge it all into one box to 
> give voicemail notification and access directly from the TV.
>
> I didn't expect much when testing this system out, I expected much of it
>
> to be broken or not work as expected but to be honest I'm in shock at 
> how good it is. It really all does work so far with no major bugs or 
> showstoppers. I haven't even needed a command line yet, it is all GUI 
> and web based.
> The "Glue" is rock solid and seems very stable considering how complex 
> it all is. Its based off the pluto system.
>
> Completely ditching my existing Mythbox and replacing it with this is a 
> major step and not something that I will undertake lightly. But at this 
> point I am so impressed with LinuxMCE that I am going to begin a 
> migration plan. I think I will work towards replacing my backend with a 
> Linux MCE box but keeping my frontends just pointing towards the Myth 
> installation on Linux MCE, then I'll progressively switch over to 
> running the Linux MCE client on each frontend over a few months.
>
> I'm testing it on my main pc at the moment by dumping in an old 20Gb 
> drive and installing it on that.
> I'd highly recommend giving this appliance a go, especially if you are a
>
> gadget freak like me and have lots of toys around the house that you 
> always wished you could integrate.
>
> I'll write up how the rest of it goes over the next week or so.
>
> download from www.linuxmce.org
>
> Cheers
> Toby
> www.np.co.nz
>
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