Re: Re: OT: Kaliedascape Wannabe!!

[Peer Oliver Schmidt <posde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tim,

> OK, that LinuxMCE looks great - where do I download a copy?

Wait a little bit for the release of 0710. You can download the ISO
images from http://www.linuxmce.org.

> Didn't we go through this last year and some guys couldn't make it
> work?

Lots of things have changed in the last 12 month. Especially during
the last three month, the community around LinuxMCE really has come
together.

> I can spell Linux, but thats about all - what are my chances
> of getting that up in an old PC as a trial?

depends on the old hardware. Couple of important points:

1) The graphics card _SHOULD_ be nVidia >6xxx
2) You should have two NICs
3) You SHOULD let it act as your DHCP server, and not try to disable
it. With a disabled DHCP server, the network plug and play
functionality will not be usable. (Like just plugging a NAS storage
into your network, and have it automatically recognized by LinuxMCE,
or plugging a Snom/Cisco whatever VoIP into your network and have it
automatically configured as an extension to the build in asterisk)
4) You DO NOT need Linux know how.
5) Your core (the initial LMCE system) should have between 512 and 1GB
6) Any additional "Media Director" (PC that you want to attach to
additional TVs in the house), does not need to have hard disk, but
must be network bootable (i.e. PXE boot)

LinuxMCE, if used with supported hardware, really is plug and play.
For example the following settings will all work without you having
to configure anything special

MSI MediaLive Barebone as the media director or the core
Pioneer Plasma as the TV connected via RS-232 with your PC
Yamaha RX-V1500 as your amplifier connected via RS-232 with your PC
(http://www.linuxtv.org supported DVB-x
card) as your source for TV.

You can use other equipment, but the above are really plug and play.
If you have a different TV set for example, one that currently is not
in the device database, you need either an RS-232 cable plus the
codes for the RS-232 control, or a USB-UIRT to learn the current
codes from your remote, to let LinuxMCE control your TV set.

For home automation, X-10, Z-Wave, EIB/KNX, PLCBUS, Insteon are
currently supported. And you can use all in parallel, i.e. have a
motion sensor from Z-Wave and a light switch from EIB.

Wait for the 0710 release. It contains LOTS of bug fixes, and drivers.

If you need any more information, drop by the IRC channel #linuxmce
at freenode.net
--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP Key ID: 0x83E1C2EA


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