LinuxMCE - User contributions [en]

Control regular A/V equipment

2007-09-08T16:29:50Z

Jhelwig: Remove spam

<h1>How to set it up</h1>
First add the infrared transmitter on the Wizard, Devices, Interfaces page in LinuxMCE Admin. Then add your a/v devices on the Wizard, Devices, A/V Equipment page. [[Control a TV or cable/satellite box]] for an example of adding a TV, and creating a new Device Template if your model isn't already in the system.
On the A/V Equipment page issue specify for each device what infrared transmitter will be controlling it in the Controlled Via pulled down. If this device uses infrared codes, when you click the "A/V properties" button next to that device you should the "Uses I/R" box is checked. Confirm the inputs and other I/R settings, such as toggle vs. discrete are correct. If they are not, then whoever added the device template for this model originally may have done it wrong, or perhaps he had a different model. In either case you can create a new Device Template for your model as explained [[Control a TV or cable/satellite box]]. Then click the "IR/GSD codes" button to select or learn new infrared codes.

LinuxMCE includes a stock library of infrared codes supplied by other users. These codes are grouped, sometimes referred to as code sets or Infrared Groups. For example, Sony may make a thousand and models of TV sets, but nearly all of them use the same infrared codes; the remotes are interchangeable. Therefore it makes no sense to learn or input the infrared codes for every single model, rather it's much easier to put all the codes into a group called "Sony TV codes", and then only 1 user needs to add the codes, and then every other user with the Sony TV can use that set of codes. On the IR/GSD codes page you can select what Infrared Group, or codeset, you want to use for this device. All the codes are stored in Pronto format. If there are multiple Infrared Groups for that Manufacturer and Device Category, you can choose the one you want from the pull down, and then click the test code button next to one of the codes to see if the device responds. Worst case you need to create your own I/R codes. If an existing Infrared Group is correct, but there are just more new codes you need to add, choose the Infrared Group and then choose Add/remove commands. If none of the existing Infrared Groups are correct, you can create a new infrared group, or leave the Infrared Group pull-down empty and the codes you provide will be used only for this model, without belonging to an Infrared Group.

Check off one of the Command Groups check boxes to add groups of codes, such as Standard navigation, or volume control. Or click the add remove command buttons to add them individually. Try to use the existing command whenever possible; they are already quite complete. It is important to use the correct existing commands, even if your device gives them another name. For example, when you hit the channel up button on any remote-control, it will send to the "Skip Fwd - Channel/Track Greater" command to the device. Different remote controls call this function different things. Maybe yours calls it "Seek Up". If you create a new command called "Seek Up", then the existing remote-control which is designed to send our stock command will not work with your device, and you'll need to create a whole new remote control for your device. You don't want to do that. LinuxMCE Orbiter runs on web pads, pda's, phones, etc. We already have stock remote controls for all those types of devices that send our stock commands. Therefore it is much easier to use the existing commands even if the names are different than what you're device uses.

If your infrared device supports learning, then when you click the "new code" button on the I/R code page you'll be able to learn the code automatically. For example, if you're using the gc100, there is a learning dongle for it. Plug it into the gc100's port or into another serial port on the computer that is controlled in the gc100. On the gc100's device page, specify what serial port you're using in the "comm port parameter". If your device does not support learning, or is unable to learn the code correctly, then you'll need to get the code in pronto format on your own. One of the best sources is the http://www.remotecentral.com website. You can copy and paste the infrared codes from that website into the LinuxMCE Admin page. On the A/V equipment page if you leave the check box "Share my I/R codes with others" checked the infrared codes will automatically be shared with other users.

To test codes you can either do it by clicking the test code button from the infrared code page in LinuxMCE Admin, or by clicking the Advanced button on the orbiter, which is normally the LinuxMCE logo. On the Orbiter's advanced page is an option to test infrared codes. Note that to test i/r codes with that button on the orbiter only I/R codes that were already in the system before the last Router reload will work. This isn't the case with the [[LinuxMCE Admin Website[[, so, when setting up devices for the first time, the website is the preferred tool.

<h1>How to use it</h1>
Just add a media scenario for the device, as explained [[Control a TV or cable/satellite box]]

<h1>Programmer's guide</h1>
The logic for determining what infrared codes each device uses is in Infrared_Plugin. The command is Get Infrared Codes. Each infrared interface device, like the [[gc100]], should inherit from the MessageTranslation class which handles translating for toggle codes, proper formatting of numbers, etc.

[[Category: Tutorials]]
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Wizard Pages

2007-09-08T16:26:33Z

Jhelwig: Spam removal, minor formatting fix.

The Wizard is designed to be a quick and simple way to setup your whole LinuxMCE system. To use it, just go to the LinuxMCE Admin web site, and click "Wizard". Then go through each of the pages and fill out the information on each page. Be sure to click "Save" or "Update" to save the changes you make to each page before going to the next. Every page in the Wizard section is designed to be simple for the non-techie. There may be some other, more advanced pages that are more technical.
What pages you see in your Wizard will depend on what devices you have in your home--you will only see pages that apply to your home. If you add more devices later on, more pages may appear in the wizard for those devices.
Setting up your LinuxMCE system consists of 4 things:
1) Providing some general information, such as what kind of network you have.
2) Creating the devices (lights, tv's, cameras, etc.).
3) Creating your scenarios. A "scenario" is a group of commands, or tasks, you want executed when you touch a button. Each scenario you create will appear on the Orbiters as a button. Scenarios are generally organized into 5 categories: lighting, media, climate, security and telephone. You can create, for example, a lighting scenario called "Entertaining" which turns on all the lights in the house and in the front yard. A button labeled "Entertaining" will then appear on the Orbiters in the lighting section--touch it to activate the scenario. Any scenario can do anything. For example, just because the "Entertaining" scenario is a lighting scenario doesn't mean the scenario only affects lights. You can make the scenario also play some music, and maybe open the front gate. You can use the "Advanced, My Scenarios" menu option for low-level control over a scenario, to make it do whatever you want. However the Wizard includes pages that make it very easy to create scenarios. For example, when you add a lighting scenario with the Wizard, it lists all the lights in the house and lets you pick the ones you want to change with the scenario.
4) Creating event handlers. This is how you tell LinuxMCE you want it to do something in response to some event. For example, you want LinuxMCE to turn on the Front Porch light when a motion detector is tripped. Or you want it to play a loud message on the TV's when there is a security breach. Or stop watering the lawn after it rains.

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Orbiters

2007-09-08T16:24:20Z

Jhelwig: Remove spam

An "Orbiter" is a remote control--anything you use to control your LinuxMCE system.
Here you add all the orbiters you want to use in your house, no matter what type. This includes the mobile orbiters (ie mobile phones), the regular orbiters (like wireless webpads and tablet pc's), any orbiters you want to run on a normal PC, as well as the on-screen displays. Every Media Director displays an Orbiter on screen as well. All these orbiters, and every one will appear on this page.
Room: is where the room where the orbiter is normally kept. For mobile orbiters this selection isn't important since you carry them everywhere. For regular orbiters, whatever room you choose is the room that the orbiter will use until the user selects something else.
Leave Monitor on for OSD: OSD (On-screen display) refers to the orbiters that run on the media directors. These are a little different since the media director is normally connected to a tv. If you want to use the Orbiter on a media director using a keyboard/mouse or infrared remote control, check this box. It means that when media stops LinuxMCE won't turn the tv off right away so you can continue using the Orbiter using the Media Director's keyboard or mouse, or the infrared remote. The TV will turn off only when the screen saver starts, or if you touch the 'power' button and 'turn off display'. If you always control the Media Director using another orbiter, like a web pad or mobile phone, you can leave it unchecked. Then the TV will come on only when you're going to play media or watch TV, and it will turn off immediately when you stop watching media.
This device uses a Wi-Fi connection Is useful for webpads and pda's with a wi-fi signal. Since wi-fi is rather unreliable, the core and Orbiter will constantly 'ping' each other so they both know the connection is still strong enough, and the Orbiter software will automatically exit when the Orbiter goes out of range.
No Effects: Many screens have special effects, like animated buttons, fades, and so on. If the orbiter has a slow processor, this can make it take longer to respond. Choose this to disable any special effects on the orbiter so it runs as fast as possible.
Language: All the text on the screen will appear in this language, if possible.
NOTE: You can create your own menus and translate screens into other languages using [[Designer]].
Size: Choose the screen size you want. If this is an on-screen orbiter (an orbiter that appears on a media director), this will also set the media director's screen resolution.
Skin: There may be several skins, or motif's, to choose from, like 'Wood', 'Marble', etc.
User: Is the person who normally uses this orbiter.
Quick Regen: To make the orbiters respond quickly, all the images you see on their screens are pre-rendered. The User interface is "built" by the program [[Orbiter Generator]]. This will cause Orbiter Generator to re-generate the user interface for this orbiter, but it will only regenerate the screens that appear to have changed.
Full Regen: This will cause Orbiter Generator to re-generate every screen on the Orbiter.
Reduce image size by %: This will cause Orbiter Generator to add some padding to the screens. This is useful if the screen margins are being displayed outside of the TV screen. Developer info: although it may sound intuitive that the corresponding DeviceData is also called "Reduce image size by %", it is in fact called "Spacing". The PK_DeviceData for it is 150. The text "Reduce image size by %" comes from the DeviceTemplate_DeviceData table and it's the meaning of the device data in that specific device context
Offset: This will cause Orbiter...

[[Category: Orbiters]]
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What scenarios are created automatically?

2007-09-08T13:49:43Z

Jhelwig: Spelling fix.

Scenarios, or activities, are the buttons that appear on the main menu of every controller, such as Web pads, PDAs, mobile phones, and the media directors display on the television. Scenarios are tied to rooms. A scenario can affect any device anywhere in the house, the room that it is tied to just determines what room it appears in. This way when you are in a room you'll only see the scenarios you're likely to want to use within that room. Generally with mobile phones your current room is detected automatically, so the menu on the mobile phone will show just the scenarios for whatever room you are in. Other controllers are not able to detect the location automatically, so there will be a room button you used to tell the controller what room it is in, so we can show you the scenarios appropriate for that room. Of course you can choose any room in the house no matter where you are, so you can choose any scenario from any room at any time.

LinuxMCE automatically creates several scenarios to get you started. Naturally every home is different and you will likely want to change the scenarios, but most users find it easier to modify existing scenarios, then to start from scratch. Once you make a modification to one of the default scenarios, then LinuxMCE will no longer modify that scenario. However until you start to make your own modifications, LinuxMCE will create the following scenarios:
 
Lighting: 
 
ON/OFF - in any room with lights, there will be on and off scenarios it turns all those lights on or off.
Showtime - in any room with a television, though be a Showtime scenario which sets all ceiling lights at 10%, accent and picture lights at 30%, and turns off all other lights in the room,and closes any blines or draperies.
Sleep - in all bedrooms this will turn off all lights, close all blind and draperies in that room, stop any media that is playing in the room, and change the users mode to sleeping, which affects how phone calls are routed.
Wakeup -in all bedrooms this will open the blinds and turn on all lights to 30% and change the users mode to 'at home'.
House to sleep mode - the scenario is created in the master bedroom only. It executes the normal sleep scenario for that room, and also turns off all interior lights in public rooms (ie non-Bedrooms), and stops any media in public rooms. It also changes the house mode to sleeping which affects which security sensors are armed.
Leave home/Return Home - in all rooms defined as foyers or entrances, 'Leave home' will turn off all interior lights, stop all media in all rooms, and set the house mode to 'armed away'. Return home sets the house mode to 'disarmed'. This affects the security sensors. If you choose this scenario from any controller other than your own personal mobile phone, you will be asked to enter your pin number.

Media: 
Movies/Music/Pictures/Documents/Playlists - these scenarios are automatically created in any room with a media director to play media on that media director. Rooms with a network audio player only, will only have the music and play list scenarios.
TV - this scenario is in any room with a media director that has PVR capabilities
Play/eject disk - this scenario is in any room with a media director that has a disk drive for playing CDs or DVDs. Use this button to eject the disk, or restart playing whatever disk is currently in the drive.
Other media sources - a scenario will automatically be created for all media sources within that room. Some devices have multiple media sources built-in. For example if you have a VCR/DVD/TV combo unit, then three separate scenarios will be created automatically to use and control those three sources. Some devices do not have any media source, for example amplifiers and projectors. In this case no scenarios will be created for these devices, because those devices will automatically be controlled when you start whenever media source is connected to them.

Climate: 

ON/OFF - in any room with a thermostat, this will turn the thermostat on to automatic or off.
Pool/Jacuzzi/Sprinklers - a scenario will automatically be created to control these types of devices in the master bedroom and all public living rooms.

Telecom: 

Phone - this scenario is automatically created in every room of the house, and is used to make phone calls.
Voicemail/user status indicators - this scenario shows you what your current users status is, which affects how your calls are routed, and shows any voicemail. By default in every room there is an indicator for every user. You can remove users' indicators from rooms where those users are not likely to be.

Security: 
Security - this button is created by default in every room and is used to change the house mode, which determines what security sensors are armed and how to respond to them.
Single Camera Views - and if you have four or fewer surveillance cameras in the house, a shortcut button for each camera will be created in every room.
Quad Camera Views - if you have more than four surveillance cameras, scenarios will be created to view four cameras at a time. By default the system will try to group the cameras together by rooms.