Current events

2008-03-01T21:03:14Z

Mrdigitall:

Visit the [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?board=350.0 Upcoming features forum] to discuss new features, changes or ideas. If you are willing to offer some cash or other compensation to a developer to get something done right away, visit the [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?board=349.0 Help Wanted forum].

When a developer has decided to implement some new feature or change, please edit this wiki to add a brief summary including a link to the original forum topic for this new idea, so other users can post to that topic to discuss this, and where you will post updated progress info. Visit the [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Contacts Contacts Page] to find developers who can commit your work to the main LinuxMCE branch, or to request svn write access.

This page lists the features which developers we are working to implement in the next release. There is also a forum dedicated to discussing features here . Please post to this page only those features which have been decided to be included.

Read about the long-term goals and strategy here: [[History|History of LinuxMCE, why I started this project, and the goals]]

----
== Google Summer of Code Ideas: ==

'''internet radio'''
Integrate internet radio into the existing media menu option so radio stations can be browsed the same way local media can.

'''internet tv / videos.google / youtube'''
Integrate these online video sources into the existing media menu option so this video can be browsed the same way local media can.

'''gsd events'''
The embedded Ruby interpretor presently only handles controlling devices; ie processing commands. The same code could be adapted in reverse to respond to events.

'''Standardized to be included in Ubuntu'''
LinuxMCE still has a lot of non-standard scripts that Pluto wrote for use in commercial, black-box systems, which need to be rewritten in a more standard manner so that LinuxMCE plays nicely by Ubuntu's rules and be accepted into Ubuntu's main repository and included in their build.

'''Download audio podcast/video podcast'''
A way with the GUI to subscribe to podcasts, and have them automatically downloaded and aggregated with the media in the home. Including playcount so a list of not listened to podcasts can be created.

Would it be possible to harness Miro/DemocracyTV for this functionality? I've succeeded personally in getting the Miro client to download videos into the LinuxMCE directory structure, but the filenames are non-intuitive and not all of them show up correctly (needs more testing). - dragon_788

'''Capture video from firewire camera'''
The current plug and play detection engine already recognizes firewire digital camcorders. There should be a very rudimentary, simple 'capture' option that appears on screen to do basic video capture and save it to the managed media. Users can use a video editor like Kino for real editing; this is just for quick capture.

'''Better organize and manage photos'''
The current UI could use some optimization to make it work better for managing photos.

== Current Development ==
[[What modules are in development?]]

Gyration GYR3101US

2008-03-01T20:59:43Z

Mrdigitall: /* The HowTo */

[[Category: Hardware]]
[[Category: Input]]
[[Category: Infrared]]
[[Category: Tutorials]]

== Summary ==
[[Image:Gyration.JPG|right]]
The Gyration GYR3101US remote is identical in style to the [http://fiire.com/fiire-chief.php Fiire Chief]

And uses the gyro feature just like a mouse. The major difference is how the remote is detected and used by LMCE.

However the keys are not all mapped as nicely as the custom firmware of the Chief. However this can be simply updated by using the
[http://cf.ccmr.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/w3mman2html.cgi?xmodmap(1) Xmodmap] program, and its corresponding config file, to gain similar functionality from this remote.

The one I am using I purchased at [http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Gyration-Universal-Remote-Control-for-PC-GYR3101US/sem/rpsm/oid/178884/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do Circuit CIty] for $99US. This is only $50 less + shipping than the Fiire, but for those of us lucky enough to have a Circuit City nearby, it makes an inexpensive solution.

When the device is plugged in, it is identified and configured as a GO Wireless USB device. And the gyration mouse bit works immediatley. If this is all you want, your done. No more configuration is needed. In my case I wanted the "Ambience" (Volume/Lighting) control key mapped, as well as the Channel/Chapter function, and lets not forget the ability to pull up the menu while watching/listening to media. Also by default the Stop button will stop media playback, and the skip forward and back buttons work. Again, if this is all you want, your done :).

By default kubuntu/LMCE sees the volume up/down keys, the 10 key numbers, the MCE button, and the media control play/stop/ffwd/rwd/pause/skip fwd/skip back.

Gyration codes: [[Gyration-GYR3101US-codes]]

== The HowTo ==

Before you try the steps below try these steps

Make sure the usbmouse and usbkbd modules are not loaded. These drivers are obsolete, and should not be used. Instead, use usbhid. That driver understands HID (human interface device) descriptor data sent by the mouse and configures itself properly

Configure X to use /dev/input/mice as its input device, and set the protocol to "ImPS/2". Then, you should be able to use the wired keyboard and mouse and the Gyration ones together.
Using All Of Those Buttons

Once you've got the basic mouse functions running, it's time to make the buttons work. Install xbindkeys, xbindkeys-config, and xvkbd. use apt-get and the packages have the same names as the programs.

Run xbindkeys-config. Press the New and Get Key buttons, then press one of the function buttons on the Gyration mouse or keyboard. The event parameters will be filled in for you, and then you can fill in a command that will be run when you press that button. When you've made commands for all of the buttons, use the Save command to save the file to .xbindkeysrc in your home directory. Then run xbindkeys. This will capture button presses and run the commands in your .xbindkeysrc file.

One useful command is xvkbd -xsendevent -text text-string
This simulates typing any key combination on the keyboard. Read its manual page for details.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To enable the volume control, I used the ''xev'' application from the KDE desktop terminal window, and identified the required keys.

xev

Once this is run, it will pop-up a test window. Place your mouse in there, and then press the buttons on the Gyration remote, and see the results in the terminal. Pay special attention to the

keycode

entries, they are what you will place in your new .Xmodmap file.

Now on my particular setup, and I have a feeling its the default, the keys show up as:

Volume Up keycode 176
Volume Down keycode 174
MCE button keycode 97

Now the keys in LMCE that provide for the volume/channel/menu function are:

F6 = Channel/Chapter FFWD/RWD/PAUSE menu
F7 = Menu button
F8 = Volume/Lighting button "ambience"

== Update to get more MythTV functionality!!! ==

MythTV Keys

P = Pause # Pause key on remote
R = Record # Record key on remote
Z = 30 second skip # Right skip key under directional pad
Q = 10 second back # Left skip key under directional pad
I = Info # Info button
F9 = Mute # Mute button
Y = Switch Cards # Pictures button
PgUP = Fast Forward # FFWD Button
PgDOWN = Rewind # RWND Button

Using this info, I created the following .Xmodmap file as root user in /etc

cd /etc
sudo vi /etc/.Xmodmap

/etc/.Xmodmap
keycode 176 = F8
keycode 174 = F6
keycode 97 = F7
keycode 110 = P
keycode 177 = R
keycode 153 = Z
keycode 144 = Q
keycode 134 = I
keycode 160 = F9
keycode 237 = Y
keycode 180 = PgUP
keycode 152 = PgDOWN

Now after creating the file, we need to make sure it is loaded when LMCE starts up. To do this add the following as root to
''/usr/pluto/bin/lmce_launch_manager.sh''

sudo vi /usr/pluto/bin/lmce_launch_manager.sh
Put this right before the line '''KDE_DEBUG=1'''
So that it looks like.....
xmodmap /etc/.Xmodmap
KDE_DEBUG=1

Save the file. Now you have two choices to get it going,

Choice 1 is to fire off the command
sudo xmodmap /etc/.Xmodmap
This must be done from the KDE desktop term window, as it needs to be run in the X environment.

Choice 2 is to restart the core.

By placing the file in the lmce_launch_manager.sh script, anytime the core is rebooted, your settings are automagically set up. :)

There are a couple of oddities to deal with that I have seen. Now when I watch a movie, and want to change the volume or lighting, on a movie or pre-recorded program, it does what it supposed to, but when watching mythtv live, pressing the volume up on the Gyration remote invokes the Sleep Timer in mythtv. This can be easily resolved by remapping the sleep timer key using the mythweb application located at http://core.ip.address/mythweb/ for internal open systems or http://core.dhcp.server.adress/mythweb/

This can be avoided by unmapping the following keys in Mythweb/Settings/Controls

F6
F7
F8

Simply unmap these keys. Make sure you scroll down the whole list, as they appear more than once :)

So after you have completed these steps the following keys will do these functions:

MCE button pulls up LMCE menu system
Volume Up button brings up the "Ambience" controls during media playback
Volume Down button brings up the Channel/Chapter Fast Forward/Rewind and Pause functions
The Gyration center button does movement
If you double click the center button, the mouse stays active,
but remember to click once more to turn off, or you'll kill the batteries.
The Gyration Left button acts like the left mouse button for "Choose" functions
The Gyration Right button is the "exit" or "clear item" button.
The left and right buttons are just like mouse buttons.
The Number keys work with MythTV
The Pause button will pause MythTV
The Record button will start an on-the-fly-recording
The skip forward button, does the standard 30 second skip
The skip back button does the 10 second back skip
The fast-forward and rewind buttons function as they should
The Pictures button, will switch tuner cards if you have more than one, Nice for us DVB users who don't use VDR.
The Mute button functions
The Info button functions

Thats it, your ready to be Inter "Active" with your LMCE system. Enjoy.

Please feel free to update this article with any other information, or if I forgot something. :-)

LinuxMCE - User contributions [en]

Current events

Gyration GYR3101US