LinuxMCE - User contributions [en]

AndroidTouchOrbiter

2014-07-30T10:13:41Z

Purps: /* Note */

[[Category:Orbiters]]

 
= Note =
*Ultimately the Android orbiter of choice will be Golgoj4's [[QOrbiter_Setup|qOrbiter]]. This orbiter is now being tested, see http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13344.0.html to get involved.
*For now, the best orbiter for Android is los93sol's TouchOrbiter (honed by tschak909) downloadable from the Orbiter page in web admin, or here http://deb.linuxmce.org/LinuxMCE-Orbiter.apk, also see this thread http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13064.0.html

= Android Touch Orbiter =

== About ==
AndroidTouchOrbiter is a touch orbiter port for Android using the lightweight touch orbiter concept based on the proxy orbiter plugin. It uses the same techniques as [[Web Orbiter 2.0]]. for the creation of the orbiter itself.
The app should work with any Android version 1.5 and beyond
The app is available [http://deb.linuxmce.org/LinuxMCE-Orbiter.apk here].

== Installation ==
Either push the apk to your phone/device using adb or tools that came with your phone OR
Browse to the apk from your phone/device and you should be given the option to install.

== Configuration ==
 After having installed the app you first have to set your preferences. Hit your menu key and go into settings. When inside you have at least to set the server IP (which is the Core IP - default: 192.168.80.1) and the server port of your proxy orbiter. The default values are what should be common for most people but you might want to double check your port number - it is set as part of the device data for the proxy orbiter (use linuxMCE admin). Additionally you may want to adjust the polling time for the ANYNEWS check. This is the gap between calls to the server to check if the screen has changed.

== Intent ==
Please note, this is not a full Orbiter with media playback capabilities. It only has the same remote control features as the WebOrbiter 2.0.

Joggler

2013-12-09T00:20:11Z

Purps: /* Optional: Squeezeslave */

[[Category: Orbiters]]

=Transforming O2 Joggler to LinuxMCE orbiter=
==Creating device in LinuxMCE==
Login to your webadmin. Go to "Orbiter" and add a new device of type "Orbiter". Set the Size to "Nokia770". Choose whatever skin and language you like. Quick reload your core and let it create the Orbiter. Anyway; you have a lot of work to do meanwhile :-)
Check your new orbiter's device ID. You will need it below during pluto.conf creation.

==Installing base system==
===Download and install SqueezeOS===
Get [http://birdslikewires.co.uk/articles/squeezeplay-os SqueezePlay OS] for Joggler. I suggest using the version "for internal memory". You may use the USB version and work on with an external USB stick on your joggler. However i tested this whole process using the joggler's internal flash.
====Using linux====
Unzip the download (filename may of course change if new version is released):
gunzip sqpos109mmc.img.gz
Plug in a 2GB (min) USB stick. Find the device name of your USB stick:
sudo fdisk -l
Write the image to your USB stick. '''ATTENTION: ALL FILES ON YOUR USB STICK WILL BE OVERWRITTEN !!!'''
sudo umount /dev/sdX*
sudo dd if=sqpos109mmc.img of=/dev/sdX bs=1M
Where sdX is your USB device.
====Using OSX====
Unzip the download (filename may of course change if new version is released):
gunzip sqpos109mmc.img.gz
Open a Terminal window. Plug in a 2GB (min) USB stick. Find the device name of your USB stick:
sudo diskutil list
Write the image to your USB stick. '''ATTENTION: ALL FILES ON YOUR USB STICK WILL BE OVERWRITTEN !!!'''
sudo umount -f /dev/diskX*
sudo dd if=sqpos109mmc.img of=/dev/rdiskX bs=1m
Where rdiskX is your USB device.
===Flash it to your joggler's internal memory===
Power off your joggler. Insert your newly prepared USB stick to your joggler's external USB port. Power on your joggler and let it flash the SqueezeOS to the internal flash memory.
Read instructions on screen. When done remove the externel USB stick and let the joggler boot into your newly installed SqueezeOS.
===Setup WLAN===
If you plan to use WLAN then you better configure it using the SqueezeOS GUI before we disable it in the next steps. Otherwise it will be tricky to set it up later.
===Activating SSH server===
Once booted into SqueezeOS go to '''"Settings > Advanced > Additional Features > OpenSSH server"''' and activate it.
Give it some minutes to install and then try to ssh to your joggler:
ssh joggler@<your joggler's ip>
password is: joggler

==Transform it to Orbiter==
===Adapt sources.list===
SSH to joggler, "sudo su" to root and replace /etc/apt/sources.list with following content:
###### Ubuntu Main Repos
deb http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid main restricted universe multiverse

###### Ubuntu Update Repos
deb http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://uk.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-backports main restricted universe multiverse

###### Ubuntu Partner Repo
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner
deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner

##### Joggler PPA
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/jools/joggler/ubuntu lucid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/jools/joggler/ubuntu lucid main

##### Intel EMGD binaries PPA
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/jools/emgd-xorg1.9/ubuntu lucid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/jools/emgd-xorg1.9/ubuntu lucid main

#### LinuxMCE repo
deb http://deb.linuxmce.org/ubuntu/ lucid beta2

===Update installation to latest packages===
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
===Install pre requirements for Orbiter===
apt-get install mysql-client libsdl-ttf2.0-0 libsdl-sge libsdl-gfx1.2-4 libsdl-image1.2 libhid0 icewm liblinphone3 libxcursor1 msttcorefonts
===Create directory structure===
mkdir -p /usr/pluto/bin
mkdir -p /usr/pluto/lib
mkdir -p /usr/pluto/locks
mkdir -p /var/log/pluto

chown -R joggler:joggler /usr/pluto
chown -R joggler:joggler /var/log/pluto

===Copy needed files from your core to your joggler===
'''This step can only be successful IF you run 1004 on your core. Otherwise the binaries and libs must be sources elsewhere'''

SSH to joggler if not yet done. You don't need to become root. Copy the Orbiter binary:
cd /usr/pluto/bin
scp root@dcerouter:/usr/pluto/bin/Orbiter .
scp root@dcerouter:/usr/pluto/bin/Config_Ops.sh .
scp root@dcerouter:/usr/pluto/bin/SQL_Ops.sh .
scp root@dcerouter:/usr/pluto/bin/LockUtils.sh .

Copy the needed libraries:
cd /usr/pluto/lib
scp root@dcerouter:/usr/pluto/lib/* .
Note: you may need to change "dcerouter" to your core's full FQDN or to your core's IP address, depending your local environment.

===Modify config files===
Tell your system where to find LinuxMCE libraries needed by Orbiter:
sudo echo /usr/pluto/lib > /etc/ld.so.conf.d/LinuxMCE.conf
Create '''/home/joggler/startOrbiter.sh''' file with following content:
#!/bin/bash

. /usr/pluto/bin/Config_Ops.sh 2>/dev/null

ConfGet "MyOrbiterID"
ConfGet "DCERouter"

while [ "1" == "1" ] ; do
cd /usr/pluto/bin
/usr/pluto/bin/Orbiter -r $DCERouter -d $MyOrbiterID
sleep 15
done
Change mode:
chmod 755 /home/joggler/startOrbiter.sh
Replace '''/home/joggler/.xinitrc''' file with the following content:
export DISPLAY=:0.0
xset +dpms
xset dpms 300 300 300

if [ -f /home/joggler/startSqueezeSlave.sh ]; then
/home/joggler/startSqueezeSlave.sh&
fi

if [ -f /home/joggler/startOrbiter.sh ]; then
/home/joggler/startOrbiter.sh
else
xterm
fi
The "xset dpms 300 300 300" line sets the timeout in seconds for your joggler's screen to switch off. Feel free to change to your needs.

===Create LinuxMCE configuration===
"sudo su" to root and create '''/etc/pluto.conf''' with the following content:
MySqlHost = 192.168.80.1
MySqlUser = root
MySqlPassword =
MySqlDBName = pluto_main
DCERouter = 192.168.80.1
MySqlPort = 3306
DCERouterPort = 3450
Display = 0
MyOrbiterID = <ID>
Replace <ID> with the device ID of the orbiter you created above.

===Optional: Squeezeslave===
If you want to playback audio files on your joggler via Logitech Media Server you can add the squeezeslave package:
sudo apt-get install squeezeslave
Create '''/home/joggler/startSqueezeSlave.sh'''
#!/bin/bash

. /usr/pluto/bin/Config_Ops.sh 2>/dev/null

ConfGet "DCERouter"
MAC=$(ifconfig eth0 | grep "HWaddr" | sed 's/.*HWaddr $[:[:xdigit:]]*$.*$/\1/g')

while [ "1" = "1" ]; do
/usr/bin/squeezeslave -m $MAC $DCERouter
done
NOTE: If you are using your Joggler with WiFi, replace "eth0" with "wlan0".

Change mode
chmod 755 /home/joggler/startSqueezeSlave.sh
If you want your squeezeslave to be a DCE device, meaning that it can be controlled by an Orbiter or my events:
#Go to LinuxMCE webadmin
#Click on "Show device tree"
#Expand CORE
#Click on "Slim Server Streamer"
#Click on "Create child device"
#Enter a description like "Joggler" and enter jogglers IP address and MAC address
#Click on "Pick device template" and choose DT #58
After having finished device installation you need to assign it to a room which does not yet have an MD.
#Click on the LinuxMCE logo in Webadmin (top left)
#Click on "A/V Equipment"
#Search for your new joggler squeezeslave, modify it's room and click the update butom on page bottom.
Quick reload DCERouter, let your orbiters rebuild and enjoy LinuxMCE playing audio on your joggler.

==TODO==
On my whishlist:
* Get mouse cursor hidden. All tries with unclutter or xsetroot to emptycursor failed miserably in the past.
* Make it possible to switch from Orbiter to SqueezePlay and back
* Make mediaplay work on joggler via LMCE. At least audio. Video would be a bonus.
* Make it auto create a new orbiter after first install
Future playground:
* Play with NFS boot of maybe +/- full MD ?

Android Orbiter

2013-08-23T12:53:08Z

Purps:

=LinuxMCE QOrbiter for Android=
This wiki page serves 2 purposes: To serve as an intermediate install guide for the Android LinuxMCE QOrbiter, and to serve as a point of reference for future developers.

==History==
===Original Implementation using Qt4===
The Android qorbiter is the result of a very tricky process. We utilize the LinuxMCE libraries, qt libraries, and wrap them inside java for execution on the Android device. Besides using vanilla Qt Creator, we also utilize Neccesitas, a cross platform compiler that takes the Native c++ and wraps it for executing inside the Android JNI.

===Latest Implementation using Qt5===
As a result of Digia aquiring Qt, they have made an effort to extend Qt to both iOS and Android. The result of this
effort so far is Qt5.1.0 for Android. This release brings the advances gained in Qt5 to the android platform, as well
as some other features, not the least of which is no longer needing ministro to download qt libraries.

=Installation=
Please note, you will need 30mb of storage space on the devices internal storage. NOT the sd card. You will also need to install via wifi!!
*Download the BETA apk: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.linuxmce.qorbiter
*Nightly experimental builds can be obtained at http://langstonball.com/qorbiter/
*Install the .apk
*If you are installing Qorbiter for Qt4, the ministro box will pop up when you start the application.
*When it is finished, it will ask you for to download Ministro II, which in turns might need additional libs which are automatically downloaded.
. Do this and let it finish.
*Install the Ministro Config Tool, run it. Do not change the repo.
*After closing the Ministro Config Tool, running qOrbiter will probably download some additional stuff.
QOrbiter is now installed!

==Configuration==
You will need to prepare for the addition of the device to your system before it can be used by following these steps.
*Navigate to the 'Orbiters' page in the LinuxMCE Admin website. Create a new QOrbiter device from the dropdown box at the bottom. Make sure you fill in all the information there like:
**User
**Room
**Size - This is a remnant of the old orbiter, choose the smallest one, so that any regen it does is fast.
**'''Make a note of the device number'''
*When done, choose update.
*When the core is ready, it will ask you to do a quick reload. MAKE SURE to set the default user and location.
*Quick Reload the router when asked.
*When you start the android QOrbiter, it should pop up a list of orbiters. Select the appropriate one, and it should finish setup.

Now you will need to decide on a skin. Eventually, this will be a cleaner process. For the moment, it isnt :)
All skins live on the core and will be accessible from http://<your-route-ip>/lmce-admin/skins The following instructions are for the core machine. you may need to run these commands with 'sudo'.

All skins need a skins directory:
mkdir -p /var/www/lmce-admin/skins

sudo apt-get install subversion

svn co http://svn.linuxmce.org/svn/branches/LinuxMCE-1004/src/qOrbiter/qOrbiter_src/qml /var/www/lmce-admin/skins && chmod -R 777 /var/www/lmce-admin/skins/android

Now your skins are installed.

==Running the device==
*Assuming the previous steps were completed, you can now connect.
*The default ip it connects to is 192.168.80.1
*Enter the device number you previously made note of for the device number
*If your core address is not standard, it will hang. you can kill the device and edit the config.xml at the location listed below.

The configuration file is located on the SDCard under /LinuxMCE

==Remote Access==

In order to use qOrbiter from outside your internal LMCE network, you need to:
*Open ports 2757 & 3450 on your firewall via webadmin
*Change the host line in LinuxMCE/config.xml on your Android device to your CORE's external IP address.

[[Category:Programmer's Guide]][[Category:QML]][[category:QOrbiter]]

=Previous Android Orbiters=
Until the qOrbiter reaches perfection, there are a few other choices, the best of which is los93sol's TouchOrbiter (honed by tschak909). It downloadable from the Orbiter page in web admin, otherwise grab it here http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13064.0.html

Don't forget to help put the qOrbiter through its paces! http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13344.0.html

AndroidTouchOrbiter

2013-08-23T12:46:07Z

Purps:

[[Category:Orbiters]]

 
= Note =
*Ultimately the Android orbiter of choice will be Golgoj4's [[QOrbiter_Setup|qOrbiter]]. This orbiter is now being tested, see http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13344.0.html to get involved.
*For now, the best orbiter for Android is los93sol's TouchOrbiter (honed by tschak909) downloadable from the Orbiter page in web admin, otherwise grab it here http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php/topic,13064.0.html

= AndroidTouchOrbiter =

== About ==
AndroidTouchOrbiter is a touch orbiter port for Android using the lightweight touch orbiter concept based on the proxy orbiter plugin. It uses the same techniques as [[Web Orbiter 2.0]]. for the creation of the orbiter itself.
The app should work with any Android version 1.5 and beyond
The app is available [http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/browser/people/darrenmason/AndroidTouchOrbiter/bin/AndroidTouchOrbiter.apk here].

== Installation ==
Either push the apk to your phone/device using adb or tools that came with your phone OR
Browse to the apk from your phone/device and you should be given the option to install.

== Configuration ==
 After having installed the app you first have to set your preferences. Hit your menu key and go into settings. When inside you have at least to set the server IP (which is the Core IP - default: 192.168.80.1) and the server port of your proxy orbiter. The default values are what should be common for most people but you might want to double check your port number - it is set as part of the device data for the proxy orbiter (use linuxMCE admin). Additionally you may want to adjust the polling time for the ANYNEWS check. This is the gap between calls to the server to check if the screen has changed.

== Intent ==
Please note, this is not a full Orbiter with media playback capabilities. It only has the same remote control features as the WebOrbiter 2.0.

Internet Radio

2013-05-29T21:46:50Z

Purps: /* Radio alarm */

{{versioninfo|710Status=Working|710UpdatedDate=13th Oct 2010|710UpdatedBy=[[User:cht_winston|cht_winston]]|810Status=Working|810UpdatedDate=23rd June 2010|810UpdatedBy=Metoer|1004Status=Working|1004UpdatedDate=14th Oct 2011|1004UpdatedBy=sambuca}}
[[Category:Internet Streaming]]
[[category:media]]

= 1004 =
== Overview ==
The Radio scenario is added automatically and lists audio streams by genre.
{{p}}

== How to use ==
To add streams to the database, go to the Web Admin -> Files & Media -> Media Browser. In the left section, you will find a "Add new" link. Clicking on this will open the normal file view screen in the right pane, and allow you to add a new file. (This can be any file, it does not have to be a stream).

If you are adding an audio stream, be sure to set the type to "LinuxMCE streamed Audio".
Enter the URL into the file input box and press 'add' to save it. Then the saved item appears. Add at least one genre and one channel name attribute. Those attributes are expected by LinuxMCE and should always be added. The path field is not used.

When going to a orbiter, you should now see all genres containing any streamed audio items. Selecting a genre will list all channels in that genre. Selecting a channel will open the file detail screen and allows you to press play to play the stream.

As of 2012-02-22, Xine_Player also supports playing playlist URLs directly.

== Radio alarm ==
If you wish to use to use a radio stream as a radio alarm, do the following:

*Under "Timed Events" in web admin, add a new "Day of week based" event and edit it.
*Choose a time and days etc.
*Add a "Media Plug-in" and choose the "MH Play Media" command.
*Then fill out:
**'#13 Filename (string)
**'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)
**'#29 PK_MediaType (int)

Where...

*'#13 Filename (string) = URL of stream (eg "http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r4_aaclca.pls")
*'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string) = the ID for the Entertainment Area in which you would like the playback to occur.
*'#29 PK_MediaType (int) = 4

Hint: If you don't know what the EntertainArea ID is, on the core...

sudo su <ENTER>
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <ENTER>
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea; <ENTER>
Make a note of the ID, and then...
mqsql> quit <ENTER>

Top tip: You can also set the volume level with the "MH Set Volume" command (otherwise it will simply play at the volume level you left it on). Place the command immediately after the radio stream - the volume will only be set if something is already playing (it is not necessary to add a delay).

{{p}}

= Older releases (810/710) =
Older releases does not have any direct support for the Internet Radio station list. However, you can create the scenario shortcut to quick-start your favorite station.

Here is a link to a page with a few stations that you can choose from, I tried a couple and they all seemed to work with this wiki.
http://slhungary.hu/print.php?plugin:content.40

* Go to [[LinuxMCE Admin Website]] --> Advanced --> Configuration --> Scenarios --> Media Scenarios" and press "Add My Scenario" button.

* Under "Add My Scenario" type a description, like "DI - Lounge". Check in which room you want this scenario to appear. Press "Save".

* Click on the description of the scenario that you've just added.

* In "Scenario commands" select "Media Plug-in" from the "Device:" drop-down and "MH Play Media" from the "Command:" drop-down. Press the "Add" button.

# In the "#13 Filename (string)" field type the URL of your online radio station ( e.g.: http://scfire-chi0l-1.stream.aol.com/stream/1009 ).
# In the "#29 PK_MediaType (int)" type 4.
# In the "#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)" put the number of the Entertaining Area (it usually starts from 1, see the note below). Press the "Save" button and the "Test Command" to see if it works.

* Do a [[quick reload router|Quick Reload]] & [[Orbiter Generator|Regen]] and you'll be able to see you radio on the media menu of your Orbiter. Click on the button and it should start playing.
{{p}}

==Where to Find Compatible Internet Radio Stations==

If you're in the U.S. like me, you'll probably have a hard time finding "direct URLs" that you can create scenarios with that are compatible with LMCE. Like many of you, I wanted to use ShoutCast stations, however, ShoutCast has changed their webpage in such a way that it will open up it's own propreitary plug-in that doesn't provide you with the actual station's direct URL. Useless, if you want to create a new station scenario in LMCE.

I recommend doing the following:

1. Download WinAmp onto a Windows Box

2. Open up WinAmp and browse to your favorite Station (I use shoutcast stations)

3. Right click on the Winamp window where it lists what you're currently listening to

4. Click "View File Info"

5. This will provide the direct URL link you'll need to include in the steps below when you're creating your stations.

* I hope this helps... I had a hard time finding useful information on where to go to actually get "legitimate" direct URLs for Internet Radio Stations.
{{p}}

==Notes and troubleshooting==

* The media type "4" corresponds to a workaround, MEDIATYPE_pluto_StoredAudio_CONST. When all stuff eventually works, it will be changed to the "6" (MEDIATYPE_pluto_LiveRadio_CONST)

* If radio station playback doesn't start - try playing it a couple times more. There is an issue in xine-lib which sometimes causes it to fail the first time.

* Be sure not to put the URL of the playlist in "#13 Filename" parameter - it should be the URL of the station itself. Playlist URLs usually end with ".m3u" and ".pls". Download the playlist and get the URL of station from it (there can be many entries, each representing a mirror).

* If you have issues identifying your Entertainment Area ID, you can query the DB directly:
:* At the terminal, start the mysql commandline:
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <enter>
:then issue the following query
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea;
:*Select the ID of the desired area from the list:
+------------------+------------------+
| PK_EntertainArea | Description |
+------------------+------------------+
| 1 | Bedroom (Master) |
+------------------+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)
:type 'quit' to exit:
mysql> quit <enter>

Internet Radio

2013-05-29T21:45:35Z

Purps:

{{versioninfo|710Status=Working|710UpdatedDate=13th Oct 2010|710UpdatedBy=[[User:cht_winston|cht_winston]]|810Status=Working|810UpdatedDate=23rd June 2010|810UpdatedBy=Metoer|1004Status=Working|1004UpdatedDate=14th Oct 2011|1004UpdatedBy=sambuca}}
[[Category:Internet Streaming]]
[[category:media]]

= 1004 =
== Overview ==
The Radio scenario is added automatically and lists audio streams by genre.
{{p}}

== How to use ==
To add streams to the database, go to the Web Admin -> Files & Media -> Media Browser. In the left section, you will find a "Add new" link. Clicking on this will open the normal file view screen in the right pane, and allow you to add a new file. (This can be any file, it does not have to be a stream).

If you are adding an audio stream, be sure to set the type to "LinuxMCE streamed Audio".
Enter the URL into the file input box and press 'add' to save it. Then the saved item appears. Add at least one genre and one channel name attribute. Those attributes are expected by LinuxMCE and should always be added. The path field is not used.

When going to a orbiter, you should now see all genres containing any streamed audio items. Selecting a genre will list all channels in that genre. Selecting a channel will open the file detail screen and allows you to press play to play the stream.

As of 2012-02-22, Xine_Player also supports playing playlist URLs directly.

== Radio alarm ==
If you wish to use to use a radio stream as a radio alarm, do the following:

*Under "Timed Events" in web admin, add a new "Day of week based" event and edit it.
*Choose a time and days etc.
*Add a "Media Plug-in" and choose the "MH Play Media" command.
*Then fill out:
**'#13 Filename (string)
**'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)
**'#29 PK_MediaType (int)

Where...

*'#13 Filename (string) = URL of stream (eg "http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r4_aaclca.pls")
*'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string) = the ID for the Entertainment Area in which you would like the playback to occur.
*'#29 PK_MediaType (int) = 4

Hint: If you don't know what the EntertainArea ID is, on the core...

sudo su <ENTER>
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <ENTER>
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea; <ENTER>
Make a note of the ID, and then...
mqsql> quit <ENTER>

Top tip: You can also set the volume level with the "MH Set Volume" command (otherwise it will simply play the volume level you left it on). Place the command immediately after the radio stream - the volume will only be set if something is already playing (it is not necessary to add a delay).

{{p}}

= Older releases (810/710) =
Older releases does not have any direct support for the Internet Radio station list. However, you can create the scenario shortcut to quick-start your favorite station.

Here is a link to a page with a few stations that you can choose from, I tried a couple and they all seemed to work with this wiki.
http://slhungary.hu/print.php?plugin:content.40

* Go to [[LinuxMCE Admin Website]] --> Advanced --> Configuration --> Scenarios --> Media Scenarios" and press "Add My Scenario" button.

* Under "Add My Scenario" type a description, like "DI - Lounge". Check in which room you want this scenario to appear. Press "Save".

* Click on the description of the scenario that you've just added.

* In "Scenario commands" select "Media Plug-in" from the "Device:" drop-down and "MH Play Media" from the "Command:" drop-down. Press the "Add" button.

# In the "#13 Filename (string)" field type the URL of your online radio station ( e.g.: http://scfire-chi0l-1.stream.aol.com/stream/1009 ).
# In the "#29 PK_MediaType (int)" type 4.
# In the "#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)" put the number of the Entertaining Area (it usually starts from 1, see the note below). Press the "Save" button and the "Test Command" to see if it works.

* Do a [[quick reload router|Quick Reload]] & [[Orbiter Generator|Regen]] and you'll be able to see you radio on the media menu of your Orbiter. Click on the button and it should start playing.
{{p}}

==Where to Find Compatible Internet Radio Stations==

If you're in the U.S. like me, you'll probably have a hard time finding "direct URLs" that you can create scenarios with that are compatible with LMCE. Like many of you, I wanted to use ShoutCast stations, however, ShoutCast has changed their webpage in such a way that it will open up it's own propreitary plug-in that doesn't provide you with the actual station's direct URL. Useless, if you want to create a new station scenario in LMCE.

I recommend doing the following:

1. Download WinAmp onto a Windows Box

2. Open up WinAmp and browse to your favorite Station (I use shoutcast stations)

3. Right click on the Winamp window where it lists what you're currently listening to

4. Click "View File Info"

5. This will provide the direct URL link you'll need to include in the steps below when you're creating your stations.

* I hope this helps... I had a hard time finding useful information on where to go to actually get "legitimate" direct URLs for Internet Radio Stations.
{{p}}

==Notes and troubleshooting==

* The media type "4" corresponds to a workaround, MEDIATYPE_pluto_StoredAudio_CONST. When all stuff eventually works, it will be changed to the "6" (MEDIATYPE_pluto_LiveRadio_CONST)

* If radio station playback doesn't start - try playing it a couple times more. There is an issue in xine-lib which sometimes causes it to fail the first time.

* Be sure not to put the URL of the playlist in "#13 Filename" parameter - it should be the URL of the station itself. Playlist URLs usually end with ".m3u" and ".pls". Download the playlist and get the URL of station from it (there can be many entries, each representing a mirror).

* If you have issues identifying your Entertainment Area ID, you can query the DB directly:
:* At the terminal, start the mysql commandline:
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <enter>
:then issue the following query
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea;
:*Select the ID of the desired area from the list:
+------------------+------------------+
| PK_EntertainArea | Description |
+------------------+------------------+
| 1 | Bedroom (Master) |
+------------------+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)
:type 'quit' to exit:
mysql> quit <enter>

Internet Radio

2013-05-29T18:26:18Z

Purps:

{{versioninfo|710Status=Working|710UpdatedDate=13th Oct 2010|710UpdatedBy=[[User:cht_winston|cht_winston]]|810Status=Working|810UpdatedDate=23rd June 2010|810UpdatedBy=Metoer|1004Status=Working|1004UpdatedDate=14th Oct 2011|1004UpdatedBy=sambuca}}
[[Category:Internet Streaming]]
[[category:media]]

= 1004 =
== Overview ==
The Radio scenario is added automatically and lists audio streams by genre.
{{p}}

== How to use ==
To add streams to the database, go to the Web Admin -> Files & Media -> Media Browser. In the left section, you will find a "Add new" link. Clicking on this will open the normal file view screen in the right pane, and allow you to add a new file. (This can be any file, it does not have to be a stream).

If you are adding an audio stream, be sure to set the type to "LinuxMCE streamed Audio".
Enter the URL into the file input box and press 'add' to save it. Then the saved item appears. Add at least one genre and one channel name attribute. Those attributes are expected by LinuxMCE and should always be added. The path field is not used.

When going to a orbiter, you should now see all genres containing any streamed audio items. Selecting a genre will list all channels in that genre. Selecting a channel will open the file detail screen and allows you to press play to play the stream.

As of 2012-02-22, Xine_Player also supports playing playlist URLs directly.

== Radio alarm ==
If you wish to use to use a radio stream as a radio alarm, do the following:

*Under "Timed Events" in web admin, add a new "Day of week based" event and edit it.
*Choose a time and days etc.
*Add a "Media Plug-in" and choose the MH_Play_Media command.
*Then fill out:
**'#13 Filename (string)
**'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)
**'#29 PK_MediaType (int)

Where...

*'#13 Filename (string) = URL of stream (eg "http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r4_aaclca.pls")
*'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string) = the ID for the Entertainment Area in which you would like the playback to occur.
*'#29 PK_MediaType (int) = 4

Hint: If you don't know what the EntertainArea ID is, on the core...

sudo su <ENTER>
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <ENTER>
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea; <ENTER>
Make a note of the ID, and then...
mqsql> quit <ENTER>

{{p}}

= Older releases (810/710) =
Older releases does not have any direct support for the Internet Radio station list. However, you can create the scenario shortcut to quick-start your favorite station.

Here is a link to a page with a few stations that you can choose from, I tried a couple and they all seemed to work with this wiki.
http://slhungary.hu/print.php?plugin:content.40

* Go to [[LinuxMCE Admin Website]] --> Advanced --> Configuration --> Scenarios --> Media Scenarios" and press "Add My Scenario" button.

* Under "Add My Scenario" type a description, like "DI - Lounge". Check in which room you want this scenario to appear. Press "Save".

* Click on the description of the scenario that you've just added.

* In "Scenario commands" select "Media Plug-in" from the "Device:" drop-down and "MH Play Media" from the "Command:" drop-down. Press the "Add" button.

# In the "#13 Filename (string)" field type the URL of your online radio station ( e.g.: http://scfire-chi0l-1.stream.aol.com/stream/1009 ).
# In the "#29 PK_MediaType (int)" type 4.
# In the "#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)" put the number of the Entertaining Area (it usually starts from 1, see the note below). Press the "Save" button and the "Test Command" to see if it works.

* Do a [[quick reload router|Quick Reload]] & [[Orbiter Generator|Regen]] and you'll be able to see you radio on the media menu of your Orbiter. Click on the button and it should start playing.
{{p}}

==Where to Find Compatible Internet Radio Stations==

If you're in the U.S. like me, you'll probably have a hard time finding "direct URLs" that you can create scenarios with that are compatible with LMCE. Like many of you, I wanted to use ShoutCast stations, however, ShoutCast has changed their webpage in such a way that it will open up it's own propreitary plug-in that doesn't provide you with the actual station's direct URL. Useless, if you want to create a new station scenario in LMCE.

I recommend doing the following:

1. Download WinAmp onto a Windows Box

2. Open up WinAmp and browse to your favorite Station (I use shoutcast stations)

3. Right click on the Winamp window where it lists what you're currently listening to

4. Click "View File Info"

5. This will provide the direct URL link you'll need to include in the steps below when you're creating your stations.

* I hope this helps... I had a hard time finding useful information on where to go to actually get "legitimate" direct URLs for Internet Radio Stations.
{{p}}

==Notes and troubleshooting==

* The media type "4" corresponds to a workaround, MEDIATYPE_pluto_StoredAudio_CONST. When all stuff eventually works, it will be changed to the "6" (MEDIATYPE_pluto_LiveRadio_CONST)

* If radio station playback doesn't start - try playing it a couple times more. There is an issue in xine-lib which sometimes causes it to fail the first time.

* Be sure not to put the URL of the playlist in "#13 Filename" parameter - it should be the URL of the station itself. Playlist URLs usually end with ".m3u" and ".pls". Download the playlist and get the URL of station from it (there can be many entries, each representing a mirror).

* If you have issues identifying your Entertainment Area ID, you can query the DB directly:
:* At the terminal, start the mysql commandline:
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <enter>
:then issue the following query
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea;
:*Select the ID of the desired area from the list:
+------------------+------------------+
| PK_EntertainArea | Description |
+------------------+------------------+
| 1 | Bedroom (Master) |
+------------------+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)
:type 'quit' to exit:
mysql> quit <enter>

Internet Radio

2013-05-28T21:49:55Z

Purps:

{{versioninfo|710Status=Working|710UpdatedDate=13th Oct 2010|710UpdatedBy=[[User:cht_winston|cht_winston]]|810Status=Working|810UpdatedDate=23rd June 2010|810UpdatedBy=Metoer|1004Status=Working|1004UpdatedDate=14th Oct 2011|1004UpdatedBy=sambuca}}
[[Category:Internet Streaming]]
[[category:media]]

= 1004 =
== Overview ==
The Radio scenario is added automatically and lists audio streams by genre.
{{p}}

== How to use ==
To add streams to the database, go to the Web Admin -> Files & Media -> Media Browser. In the left section, you will find a "Add new" link. Clicking on this will open the normal file view screen in the right pane, and allow you to add a new file. (This can be any file, it does not have to be a stream).

If you are adding an audio stream, be sure to set the type to "LinuxMCE streamed Audio".
Enter the URL into the file input box and press 'add' to save it. Then the saved item appears. Add at least one genre and one channel name attribute. Those attributes are expected by LinuxMCE and should always be added. The path field is not used.

When going to a orbiter, you should now see all genres containing any streamed audio items. Selecting a genre will list all channels in that genre. Selecting a channel will open the file detail screen and allows you to press play to play the stream.

As of 2012-02-22, Xine_Player also supports playing playlist URLs directly.

== Radio alarm ==
If you wish to use to use a radio stream as a radio alarm, do the following:

*Under "Timed Events" in web admin, add a new "Day of week based" event and edit it.
*Choose a time and days etc.
*Add a "Media Plug-in" and choose the MH_Play_Media command.
*Then fill out:
**'#13 Filename (string)
**'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)
**'#29 PK_MediaType (int)

Where...

*'#13 Filename (string) = URL of stream (eg "http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r4_aaclca.pls")
*'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string) = the ID for the Entertainment Area in which you would like the playback to occur.
*'#29 PK_MediaType (int) = 4

Hint: If you don't know what the ID is, on the core...

sudo su <ENTER>
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <ENTER>
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea; <ENTER>
Make a note of the ID, and then...
[code]mqsql> quit <ENTER>

{{p}}

= Older releases (810/710) =
Older releases does not have any direct support for the Internet Radio station list. However, you can create the scenario shortcut to quick-start your favorite station.

Here is a link to a page with a few stations that you can choose from, I tried a couple and they all seemed to work with this wiki.
http://slhungary.hu/print.php?plugin:content.40

* Go to [[LinuxMCE Admin Website]] --> Advanced --> Configuration --> Scenarios --> Media Scenarios" and press "Add My Scenario" button.

* Under "Add My Scenario" type a description, like "DI - Lounge". Check in which room you want this scenario to appear. Press "Save".

* Click on the description of the scenario that you've just added.

* In "Scenario commands" select "Media Plug-in" from the "Device:" drop-down and "MH Play Media" from the "Command:" drop-down. Press the "Add" button.

# In the "#13 Filename (string)" field type the URL of your online radio station ( e.g.: http://scfire-chi0l-1.stream.aol.com/stream/1009 ).
# In the "#29 PK_MediaType (int)" type 4.
# In the "#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)" put the number of the Entertaining Area (it usually starts from 1, see the note below). Press the "Save" button and the "Test Command" to see if it works.

* Do a [[quick reload router|Quick Reload]] & [[Orbiter Generator|Regen]] and you'll be able to see you radio on the media menu of your Orbiter. Click on the button and it should start playing.
{{p}}

==Where to Find Compatible Internet Radio Stations==

If you're in the U.S. like me, you'll probably have a hard time finding "direct URLs" that you can create scenarios with that are compatible with LMCE. Like many of you, I wanted to use ShoutCast stations, however, ShoutCast has changed their webpage in such a way that it will open up it's own propreitary plug-in that doesn't provide you with the actual station's direct URL. Useless, if you want to create a new station scenario in LMCE.

I recommend doing the following:

1. Download WinAmp onto a Windows Box

2. Open up WinAmp and browse to your favorite Station (I use shoutcast stations)

3. Right click on the Winamp window where it lists what you're currently listening to

4. Click "View File Info"

5. This will provide the direct URL link you'll need to include in the steps below when you're creating your stations.

* I hope this helps... I had a hard time finding useful information on where to go to actually get "legitimate" direct URLs for Internet Radio Stations.
{{p}}

==Notes and troubleshooting==

* The media type "4" corresponds to a workaround, MEDIATYPE_pluto_StoredAudio_CONST. When all stuff eventually works, it will be changed to the "6" (MEDIATYPE_pluto_LiveRadio_CONST)

* If radio station playback doesn't start - try playing it a couple times more. There is an issue in xine-lib which sometimes causes it to fail the first time.

* Be sure not to put the URL of the playlist in "#13 Filename" parameter - it should be the URL of the station itself. Playlist URLs usually end with ".m3u" and ".pls". Download the playlist and get the URL of station from it (there can be many entries, each representing a mirror).

* If you have issues identifying your Entertainment Area ID, you can query the DB directly:
:* At the terminal, start the mysql commandline:
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <enter>
:then issue the following query
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea;
:*Select the ID of the desired area from the list:
+------------------+------------------+
| PK_EntertainArea | Description |
+------------------+------------------+
| 1 | Bedroom (Master) |
+------------------+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)
:type 'quit' to exit:
mysql> quit <enter>

Internet Radio

2013-05-28T21:49:06Z

Purps:

{{versioninfo|710Status=Working|710UpdatedDate=13th Oct 2010|710UpdatedBy=[[User:cht_winston|cht_winston]]|810Status=Working|810UpdatedDate=23rd June 2010|810UpdatedBy=Metoer|1004Status=Working|1004UpdatedDate=14th Oct 2011|1004UpdatedBy=sambuca}}
[[Category:Internet Streaming]]
[[category:media]]

= 1004 =
== Overview ==
The Radio scenario is added automatically and lists audio streams by genre.
{{p}}

== How to use ==
To add streams to the database, go to the Web Admin -> Files & Media -> Media Browser. In the left section, you will find a "Add new" link. Clicking on this will open the normal file view screen in the right pane, and allow you to add a new file. (This can be any file, it does not have to be a stream).

If you are adding an audio stream, be sure to set the type to "LinuxMCE streamed Audio".
Enter the URL into the file input box and press 'add' to save it. Then the saved item appears. Add at least one genre and one channel name attribute. Those attributes are expected by LinuxMCE and should always be added. The path field is not used.

When going to a orbiter, you should now see all genres containing any streamed audio items. Selecting a genre will list all channels in that genre. Selecting a channel will open the file detail screen and allows you to press play to play the stream.

As of 2012-02-22, Xine_Player also supports playing playlist URLs directly.

== Radio alarm ==
If you wish to use to use a radio stream as a radio alarm, do the following:

*Under "Timed Events" in web admin, add a new "Day of week based" event and edit it.
*Choose a time and days etc.
*Add a "Media Plug-in" and choose the MH_Play_Media command.
*Then fill out:
**'#13 Filename (string)
**'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)
**'#29 PK_MediaType (int)

Where...

*'#13 Filename (string) = URL of stream (eg "http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/listen/live/r4_aaclca.pls")
*'#45 PK_EntertainArea (string) = the ID for the Entertainment Area in which you would like the playback to occur.
*'#29 PK_MediaType (int) = 4

Hint: If you don't know what the ID is, on the core...

sudo su <ENTER>
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <ENTER>
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea; <ENTER>
Make a note of the ID, and then...
[code]mqsql> quit <ENTER>

{{p}}

= Older releases (810/710) =
Older releases does not have any direct support for the Internet Radio station list. However, you can create the scenario shortcut to quick-start your favorite station.

Here is a link to a page with a few stations that you can choose from, I tried a couple and they all seemed to work with this wiki.
http://slhungary.hu/print.php?plugin:content.40

* Go to [[LinuxMCE Admin Website]] --> Advanced --> Configuration --> Scenarios --> Media Scenarios" and press "Add My Scenario" button.

* Under "Add My Scenario" type a description, like "DI - Lounge". Check in which room you want this scenario to appear. Press "Save".

* Click on the description of the scenario that you've just added.

* In "Scenario commands" select "Media Plug-in" from the "Device:" drop-down and "MH Play Media" from the "Command:" drop-down. Press the "Add" button.

# In the "#13 Filename (string)" field type the URL of your online radio station ( e.g.: http://scfire-chi0l-1.stream.aol.com/stream/1009 ).
# In the "#29 PK_MediaType (int)" type 4.
# In the "#45 PK_EntertainArea (string)" put the number of the Entertaining Area (it usually starts from 1, see the note below). Press the "Save" button and the "Test Command" to see if it works.

* Do a [[quick reload router|Quick Reload]] & [[Orbiter Generator|Regen]] and you'll be able to see you radio on the media menu of your Orbiter. Click on the button and it should start playing.
{{p}}

==Where to Find Compatible Internet Radio Stations==

If you're in the U.S. like me, you'll probably have a hard time finding "direct URLs" that you can create scenarios with that are compatible with LMCE. Like many of you, I wanted to use ShoutCast stations, however, ShoutCast has changed their webpage in such a way that it will open up it's own propreitary plug-in that doesn't provide you with the actual station's direct URL. Useless, if you want to create a new station scenario in LMCE.

I recommend doing the following:

1. Download WinAmp onto a Windows Box

2. Open up WinAmp and browse to your favorite Station (I use shoutcast stations)

3. Right click on the Winamp window where it lists what you're currently listening to

4. Click "View File Info"

5. This will provide the direct URL link you'll need to include in the steps below when you're creating your stations.

* I hope this helps... I had a hard time finding useful information on where to go to actually get "legitimate" direct URLs for Internet Radio Stations.
{{p}}

==Notes and troubleshooting==

* The media type "4" corresponds to a workaround, MEDIATYPE_pluto_StoredAudio_CONST. When all stuff eventually works, it will be changed to the "6" (MEDIATYPE_pluto_LiveRadio_CONST)

* If radio station playback doesn't start - try playing it a couple times more. There is an issue in xine-lib which sometimes causes it to fail the first time.

* Be sure not to put the URL of the playlist in "#13 Filename" parameter - it should be the URL of the station itself. Playlist URLs usually end with ".m3u" and ".pls". Download the playlist and get the URL of station from it (there can be many entries, each representing a mirror).

* If you have issues identifying your Entertainment Area ID, you can query the DB directly:
:* At the terminal, start the mysql commandline:
mysql -u root -p pluto_main <enter>
:then issue the following query
mysql> SELECT PK_EntertainArea, Description FROM EntertainArea;
:*Select the ID of the desired area from the list:
+------------------+------------------+
| PK_EntertainArea | Description |
+------------------+------------------+
| 1 | Bedroom (Master) |
+------------------+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)
:type 'quit' to exit:
mysql> quit <enter>

User:Purps

2013-04-01T23:30:03Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. This wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Case''' - Nasty old beige ATX case, lives in cupboard under stairs, out of sight.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 3GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' -
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Fly Air Gyro Sensing Mouse and Wireless Keyboard
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Case''' - None, lives in cupboard under stairs.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Case''' -
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (dusty environment - fanless atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''Display''' -

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD Jellybean (JellyTime) running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''Bedside table''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T23:20:31Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. This wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' -
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Fly Air Gyro Sensing Mouse and Wireless Keyboard
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...</del>
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (dusty environment - fanless atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T23:19:01Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. This wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...</del>
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (dusty environment - fanless atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T23:16:38Z

Purps: /* MD (Kitchen) */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. This wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...</del>
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T22:30:28Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. This wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T22:30:08Z

Purps: /* Introduction */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. This wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T22:29:04Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-04-01T22:27:18Z

Purps: /* Core (PA) */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, so plugs are all in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-05T08:59:57Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-05T08:59:16Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-04T19:09:45Z

Purps: /* Lights */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''Duwi dimmer switch''' - in Living Room, 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

''Note: '''AVOID''' [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].''

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-04T19:06:57Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''AVOID [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]]''' - as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].
*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)''' - 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Thank you for reading=
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-04T19:05:00Z

Purps: /* Introduction */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but am always keen to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

The intention is to keep progress reports and general ramblings to the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''AVOID [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]]''' - as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].
*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)''' - 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

==Thank you for reading==
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-04T19:02:56Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==
Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==
''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==
''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==
''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==
''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==
''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=
Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen orbiter''' - o2 Joggler, freestanding.
*'''Hallway wall''' - TBD
*'''CarPC''' - http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/carpc/

=Home Automation=
This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to home automation.

==Lights==
*'''AVOID [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]]''' - as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here].
*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)''' - 2 wire in my case (more common in Europe).

==Security==
Having been the victims of a burglary, I consider this to be a very important area.

===Cameras===
*'''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]''' - x3 covering indoor areas.
*'''Y-Cam Black YCB004''' - x2 covering outdoor areas.

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. Search on eBay for "poe injector kit" and you'll see what I mean. Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]]''' - z-wave door/window sensors.
*'''[[Everspring SF812]]''' - z-wave smoke detector.

===Lighting===
Remember LMCE allows you to set up your lights to turn on and off and specified times - excellent for giving the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

==Thank you for reading==
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance. I might not be so helpful from the software point of view, but any questions regarding hardware, DIY around the house or generally doing things on the cheap, I might be able to help you.

User:Purps

2013-02-04T18:40:35Z

Purps: /* Mobile Orbiters */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==

Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==

''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==

''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==

''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==

''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==

''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==

''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==

''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==

*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]]''' - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2013-02-04T18:39:05Z

Purps: /* MD (Kitchen) */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==

Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==

''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==

''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==

''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==

''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==

''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==

''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==

''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==

*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]] - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2013-02-04T15:29:38Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==

Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==

''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - TBD ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==

''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==

''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==

''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==

''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==

''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==

''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==

*'''Tablet''' - Advent Vega with Honeycomb running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. Lives on coffee table.
*'''Mobile phone''' - HTC Desire HD running los93sol's/Thom's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]]. I also use this device a lot for remote access.
*'''Netbook''' - my netbook, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''Laptop''' - the lady's laptop, uses [[Web Orbiter 2.0]].
*'''[[Nokia N800]] - running its own orbiter software. Generally used in workshop areas.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2013-02-04T15:20:44Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can ''really'' begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==

Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==

''Kitchen will be redone in near future, which will include permanent cable runs but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

<del>Main hardware includes...</del>
<del>*'''Motherboard''' - TBD ([[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]?)</del>
<del>*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)</del>
<del>*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.</del>
<del>*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.</del>

<del>Also carried out the following...</del>
<del>*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.</del>
<del>*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.</del>
<del>*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==

''Hardware will be installed soon for testing before putting in permanent cable runs''

*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display''' - Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==

''Bathroom will be redone in near future. Intention is to add ceiling speakers only, driven by squeezeslave/amp''

==MD (Study)==

''Debating whether to install MD - probably not necessary''

==MD (Metalshop)==

''Indoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Woodshop)==

''Outdoor workshop will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

==MD (Garage)==

''Attached garage, will require MD, will probably be a 'normal' desktop''

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==

*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2013-02-04T15:11:46Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can _really_ begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Storage=
The two internal hard disks in the Core are each dedicated to their respective jobs (OS and cameras). For the storage of all media, and to serve as a backup drive for our other computers, a D-Link DNS-323 NAS drive is being utilised. It has x2 HDD bays, only one of which is currently occupied with a 2TB disk, and I will add another in the near future.

This NAS is plug'n'play with LMCE. If you want to password protect the NAS volume, achieved via the NAS admin page, you must fill out the appropriate boxes in web admin also.

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras.
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this is the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==

Main hardware includes...
*'''Case''' - Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard''' - [[ASUS AT3IONT]] (atom board)
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicate to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case)
*'''DVD Drive''' - Samsung SN-T083C slot-loading drive.
*'''Mouse/keyboard''' - Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display''' - LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV (controlled via RS232).
*'''Speakers''' - B&W speakers driven by tube amp.

Also carried out the following...

*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).

==MD (Kitchen)==

''Kitchen will be redone in near future, but the intended hardware will soon be installed for testing purposes''

Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard''' - TBD <del>[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]]
*'''Memory''' - 2GB (512MB dedicated to GPU)
*'''Power Supply''' - 100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display''' - 22" ViewSonic VX2239WM, 1080p LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. In web admin under "Media Directors", select "auto" for "Hardware Acceleration" and "vdpau" for "Deinterlace settings". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).</del>

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Motherboard''' - TBD (atom, fanless?)
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2013-02-04T14:29:53Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user, but always keep to help any way I can. By profession I am a mechanical design engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live. We have now bought our first house together, so now the LMCE-related carnage can _really_ begin.

I have started a blog for all my major projects, which of course, includes LMCE http://projectsofmatt.wordpress.com/

I will try to save progress reports and other ramblings for the blog. My wiki page will serve as a snapshot of my setup.

=Software=
My current installation is based on the 1004 RC. It is fantastic. Don't bother with 810 any more.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

Yes, we need a diagram here, a picture is worth a thousand words and all that....

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (PA)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard''' - [[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor''' - AMD quad core processor
*'''Memory''' - 4GB
*'''Power Supply''' - Corsair 400W
*'''Graphics card''' - ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks''' - 80GB for OS, 500GB for cameras
*'''NIC''' - Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (non-gigabit, used for external network).
*'''DVD Drive''' - Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller''' - [[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]], this IS the recommended interface.
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote''' - [[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)''' - APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, switch, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).

Following installation, I carried out the following on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2012-06-03T16:59:27Z

Purps: /* Other Orbiters */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user due to my complete lack of any development skills, so am always keen to help in any way I can. By profession I am a Mechanical Design Engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live (not that she isn't my first priority, of course).

=Software=
My current installation is based on the <del>8.10 beta 23165 23388 23796 24164 8.10 final.</del> 1004 alpha.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch there is another Netgear Gigabit switch (switches can be daisy-chained to give you more ports), and connected to these you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (Cupboard)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard'''
[[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor'''
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.00GHz Socket AM3 2MB L2 Cache
*'''Memory'''
Kingston 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz i5 Memory Kit CL9 1.5V
*'''Power Supply'''
Corsair 400W CX with 12cm fan, 80Plus Certified Efficiency
*'''Graphics card'''
ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks'''
OS - Seagate Barracuda ST380815AS 80GB SATA 8MB Cache

Storage - Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache. ''Note: When reinstalling LMCE, I disconnect this drive, so only the OS hard disk can be seen. Then once installation is complete, I reconnect the storage hard disk and let LMCE detect it as normal. This is just to ensure that it is not accidentally wiped.''
*'''NIC'''
<del>Realtek RTL-8169.</del>'' Clashed with my onboard Realtek RTL8111/8168B, PCI ID overlap issue.''

Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
*'''TV cards'''
x2 [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-NOVA-T-500 Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]
*'''DVD Drive'''
Hitachi-LG GDR-8164B 16x DVD-ROM IDE Optical Drive. Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller'''
<del>[[Aeon Labs Z-Wave Interface|Aeon Labs Z-Stick]].</del> ''This is NOT the recommended interface, but works well for a couple of lights and other simple devices.''

[[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]]. ''This IS the recommended interface.''
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote'''
[[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)'''
APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, one of the switches, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).
*'''UHF/VHF/FM signal amplifier'''
Generic mains-powered booster. 1 input, 2 outputs.
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Keysonic wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad.

In addition to the standard [[Installing_0810#DVD_Installation|DVD installation instructions]], I carried out the following actions on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*<del>Installed driver for ATI Radeon X300SE in "Hardware Drivers" in KDE desktop (prior to LMCE installation). Note that nVidia cards are recommended; I only used this card because a) I had one and b) I'm happy with UI1 on the core. </del> ''No longer need to do this.''
*<del>Edited the /etc/apt/sources.list on the Core as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10901.0 here] after the installation of Kubuntu, prior to updating/upgrading/installing.</del> ''This is no longer necessary (but worth checking).''
*Following LMCE installation, editing /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules to ensure that my non-gigabit RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ NIC was named eth0 (recommended for the external network).
*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*To get onboard NIC working, removed and blacklisted r8169 module and installed r8168 module from [http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ Realtek] site as explained [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1091989 here].
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Activated onboard amplifier on TV cards to improve signal strength (see [[Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]]).
*MythTV setup (accessed via "Computing" from the on-screen Orbiter). I found [http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php this page] very useful in getting my MythTV set up.
*<del>Set up secure outside access using [[HTTPS]]. </del> ''This now works out of the box; you just need to forward port 443 in webadmin.''
*Changed permissions for "public" folder on secondary hard drive, to make life easier from point of view of copying and deleting files, performing my desktop/camera backup, etc. Do a "sudo dolphin", right-click on the public folder, click the "Permissions" tab, and change ownership to your username. ''Note: I have no idea whether this is safe to do or not.''
*ubunut desktop backkup to core wth rsync script
*<del>Edited the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto crontab] to automatically copy the images captured by my security cameras to a new location (I did this because I heard that the recordings expire after 5 days). This cron job occurs every day at 6am, and only new files and folders are copied over. My crontab entry therefore looks like this: "00 06 * * * cp -uR /home/cameras/* /mnt/device/48/public/data/documents/cams".</del> ''Since I am now using [http://www.zoneminder.com/ ZoneMinder] for all motion-activated IP camera recordings, my recording path can be whatever I wish, AND the images do not delete themselves by default (automatic deletion can be set up if you want it though). I am no longer using Motion Wrapper; I did not find it reliable for my purposes.''
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

''Note: To begin with I had some [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=11159.0 very annoying network problems]. The onboard NIC (Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller) was conflicting with my second NIC (Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet controller). I could not get them to work together at the same time. I believe it was due to the PCI IDs overlapping. I think that the problem could have been resolved by building the driver from source with some modifications, but this is beyond my level of skill. I resolved the issue by installing the much older NIC listed above, which uses a completely different module to the onboard NIC. It also worked out of the box.''

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Main Page

2012-01-29T16:31:12Z

Purps:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
<div align="center">
<div style="font-size:175%; font-weight:bold">The '''[http://linuxmce.org LinuxMCE]''' wiki</div>
'''Your guide to a smarter home!'''
</div>

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #FFFFFF; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: left; text-align:left"
|'''
==Overview==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0

|-
| width=120 align="left"|[[Installing 0810|'''LinuxMCE 0810''']] || '''The most up-to-date Final Release''' :: This is the recommended version for a stable, functional system. If unsure as to which version to go for, make it 8.10.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|[[Installing 1004|'''LinuxMCE 1004''']] || '''Alpha''' :: Considered to be "bleeding edge". Give it a try if you are able to fix problems alongside the developers.
|}
|}

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #FFFFFF; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: left; text-align:left"

|'''
==Support==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=User Manual | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[User Manual]]''' LinuxMCE User Manual
|width=48|{{Click || image=Howto_icon.gif | link=:Category:Tutorials | width=58px | height=57px }}
|'''[[:Category:Tutorials|Tutorials/Guides]]''' HOWTO guides describing common scenarios
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Faq_icon_blue.png | link=Frequently Asked Questions | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Frequently Asked Questions]]''' Responses to the most common questions
|width=48|{{Click || image=Pci-icon.png | link=Hardware | width=64px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Hardware]]''' Hardware documentation
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Troubleshooting_icon.png | link=Troubleshooting | width=61px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Troubleshooting]]''' Help with common problems
|width=48|{{Click || image=Forum.gif | link=Chat | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Chat]]''' Support chat
|-
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Forum.gif | link=kjh | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[http://forum.linuxmce.com Forum]''' Support forum

|}

|'''
|valign=top|
==Development==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Contacts | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Contacts|Contact Information]]''' Contact people involved with the project
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=Programmer's Guide | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Programmer's Guide]]''' A guide for software developers
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Components-icon.png | link=Software components | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Software components|Software Components]]''' Open source software used by LinuxMCE
|width=48|{{Click || image=Bug_icon.png | link=Bug_Reporting | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Bug Reporting]]''' Help improve the software by reporting bugs
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Code_icon.png | link=Source Code | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Source Code]]''' Access the LinuxMCE source code
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Cd_icon.png | link=Versions | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Versions]]''' View version histories and changes
|}
|}

Main Page

2012-01-29T16:30:25Z

Purps:

[[Category: Main]]

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
<div align="center">
<div style="font-size:175%; font-weight:bold">The '''[http://linuxmce.org LinuxMCE]''' wiki</div>
'''Your guide to a smarter home!'''
</div>

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #FFFFFF; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: left; text-align:left"
|'''
==Overview==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0

|-
| width=120 align="left"|[[Installing 0810|'''LinuxMCE 0810''']] || '''The most up-to-date Final Release''' :: This is the recommended version for a stable, functional system. If unsure as to which version to go for, make it 8.10.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|[[Installing 1004|'''LinuxMCE 1004''']] || '''Alpha''' :: Considered to be "bleeding edge". Give it a try if you are able to fix problems alongside the developers.
|}
|}

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #FFFFFF; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: left; text-align:left"

|'''
==Support==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=User Manual | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[User Manual]]''' LinuxMCE User Manual
|width=48|{{Click || image=Howto_icon.gif | link=:Category:Tutorials | width=58px | height=57px }}
|'''[[:Category:Tutorials|Tutorials/Guides]]''' HOWTO guides describing common scenarios
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Faq_icon_blue.png | link=Frequently Asked Questions | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Frequently Asked Questions]]''' Responses to the most common questions
|width=48|{{Click || image=Pci-icon.png | link=Hardware | width=64px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Hardware]]''' Hardware documentation
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Troubleshooting_icon.png | link=Troubleshooting | width=61px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Troubleshooting]]''' Help with common problems
|width=48|{{Click || image=Forum.gif | link=Chat | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Chat]]''' Support chat
|-
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Forum.gif | link=kjh | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[http://forum.linuxmce.com Forum]''' Support forum

|}

|'''
|valign=top|
==Development==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Contacts | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Contacts|Contact Information]]''' Contact people involved with the project
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=Programmer's Guide | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Programmer's Guide]]''' A guide for software developers
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Components-icon.png | link=Software components | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Software components|Software Components]]''' Open source software used by LinuxMCE
|width=48|{{Click || image=Bug_icon.png | link=Bug_Reporting | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Bug Reporting]]''' Help improve the software by reporting bugs
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Code_icon.png | link=Source Code | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Source Code]]''' Access the LinuxMCE source code
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Cd_icon.png | link=Versions | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Versions]]''' View version histories and changes
|}
|}

User:Purps

2011-12-16T13:32:57Z

Purps:

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user due to my complete lack of any development skills, so am always keen to help in any way I can. By profession I am a Mechanical Design Engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live (not that she isn't my first priority, of course).

=Software=
My current installation is based on the <del>8.10 beta 23165 23388 23796 24164 8.10 final.</del> 1004 alpha.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch there is another Netgear Gigabit switch (switches can be daisy-chained to give you more ports), and connected to these you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (Cupboard)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard'''
[[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor'''
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.00GHz Socket AM3 2MB L2 Cache
*'''Memory'''
Kingston 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz i5 Memory Kit CL9 1.5V
*'''Power Supply'''
Corsair 400W CX with 12cm fan, 80Plus Certified Efficiency
*'''Graphics card'''
ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks'''
OS - Seagate Barracuda ST380815AS 80GB SATA 8MB Cache

Storage - Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache. ''Note: When reinstalling LMCE, I disconnect this drive, so only the OS hard disk can be seen. Then once installation is complete, I reconnect the storage hard disk and let LMCE detect it as normal. This is just to ensure that it is not accidentally wiped.''
*'''NIC'''
<del>Realtek RTL-8169.</del>'' Clashed with my onboard Realtek RTL8111/8168B, PCI ID overlap issue.''

Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
*'''TV cards'''
x2 [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-NOVA-T-500 Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]
*'''DVD Drive'''
Hitachi-LG GDR-8164B 16x DVD-ROM IDE Optical Drive. Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller'''
<del>[[Aeon Labs Z-Wave Interface|Aeon Labs Z-Stick]].</del> ''This is NOT the recommended interface, but works well for a couple of lights and other simple devices.''

[[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]]. ''This IS the recommended interface.''
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote'''
[[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)'''
APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, one of the switches, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).
*'''UHF/VHF/FM signal amplifier'''
Generic mains-powered booster. 1 input, 2 outputs.
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Keysonic wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad.

In addition to the standard [[Installing_0810#DVD_Installation|DVD installation instructions]], I carried out the following actions on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*<del>Installed driver for ATI Radeon X300SE in "Hardware Drivers" in KDE desktop (prior to LMCE installation). Note that nVidia cards are recommended; I only used this card because a) I had one and b) I'm happy with UI1 on the core. </del> ''No longer need to do this.''
*<del>Edited the /etc/apt/sources.list on the Core as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10901.0 here] after the installation of Kubuntu, prior to updating/upgrading/installing.</del> ''This is no longer necessary (but worth checking).''
*Following LMCE installation, editing /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules to ensure that my non-gigabit RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ NIC was named eth0 (recommended for the external network).
*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*To get onboard NIC working, removed and blacklisted r8169 module and installed r8168 module from [http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ Realtek] site as explained [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1091989 here].
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Activated onboard amplifier on TV cards to improve signal strength (see [[Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]]).
*MythTV setup (accessed via "Computing" from the on-screen Orbiter). I found [http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php this page] very useful in getting my MythTV set up.
*<del>Set up secure outside access using [[HTTPS]]. </del> ''This now works out of the box; you just need to forward port 443 in webadmin.''
*Changed permissions for "public" folder on secondary hard drive, to make life easier from point of view of copying and deleting files, performing my desktop/camera backup, etc. Do a "sudo dolphin", right-click on the public folder, click the "Permissions" tab, and change ownership to your username. ''Note: I have no idea whether this is safe to do or not.''
*ubunut desktop backkup to core wth rsync script
*<del>Edited the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto crontab] to automatically copy the images captured by my security cameras to a new location (I did this because I heard that the recordings expire after 5 days). This cron job occurs every day at 6am, and only new files and folders are copied over. My crontab entry therefore looks like this: "00 06 * * * cp -uR /home/cameras/* /mnt/device/48/public/data/documents/cams".</del> ''Since I am now using [http://www.zoneminder.com/ ZoneMinder] for all motion-activated IP camera recordings, my recording path can be whatever I wish, AND the images do not delete themselves by default (automatic deletion can be set up if you want it though). I am no longer using Motion Wrapper; I did not find it reliable for my purposes.''
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

''Note: To begin with I had some [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=11159.0 very annoying network problems]. The onboard NIC (Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller) was conflicting with my second NIC (Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet controller). I could not get them to work together at the same time. I believe it was due to the PCI IDs overlapping. I think that the problem could have been resolved by building the driver from source with some modifications, but this is beyond my level of skill. I resolved the issue by installing the much older NIC listed above, which uses a completely different module to the onboard NIC. It also worked out of the box.''

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my modded Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500

2011-12-07T20:28:33Z

Purps:

[[Category: Hardware]]
[[Category: Video]]
[[Category: TV Cards]]

<div style="float:right">[[Image:NovaT500.jpg|400px]]</div>

Hauppauge '''WinTV-NOVA-T-500''' is a TV tuner card for digital terrestrial television (DVB-T). The card uses a dual tuner, allowing the user to watch one DVB-T digital TV channel while recording another or record two digital TV programmes at once under MythTV or with VDR record all the channels on either of two Mux's (Multiplex of channels) while watching any channel on either Mux.

'''The 'Diversity' variant of the T500 should be avoided as there are no drivers for this model.
'''

If your card is working with no driver compilation (if you're in any doubt, then you probably didn't compile it yourself), then you should add...

options dvb-usb-dib0700 force_lna_activation=1

...to the options. This turns on the onboard amplifier and give you a better signal strength.

*For 0810 or before, add it to /etc/modprobe.d/options

*For 1004, add it to /etc/modprobe.d/options.conf (create the file if it doesn't exist).

==Issues==
It would appear that these cards are once again suffering from the infamous "warm restart" problem (when used with 1004). Whenever you restart your core, do a "cold restart" i.e. shutdown and disconnect the power supply for 30 seconds at least. If you do not do this, the card doesn't wake up properly and won't be able to scan or get channel locks.

==External links==
*[http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_novat500.html Official product page]
*[http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppauge_WinTV_Nova-T_500_PCI mythTV support info]

==UK product search==
*[http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=WinTV+NOVA-T+500&btnG=Search+Products&scoring=p Search in Google Products]
*[http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C6&from=R10&_trksid=m37&satitle=wintv+nova-t+500&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D3&sadis=200&fpos=Postcode&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&ga10244=10425&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search Search in Ebay UK]
*[http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/pl/180-651875/TV-cards/Hauppauge-WinTV-NOVA-T-500-Compare-Prices?q=wintv+nova+t+500 Search in Pricerunner]

Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500

2011-12-06T17:54:49Z

Purps:

[[Category: Hardware]]
[[Category: Video]]
[[Category: TV Cards]]

<div style="float:right">[[Image:NovaT500.jpg|400px]]</div>

Hauppauge '''WinTV-NOVA-T-500''' is a TV tuner card for digital terrestrial television (DVB-T). The card uses a dual tuner, allowing the user to watch one DVB-T digital TV channel while recording another or record two digital TV programmes at once under MythTV or with VDR record all the channels on either of two Mux's (Multiplex of channels) while watching any channel on either Mux.

'''The 'Diversity' variant of the T500 should be avoided as there are no drivers for this model.
'''

If your card is working with no driver compilation (if you're in any doubt, then you probably didn't compile it yourself), then you should add...

options dvb-usb-dib0700 force_lna_activation=1

...to the options. This turns on the onboard amplifier and give you a better signal strength.

*For 0810 or before, add it to /etc/modprobe.d/options

*For 1004, add it to /etc/modprobe.d/options.conf (create the file if it doesn't exist).

==External links==
*[http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_novat500.html Official product page]
*[http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppauge_WinTV_Nova-T_500_PCI mythTV support info]

==UK product search==
*[http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=WinTV+NOVA-T+500&btnG=Search+Products&scoring=p Search in Google Products]
*[http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C6&from=R10&_trksid=m37&satitle=wintv+nova-t+500&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D3&sadis=200&fpos=Postcode&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&ga10244=10425&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search Search in Ebay UK]
*[http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/pl/180-651875/TV-cards/Hauppauge-WinTV-NOVA-T-500-Compare-Prices?q=wintv+nova+t+500 Search in Pricerunner]

Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500

2011-12-06T08:20:24Z

Purps:

[[Category: Hardware]]
[[Category: Video]]
[[Category: TV Cards]]

<div style="float:right">[[Image:NovaT500.jpg|400px]]</div>

Hauppauge '''WinTV-NOVA-T-500''' is a TV tuner card for digital terrestrial television (DVB-T). The card uses a dual tuner, allowing the user to watch one DVB-T digital TV channel while recording another or record two digital TV programmes at once under MythTV or with VDR record all the channels on either of two Mux's (Multiplex of channels) while watching any channel on either Mux.

'''The 'Diversity' variant of the T500 should be avoided as there are no drivers for this model.
'''

If your card is working with no driver compilation, don't forget to add this option in /etc/modprobe.d/options:

options dvb-usb-dib0700 force_lna_activation=1

This turn on the onboard amplifier and give you a better signal strength. '''THIS IS FOR 810 ONLY'''

==External links==
*[http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_novat500.html Official product page]
*[http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppauge_WinTV_Nova-T_500_PCI mythTV support info]

==UK product search==
*[http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=WinTV+NOVA-T+500&btnG=Search+Products&scoring=p Search in Google Products]
*[http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C6&from=R10&_trksid=m37&satitle=wintv+nova-t+500&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D3&sadis=200&fpos=Postcode&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&ga10244=10425&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search Search in Ebay UK]
*[http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/pl/180-651875/TV-cards/Hauppauge-WinTV-NOVA-T-500-Compare-Prices?q=wintv+nova+t+500 Search in Pricerunner]

User:Purps

2011-11-20T02:25:18Z

Purps: /* MD (Kitchen) */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user due to my complete lack of any development skills, so am always keen to help in any way I can. By profession I am a Mechanical Design Engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live (not that she isn't my first priority, of course).

=Software=
My current installation is based on the <del>8.10 beta 23165 23388 23796 24164</del> 8.10 final.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch there is another Netgear Gigabit switch (switches can be daisy-chained to give you more ports), and connected to these you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (Cupboard)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard'''
[[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor'''
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.00GHz Socket AM3 2MB L2 Cache
*'''Memory'''
Kingston 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz i5 Memory Kit CL9 1.5V
*'''Power Supply'''
Corsair 400W CX with 12cm fan, 80Plus Certified Efficiency
*'''Graphics card'''
ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks'''
OS - Seagate Barracuda ST380815AS 80GB SATA 8MB Cache

Storage - Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache. ''Note: When reinstalling LMCE, I disconnect this drive, so only the OS hard disk can be seen. Then once installation is complete, I reconnect the storage hard disk and let LMCE detect it as normal. This is just to ensure that it is not accidentally wiped.''
*'''NIC'''
<del>Realtek RTL-8169.</del>'' Clashed with my onboard Realtek RTL8111/8168B, PCI ID overlap issue.''

Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
*'''TV cards'''
x2 [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-NOVA-T-500 Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]
*'''DVD Drive'''
Hitachi-LG GDR-8164B 16x DVD-ROM IDE Optical Drive. Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller'''
<del>[[Aeon Labs Z-Wave Interface|Aeon Labs Z-Stick]].</del> ''This is NOT the recommended interface, but works well for a couple of lights and other simple devices.''

[[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]]. ''This IS the recommended interface.''
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote'''
[[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)'''
APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, one of the switches, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).
*'''UHF/VHF/FM signal amplifier'''
Generic mains-powered booster. 1 input, 2 outputs.
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Keysonic wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad.

In addition to the standard [[Installing_0810#DVD_Installation|DVD installation instructions]], I carried out the following actions on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*<del>Installed driver for ATI Radeon X300SE in "Hardware Drivers" in KDE desktop (prior to LMCE installation). Note that nVidia cards are recommended; I only used this card because a) I had one and b) I'm happy with UI1 on the core. </del> ''No longer need to do this.''
*<del>Edited the /etc/apt/sources.list on the Core as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10901.0 here] after the installation of Kubuntu, prior to updating/upgrading/installing.</del> ''This is no longer necessary (but worth checking).''
*Following LMCE installation, editing /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules to ensure that my non-gigabit RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ NIC was named eth0 (recommended for the external network).
*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*To get onboard NIC working, removed and blacklisted r8169 module and installed r8168 module from [http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ Realtek] site as explained [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1091989 here].
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Activated onboard amplifier on TV cards to improve signal strength (see [[Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]]).
*MythTV setup (accessed via "Computing" from the on-screen Orbiter). I found [http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php this page] very useful in getting my MythTV set up.
*<del>Set up secure outside access using [[HTTPS]]. </del> ''This now works out of the box; you just need to forward port 443 in webadmin.''
*Changed permissions for "public" folder on secondary hard drive, to make life easier from point of view of copying and deleting files, performing my desktop/camera backup, etc. Do a "sudo dolphin", right-click on the public folder, click the "Permissions" tab, and change ownership to your username. ''Note: I have no idea whether this is safe to do or not.''
*ubunut desktop backkup to core wth rsync script
*<del>Edited the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto crontab] to automatically copy the images captured by my security cameras to a new location (I did this because I heard that the recordings expire after 5 days). This cron job occurs every day at 6am, and only new files and folders are copied over. My crontab entry therefore looks like this: "00 06 * * * cp -uR /home/cameras/* /mnt/device/48/public/data/documents/cams".</del> ''Since I am now using [http://www.zoneminder.com/ ZoneMinder] for all motion-activated IP camera recordings, my recording path can be whatever I wish, AND the images do not delete themselves by default (automatic deletion can be set up if you want it though). I am no longer using Motion Wrapper; I did not find it reliable for my purposes.''
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

''Note: To begin with I had some [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=11159.0 very annoying network problems]. The onboard NIC (Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller) was conflicting with my second NIC (Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet controller). I could not get them to work together at the same time. I believe it was due to the PCI IDs overlapping. I think that the problem could have been resolved by building the driver from source with some modifications, but this is beyond my level of skill. I resolved the issue by installing the much older NIC listed above, which uses a completely different module to the onboard NIC. It also worked out of the box.''

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my modded Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2011-11-20T02:23:46Z

Purps: /* MD (Living Room) */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user due to my complete lack of any development skills, so am always keen to help in any way I can. By profession I am a Mechanical Design Engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live (not that she isn't my first priority, of course).

=Software=
My current installation is based on the <del>8.10 beta 23165 23388 23796 24164</del> 8.10 final.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch there is another Netgear Gigabit switch (switches can be daisy-chained to give you more ports), and connected to these you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (Cupboard)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard'''
[[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor'''
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.00GHz Socket AM3 2MB L2 Cache
*'''Memory'''
Kingston 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz i5 Memory Kit CL9 1.5V
*'''Power Supply'''
Corsair 400W CX with 12cm fan, 80Plus Certified Efficiency
*'''Graphics card'''
ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks'''
OS - Seagate Barracuda ST380815AS 80GB SATA 8MB Cache

Storage - Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache. ''Note: When reinstalling LMCE, I disconnect this drive, so only the OS hard disk can be seen. Then once installation is complete, I reconnect the storage hard disk and let LMCE detect it as normal. This is just to ensure that it is not accidentally wiped.''
*'''NIC'''
<del>Realtek RTL-8169.</del>'' Clashed with my onboard Realtek RTL8111/8168B, PCI ID overlap issue.''

Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
*'''TV cards'''
x2 [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-NOVA-T-500 Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]
*'''DVD Drive'''
Hitachi-LG GDR-8164B 16x DVD-ROM IDE Optical Drive. Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller'''
<del>[[Aeon Labs Z-Wave Interface|Aeon Labs Z-Stick]].</del> ''This is NOT the recommended interface, but works well for a couple of lights and other simple devices.''

[[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]]. ''This IS the recommended interface.''
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote'''
[[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)'''
APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, one of the switches, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).
*'''UHF/VHF/FM signal amplifier'''
Generic mains-powered booster. 1 input, 2 outputs.
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Keysonic wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad.

In addition to the standard [[Installing_0810#DVD_Installation|DVD installation instructions]], I carried out the following actions on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*<del>Installed driver for ATI Radeon X300SE in "Hardware Drivers" in KDE desktop (prior to LMCE installation). Note that nVidia cards are recommended; I only used this card because a) I had one and b) I'm happy with UI1 on the core. </del> ''No longer need to do this.''
*<del>Edited the /etc/apt/sources.list on the Core as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10901.0 here] after the installation of Kubuntu, prior to updating/upgrading/installing.</del> ''This is no longer necessary (but worth checking).''
*Following LMCE installation, editing /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules to ensure that my non-gigabit RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ NIC was named eth0 (recommended for the external network).
*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*To get onboard NIC working, removed and blacklisted r8169 module and installed r8168 module from [http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ Realtek] site as explained [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1091989 here].
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Activated onboard amplifier on TV cards to improve signal strength (see [[Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]]).
*MythTV setup (accessed via "Computing" from the on-screen Orbiter). I found [http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php this page] very useful in getting my MythTV set up.
*<del>Set up secure outside access using [[HTTPS]]. </del> ''This now works out of the box; you just need to forward port 443 in webadmin.''
*Changed permissions for "public" folder on secondary hard drive, to make life easier from point of view of copying and deleting files, performing my desktop/camera backup, etc. Do a "sudo dolphin", right-click on the public folder, click the "Permissions" tab, and change ownership to your username. ''Note: I have no idea whether this is safe to do or not.''
*ubunut desktop backkup to core wth rsync script
*<del>Edited the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto crontab] to automatically copy the images captured by my security cameras to a new location (I did this because I heard that the recordings expire after 5 days). This cron job occurs every day at 6am, and only new files and folders are copied over. My crontab entry therefore looks like this: "00 06 * * * cp -uR /home/cameras/* /mnt/device/48/public/data/documents/cams".</del> ''Since I am now using [http://www.zoneminder.com/ ZoneMinder] for all motion-activated IP camera recordings, my recording path can be whatever I wish, AND the images do not delete themselves by default (automatic deletion can be set up if you want it though). I am no longer using Motion Wrapper; I did not find it reliable for my purposes.''
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

''Note: To begin with I had some [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=11159.0 very annoying network problems]. The onboard NIC (Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller) was conflicting with my second NIC (Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet controller). I could not get them to work together at the same time. I believe it was due to the PCI IDs overlapping. I think that the problem could have been resolved by building the driver from source with some modifications, but this is beyond my level of skill. I resolved the issue by installing the much older NIC listed above, which uses a completely different module to the onboard NIC. It also worked out of the box.''

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Changed from "H" to "S" in the "PowerOff mode". This suspends the MD when switched off, rather than power it down completely.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my modded Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Draft LinuxMCE 0810

2011-11-12T11:29:06Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

Welcome. This is the main page for all information relevant to LinuxMCE 0810.

=Caveats=

*LinuxMCE is an extremely powerful, fantastic piece of software; have no doubt about that. But, please bear in mind that it is a project, not a product.

*LinuxMCE 0810 is based on Ubuntu 8.10, which means that brand new hardware might not work out of the box. For this reason, if you are buying hardware specifically for your home automation system, you might want to use hardware that is a little older and save yourself some money at the same time. That said, in nearly all cases you will be able to get through any issues with a little patience and some help from the community. Unrecognised NICs is the most common issue.

*Please please please be patient. Some parts of the installation can sometimes take hours. If in doubt, leave it overnight.

=Installing 0810 Final=

'''Caution: Installing LinuxMCE 0810 Final will wipe your entire drive! It is not designed to be dual-booted!'''

'''If you just want to quickly try LinuxMCE, then consider setting it up temporarily as a virtual machine on your Linux, Mac, or Windows box. [http://www.virtualbox.org/ VirtualBox] will allow you to do this'''

# Download the LinuxMCE 0810 Final ISO from [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/LinuxMCE-8.10-final.iso here]. ''Note: Always burn at your DVD drive's lowest speed to reduce the chance of errors.''
# Boot from the DVD.
# Select your language
# Select the top option "LinuxMCE"
# Wait until the installer loads, and then...
## '''Welcome''' - Select your language.
## '''Where are you?''' - Select your location and time zone.
## '''Keyboard layout''' - Select your keyboard layout.
## '''Prepare disk space''' - Set up your partitions as you wish, but the second option "Guided - use entire disk" is perfectly OK.
## '''Who are you?''' - Set up your username, password and the system name (call it whatever you want). This username/password is specifically for the underlying system i.e. Kubuntu, it is NOT for LinuxMCE; this is handled separately.
## '''Ready to install''' - Check everything is as it should be, and press "Install".
# Let installation run through, and then remove disk and press enter when instructed to do so.
# Once the new Kubuntu installation has finished booting back up, click the "LinuxMCE" icon on the desktop. This will start the LinuxMCE installation. You may need to enter your Kubuntu password.
# Wait until the LinuxMCE installation has finished running through, and reboot the system. You will see the following message when the installation is complete:

The first phase of the install process is completed
Reboot the system to start the final process.

Done!

Once the system has rebooted, the [[AVWizard_Step_by_Step|AV Wizard]] will start, followed by the [[House_Setup_Wizard|House Setup Wizard]] and [[Media_Player_Wizard|Media Setup Wizard]].

Draft LinuxMCE 0810

2011-11-12T11:27:44Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

Welcome. This is the main page for all information relevant to LinuxMCE 0810.

=Caveats=

*LinuxMCE is an extremely powerful, fantastic piece of software; have no doubt about that. But, please bear in mind that it is a project, not a product.

*LinuxMCE 0810 is based on Ubuntu 8.10, which means that brand new hardware might not work out of the box. For this reason, if you are buying hardware specifically for your home automation system, you might want to use hardware that is a little older and save yourself some money at the same time. That said, in nearly all cases you will be able to get through any issues with a little patience and some help from the community. Unrecognised NICs is the most common issue.

*Please please please be patient. Some parts of the installation can sometimes take hours. If in doubt, leave it overnight.

=Installing 0810 Final=

'''Caution: Installing LinuxMCE 0810 Final will wipe your entire drive! It is not designed to be dual-booted!'''

'''If you just want to quickly try LinuxMCE, then consider setting it up temporarily as a virtual machine on your Linux, Mac, or Windows box. [http://www.virtualbox.org/ VirtualBox] will allow you to do this'''

# Download the LinuxMCE 0810 Final ISO from [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/LinuxMCE-8.10-final.iso here]. ''Note: Always burn at your DVD drive's lowest speed to reduce the chance of errors.''
# Boot from the DVD.
# Select your language
# Select the top option "LinuxMCE"
# Wait until the installer loads, and then...
## '''Welcome''' - Select your language.
## '''Where are you?''' - Select your location and time zone.
## '''Keyboard layout''' - Select your keyboard layout.
## '''Prepare disk space''' - Set up your partitions as you wish, but the second option "Guided - use entire disk" is perfectly OK.
## '''Who are you?''' - Set up your username, password and the system name (call it whatever you want). This username/password is specifically for the underlying system i.e. Kubuntu, it is NOT for LinuxMCE; this is handled separately.
## '''Ready to install''' - Check everything is as it should be, and press "Install".
# Let installation run through, and then remove disk and press enter when instructed to do so.
# Once the new Kubuntu installation has finished booting back up, click the "LinuxMCE" icon on the desktop. This will start the LinuxMCE installation. You may need to enter your Kubuntu password.
# Wait until the LinuxMCE installation has finished running through, and reboot the system. You will see the following message when the installation is complete:

The first phase of the install process is completed
Reboot the system to start the final process.

Done!

Once the system has rebooted, the [[AVWizard_Step_by_Step|AV Wizard]] will start, followed by the [[House_Setup_Wizard|House Setup Wizard]] and [[Media_Player_Wizard|Media Setup Wizard]].

Draft LinuxMCE 0810

2011-11-06T22:38:52Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

Welcome. This is the main page for all information relevant to LinuxMCE 0810.

=Caveats=

*LinuxMCE is an extremely powerful, fantastic piece of software; have no doubt about that. But, please bear in mind that it is a project, not a product.

*LinuxMCE 0810 is based on Ubuntu 8.10, which means that brand new hardware might not work out of the box. For this reason, if you are buying hardware specifically for your home automation system, you might want to use hardware that is a little older and save yourself some money at the same time. That said, in nearly all cases you will be able to get through any issues with a little patience and some help from the community. Unrecognised NICs is the most common issue.

*Please please please be patient. Some parts of the installation can sometimes take hours. If in doubt, leave it overnight.

=Installing 0810 Final=

'''Caution: Installing LinuxMCE 0810 Final will wipe your entire drive! It is not designed to be dual-booted!'''

'''If you just want to quickly try LinuxMCE, then consider setting it up temporarily as a virtual machine on your Linux, Mac, or Windows box. [http://www.virtualbox.org/ VirtualBox] will allow you to do this'''

# Download the LinuxMCE 0810 Final ISO from [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/LinuxMCE-8.10-final.iso here]. ''Note: Always burn at your DVD drive's lowest speed to reduce the chance of errors.''
# Boot from the DVD.
# Select your language
# Select the top option "LinuxMCE"
# Wait until the installer loads, and then...
## '''Welcome''' - Select your language.
## '''Where are you?''' - Select your location and time zone.
## '''Keyboard layout''' - Select your keyboard layout.
## '''Prepare disk space''' - Set up your partitions as you wish, but the second option "Guided - use entire disk" is perfectly OK.
## '''Who are you?''' - Set up your username, password and the system name (call it whatever you want). This username/password is specifically for the underlying system i.e. Kubuntu, it is NOT for LinuxMCE; this is handled separately.
## '''Ready to install''' - Check everything is as it should be, and press "Install".
# Let installation run through, and then remove disk and press enter when instructed to do so.
# Once the new Kubuntu installation has finished booting back up, click the "LinuxMCE" icon on the desktop. This will start the LinuxMCE installation. You may need to enter your Kubuntu password.
# Wait until the LinuxMCE installation has finished running through, and reboot the system. You will see the following message when the installation is complete:

The first phase of the install process is completed
Reboot the system to start the final process.

Done!

Once the system has rebooted, the [[AVWizard_Step_by_Step|AV Wizard]] will start, followed by the [House_Setup_Wizard|House Setup Wizard] and [Media_Player_Wizard|Media Setup Wizard].

User:Purps

2011-11-06T15:32:48Z

Purps: /* Software */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user due to my complete lack of any development skills, so am always keen to help in any way I can. By profession I am a Mechanical Design Engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live (not that she isn't my first priority, of course).

=Software=
My current installation is based on the <del>8.10 beta 23165 23388 23796 24164</del> 8.10 final.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch there is another Netgear Gigabit switch (switches can be daisy-chained to give you more ports), and connected to these you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (Cupboard)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard'''
[[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor'''
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.00GHz Socket AM3 2MB L2 Cache
*'''Memory'''
Kingston 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz i5 Memory Kit CL9 1.5V
*'''Power Supply'''
Corsair 400W CX with 12cm fan, 80Plus Certified Efficiency
*'''Graphics card'''
ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks'''
OS - Seagate Barracuda ST380815AS 80GB SATA 8MB Cache

Storage - Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache. ''Note: When reinstalling LMCE, I disconnect this drive, so only the OS hard disk can be seen. Then once installation is complete, I reconnect the storage hard disk and let LMCE detect it as normal. This is just to ensure that it is not accidentally wiped.''
*'''NIC'''
<del>Realtek RTL-8169.</del>'' Clashed with my onboard Realtek RTL8111/8168B, PCI ID overlap issue.''

Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
*'''TV cards'''
x2 [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-NOVA-T-500 Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]
*'''DVD Drive'''
Hitachi-LG GDR-8164B 16x DVD-ROM IDE Optical Drive. Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller'''
<del>[[Aeon Labs Z-Wave Interface|Aeon Labs Z-Stick]].</del> ''This is NOT the recommended interface, but works well for a couple of lights and other simple devices.''

[[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]]. ''This IS the recommended interface.''
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote'''
[[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)'''
APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, one of the switches, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).
*'''UHF/VHF/FM signal amplifier'''
Generic mains-powered booster. 1 input, 2 outputs.
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Keysonic wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad.

In addition to the standard [[Installing_0810#DVD_Installation|DVD installation instructions]], I carried out the following actions on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*<del>Installed driver for ATI Radeon X300SE in "Hardware Drivers" in KDE desktop (prior to LMCE installation). Note that nVidia cards are recommended; I only used this card because a) I had one and b) I'm happy with UI1 on the core. </del> ''No longer need to do this.''
*<del>Edited the /etc/apt/sources.list on the Core as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10901.0 here] after the installation of Kubuntu, prior to updating/upgrading/installing.</del> ''This is no longer necessary (but worth checking).''
*Following LMCE installation, editing /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules to ensure that my non-gigabit RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ NIC was named eth0 (recommended for the external network).
*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*To get onboard NIC working, removed and blacklisted r8169 module and installed r8168 module from [http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ Realtek] site as explained [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1091989 here].
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Activated onboard amplifier on TV cards to improve signal strength (see [[Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]]).
*MythTV setup (accessed via "Computing" from the on-screen Orbiter). I found [http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php this page] very useful in getting my MythTV set up.
*<del>Set up secure outside access using [[HTTPS]]. </del> ''This now works out of the box; you just need to forward port 443 in webadmin.''
*Changed permissions for "public" folder on secondary hard drive, to make life easier from point of view of copying and deleting files, performing my desktop/camera backup, etc. Do a "sudo dolphin", right-click on the public folder, click the "Permissions" tab, and change ownership to your username. ''Note: I have no idea whether this is safe to do or not.''
*ubunut desktop backkup to core wth rsync script
*<del>Edited the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto crontab] to automatically copy the images captured by my security cameras to a new location (I did this because I heard that the recordings expire after 5 days). This cron job occurs every day at 6am, and only new files and folders are copied over. My crontab entry therefore looks like this: "00 06 * * * cp -uR /home/cameras/* /mnt/device/48/public/data/documents/cams".</del> ''Since I am now using [http://www.zoneminder.com/ ZoneMinder] for all motion-activated IP camera recordings, my recording path can be whatever I wish, AND the images do not delete themselves by default (automatic deletion can be set up if you want it though). I am no longer using Motion Wrapper; I did not find it reliable for my purposes.''
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

''Note: To begin with I had some [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=11159.0 very annoying network problems]. The onboard NIC (Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller) was conflicting with my second NIC (Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet controller). I could not get them to work together at the same time. I believe it was due to the PCI IDs overlapping. I think that the problem could have been resolved by building the driver from source with some modifications, but this is beyond my level of skill. I resolved the issue by installing the much older NIC listed above, which uses a completely different module to the onboard NIC. It also worked out of the box.''

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my modded Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

User:Purps

2011-11-06T15:31:47Z

Purps: /* Software */

[[Category:User Setups]]

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Introduction=
Hello all. My name is Matt and I live in England. Have been playing with LMCE for a number of years now. I would class myself as a user due to my complete lack of any development skills, so am always keen to help in any way I can. By profession I am a Mechanical Design Engineer in the space industry. In my spare time I enjoy metalwork, woodwork and various other little electronics/DIY projects. Any remaining free time is spent with my extremely patient and long-suffering girlfriend with whom I live (not that she isn't my first priority, of course).

=Software=
My current installation is based on the <del>8.10 beta <del>23165</del> <del>23388</del> <del>23796</del> 24164</del> 8.10 final.

I would highly recommend the use of [http://clonezilla.org/ Clonezilla] for backing up LMCE at appropriate intervals i.e. whenever you get something working! Clonezilla saves a partition of your choice as a compressed file which can in turn be saved to any connected hard drive. Then, you can attempt to get the next thing working without fear of ruining your life/relationship. If the worst happens, just pop the Clonezilla live CD back in and restore the relevant image back. To use, I found Clonezilla to be very intuitive; my only other advice would be to name your backups with as much detailed information as possible. You won't always necessarily want to restore the last image you made, as you may find a problem that goes back further.

=Network=
It is highly advisable that you adopt the recommended [[Network Settings|network setup]] and use 2 NICs in your core. This means that a) things are a lot more likely to work straight out of the box and b) when things DO go wrong, you are far more likely to receive support. In my experience it is definitely worth it.

My external network looks a little bit like this...

'''Virgin Media Cable Modem -> NIC 1 (eth0) on Core'''

And my internal network...

'''NIC 2 (eth1) on Core -> Netgear 8-port Gigabit switch'''

Connected to this switch there is another Netgear Gigabit switch (switches can be daisy-chained to give you more ports), and connected to these you'll find...

*All of the MDs
*"Normal" computers requiring Internet access
*IP Cameras
*IP Phone
*Wireless Access Point (WAP)

''Note: If you have a spare wireless router laying around, it can be used as a WAP (this is what I have done using the much loved Netgear WGR614). Just connect it up to a switch (your internal network) via one of the LAN ports (these are the ports that you would normally plug your computers into, NOT the port that you would usually plug your Internet cable into). In the router's admin page, make sure DHCP is DISABLED, and then set it up in the normal way. Your SSID should NOT be your name or give any clues as to where you live, use the strongest encryption you can (I use WPA2) and it makes a lot of sense to set up an access list (MAC filter). This allows you to specify exactly which MAC addresses are allowed to connect, making your WAP very secure. Finally, and this is important if you wish to access the router's admin page again (perhaps you'll want to add a friend's MAC address for example), you must assign a new LAN TCP/IP. This wants to be in the 192.168.80.X format, and should not be an address that is already in use. I used 192.168.80.254.''

=Core/MDs=
This section talks about the main bits of hardware in my home that make up the principal elements of any LMCE system.

==Core (Cupboard)==

Main hardware includes...

*'''Motherboard'''
[[MSI 870-C45]] AMD 770 ATX Socket AM3 Realtek GbLAN controller
*'''Processor'''
AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.00GHz Socket AM3 2MB L2 Cache
*'''Memory'''
Kingston 2GB (2x1GB) DDR3 1333MHz i5 Memory Kit CL9 1.5V
*'''Power Supply'''
Corsair 400W CX with 12cm fan, 80Plus Certified Efficiency
*'''Graphics card'''
ATI Radeon X300SE 128MB PCIe
*'''Hard disks'''
OS - Seagate Barracuda ST380815AS 80GB SATA 8MB Cache

Storage - Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache. ''Note: When reinstalling LMCE, I disconnect this drive, so only the OS hard disk can be seen. Then once installation is complete, I reconnect the storage hard disk and let LMCE detect it as normal. This is just to ensure that it is not accidentally wiped.''
*'''NIC'''
<del>Realtek RTL-8169.</del>'' Clashed with my onboard Realtek RTL8111/8168B, PCI ID overlap issue.''

Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
*'''TV cards'''
x2 [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-NOVA-T-500 Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]
*'''DVD Drive'''
Hitachi-LG GDR-8164B 16x DVD-ROM IDE Optical Drive. Only used when I reinstall.
*'''Z-Wave controller'''
<del>[[Aeon Labs Z-Wave Interface|Aeon Labs Z-Stick]].</del> ''This is NOT the recommended interface, but works well for a couple of lights and other simple devices.''

[[Seluxit viaSENS Home Controller]]. ''This IS the recommended interface.''
*'''Z-Wave inclusion remote'''
[[Aeon Labs Minimote]]
*'''UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)'''
APC Smart-UPS 1400. Powers the Core, modem, one of the switches, cameras (cameras use PoE, which keeps plugs in the same place).
*'''UHF/VHF/FM signal amplifier'''
Generic mains-powered booster. 1 input, 2 outputs.
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Keysonic wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad.

In addition to the standard [[Installing_0810#DVD_Installation|DVD installation instructions]], I carried out the following actions on my Core to make it work/get it the way I wanted it...

*<del>Installed driver for ATI Radeon X300SE in "Hardware Drivers" in KDE desktop (prior to LMCE installation). Note that nVidia cards are recommended; I only used this card because a) I had one and b) I'm happy with UI1 on the core. </del> ''No longer need to do this.''
*<del>Edited the /etc/apt/sources.list on the Core as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10901.0 here] after the installation of Kubuntu, prior to updating/upgrading/installing.</del> ''This is no longer necessary (but worth checking).''
*Following LMCE installation, editing /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules to ensure that my non-gigabit RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ NIC was named eth0 (recommended for the external network).
*Swapped Network Interfaces in web admin -> Advanced -> Network -> Network settings, to put eth0 on the external network.
*To get onboard NIC working, removed and blacklisted r8169 module and installed r8168 module from [http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ Realtek] site as explained [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1091989 here].
*Changed password to something more secure in web admin -> Wizard -> Basic info -> Users.
*Activated onboard amplifier on TV cards to improve signal strength (see [[Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T-500]]).
*MythTV setup (accessed via "Computing" from the on-screen Orbiter). I found [http://parker1.co.uk/mythtv_ubuntu.php this page] very useful in getting my MythTV set up.
*<del>Set up secure outside access using [[HTTPS]]. </del> ''This now works out of the box; you just need to forward port 443 in webadmin.''
*Changed permissions for "public" folder on secondary hard drive, to make life easier from point of view of copying and deleting files, performing my desktop/camera backup, etc. Do a "sudo dolphin", right-click on the public folder, click the "Permissions" tab, and change ownership to your username. ''Note: I have no idea whether this is safe to do or not.''
*ubunut desktop backkup to core wth rsync script
*<del>Edited the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto crontab] to automatically copy the images captured by my security cameras to a new location (I did this because I heard that the recordings expire after 5 days). This cron job occurs every day at 6am, and only new files and folders are copied over. My crontab entry therefore looks like this: "00 06 * * * cp -uR /home/cameras/* /mnt/device/48/public/data/documents/cams".</del> ''Since I am now using [http://www.zoneminder.com/ ZoneMinder] for all motion-activated IP camera recordings, my recording path can be whatever I wish, AND the images do not delete themselves by default (automatic deletion can be set up if you want it though). I am no longer using Motion Wrapper; I did not find it reliable for my purposes.''
*Made use of the [[Folder_lock|folder lock]] feature in order to stop my desktop backup from appearing in the orbiters.

''Note: To begin with I had some [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=11159.0 very annoying network problems]. The onboard NIC (Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller) was conflicting with my second NIC (Realtek RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet controller). I could not get them to work together at the same time. I believe it was due to the PCI IDs overlapping. I think that the problem could have been resolved by building the driver from source with some modifications, but this is beyond my level of skill. I resolved the issue by installing the much older NIC listed above, which uses a completely different module to the onboard NIC. It also worked out of the box.''

==MD (Living Room)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Case'''
Jetway JC200. Smallest mini-ITX case I could find with space for slim DVD drive.
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3IONT]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor (fanless), HDMI Out, 5.1 Channel sound, S/PDIF.
*'''Memory'''
Kingston ValueRAM Memory/2GB 1066MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL7 DIMM
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU (included with case).
*'''DVD Drive'''
Samsung SN-T083C 8x DVD±RW DL & RAM SATA Slimline Slot-Loading Optical Drive
*'''Mouse/keyboard'''
Rii wireless mini-keyboard with integrated touchpad
*'''Display'''
LG 42LH400 42" Full HD LCD TV
*'''Speakers'''
Logitech X-210 2.1 speaker system

Also carried out the following...
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in order to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.
*Installed an [[Equalizer for ALSA]]. Whilst I am very happy with the price/performance of my speakers, they don't have any bass control, so I installed a graphical one.

==MD (Kitchen)==
Main hardware includes...
*'''Motherboard'''
[[ASUS AT3N7A-I]] NVIDIA ION with Intel Atom N330 Dual Core Processor, HDMI Out, 8 Channel Audio, Mini-ITX. I replaced the CPU fan with a Scythe, not that the old fan was particularly noisy, but it was still an improvement.
*'''Memory'''
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Platinum XTC Memory Kit CL4 2.1V
*'''Power Supply'''
100 W fanless picoPSU.
*'''Display'''
ViewSonic VX2239WM 22" Full HD LCD, HDMI, integrated speakers.

Also carried out the following...
*Disabled fan warnings in BIOS (replacement fan is only 2-wire).
*Manually increased alsa volume levels (they were very low) by typing "alsamixer" into a terminal. Make your changes and press "Esc".
*After the initial installation, switch off MD. Select "vdpau" in web admin under "Hardware Acceleration" in "Media Directors". Then click "Update". Switch MD back on.
*Increased text size in KDE desktop via KDE Menu -> Applications -> System -> System Settings, then select "Appearance" under "Look & Feel"; adjust the font size in "Fonts".
*Increased text size in terminal (Ctrl & +).
*Installed libdvdcss2 and w32codecs to allow DVDs and DivXs to be played (sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs).
*<del>Added button to KDE desktop that activates the orbiter; thank you posde for [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10156.msg69647#msg69647 the tip].</del> ''Button is there by default now.''
*Installed a backported libxine to allow playback of MKV files; thank you to those who came up with [[Play_mkv_files|this solution]]. ''Note: Link in wiki is now dead, but there is an alternative (see wiki page).''
*Enabled "Avoid conflicts between live TV and scheduled shows" in MythTV frontend, in an attempt to stop [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=9930.0 this problem]. Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> General.
*Set de-interlace settings to "VDPAU Slim". Press "Esc" whilst watching TV (this is the frontend) to get into MythTV's main menu, then go Utilities/Setup -> Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback.

==MD (Bedroom)==
*'''Display'''
Foehn & Hirsch 42" Full HD LCD TV

...and the rest of it I'll have to look up! This MD is a standard mATX motherboard in a big dirty aluminium HTPC-style case. It was my very first purchase after I first saw the awesome power of LMCE in the beginning of 2008. This poor MD gets bumped from room to room whenever I get hold of a new, exciting piece of hardware, but she's still going strong. I daresay she will end up with me in garage or workshop at some point in the near future, replacing the even crappier machines that I have out there currently.

==MD (Bathroom)==
Still thinking about the best way to do this. bongowongo is talking about remodelling his bathroom, so this has prompted me to give this a little more thought. The number one concern I think (apart from having electronics in the wettest room in the house!) is condensation, on both the screen and the containment unit itself (one would assume that the monitor would have to be covered in some way; having it exposed cannot be a good idea).

I have done some research on off-the-shelf units, and in summary, they are extremely expensive for even the smallest screens. Most are not even full HD. The reason they are so expensive is that they are specialist items, and have to be rated to work in wet conditions without causing harm to the user. They also feature extras such as heaters and waterproof remotes etc. In addition, they are usually self-contained i.e. you get a sealed-for-life lump, which you then install into your wall.

Having had a good look at the various features found in these units, I want to put together a quick and dirty list along with some thoughts about the various items...

*A self-contained solution is definitely what we want (for reasons that will be explained), as per the off-the-shelf products, but seeing as we're building it ourselves, there's no reason why the wall couldn't be chased out, TV installed, and then sealed up afterwards. This will make the assembly much less bulky.
*It makes sense to locate the MD itself away from the bathroom, along with the amp if you intend on using one. No point exposing equipment to the moisture if it can be avoided.
*Arguably one of most important features I think is the heater; the high-end units all tend to utilise heaters, which makes a huge amount of sense. By keeping the air temperature inside the unit at a higher level, water vapour in the air is less likely to condense. The heater assembly would have to consist of both a heater and some kind of adjustable thermostat. At first I thought something could be built, but then realised a solution already exists; now, this is just a thought, but why not use one of those reptile habitat heaters. They are mains powered, the thermostat can be adjusted, the heating is gentle, and they are relatively inexpensive. Maybe the heater and monitor could be both be plugged into a single z-wave module. With regards to the temperature level, I've no idea, but the maximum operating temperature of many monitors is 35 to 40 degrees C, so slightly below that might be a good start.
**Another thing to think about - would the heat generated by the monitor in a sealed unit be enough to ward off the dreaded condensation? Need to perhaps get a thermometer inside a test unit and see what happens, although they don't tend to kick out too much heat.
*Using standard components where possible is a must, that's what DIY is all about (and saving £££ of course)
**Computer monitor, 22" - 24" with 1080p and HDMI are very common now ~£100 (or use a TV, maybe you already have one you'd like to use, although I do find that low-end monitors are generally thinner and of better quality than low-end TVs). Consider speakers also, some monitors have speakers, but are generally crap compared to TV speakers, but may be good enough, OR you may have your own speaker solution - we'll discuss speakers later)
**Monitor mount, standard fixed mount would be fine ~£10
**Reptile habitat heater/thermostat ~£30
**zwave plugin module ~£30
**separate speakers/amp perhaps ~£?
*I would like to propose the following method of construction...
**remove tiles where necessary and chase out wall
**Chase in cables for video, audio and power
**Fix wooden frame around perimeter of chased-out section, flush with un-tiled wall
**Fix heater mat/element and thermostat in place
**Attach monitor/TV screen in recess
**Bond perspex into place
***Few words about the perspex; firstly, lot cheaper than glass, and easier to work with. I have also found anti-fog versions, although that will of course increase the £££ (and I have no idea if it would be worth it). Anti-fog films are also available that can be applied. The thickness of the perspex should be the same as the tiles; this means that when finished the perspex will be flush with the tiles (remember we said the wooden frame would be flush with the stripped back wall). The perspex should be stuck in place using some kind of mastic/no nails product, maybe both i.e. normal bathrooom mastic/sealant around the outside and a no-nails product around the inside. Final thing; obviously the mastic/sealant/no-nails will look bloody awful when looking through the perspex, so why not mask off a rectangle the size of monitor (talking about on the inside surface of the perspex here) spray paint (white or cream or whatever colour your bathroom is), peel off masking, leaving a coloured opaque border. This would hide the mastic/sealant/no-nails.
*Regarding the speakers, there are a few options:
**Just use the onboard speakers if present, obviously the cable will have to be run back to the MD. Your first reaction might be that this wouldn't work because the speakers are in a sealed unit, but I'm not so sure, perhaps it would work better than you think. Would need to test.
**Following on from this, have you ever seen those products designed for laptops that sucker on a window or other flat surface, effectively turning the object into a speaker? Well why not attach on of these to the inside of the perspex. Again, would need testing.
**Use a pair of water-proof speakers, attached to an amp (amp doesn't have to be anything special, and could be located with MD).
*Orbiter - personally, I don't like the idea of having something integrated into the wall, because making it waterproof and touch sensitive could be a major challenge. Although one option would be to purchase a waterproof tablet or phone (that Motorola one for example) and integrate that, but still, I think I would rather keep it mobile. The other option is a water proof case. If you have more popular device such as iThis and iThat, then you will find that water-proof cases exist that fit perfectly. If however like me you don't have an iAnything, you may be interested in the hundreds of generic waterproof cases, which are essentially waterproof bags. But I quite like the idea of that, just stick your mobile phone or N800 or whatever in a bag and just use it when you need it, rather than have something permanently installed in the bathroom.

To begin with, it might be an idea to construct a standalone, self-contained unit to test all of this out with. You know, have a few baths and showers with it resting on the toilet, see how it all holds up.

==MD (Study)==
This MD is running on a [http://www.virtualbox.org/ virtual machine] on my standard desktop computer, which is running a lean, mean Ubuntu 10.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install]. It has a second VGA screen (my larger main screen is on DVI) which I have set up as a separate X head, and is dedicated to this MD. The MD runs UI1, and performs well enough for what I need. See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#Other_Orbiters here] for details of the orbiter. I created the virtual machine [[VirtualBox_MD|like this]].

==MD (Workshop)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

==MD (Garage)==
Gash machine built from old bits.

=Orbiters=

Every MD features an on-screen orbiter. In addition to the on-screen ones...

==Mobile Orbiters==
*'''Main mobile orbiter'''
[[Nokia N800]] running its own orbiter software. Superb in my opinion; cheap, good battery life, and the orbiter software is fantastic.
*'''Mobile phone'''
HTC Desire HD running darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] (thank you!). I also use this device a lot for (secure) outside access via SSL when I am out and about.
*'''Ubuntu netbook'''
My little netbook, running a lean, mean Ubuntu 11.04 + Fluxbox installation., built up from a [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD/ minimal command line install], which I use for surfing and tinkering with LMCE. It is running [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Google Chrome. I never use this in fullscreen mode (press F11 in your browser if you wish to do this) as I prefer to just have it on standby in a tab. Therefore the resolution of the Orbiter is set lower than the resolution of the laptop screen. Same for the Ubuntu laptop.
*'''Ubuntu laptop'''
The lady's Ubuntu laptop which we generally use for surfing, work, etc wherever we happen to be. It is running Web Orbiter 2.0 in Google Chrome.
*'''Nintendo DSi'''
My mate's DSi, running Web Orbiter 2.0 with a resolution of 480x320 (iPhone) in the standard browser. This resolution allows for all text to be read relatively easily, but does mean a lot of scrolling about is required. I wouldn't use it personally. Might be worth playing with other resolutions/skins to make it more usable.

==Other Orbiters==
*'''Kitchen fridge'''
[[Storage Options Scroll Tablet PC]] mounted to a wooden backing, attached to the fridge via a powerful magnet. Runs darrenmason's [[AndroidTouchOrbiter]] for controlling the kitchen, and also displays our combined calendars (we are Google slaves). Also useful for looking up receipes, etc.
*'''Hallway wall'''
[[Nokia N800]] mounted to the wall in the hallway. Mainly used for setting/deactivating the alarm. Also useful for controlling the lights when you first arrive home, although much of that is automated of course. My intention is to dissect this orbiter at some point and mount it in a wooden frame.
*'''Study desktop'''
My main desktop, which has another [[Web Orbiter 2.0]] set up on it in much the same way as the mobile Ubuntu netbook and laptop. It is for controlling the virtual MD on the desktop machine (I find the on-screen controls on the MD itself to be a bit "twitchy"). See [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/User:Purps#MD_.28Study.29 MD (Study)] for more details.
*'''carPC'''
I am currently in the process of building a mini ITX carPC for my modded Mk1 MX-5 (called the Miata over the pond), running a lightweight Ubuntu + LXDE installation. The last component I need to get is the touchscreen, but the rest of it is very much finished, although I do intend on upgrading the speakers and adding an amplifier (a necessity due to the lack of head unit). The system is capable of utilising CDs/DVDs (audio, video, data), USB sticks/flash cards, and also features an aux-in for any personal music player that my passenger might have on their person. The system is also capable of FM radio, MP3 playback, video playback, digital TV, Internet browsing, SatNav, vehicle diagnostics.... and controlling LMCE ([[Web Orbiter 2.0]] in Chrome). I thought this would be useful from the point of view of opening/closing the garage door, switching on/off the lights, checking the house on long journeys, etc.

=Home Automation=

This section looks at the remaining hardware in my home, relating specifically to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation home automation].

==Lights==

*'''Duwi dimmer switch (Living Room)'''
2 wire in my case (more common in Europe), check your current switch/dimmer first '''REMEMBER TO ISOLATE THE LIGHTS AT YOUR FUSE BOX - ALWAYS TEST THE LIVE (BROWN or RED) WIRE WITH A TESTER [http://www.screwfix.com/prods/55464/Hand-Tools/Screwdrivers/VDE-Screwdrivers/CK-Heavy-Duty-Mains-Tester-100-250V-AC#/ LIKE THIS] FIRST!!!''' Bear in mind that you only count the wires connected to the switch itself; if like mine your earth is connected to the backbox, then this doesn't count as a wire. Very pleased with this device, superb build-quality, great tactile response, easy to set up. This is my second dimmer switch, after a very bad experience with the [[ACT_Homepro_ZDW232|ACT HomePro ZDW232]] as explained [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10783.0 here]. In my opinion you should avoid these dimmers like the plague. They are the cheapest, but it shows. Spend a little bit more and get the Duwi, which is comparable in price. Anything else I have found has been prohibitively expensive.

==Security==

Very important. Having been the victims of a burglary, this is an area that perhaps you should consider concentrating on first. You just don't think it is going to happen to you... until it does. And it's a horrible feeling.

===Cameras===
*x3 '''[[Panasonic BL-C10]]'''
*<del>x2 '''[[Foscam FI8905W]]'''</del> (plugged into external router due to the unresolved issue described [http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10134.0 here])
*'''x2 Y-Cam Black YCB004'''

''Note: As mentioned in both of these camera pages, I had to manually edit some of the [[scenarios]] before they would work, as they were pointing at the wrong camera for some reason. I also found that some scenarios were not automatically generated, and had to be added manually. Go to into web admin, click on "Show devices tree" at the bottom of the left-hand pane, then click on "My Scenarios" (again, bottom of left-hand pane), click on "Security Scenarios", and then at the bottom of the right-hand pane, press the "Add My Scenario" button. This opens a new window. In the new window, type a "Description" (this will be the scenario's name), select a "Scenario Type" ("Security Scenarios" in this case), leave "Design Obj" blank, and for "Template" select the "Security - View Camera" option. Then select all the rooms you want to add the scenario to. Press the "Save" button. This new scenario should appear at the bottom of the security scenario tree/list - click on it. Scroll down to the "Scenario Commands" section, and under "Devices" select "[Local Orbiter]". Wait a sec. Then under "Command" select "Goto screen" button. Press the "Add" button. Press the "OK" button. Enter "15" into the "#159 PK_Screen (int)" field, and press the "Save" button. Press the "OK" button. A new "#2 PK_Device (int)" field should appear. Enter the Device # of your camera. Press the "Save" button. And that's it!

''Note: All of my cameras make use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet/ Power over Ethernet (PoE)], despite not being models that support it! Nor do I have any switches/hubs that "spit out" PoE at the Core end. To see how it is achieved, take a look at "[[User:Purps#Tool_Time|Tool Time]]" at the end of this page for a Howto video explaining the required steps (inspired by b4rney on the forums, thank you mate!). Powering devices in this way is very useful in that you only need to run a single Ethernet cable for both data and power. Brilliant for cameras, especially outdoor ones. Also useful if you want your cameras to be on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply UPS], as PoE allows all of the power plugs to be in the same place.''''

===Sensors===
*'''[[Everspring SM103]] door/window sensors (Z-Wave)'''
Finally working (thank you hari!). Just purchased some additional contact sensors to celebrate, so I can experiment with rigging multiple doors/windows with a single unit, will report back.

Smoke detector planned

===Lighting===
My living room lights are set up to come on at sunset. This is achieved in web admin via "Events handler"->"Respond to Events" by selecting "Sunset" under "New event". Enter a description also. Click "Add", and use the wizard of your choice to select the required device and command.

When we are away for extended periods, I have the living room lights turn off late at night, and then switch on the bedroom light for a short period before they get switched off also. This is just to give the impression that somebody is in.

==Telephone==
Siemens Gigaset C475 IP on sipgate.co.uk

==Climate==
Watch this space!

=Tool Time=
This section comprises of a selection of Howto videos and photographic guides for various DIY projects that can be carried out around the home, in order to achieve that seamless, perfectly integrated LMCE installation. My aim is to always stay away from technical jargon as much as possible, and to try to use standard/simple tools and components that aren't going to break the bank. You can always get hold of me on the forums or in IRC (irc.freenode.net #linuxmce) if you fancy a chat.

==Howto...==

*

==Planned==

*Howto: Construct a rear mounting MD casing for any TV screen with a VESA mount (with slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Mount a TV on the wall with MD hidden behind (with a slot loading DVD drive).
*Howto: Make a wall-mounted orbiter (inspired by Techstyle's framing idea). Surface mounted or recessed (flush fitting)?
*Howto: Install a new back box (e.g. for z-wave light switch) and make good the wall (having destroyed it in the process).
*Howto: Chase wall channels, embed cables and make good the wall.
*Howto: Build a single/double bed with integrated "stowable" flat screen TV and MD. LMCE-controlled motor perhaps.
*Howto: Build a waterproof/water-resistant bathroom MD
*Howto: Build a waterproof/submersible orbiter, based on Nokia N800? Make it float?
*Howto: Make your own ceiling/wall speakers using (decent!) multimedia speakers (if, like me, you are not a complete audiophile, this avoids having an external amp to hide away).
*Howto: Build your own charging cradle/stand for your mobile orbiter (avoid switching it off all the time).
*Howto: Make your own cat6 patch cables
*Howto: Make any device Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Draft LinuxMCE 0810

2011-10-05T09:05:55Z

Purps:

Draft LinuxMCE 0810

2011-09-19T10:25:30Z

Purps:

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

Welcome. This is the main page for all information relevant to LinuxMCE 0810.

=Installing 0810 Final=

'''Caution: Installing LinuxMCE 0810 Final will wipe your entire drive! It is not designed to be dual-booted!'''

'''If you just want to quickly try LinuxMCE, then consider setting it up temporarily as a virtual machine on your Linux, Mac, or Windows box. [http://www.virtualbox.org/ VirtualBox] will allow you to do this'''

# Download the LinuxMCE 0810 Final ISO from [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/LinuxMCE-8.10-final.iso here]. ''Note: Always burn at your DVD drive's lowest speed to reduce the chance of errors.''
#

Draft Main Page

2011-09-19T10:24:42Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
<div align="center">
<div style="font-size:175%; font-weight:bold">The '''[http://linuxmce.org LinuxMCE]''' wiki</div>
'''Your guide to a smarter home!'''
</div>

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray;"
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''[[Draft_LinuxMCE_0810|LinuxMCE 0810]]''' || '''The most up-to-date Final Release''' :: This is the recommended version for a stable, functional system. If unsure as to which version to go for, make it 8.10.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 1004''' || '''Alpha''' :: Considered to be "bleeding edge". Give it a try if you are able to fix problems alongside the developers.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 0710''' || '''Final Release''' :: Not recommended if looking at a new install. This version is out of date and support will be lacking.
|}

=Overview=

'''Purps: As well as screenshots, or even instead of, we should have images that show LMCE in the home.
'''

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: right; text-align:center"
|'''[[Screenshots]]'''
[[Image:MainMenu1.jpg|200px]] Main menu with media in the background (high resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI2_with_alpha_blending|UI2B]]) 
|-
|[[Image:FileBrowserUI1.jpg|200px]] Browsing media files (low resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI1|UI1]]) 
|-
|[[Image:DialNumberUI1.jpg|200px]] Telephone dial pad (low resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI1|UI1]]) [[Screenshots|More screenshots and videos]]
|}
'''LinuxMCE is the only all-in-one open source solution that seamlessly combines:'''
* ''Media & entertainment'' with a server for music and video, plus a [[PVR]] (like TiVo or Sky+)
* ''Home automation'' to control everything from lights to heating with a touch-screen tablet or your mobile phone
* VoIP based ''Phone system''
* ''Security system'' that feeds live video to your mobile device during a security breach

LinuxMCE builds on the superior networking capabilities of Linux to create a home automation/multimedia/communication network. No other operating system has this capability.

[[LinuxMCE|Read more]] to see all the possibilities that LinuxMCE offers.

See [[FAQ|the FAQ]] for quick answers to common questions about LinuxMCE.

Watch the [[Video|LinuxMCE Video]] showing a detailed hardware and installation walk-through.

=Download=
Please take a moment to read about '''[[Known_Issues|known issues]]''' before downloading our ''Quick Install DVD'' or the ''Two-CD Installer''.

{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Download_icon.png | link=Download_Instructions | width=60px | height=60px }}
|'''[[Download_Instructions|Download LinuxMCE]] or buy [[LinuxMCE Products]]''' After checking known issues please download from an appropriate mirror
Latest snapshot DVDs can be found [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/ here] 
Check [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Snapshot_overview on the wiki] which latest snapshot work without issues.
|}

You may then want to check out the [[DVD Installation]] guide for a step by step walk through of setting up and configuring LinuxMCE.

=Project News=
*[http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/ LinuxMCE-810 RC1] (for testing) is released ''(21-aug-2011)''
*A new tutorial on developing C++ devices is in the wiki: [[Developing a DCE Device]]
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 beta]] (for testing) is released ''(16-Oct-09)''
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 alpha2]] (for testing) is released ''(18-Feb-09)''
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 alpha1]] (for testing) is released ''(1-Dec-08)''
*[[LinuxTag 2008]] a resounding success ''(28-May-08)''
*[[Mirrors_0710|LinuxMCE Version 0710 (RC2)]] is released ''(07-May-08)''
*[[Logo|LinuxMCE Logos]] are now available for download ''(09-Apr-08)''
*[[Insteon_-_Setting_Up_PLM_Template|RC1 Insteon Support]] ''(20-Feb-08)''
*[http://www.osweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2664 Linux Media Center PCs Review Roundup] ''(4-Oct-07)''

{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0 width=100%
|width=48|{{Click || image=News_icon.png | link=LinuxMCE_media_coverage | width=60px | height=60px }}
|'''[[LinuxMCE media coverage|More LinuxMCE media coverage]]''' Third party media and blog coverage
|}

==Support==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=User Manual | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[User Manual]]''' LinuxMCE User Manual
|width=48|{{Click || image=Howto_icon.gif | link=:Category:Tutorials | width=58px | height=57px }}
|'''[[:Category:Tutorials|Tutorials/Guides]]''' HOWTO guides describing common scenarios
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Faq_icon_blue.png | link=Frequently Asked Questions | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Frequently Asked Questions]]''' Responses to the most common questions
|width=48|{{Click || image=Pci-icon.png | link=Hardware | width=64px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Hardware]]''' Hardware documentation
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Troubleshooting_icon.png | link=Troubleshooting | width=61px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Troubleshooting]]''' Help with common problems
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Developers | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[http://www.charonmedia.org/mailman/listinfo Mailing List]''' Stay up to date with regular emails
|-
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Forum.gif | link=kjh | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[http://forum.linuxmce.com Forum]''' Support forum
|width=48|{{Click || image=Forum.gif | link=Chat | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Chat]]''' Support chat
|}

==Development==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Contacts | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Contacts|Contact Information]]''' Contact people involved with the project
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=Programmer's Guide | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Programmer's Guide]]''' A guide for software developers
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Components-icon.png | link=Software components | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Software components|Software Components]]''' Open source software used by LinuxMCE
|width=48|{{Click || image=Bug_icon.png | link=Bug Reports | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Bug Reports]]''' Help improve the software by reporting bugs
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Code_icon.png | link=Source Code | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Source Code]]''' Access the LinuxMCE source code
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Cd_icon.png | link=Versions | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Versions]]''' View version histories and changes
|}

Draft LinuxMCE 0810

2011-09-19T10:23:24Z

Purps: Created page with "{| align="right" | __TOC__ |} =Installing 0810 Final= '''Caution: Installing LinuxMCE 0810 Final will wipe your entire drive! It is not designed..."

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}

=Installing 0810 Final=

'''Caution: Installing LinuxMCE 0810 Final will wipe your entire drive! It is not designed to be dual-booted!'''

'''If you just want to quickly try LinuxMCE, then consider setting it up temporarily as a virtual machine on your Linux, Mac, or Windows box. [http://www.virtualbox.org/ VirtualBox] will allow you to do this'''

# Download the LinuxMCE 0810 Final ISO from [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/LinuxMCE-8.10-final.iso here]. ''Note: Always burn at your DVD drive's lowest speed to reduce the chance of errors.''
#

Draft Main Page

2011-09-19T10:08:32Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
<div align="center">
<div style="font-size:175%; font-weight:bold">The '''[http://linuxmce.org LinuxMCE]''' wiki</div>
'''Your guide to a smarter home!'''
</div>

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray;"
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 0810''' || '''The most up-to-date Final Release''' :: This is the recommended version for a stable, functional system. If unsure as to which version to go for, make it 8.10.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 1004''' || '''Alpha''' :: Considered to be "bleeding edge". Give it a try if you are able to fix problems alongside the developers.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 0710''' || '''Final Release''' :: Not recommended if looking at a new install. This version is out of date and support will be lacking.
|}

=Overview=

'''Purps: As well as screenshots, or even instead of, we should have images that show LMCE in the home.
'''

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: right; text-align:center"
|'''[[Screenshots]]'''
[[Image:MainMenu1.jpg|200px]] Main menu with media in the background (high resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI2_with_alpha_blending|UI2B]]) 
|-
|[[Image:FileBrowserUI1.jpg|200px]] Browsing media files (low resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI1|UI1]]) 
|-
|[[Image:DialNumberUI1.jpg|200px]] Telephone dial pad (low resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI1|UI1]]) [[Screenshots|More screenshots and videos]]
|}
'''LinuxMCE is the only all-in-one open source solution that seamlessly combines:'''
* ''Media & entertainment'' with a server for music and video, plus a [[PVR]] (like TiVo or Sky+)
* ''Home automation'' to control everything from lights to heating with a touch-screen tablet or your mobile phone
* VoIP based ''Phone system''
* ''Security system'' that feeds live video to your mobile device during a security breach

LinuxMCE builds on the superior networking capabilities of Linux to create a home automation/multimedia/communication network. No other operating system has this capability.

[[LinuxMCE|Read more]] to see all the possibilities that LinuxMCE offers.

See [[FAQ|the FAQ]] for quick answers to common questions about LinuxMCE.

Watch the [[Video|LinuxMCE Video]] showing a detailed hardware and installation walk-through.

=Download=
Please take a moment to read about '''[[Known_Issues|known issues]]''' before downloading our ''Quick Install DVD'' or the ''Two-CD Installer''.

{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Download_icon.png | link=Download_Instructions | width=60px | height=60px }}
|'''[[Download_Instructions|Download LinuxMCE]] or buy [[LinuxMCE Products]]''' After checking known issues please download from an appropriate mirror
Latest snapshot DVDs can be found [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/ here] 
Check [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Snapshot_overview on the wiki] which latest snapshot work without issues.
|}

You may then want to check out the [[DVD Installation]] guide for a step by step walk through of setting up and configuring LinuxMCE.

=Project News=
*[http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/ LinuxMCE-810 RC1] (for testing) is released ''(21-aug-2011)''
*A new tutorial on developing C++ devices is in the wiki: [[Developing a DCE Device]]
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 beta]] (for testing) is released ''(16-Oct-09)''
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 alpha2]] (for testing) is released ''(18-Feb-09)''
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 alpha1]] (for testing) is released ''(1-Dec-08)''
*[[LinuxTag 2008]] a resounding success ''(28-May-08)''
*[[Mirrors_0710|LinuxMCE Version 0710 (RC2)]] is released ''(07-May-08)''
*[[Logo|LinuxMCE Logos]] are now available for download ''(09-Apr-08)''
*[[Insteon_-_Setting_Up_PLM_Template|RC1 Insteon Support]] ''(20-Feb-08)''
*[http://www.osweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2664 Linux Media Center PCs Review Roundup] ''(4-Oct-07)''

{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0 width=100%
|width=48|{{Click || image=News_icon.png | link=LinuxMCE_media_coverage | width=60px | height=60px }}
|'''[[LinuxMCE media coverage|More LinuxMCE media coverage]]''' Third party media and blog coverage
|}

==Support==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=User Manual | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[User Manual]]''' LinuxMCE User Manual
|width=48|{{Click || image=Howto_icon.gif | link=:Category:Tutorials | width=58px | height=57px }}
|'''[[:Category:Tutorials|Tutorials/Guides]]''' HOWTO guides describing common scenarios
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Faq_icon_blue.png | link=Frequently Asked Questions | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Frequently Asked Questions]]''' Responses to the most common questions
|width=48|{{Click || image=Pci-icon.png | link=Hardware | width=64px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Hardware]]''' Hardware documentation
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Troubleshooting_icon.png | link=Troubleshooting | width=61px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Troubleshooting]]''' Help with common problems
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Developers | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[http://www.charonmedia.org/mailman/listinfo Mailing List]''' Stay up to date with regular emails
|-
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Forum.gif | link=kjh | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[http://forum.linuxmce.com Forum]''' Support forum
|width=48|{{Click || image=Forum.gif | link=Chat | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Chat]]''' Support chat
|}

==Development==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Contacts | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Contacts|Contact Information]]''' Contact people involved with the project
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=Programmer's Guide | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Programmer's Guide]]''' A guide for software developers
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Components-icon.png | link=Software components | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Software components|Software Components]]''' Open source software used by LinuxMCE
|width=48|{{Click || image=Bug_icon.png | link=Bug Reports | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Bug Reports]]''' Help improve the software by reporting bugs
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Code_icon.png | link=Source Code | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Source Code]]''' Access the LinuxMCE source code
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Cd_icon.png | link=Versions | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Versions]]''' View version histories and changes
|}

Draft Page Status

2011-09-17T12:50:18Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

This is just my first stab at what I thought the page status should look like, displayed at the top of every page. This is all being doing manually here just to get a feel for what it will look like - I wouldn't know how to implement it properly i.e. validation for what is being input, etc. '''Feel free to add your own ideas below mine, and then we can fight it out on the forums.''' Purps.

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray; float:left"
|-
| width=50 align="center"|'''10.04''' || width=80 align="center"|'''Applicable'''||
|-
| width=50 align="center"|'''8.10''' || width=80 align="center"|N/A||
|-
| width=50 align="center"|'''7.10''' || width=80 align="center"|Unknown||
|-
|}

{| cellpadding="20" style="border: 0px; float:left"
||
|}

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray; float:left"
|-
|This page is '''for information'''
|-
|This page is '''an instruction'''
|}

{| cellpadding="20" style="border: 0px; float:left"
||
|-
||
|-
||
|}

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray; float:left"
|-
| width=300 align="left"|The content of this article '''has been reviewed'''.
|-
|}

[[Draft Page Details Explanation|...what does this information mean?]]

'''''The following information will appear in the explanation link above...'''''

The information at the top of each and every wiki page is designed to help the user understand the relevancy of the content to the current '''versions''' of LinuxMCE, assess the '''type''' of information present, and the '''review status''' of the page. Looking at each one in detail...

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray; float:left"
|-
| width=50 align="center"|'''10.04''' || width=80 align="center"|'''Applicable'''||
|-
| width=50 align="center"|'''8.10''' || width=80 align="center"|N/A||
|-
| width=50 align="center"|'''7.10''' || width=80 align="center"|Unknown||
|-
|}

{| cellpadding="20" style="border: 0px; float:left"
||
|}

The first box simply tells the user whether the information is '''Applicable''' or N/A (not applicable) to each of the current LinuxMCE versions. If it is not known whether the page is relevant to a given version i.e. it has not been tested, then it will be marked as Unknown. If you believe any of this information to be incorrect, then please help us by [[letting the wiki admin staff know]].

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray; float:left"
|-
|This page is '''for information'''
|-
|This page is '''an instruction'''
|-
|This page is '''a hack'''
|}

{| cellpadding="20" style="border: 0px; float:left"
||
|-
||
|}

The second box is designed to immediately tell the user exactly what type of information is present in the page. There are three possible options as shown in this example; "'''for information'''" refers to a page that is essentially giving the user an overview of a given aspect of the system, or explaining how a particular function works, whereas "'''an instruction'''" is explaining how to set up or modify the system in the recommended way. If a page is flagged as "'''a hack'''" then it is important that the user considers carefully what they are about to do. These are essentially instructions that may well be perfectly safe, but are considered to be a "workaround" or a "quick fix". That said, they could also have adverse effects, either in the present or in the future, and generally are ''not'' recommended.

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray; float:left"
|-
| width=300 align="left"|The content of this article is awaiting review.
|-
| width=300 align="left"|The content of this article '''has been reviewed'''.
|-
|}

{| cellpadding="20" style="border: 0px; float:left"
||
|}

The third and final box indicates to the user the review status of the page. This system is in place to ensure the content is correct and relevant, but in practice it will also cover page formatting, language, etc. If an article is awaiting review, the user should exercise caution when using the information; however, it does not necessarily mean the content is incorrect. Once the LinuxMCE staff have evaluated the page and are happy that everything OK, the article will be marked as '''has been reviewed'''.

{| border="0"

{| border="2" style="background: #ABCDEF;"
| A
|}
{| border="2" style="background: #ABCDEF;"
| B || B
|}
| style="width:50px;" |
{| border="2" style="background: #ABCDEF; float:left;"
| C
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{| border="2" style="background: #ABCDEF; float: right;"
| D
|}
|}

Draft Main Page

2011-09-16T13:44:04Z

Purps:

[[category:wiki workgroup]]
[[category:drafts]]

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
<div align="center">
<div style="font-size:175%; font-weight:bold">The '''[http://linuxmce.org LinuxMCE]''' wiki</div>
'''Your guide to a smarter home!'''
</div>

{| cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px solid darkgray;"
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 8.10''' || '''The most up-to-date Final Release''' :: This is the recommended version for a stable, functional system. If unsure as to which version to go for, make it 8.10.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 10.04''' || '''Alpha''' :: Considered to be "bleeding edge". Give it a try if you are able to fix problems alongside the developers.
|-
| width=120 align="left"|'''LinuxMCE 7.10''' || '''Final Release''' :: Not recommended if looking at a new install. This version is out of date and support will be lacking.
|}

=Overview=

'''Purps: As well as screenshots, or even instead of, we should have images that show LMCE in the home.
'''

{| style="clear: both; border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 0.5em; float: right; text-align:center"
|'''[[Screenshots]]'''
[[Image:MainMenu1.jpg|200px]] Main menu with media in the background (high resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI2_with_alpha_blending|UI2B]]) 
|-
|[[Image:FileBrowserUI1.jpg|200px]] Browsing media files (low resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI1|UI1]]) 
|-
|[[Image:DialNumberUI1.jpg|200px]] Telephone dial pad (low resolution [[Selecting_the_Right_UI#UI1|UI1]]) [[Screenshots|More screenshots and videos]]
|}
'''LinuxMCE is the only all-in-one open source solution that seamlessly combines:'''
* ''Media & entertainment'' with a server for music and video, plus a [[PVR]] (like TiVo or Sky+)
* ''Home automation'' to control everything from lights to heating with a touch-screen tablet or your mobile phone
* VoIP based ''Phone system''
* ''Security system'' that feeds live video to your mobile device during a security breach

LinuxMCE builds on the superior networking capabilities of Linux to create a home automation/multimedia/communication network. No other operating system has this capability.

[[LinuxMCE|Read more]] to see all the possibilities that LinuxMCE offers.

See [[FAQ|the FAQ]] for quick answers to common questions about LinuxMCE.

Watch the [[Video|LinuxMCE Video]] showing a detailed hardware and installation walk-through.

=Download=
Please take a moment to read about '''[[Known_Issues|known issues]]''' before downloading our ''Quick Install DVD'' or the ''Two-CD Installer''.

{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Download_icon.png | link=Download_Instructions | width=60px | height=60px }}
|'''[[Download_Instructions|Download LinuxMCE]] or buy [[LinuxMCE Products]]''' After checking known issues please download from an appropriate mirror
Latest snapshot DVDs can be found [http://linuxmce.iptp.org/ here] 
Check [http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Snapshot_overview on the wiki] which latest snapshot work without issues.
|}

You may then want to check out the [[DVD Installation]] guide for a step by step walk through of setting up and configuring LinuxMCE.

=Project News=
*[http://linuxmce.iptp.org/release/ LinuxMCE-810 RC1] (for testing) is released ''(21-aug-2011)''
*A new tutorial on developing C++ devices is in the wiki: [[Developing a DCE Device]]
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 beta]] (for testing) is released ''(16-Oct-09)''
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 alpha2]] (for testing) is released ''(18-Feb-09)''
*[[LinuxMCE-0810 alpha1]] (for testing) is released ''(1-Dec-08)''
*[[LinuxTag 2008]] a resounding success ''(28-May-08)''
*[[Mirrors_0710|LinuxMCE Version 0710 (RC2)]] is released ''(07-May-08)''
*[[Logo|LinuxMCE Logos]] are now available for download ''(09-Apr-08)''
*[[Insteon_-_Setting_Up_PLM_Template|RC1 Insteon Support]] ''(20-Feb-08)''
*[http://www.osweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2664 Linux Media Center PCs Review Roundup] ''(4-Oct-07)''

{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0 width=100%
|width=48|{{Click || image=News_icon.png | link=LinuxMCE_media_coverage | width=60px | height=60px }}
|'''[[LinuxMCE media coverage|More LinuxMCE media coverage]]''' Third party media and blog coverage
|}

==Support==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=User Manual | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[User Manual]]''' LinuxMCE User Manual
|width=48|{{Click || image=Howto_icon.gif | link=:Category:Tutorials | width=58px | height=57px }}
|'''[[:Category:Tutorials|Tutorials/Guides]]''' HOWTO guides describing common scenarios
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Faq_icon_blue.png | link=Frequently Asked Questions | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Frequently Asked Questions]]''' Responses to the most common questions
|width=48|{{Click || image=Pci-icon.png | link=Hardware | width=64px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Hardware]]''' Hardware documentation
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Troubleshooting_icon.png | link=Troubleshooting | width=61px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Troubleshooting]]''' Help with common problems
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Developers | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[http://www.charonmedia.org/mailman/listinfo Mailing List]''' Stay up to date with regular emails
|-
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Forum.gif | link=kjh | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[http://forum.linuxmce.com Forum]''' Support forum
|width=48|{{Click || image=Forum.gif | link=Chat | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Chat]]''' Support chat
|}

==Development==
{| cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5 border=0
|width=48|{{Click || image=Contacts icon.png | link=Contacts | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Contacts|Contact Information]]''' Contact people involved with the project
|width=48|{{Click || image=Icon_user_guide.png | link=Programmer's Guide | width=54px | height=54px }}
|'''[[Programmer's Guide]]''' A guide for software developers
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Components-icon.png | link=Software components | width=58px | height=58px }}
|'''[[Software components|Software Components]]''' Open source software used by LinuxMCE
|width=48|{{Click || image=Bug_icon.png | link=Bug Reports | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Bug Reports]]''' Help improve the software by reporting bugs
|-
|width=48|{{Click || image=Code_icon.png | link=Source Code | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Source Code]]''' Access the LinuxMCE source code
|width=48|{{UrlClick || image=Cd_icon.png | link=Versions | width=48px | height=48px }}
|'''[[Versions]]''' View version histories and changes
|}