Difference between revisions of "User:Sambuca"

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When I was building a new house in 2005, I made sure I could reach every room with cables. I installed plastic tubes going to every room (even the bathroom), to be able to install network cables there later on.
 
When I was building a new house in 2005, I made sure I could reach every room with cables. I installed plastic tubes going to every room (even the bathroom), to be able to install network cables there later on.
  
My idea is to add home automation devices when the economy and time allows for it. If you know some cheap devices that can be used in Norway, let me know. I'm not sure I like the X10 stuff, since people say they are pretty old and limited.
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My idea is to add home automation devices when the economy and time allows for it. I'll probably go with the ZWave stuff, since it is reasonably priced and availability is getting pretty good. And the fact that I can't run cables for something like EIB, which otherwise would be an option.
 
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== What I miss in LinuxMCE ==
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While I like the interface of LinuxMCE and the possibility of controlling the whole house with it, I think I lacks severely in the area of a media centre. I know other users think this also, from the forum posts. What I personally think lacks, is this (with my 1. priority first):
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* Internet radio (I usually start a stream from some internet radio when I have a party, so I don't have to think any more of the music playing)
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* Usefull playlist editing (the current playlist editing (excuse the language) SUCKS!!  Plain and simple. Several people have pointed this out on the forum already.)
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* Long boot times for PXE booted MDs (this I have partially worked around. I figured out how to suspend and resume my MD, but it currently requires suspending the MD from a console window).
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== My current setup ==
 
== My current setup ==
I currently have one core (Intel Core2 CPU 4400, RAID5 - 3x320GB disk, 2GB RAM), and primarily one MD in my main livingroom (Celeron 1.7GHz, 512MB ram). I also have two other MDs, one to get music in my bathroom (an old Celeron 300Mhz, with very little memory, 32-64MB), and one which really is my desktop computer, which I only use for testing.
 
  
The old Celeron barely copes with playing audio in its current setup. This is because the system running on a MD requires quite a bit of memory to just start up, and when starting the Xine player, it actually goes out of memory. I solved this by deactivating some of the services that normally run on a MD. Can't remember them at this moment.
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=== Core/Cabling closet ===
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* Intel Core2 CPU 4400,
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* 2GB RAM
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* 500GB + 3x320GB disk
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* Chieftec 4U rack cabinet
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* Gigabit NIC
 +
 
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On the core I've also installed squeezeslave which currently plays music on the bathroom. I'm proably gonna buy a SqueezeBox of some kind to put in the bathroom later on. Anyone knows if they cope well with the moisture? ;)
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=== Mail living room MD ===
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* Celeron 1.7GHz
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* 512MB ram
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* Nvidia AGP 6xxx (Going to buy a PCI Nvidia to get one that supports VDPAU)
 +
 
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=== Upstairs living room MD ===
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* Old Fujitsu laptop
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* ~1-2GHz Intel
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* 512MB ram
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* ATI graphics
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=== Main desktop computer ===
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I've also used my main desktop computer as a MD, but I rarely do so anymore, as the old laptop is in the same room.
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== Future plans ==
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* ZWave
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* ASUS EeeTop for the kitchen
  
  
I'll probably add more to this page when I have the time.
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= Development =
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Since I first wrote this page, I've started doing some coding for LMCE.
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Mainly the JavaMO (that hari first started on) and then a Shoutcast Radio Plugin. I also did some work integrating suspend/resume functionality into lmce.
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Other than that I've been trying to fix some bugs to help make the 810 release.

Revision as of 11:13, 22 December 2009

If you have any questions or comments, please use italic when adding anything.

About me

I am educated as a computer programmer, having done some C++ programming and doing Java (J2EE) programming as a living. This is the first open source project that I have tried to involve myself in.

As I have a wife and a house besides my work, I don't have much time to do LinuxMCE related stuff (although I definitely would like to). Because of that, so far, my contribution has been mostly forum posts and some wiki article edits.

My interest in LinuxMCE

I started using Linux in 2002, and after a few years, I saw the great potential that is in the Linux system. So when I was searching for a media centre system for my apartment, I was no stranger to Linux, and in fact, I tried to find a Linux system, to avoid paying for licenses for other systems. My first Media system was Freevo, which looks somewhat like the standard media centre systems, with a menu with the main TV, movies, music, and pictures options.

When I was building a new house in 2005, I made sure I could reach every room with cables. I installed plastic tubes going to every room (even the bathroom), to be able to install network cables there later on.

My idea is to add home automation devices when the economy and time allows for it. I'll probably go with the ZWave stuff, since it is reasonably priced and availability is getting pretty good. And the fact that I can't run cables for something like EIB, which otherwise would be an option.


My current setup

Core/Cabling closet

  • Intel Core2 CPU 4400,
  • 2GB RAM
  • 500GB + 3x320GB disk
  • Chieftec 4U rack cabinet
  • Gigabit NIC

On the core I've also installed squeezeslave which currently plays music on the bathroom. I'm proably gonna buy a SqueezeBox of some kind to put in the bathroom later on. Anyone knows if they cope well with the moisture? ;)

Mail living room MD

  • Celeron 1.7GHz
  • 512MB ram
  • Nvidia AGP 6xxx (Going to buy a PCI Nvidia to get one that supports VDPAU)

Upstairs living room MD

  • Old Fujitsu laptop
  • ~1-2GHz Intel
  • 512MB ram
  • ATI graphics

Main desktop computer

I've also used my main desktop computer as a MD, but I rarely do so anymore, as the old laptop is in the same room.

Future plans

  • ZWave
  • ASUS EeeTop for the kitchen


Development

Since I first wrote this page, I've started doing some coding for LMCE. Mainly the JavaMO (that hari first started on) and then a Shoutcast Radio Plugin. I also did some work integrating suspend/resume functionality into lmce. Other than that I've been trying to fix some bugs to help make the 810 release.