Difference between revisions of "User:Armorgnome2"

Revision as of 04:50, 13 August 2012

Why LinuxMCE?

Like a lot of people currently involved in this project, I am a victim of THE video. I can not even remember how I stumbled onto it, but since that moment I have been fascinated with its development. It has been my introduction to the Linux experience. That software this impressive comes from the combined efforts of brilliant people working for free and on their own time amazes me. I truly believe in the open source concept and feel it is my responsibility as a user to contribute wherever possible. I have never programmed anything more complex than a VCR, but I do have some artistic ability so I plug away at UI skins while those more apt at programming contribute their abilities. The reward then for me goes beyond integrating components in my home. The thought that a skin I draw might be the preferred choice of a new user two years from now keeps me striving for perfection. As I have had more time recently in my schedule to work on LMCE projects I have found new possible ways to contribute such as dce device implementation, template creation and eventually (I hope) code development.

Current Equipment: Graphical

My current setup is a Hybrid Core mounted in a wall between my office and living room. In this image I am showing what pipes to the office and what pipes to the living room. The gray area is actually the hidden space behind a full wall entertainment center. As described in forum post about my video card, my CORE is pulling triple duty and functioning as the core, a media director and another media director. I refer to this setup as my hybrid-hybrid.

Red Lines are:

Power Lines showing both the Core and another non-LMCE computer protected by the UPS, to

save a lot of line drawing I will just state that half of the system is UPS protected but didn't want to

draw all of that

Green Lines are:

From the non-LMCE PC out to a KVM switch under my office desk

From the CORE to the same KVM switch

From the CORE out to my LG TV and to a stereo preamp, and Sony Receiver located in the living room

Blue Lines are:

Network cables starting with input from a 4G wireless card to my external router

From the external router to the CORE (eth0)

From the Core (eth1) out to a Linksys 10/100/1000 five port switch

From the switch out to non-LMCE PC

From the switch out to VOIP adapter (not working yet)

From the switch out to HD Homerun

From the switch out to Netgear Wireless N router (functioning as a wireless switch only)

Yellow Lines are:

Connecting RJ-11 phone line from VOIP adapter to a standard cordless phone (not working yet)

Current Equipment: Detailed

Items in Red are not in use or not yet integrated w/ LinuxMCE

Computers:
 ID:            Core/Hybrid 
 Case:          Generic 4U Rackmount Case (lockable)
 Installed OS:  LinuxMCE 10.04 - (Snapshot generated DVD install)
 Room:          Home Theater (physically mounted half in Office, half in Home Theater) 
 Mainboard:     MSI P45 Neo3 FR
 Processor(s):  Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Processor
 Memory:        2x OCZ Reaper Series 1gig RAM DIMM
 Video Card(s): XFX GeForce 7600 GT PCIe 256MB 
 Sound Card(s): (onboard 7.1 configured for 1 analog and 1 digital output) 
 Storage Drive: Seagate 160G SATA  - 25G ext4 install partition, 120G xfs media partition (public audio)
 Storage Drive: Seagate 1000G SATA - 1000G xfs media partition (public all except audio)
 Storage Drive: Seagate 250G SATA  - 250G xfs media partition (user1 private)
 Storage Drive: Seagate 250G SATA  - 250G xfs media partition (user2 private)
 Optical Drive: Generic DVD Drive
 PCI Extras:    10/100/1000 NIC (eth1)
 PCI Extras:    WinTV-150 MCE Edition
 USB Extras:    Gyration GYR3101US RF remote dongle -sadly fried recently, looking for replacement
 USB Extras:    Aeon Labs Z-Wave dongle and inclusion controller
 
 ID:            Non-LinuxMCE Desktop (possible future NAS)
 Case:          Generic 4U Rackmount Case (non-lockable)
 Installed OS:  Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, Windows 7, Windows XP Pro SP3, 
 Room:          Home Theater (physically mounted half in Office, half in Home Theater) 
 Mainboard:     MSI K7N2 Delta
 Processor(s):  AMD Athlon XP
 Memory:        1.5G PC2700 RAM
 Video Card(s): ATI Radeon AGP 8x 128MB (? model) 
 Sound Card(s): (onboard analog) 
 Storage Drive: Seagate 160G IDE - partition tables changed frequently
 Storage Drive: Seagate 160G IDE - 160G FAT32 storage partition
 Optical Drive: Generic DVD Drive 
 USB Extras:    WD 500G MyPassport USB drive - 250G FAT32 storage partition, 250G FAT32 recovery image storage
 Extras:        LIRC serial to IR  

Media Directors:
 ID:            Test Media Director 
 Case:          "we don't need no stinking case!"
 Installed OS:  -
 Room:          Office - test bench
 Mainboard:     varies
 Processor(s):  varies
 Memory:        varies 
 Video Card(s): varies 
 Sound Card(s): varies

Orbiters:
 Web DT 366 
 iPhone4 - using Web Orbiter 2.0, RoamingOrb app, Dianemo app
 Roommate's Phone - changes often, uses Web Orbiter 2.0

Network:
 Pantech UML290VW USB 4G Wireless dongle
 CradlePoint Technologies CTR35 External Network Router 
 Linksys Gigabit 5-Port Workgroup Switch
 Netgear N Wireless Router w/ 4 wired 10/100 Ports (DHCP disabled, statically assigned IP for access to MAC filtering)
 Netgear N Wireless Router w/ 4 wired Gigabit Ports  - not currently in use, attempting to replace firmware
 Cisco 10/100 5-Port Workgroup Switch - not currently in use
 AT&T 3G Cell Device - not currently in use, investigating legal options for cell broadcasting

Telephone Systems:
 Generic VOIP Provider supplied adapter - still working on this one
 Generic wired phone - still working on this one
 Generic wireless phone - still working on this one

PVR Devices:
 Generic OTA antenna
 SchedulesDirect subscription
 Silicon Dust HD Homerun
 WinTV-150 MCE Edition PCI card

Security (Video):
 D-Link 930L IP Camera 
 GE Wireless Camera - in development to use proprietary interface
 3x BunkerHill Color analog cameras w/ IR - not currently integrated w/ LinuxMCE
 3x Generic USB Webcams - not currently integrated w/ LinuxMCE

Climate:
 5x DS18S20 1-Wire Temperature Sensors - not yet assembled 

Lights:
 Intermatic CA3500 Split-Duplex Receptacle

Automation (Z-Wave):
 Aeon Labs USB dongle
 Intermatic HA07 12 Channel Controller - Used to complete setup, removed from system until I get a power adapter to it instead of relying on batteries
 Intermatic CA3500 Split-Duplex Receptacle
 
Automation (X-10):
 Generic X-10 Exterior Motion Light - not yet in use other than stand alone motion light

Automation (1-Wire):
 5x DS18S20 1-Wire Temperature Sensors - not yet assembled 

Automation (other):
 MicroLogics 1000 PLC - not currently integrated with LMCE, working on observation mode plugin
 Allen Bradley (model?) PLC - not currently in use, working on 1-Wire command station idea 

Power Protection:
 HP RS2500 2U Rackmount w/RS-232 Interface UPS - currently operating in "dumb" mode
 2x Best Power Axxium 2000U w/ Best Power RJ-45 Module 2U Rackmount UPS - in development 
 4x Best Power 2U Rackmount Battery Packs - not in use, requiring battery replacement
 20x 12"X48" Solar Panels - still being evaluated for functionality

AV Equipment:
 Sharp Aquos 46" LCD w/ RS-232 Control
 LG (series?) 60" Plasma w/ RS-232 Control -Home Theater Room
 Acer 23" Desktop Monitor -Office
 Sanyo (series?) 32" LCD -Office, test bench
 Dell 19" CRT Monitor -Office, test bench
 Sony STR-K850P Surround Sound Receiver
 (make/model?) Generic Amp/Preamp - necessary due to the low output of the hybrid/core on-board audio

Photos

Due to the size of these photos I have created another page for them. To view these photos please follow this link:

User:Armorgnome2photos

Concepts and Projects

One of the very exciting things about this project to me when I first dug into it was that support for devices came from users and developers who using what they had, got it working and wrote support for those devices into LinuxMCE. Because of this, just as I have noticed with many flavors of Linux, the latest and greatest hardware might not have support written for it yet. Tried and true hardware that is now bottom shelf or eBay fodder probably has several varieties of code written for it. Though some might not care for it, I am a duck taper. I love finding a new Goodwill store that may have a serial cable for me to tear apart and make a 1-wire device out of. I slam the brakes when I see a computer tower at a yard sale. At any given time I have four to five half assembled devices on the bench going through RAM testing or waiting on parts from eBay to show up.

Though it may not seem the Linux way, I am developing and creating some hardware with the intention of selling it. Obviously I am not selling software, it is free to me and it will be free to everyone else. I hope to sell my time and solder to users who appreciate custom components and want something unique. Any development or templates I have to create to make my creations work under LinuxMCE will be offered to the community freely. A percentage of profit from sold will go directly to LinuxMCE as a donation and profit remaining will go to adding new equipment to my setup. Time will tell how well this works out for me... if nothing else it keeps my soldering iron hot and keeps me trying to learn more about the way things work inside LinuxMCE.

Case Moding Media Directors:

As much as I like the clean look of a vesa mounted nettop behind a flatscreen, I can not ignore that in most setups there will always be some type of entertainment center. A TV can be mounted in a wall but not many non-custom built walls will allow you to recess a PS3 or a receiver. This is where my media directors come in. Using 100% compatible and tested hardware I will create one of a kind 'showcase' media directors. Some could be described as contemporary HTPC designs and some can be called nothing short of radical.

Ideas and Current Projects:

Entertainment Center Typical: Mini and Micro ATX computers modded to fit inside electronics. An old cable box which actually houses a full media director, A receiver that contains a working media director AND retains function as a receiver,

Component Hidden: In-wall touchscreen orbiters. In-TV hidden receiver and media director (imagine a child's bedroom television, tube style case with a flatscreen tv inside that allows all that empty room for me to cram in components)

Radical: Pressure sensitive doormat, voice recognition services from everything like orbiter commands to front door locks, 'orbiting' orbiter using robotics such as Roomba, LinuxMCE operated fireplace (this one is a little scary... )

More Content to Come

A lot. As you might have gleamed already, I like to type.