Core/MD Hybrid

(This is a one network card installation)
(There is no capture card/MythTV in this setup)

Hardware

Asus T3-P5945GCX Barebones with 3.00GHz Pentium 4
Nvidia GeForce 6600 256 MB PCI-E 16x Video Card (DVI Output)
2 GB Generic RAM
80 GB Seagate ST380215A Hard Drive (for the OS and temporary media storage)
1 TB Western Digital 10EAVS External Hard drive (for media storage)
DVDRAM GSA-4167B

Peripherals and Accessories

24 inch Sceptre LCD Monitor (DVI)
5.1 Channel Creative Sound System
Gigaware microphone
Generic USB 5 Button Wireless Optical Mouse with Scroll Wheel
Generic Wireless PS/2 keyboard
Ezonics EZCam USB Webcam
Microsoft NX-6000 Webcam
Generic 7-port USB Hub
USB Bluetooth Dongle with CSR chipset
HP Deskjet 2545 USB Printer

Software

LinuxMCE 0810 beta2
lmce-activate-orbiter-plasmoid
kubuntu-restricted-extras
libdvdread3
xbindkeys
xautomation
alsamixer
VNC/Remote Desktop Viewer

X10 Devices

Controlling

Controller: CM11A
Remote: KR22A

Controlled

LM465 is dimmable
AM466 is not dimmable
RR501 is not dimmable and is a remote control receiver (Can only be unit code 1 or 9)

 Device Code | Module | Description
      B1     | RR501  | Sound System Power
      B2     | LM465  | Floor Light
      B3     | LM465  | Light Tree
      B4     | LM465  | Desk Light
      B5     | AM466  | Monitor Power
      B6     | AM466  | Rope Lights & Strobe Light
      B7     | AM466  | Fan
      B8 ------------------------------------------
      B9     | RR501  | Black Lights

The Installation

(This is a one network card installation)
(There is no capture card/MythTV in this setup)
Single quotes (i.e. 'sudo apt-get install foo') represent commands to be typed into the terminal
Web Admin can be accessed by going to http://localhost on the core or by going to http://<core-network-IP-address> from a computer on the network.

LMCE 0810 beta2 Installation

Followed the internet installation instructions located here
Upon reboot, I temporarily hooked the monitor to VGA to go through AVWizard
Chose DVI output, 1080p, 60 Hz, OpenGL with Alpha Blending, stereo sound, 100% volume, and hit I Agree
Upon finishing the AVWizard, there was a grey screen with large text displaying each package that was installed
This continued until it got to the Orbiter Regeneration
After the orbiter regeneration, I had the infamous grey screen with a cursor
I used Ctrl+Alt+F2 to get to get to tty2, and logged in
I edited the /etc/network/interfaces file as seen in the configuration files section
After rebooting, I was greeted with the Setup Wizard which stepped me through the rest of the install process
That's it, after some more big text, MCE started up fine and I was greeted with some Flikr pictures

Activate Orbiter Plasmoid

Once you go to KDE from the on screen orbiter, there's no good way to go back besides reloading the router or clicking on OrbiterGL on the taskbar which rarely works
The plasmoid lets you return to the orbiter easily
If the plasmoid causes problems, use this method instead

'sudo apt-get install lmce-activate-orbiter-plasmoid
While in the KDE desktop, right click on the desktop and click "Add Widgets"
Double click on "Activate Orbiter"
Place the plasmoid where you want it by hovering over it and then clicking and dragging the black bar that appears.
Now you can click on the plasmoid to properly return to the on-screen orbiter

External Hard Drive

After plugging in the external hard drive, I was asked if I wanted to use it.
After selecting "use without modifying" the drive was set up by MCE
I then went into the Web Admin > Files & Media > Media Files Sync
Navigated to the hard drive and resynchronized my Movies folder and Music Folder

Configure 5.1 Channel Sound

selecting stereo in the AVWizard does not enable multi-channel analog audio...this is how to fix it

Web Admin > Wizard > Devices> Media Directors
At the bottom of the media director device settings, change the "Audio Settings" Drop-Down menu to "Multi-channel analog"
Open terminal and run 'sudo alsamixer'
In alsamixer, use the arrow keys and 'M' to unmute and adjust the volume of surround, center, and LFE (side if you have 7.1)

Auto-start KDE desktop behind MCE on boot

By default, the KDE desktop environment only starts if you click "KDE desktop" on the on-screen orbiter
To get certain programs and services to run, it was easiest to have KDE startup behind MCE on boot

Edit /etc/init.d/linuxmce to contain

StartService "KDE Desktop" "/usr/pluto/bin/Start_KDE.sh" as seen in the configuration files section

X10 interface and lighting setup

Plugged in all of my X10 modules and gave them the unit codes described above
Plugged in the CM11A controller and hooked it to the only serial port
Followed the directions here.
Reloaded the router and regenerated orbiter if it asked to
Tested each module with the Lights > Floorplan button in MCE

Get DVDs to play

Instructions grabbed here

Open Terminal
'sudo apt-get install -y kubuntu-restricted-extras libdvdread3'
'sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh'

Disable the Firewall

Since this is a single-nic installation, I don't find the firewall very necessary, and it makes other features easier to get working if it is disabled

Web Admin > Advanced > Network > Firewall Rules
Check the "Firewall Disabled" box
Click OK on on the warning dialog

Access Features outside of the Network

Create an account at DynDNS.org
Register a host name for your Media Center using the free DNS service
Web Admin > Advanced > Network > Dynamic DNS Settings
Enter the information you just registered with DynDNS.org
Check the "obtain IP address from the web" box
Click Save
Web Admin > Wizard > Security > Outside Access
Check "Allow outside access on port: " and specify port 8080
Click "Update"
If the Media Center is behind a router, port 8080 will need to be forwarded to the Media Center's IP or name

(This process is slightly different for each router but in my case, the router configuration was located at http://192.168.200.1, Most home routers will have the IP 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1)

On a computer with internet access, you should be able to go to http://<your-dyndns-hostname>:8080 and bring up the Web Admin

Sometimes attempting to use http://<your-dyndns-hostname>:8080 while on the same local network won't work, so have a friend test it out or try it on a web-enabled cell phone
If that isn't working, maybe MCE needs a router reload or a computer restart

Enable the Web Orbiter

With a laptop, wifi, and a cell phone with web browsing, why not? Instructions grabbed here

Web admin > Show Devices Tree > Core
Create Child Device at the top
Pick Device Template
Device Category: Peripherals
Template ID: 1748 (Generic Web Device)
Pick device template
Wait until orbiter generation is finished (progress can be seen at Wizard > Devices > Orbiters)
Quick Reload Router
My proxy orbiter had problems starting up, so I rebooted the whole machine to get it all working nicely
Access the web orbiter by going to http://<core_ip>/lmce-admin/weborbiter.php or clicking the link on the login page of the web admin on any computer on the network
Orbiter settings and preferences can be set at Wizard > Devices> Orbiters and then regenerated accordingly
Assuming previous steps to "Access Features outside of the Network" were followed, web orbiter can be accessed by any computer on the internet by going to http://<your-dyndns-hostname>:8080 and clicking on the link on the login page or by going to http://<your-dyndns-hostname>:8080/lmce-admin/weborbiter.php directly

Enable remote desktop

Go to the KDE desktop on the Media Center
K Menu > Applications > Internet > Desktop Sharing
Click "Configure"
Click "Security"
Check the "Allow uninvited connections" box
Check the "Allow remote connections to control..." box
Uncheck the "Ask before..." box
Enter a password
Click Apply and OK
Use VNC or Remote Desktop Viewer from another computer to control it

Enable Network File Sharing

This seems to be enabled by default in LMCE 0810 beta2 so just get on a network computer and connect to \\dcerouter and login
External hard drive should be accessible directly or through /public/other/

Assign Functions to mouse buttons

Instructions grabbed here and here

BACKUP xorg.conf: 'sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup'
edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf mouse settings to look something like that in the configuration files section
run 'xev' in terminal and single click each mouse button in the box that appears, paying attention to the output in the terminal to make sure each button number is correct (if it doesn't you have some trouble shooting to do here)
'sudo apt-get install -y xbindkeys xautomation
Create the file ~/.xbinkeysrc ('sudo kate ~/.xbindkeysrc')
Modify as seen in the configuration files section
Run 'xbindkeys -n -v' (not as daemon, verbose) to test the configuration
Once the configuration is how you want it, add xbindkeys to the startup of KDE by running 'sudo cp /usr/bin/xbindkeys /home/matt/.kde/Autostart/' in terminal
Upon restart, the configuration should automatically take effect

Set lighting scenarios

By default, lmce gives you Sleep, Wakeup, and House to sleep mode as the Lighting Scenarios
These can be modified, deleted, and added to
My scenario settings are described in detail in the Configuration_Files configuration files section

Web Admin > Wizard > Scenarios > Lighting Scenarios
Click on the "Sleep" scenario
Choose the items you wish to turn on/off/leave unchanged/set level
Click Update

Configuration Files

/etc/init.d/linuxmce

I don't know if the specific placement of this line really matters, but this worked for me

StartService "Setting SSH Keys" "/usr/pluto/bin/SSH_Keys.sh" "&"
StartService "Setting Coredump Location" "/usr/pluto/bin/corefile.sh"
StartService "Creating Firewire 2 Video4Linux Pipes" "/usr/pluto/bin/Firewire2Video4Linux.sh"
StartService "Configuring Pluto Storage Devices" "/usr/pluto/bin/StorageDevices_Setup.sh"
/etc/init.d/samba start
StartService "Detecting Timezone" "/usr/pluto/bin/Timezone_Detect.sh" "&"
StartService "Status Radar" "/usr/pluto/bin/StorageDevices_StatusRadar.sh"
StartService "Samba Radar" "/usr/pluto/bin/StorageDevices_SambaRadar.sh"
StartService "PVR-250 tuner restore" "/usr/pluto/bin/CaptureCards_BootConfig_PVR-250.sh"
StartService "KDE Desktop" "/usr/pluto/bin/Start_KDE.sh"
## Setup ALSA mixers
#amixer sset Capture 90%
#amixer sset 'Mic Boost (+20dB)' unmute
#alsactl store

/etc/network/interfaces

(the eth0 configuration should be set according to the network the media center is connected to)

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
   address 192.168.200.42
   netmask 255.255.255.0
   gateway 192.168.200.1
auto eth0:1
iface eth0:1 inet static
   address 192.168.80.1
   netmask 255.255.255.0

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

Options may very depending on your setup and mouse, this is the config for my setup
The protocol ExplorerPS/2 seems to have the best luck, but auto may work as well

...
Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option         "Buttons" "7"
    Option         "ButtonMapping" "1 2 3 6 7"
EndSection
   ...

~/.xbindkeysrc

b:# is the mouse button, modify according to the functions you want
use 'xev' to determine the mouse button numbers
use 'xbindkeys -k' to determine keyboard button codes (they are case-sensitive)

"xte 'keydown F7' &"
  b:2
"xte 'keyup F7' &"
  b:2+release
"xte 'keydown Prior' &"
  b:4
"xte 'keyup Prior' &"
  b:4+release
"xte 'keydown Next' &"
  b:5
"xte 'keyup Next' &"
  b:5+release
"xte 'keydown F6' &"
  b:6
"xte 'keyup F6' &"
  b:6+release
"xte 'keydown F8' &"
  b:7
"xte 'keyup F8' &"
  b:7+release

User:GnEeErKd

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