Installing the hardware

This page was written by Pluto and imported with their permission when LinuxMCE branched off in February, 2007. In general any information should apply to LinuxMCE. However, this page should be edited to reflect changes to LinuxMCE and remove old references to Pluto.

Installation is normally quite straight forward. Since everything in a Pluto system is IP based there are no special cabling requirements, other than a home network.

The media directors will connect to your TV and Stereo like any other a/v device. Be sure to write down how all the other a/v equipment connects as well. For example: Panasonic VCR goes to Sony Receiver on 'video2' port and to Samsung TV on 'svideo' port. Later when you are setting up Pluto with your Pluto Admin site you will be asked about these connections so Pluto can control your a/v equipment. In order to do this your a/v equipment must either have an RS232 or other computer controllable port, or you will need an infrared transmitter. We recommend the gc100 by http://www.globalcache.com. In addition to i/r, the gc100 also gives you ttl inputs you can use for things like doorbells and sensors, and relays to control devices like lights, sprinklers, etc. The gc100 also has spare rs232 ports. If you will be using an infrared transmitter, stick the little i/r blasters on the front of your a/v devices by the i/r eye.

If you bought a media director from a Pluto dealer it will have come with an i/r receiver. This is how you are able to control your media director with a normal infrared remote control. If you are using your own PC as a media director, you will probably want to get an i/r receiver compatible with LIRC.

Normally there are lots of other devices you will want to interface as well, such as cameras, security panels, lighting systems, etc. (http://plutohome.com/index.php?section=compatibility">compatibility list</a>). Try to get IP-based devices when possible--they are much easier to use. But don't plug them in just yet--wait until your Core is up. In many cases we have plug-and-play drivers for IP based equipment, so when the Core is running, it will be 'listening' for new devices when you plug them into your home network and will set everything up for you automatically. For example, if you buy some <a href="http://www.slimdevices.com, all you have to do is plug them in. The Core will recognize them and you can immediately start using them with your remote control.

However, you are likely to have lots of RS232 devices as well. Most lighting control systems, for example, are RS232 based. You can connect these devices directly to the Core. If they are not in proximity, you can use a gc100. Plug the gc100 into the network, and then plug the device into one of the gc100's rs232 ports. Or you can plug them into a media director. You will still be able use the devices from anywhere in the home--Pluto automatically shares all resources throughout the home. So if your lighting control system is plugged in to a media director in the living room, the lights in the bedroom will still go down when you put a DVD in the bedroom's media director. But remember that most people turn the media directors off sometimes. That is why we recommend you connect rs232 devices directly to the Core, or to a gc100, so you know that you will be able to use all your devices all the time.

Here are some block diagrams to illustrate the connections.

<A Dedicated Core.

This is where your Core is a dedicated server. Tuck it away somewhere out of the way, like a wiring closet, where it will stay cool, and let it run forever. You will never to get at it--it's completely self-maintaining.

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<A Dedicated Hybrid

A "hybrid" just means the computer that is running is the "Core" software is also running the "Media Director" software-you use the Core as a Media Director. The only reason we don't do this in our high-end installations is because the Core is usually a pretty massive box with major hard drive capacity and rather noisy, so it's shoved away in the wiring closet, rather than sitting next to a TV like a Media Director would. If you decide to use a hybrid, as shown below, remember that it will need to always be on since the Core software is what controls everything in the house.

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