User:Freymann

About Me

First, a brief history:

Hello. My name is Gerald Freymann and I live in Ontario, Canada.

I first attempted a LinuxMCE installation in March 2008, using 7.10 B4. My core machine worked like crap, one media director was OK but had a bad PVR card and the second media director caused me grief with the video card and I gave up, rather frustrated, confused and extremely disappointed.

Afterwards, I set up a 3 station MythBuntu system in a day, and have been tinkering with it and learning more about MythTV since then. I'm happy to say that I was able to get my MCE Transceivers working under MythBuntu. See: [1]

I then tinkered with the X10 equipment I bought but never got to use with LinuxMCE, and quite happily, did very well integrating X10 under MythBuntu both through on-screen menus and remote buttons. See: [2]

From MythBuntu 7.10 to 8.04, I've enjoyed the system and I've learned a heck of lot more! but have been keeping tabs on LinuxMCE, as it was my system of choice in the first place, I just needed another way to play with it without pressure or time constraints.

So, in mid-May I purchased yet another system that I figured would replace the MythBuntu core, but before I did that, I wanted to load LinuxMCE 7.10 RC2 on it, just to see how things have progressed since the 7.10 B4. I was very fortunate this time around, as things just worked! I freely goofed around, not caring if the system came crashing down, and other than tinkering with network cards that caused a fresh reload, this version just seems to work.

Now I'm thinking the new box will become my new LinuxMCE Hybrid/Core and I'll change the other two stations over to LinuxMCE, and be where I wanted to be a few months ago. Kewl!

I thought I would take this opportunity to document what equipment I am using, and what worked, and what didn't.

System

Prices are in CDN Funds and most don't include shipping, taxes or mail-in rebates.

Core

Hybrid/Core -- June 2008 -- WORKS! (Still Testing today)

• $279.99 -> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4600+ Socket AM2
• 1 x AMD Original AM2 CPU Fan (a little noisy, not too bad)
• 1 x ECS nVidia GeForce6100SM-M Motherboard
• 2GB DDR II 667 Memory 240 Pin (Kingston?)
• 1 x Western Digital 160GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache Serial ATA II (this was replaced by the Hitachi 500GB)
• 1 x LG 20X IDE DVD RW + Dual Layer optical drive
• disabled on-board nVidia GeForce 6100 as I couldn't use VGA output
• Realtek ALC660 6-channel HD Audio
• Onboard 10/100 Network Card (connected to my main wired/wireless Linksys Router, which is connected to DSL modem)
• 6 x USB 2.0 Port, 1 Parallel, 1 Serial
• 1285 Deluxe Black Tower Case
• 450 Watt Power Supply
• $ 99.99 -> Hitachi 500GB Serial ATA HD, 7200/16MB/SATA-3G
• $ 24.99 -> D-Link DGE-530T 10/100/1000 Mbps PCI Network Adapter (for the inside Network)
• $ 48.99 -> EVGA GeForce 7200 GS 256MB (will take up to 512MB) PCIe Video card
• $ 45.00 -> TP-Link TL-SG1008D 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch (connected to internal nic in Core, rest of the internal LAN connects here)

Networking

-> various additional network cabling

• $17.99 -> 2 x 25 FT CAT5e 5e Computer Ethernet Network Internet Cable
• $ 6.99 -> 50 FT CAT5e CAT 5e Computer Ethernet PS3 Internet Cable
• $ 6.99 -> 25 FT 8M CAT 6 Network Patch Cable
• $ 3.99 -> 10 FT CAT5e 5e Computer Ethernet Network Internet Cable

Automation

-> various X10 equipment

• $46.09 RCA X10 ActiveHome PC Interface (CM11A)
• 6 x dimmable lamp modules (LM465)
• 2-way transceriver module (RR501)
• $42.70 -> KR22A, LM15A, AM466, WS12A

In development

-> Newly ordered, but not yet here

• $117.66 -> 2 x USB-UIRTS (sold my original 2, had to buy 2 more)
• $139.18 -> 2 x Gyration Motion Sensing Remote Control

These items have arrived and one each is installed on my hyrbid/core (basement) and living-room media directory.

Media Director

MEDIA DIRECTOR -- March 2008 -- WORKS!

• $169.99 -> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ Socket AM2
• AMD Original AM2 CPU Fan
• ECS nVidia GeForce6100-SM-M Motherboard
• 1GB DDR II 667 Memory 240 Pin (Kingston)
• nVidia GeForce 6100 2D/3D Graphic Engine, up to 256MB Memory (disabled in favour on PCIe Video card)
• Realtek ALC660 6-channel HD Audio
• Onboard 10/100 Network Card (connected to Gigabit Ethernet Switch)
• 6 USB 2.0 Port, 1 Parallel, 1 Serial
• 1285 Delux Black Tower Case
• 450 Watt Power Supply
• $121.99 -> Hauppauge WINTV-PVR-150 MCE BNDL MPEG2 w/REMOTE
• $39.99 -> Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110 (keyboard/mouse)
• $54.99 -> EVGA GeForce 72000 GS 256MB (will take up to 512MB) PCIe

Comments and Experiences

Non Working core

Hybrid/Core -- March 2008 -- FAILED TERRIBLY! -- RETIRED

• • • These parts have been moved to the new hybrid/core

• $34.91 -> Diablo X-Man Silver Gamer Case, Coolmax 400W V2.01 Power Supply
• $360.06 -> EVGA nForce 650i Ultra Socket 775 Motherboard
• EVGA GeForce 8400 GS, 512MB RAM, PCIe w/DVI-TV-OUT
• Samsung 18x DVD RW SH-S183L SATA LS OEM
• Seagate 250GB Serial ATA w/NCQ 7200/8MB/SATA-3G
• Crucial 1024MB PC5400 DDR2 667 MHZ (2 pieces, for 2GB RAM)
• Intel Pentium D 925 3Ghz DT 800FSB Socket 775
  • • $102.02 -> Hauppauge WINTV-PVR-150 MCE BNDL MPEG2 w/REMOTE
    • $79.99 -> WD Caviar 500GB Serial ATA HD 7200/16MB/SATA-3G
• $29.99 -> Sony DRU190A 20X DVD Burner EIDE
  • • $39.99 -> Logitech Cordless Desktop LX310 (keyboard/mouse)
• $48.99 -> Gyration GO 2.4 Air Mouse, Refurbished (now on new core)
• $30.99 -> Linksys Etherfast 10/100 5-port Switch

Other Non Working items

Items that didn't work:

• $ 9.99 -> Trendware 32 Bit 10/100/1000 Copper Gigabit PCI Network Card.

Car PC

• MINI ITX Media Center PC/Car PC FULLY LOADED -- March 2008 -- Didn't Work with 7.10 B4
  • I will be trying this again shortly under 7.10 RC2 $210.00
  • Complete system with power adapter
• Via EPIA-SP 1GHZ with TV output
• 512MB DDR Memory
• 80GB Western Digital Scorpio HD
• LG DVD-ROM Slim
• 2 additional USB 2.0 ports (4 total)
• Dimensions: 12” x 10 ½” x 2”

Motherboard Specs:

• Model Name • VIA EPIA SP13000G
• VIA EPIA SP8000EG
• Processor • VIA C3™/ VIA Eden™ EBGA processor

• Chipset • VIA CN400 North Bridge

• VIA VT8237R-Series South Bridge

• System Memory • 1 DDR266/333/400 DIMM socket

• Up to 1GB memory size

• VGA • Integrated VIA UniChrome™ Pro AGP graphics with MPEG-2 decoder /MPEG-4 Accelerator

• Expansion Slots • 1 PCI

• Onboard IDE • 2 X UltraDMA 133/100 Connector

• Onboard Serial ATA • 2 SATA Connectors

• Onboard LAN • VIA VT6103 10/100 Base-T Ethernet PHY
• Onboard Audio • VIA VT1617A 6channel AC'97 codec
• Onboard TV Out • VIA VT1623M TV Encoder
• Onboard 1394 • VIA VT6307S IEEE 1394 Firewire
• Back Panel I/O • 1 PS2 mouse port
• 1 PS2 keyboard port
• 1 RJ-45 LAN port
• 1 Serial port
• 2 USB 2.0 ports
• 1 VGA port
• 1 PCA port (SPDIF or TV out)
• 1 S-video port
• 3 Audio jacks: line-out, line-in and mic-in (Smart 5.1 Support)
• Onboard I/O Connectors • 3 USB connector for 6additional USB 2.0 ports
• 1 1394 connector for 1 1394 port
• 1 Serial port connector for a second com port
• 1 VIP connector
• 1 Front-panel audio connector (Mic-in and Line-out)
• 1 CD audio-in connector
• 1 FIR connector
• 1 CIR connector (Switchable for KB/MS)
• 1 LPT port connector
• 1 Wake-on-LAN connector
• 2 Fan connectors: CPU/Sys FAN
• 1 I2C connector
• 1 LVDS/TTL module connector (Optional)
• 1 +12V power connector
• ATX power connector

• BIOS • Award BIOS

• 4/8Mbit flash memory

• System Monitoring & Management • CPU voltage monitoring

• Wake-on-LAN, Keyboard Power-on, Timer Power-on
• System power management
• AC power failure recover
• Operating Temperature • 0~50°C
• Operating Humidity • 0% ~ 93% (relative humidity; non-condensing)
• Form Factor • Mini-ITX (6 layers)
• 17 cm x 17 cm

Notes

So, that's about $2,214.00 CDN not including shipping, taxes, import fees, and mail-in rebates.

I purchase a lot of my equipment from:

-tigerdirect, See [3]

-future shop, See [4]

-ebay stores like:

X10 Warehouse, See [5]

LU Computers, See [6]

Mayco Estore, See [7]

BTE Computers, See [8]

Once I do move the new core into place and set up the two media directors, I'll include details on each of the setups with pictures, describing the TV and A/V equipment used.