User:Linux-SA

Introduction:

The vast majority of LinuxMCE users and developers live in The United States and Europe - where the compatability of electronic equipment (to Australian standards) varies... What this means is that the Australian user needs to be very careful about what hardware they get because a lot of the hardware that works in America (EG: TV-Tuner cards and a vast majority of Home Automation equipment) will NOT work in Australia. (European equipement is less of a concern because the standards - DVB-T; PAL; 230v/50Hz; etc - are pretty much the same.)

Just remember: The primary rule when it comes to LinuxMCE is do your homework before purchasing - and you'll never be dissapointed!

For those that don't know anything about Australia, Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and a number of other islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The neighbouring countries are Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east. Australia is the only country that is also a continent.

My AUSTRALIAN Hardware:

This wiki outlines all of the 100% Linux MCE compatible AUSTRALIAN hardware that I'm currently using to run my Linux MCE 0710 - i386 setup.

It's been posted so that you (the new person to LMCE) can have a better understanding of what just works (plug and play) here in AUSTRALIA without messing around with drivers or 'hacking' the kernal - or any other nonsense... (I don't know about you - but I don't WANT to mess around with such stuff - I just want it to WORK with minimal effort!)

Please check back regularly as this is most definitely a work in progress... Every month (at least) I'm constantly updating my setup as I add and take away different pieces of hardware that works pnp (plug and play) with Linux MCE.

Core/Hybrid - Media Director #1: (Lounge)

Operating System: Linux MCE 0710 - i386
User Interface: OpenGL with overlay (Medium)
Motherboard: Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus
Processor: Intel duo Quad 6600
Video: Inno 3D 7600GS - 512mb (PCI-E)
RAM: Corsair 2Gb (2x 1Gb sticks)
HDD: Western Digital - 250GB (EIDE)
Audio:  [P5N32-E SLI Plus (standard audio out)
NIC #1: For input, I'm using the onboard P5N32-E SLI Plus gigabit
NIC #2: For output, I'm using the onboard P5N32-E SLI Plus gigabit
Power Supply: Thermaltake TR2-550W
DVD-RW: Pioneer DVD-R/W (model doesn't matter - all are pnp)  
Bluetooth: Don't remember brand - around $10AUD. (It worked pnp.)
Infrared Reciever/Transmitter: USB-UIRT
Infrared Remote Control: Windows MCE
Monitor: Panasonic 50" (127cm) HD-TV (Dvi-HDMI)
Resolution: (1080p HDTV - 100Hz)

Media Director #2: (Master Bedroom)

Operating System: Linux MCE 0710 - i386 (NIC boot from Core/Hybrid)
User Interface: Static images, no overlay (lightweight)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-6OX
Processor: Intel P3 (1.2Ghz)
Video: Inno 3D 5200GS - 128Mb (AGP slot)  
RAM: Hynix 1Gb (2x 512Mb sticks)  
HDD: Western Digital - 80GB (EIDE) 
Monitor: Panasonic 32" Flat Screen CRT  
NIC: Intel Pro MT gigabit (10/100/1000)
Audio: Gigabyte GA-6OX onboard audio out  
DVD-RW: Pioneer DVD-R (model doesn't matter - all are pnp)  
Bluetooth: Don't remember brand - around $10AUD. (It worked pnp.)
Resolution: (800x600 - 80Hz) It seems that P3 hardware can't handle higher

N.A.S. (Network Attached Server:)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP-Pro  
Motherboard: Asus P4P800-E
Processor: Intel Celeron (2.4Ghz)
Video: ATI RADEON 9600 Pro - 256Mb (AGP slot)  
NIC: Intel Pro MT gigabit (10/100/1000)
RAM: Corsair 2Gb (2x 1Gb sticks)   
HDD #1: Western Digital - 80GB (EIDE)  
HDD #2: Western Digital - 400GB (EIDE) 
HDD #3: Western Digital - 250GB (EIDE)
HDD #4: Western Digital - 250GB (EIDE)
HDD #5: Western Digital - 250GB (EIDE)
Audio:  Asus P4P800-E  (standard audio out) 
DVD-RW: Pioneer DVD-R/W (model doesn't matter - all are pnp)

VOIP/PSTN Integration:

1x 'Naked' DSL 2+: Home-Naked-100 (100gb @ 120000/820 kbps)
1x LinuxMCE - Asterisk (Asterisk is in the standard LinuxMCE installation)
1x VOIP Line: VOIP WA ($5 per month + 12c STD/Local + 22c p/m mobile)
1x Cisco 7960: IP Phone (running SCCP firmware)
5x Cisco 7910: IP Phone (running SCCP firmware)

Assorted additional Hardware:

Oddles of 10/100/1000 LAN cable
Standard Rack (Enclosed 'home' for Server cases)
Various other PC's running various other Operating Systems
1x Alloy GS-08DX NWay Desktop Switch 8 Port Gigabit (10/100/1000)
1x Surecom EP-808SX NWay Desktop Switch 8 Port Megabit (10/100)   
Other bits and pieces security related I prefer not to document for security reasons

Near Future Upgrades:

1x Upgrade from [Linux MCE 0710 - i386 to LinuxMCE 0710 64-bit
2x dual HD-TV TV Tuners (Total 4 HD-TV Channels - Still researching compatible brands) 
1x (minimum) 2U Rack Mount Case(s) (Still researching rack mount cases)
2x Cisco 7960: IP Phone's (To replace 2 existing 7910's)
Other bits and pieces security related I prefer not to document for security reasons

My personal experiences with Linux MCE:

Because the focus of this 'wiki' is LinuxMCE compatible hardware that 'just works' (plug and play) here in AUSTRALIA, it's sadly lacking in details, such as my personal experience in installing LinuxMCE and using it on a day to day basis. (Not to mention tweaking it to do things it wasn't originally intended to do.)

If reading about such day-to-day experiences interests you, I've got an off-site forum where I talk about all that at: Forum SA