User:Armorgnome2

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

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 (not working yet)

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)

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.