AVWizard Step by Step

AV Wizard can be accessed by pressing the Shift key when the Kubuntu with LMCE boots up. In the process of booting, at a time, you'll hear a series of beeps. You must be prepared before these beeps to press the Shift key. When you'll hear them, press Shift key and keep it pressed. Then you'll enter in AV Wizard. If instead of AV Wizard you see black screen or "no signal" message on display, try to switch the connector type as it is described in section II.

Section I

Resolution Settings

Here, you can choose the desired output from your video card to TV or monitor. If you’ll choose VGA, there are many available resolutions and refresh rates. If you have a LCD TV or LCD monitor there is no need to choose a refresh rate. This is helpful only if you have a CRT monitor.

VGA

Resolution Settings

DVI/HDMI

DVI/HDMI Resolutions

DVI/HDMI means that you can use a special cable from the DVI/HDMI output of your video card to DVI/HDMI input of LCD TV/monitor.

You have the same range of resolutions like at VGA. Choose one that is suitable for your display device.

Component

Component Resolution Options

Component uses another special cable which is consisting at every extremity of three jacks (red, blue and green). The display and the video card must have these three jacks.

The resolutions for component are made for using with wide screen monitors and TV’s. Choose the one that is best suited to your display device.

Component

Composite Resolution Options

Composite is something like a TV out from your video card to the monitor/LCD TV. It uses another special cable with a yellow jack. Like at component, the video card and the display must have this kind of input connector.

If you are choosing Composite, you can also choose one TV standard from the list, supported by your display.

S-Video

S-Video Resolution Options

S-Video is another way to send the signal from the video card to monitor/TV. The jack for the cable looks like in the image below.

As you can see in the picture above, you will choose one of the TV standards in the list.

Confirmation of Resolution

After choosing a resolution, a counter will appear on your screen which will stay 15 seconds. In this time, you can decide if the resolution is good for your monitor or not. If you like it, press Continue. If not, press Back.

Confirmation of Resolution

Select Graphical User Interface

The next step of the A/V wizard refers to the graphical aspect of user experience. Here, you have three options:

Please look a Selecting the Right UI for more information regarding the best option to choose.

• Static images, no overlay (lightweight) – It uses only static images and works on nearly all graphics platforms.

• OpenGL with overlay (medium)

• OpenGL with alpha blending (high-end) - Requires very specific Graphics Cards

In this case your media is always first and foremost, and the media is always full-screen. If you're not watching any media, Pluto downloads the 'most interesting' photos from flickr.com and presents smooth sliding, cross-fading gallery art as your media.

Selection of Graphical User Interface

Adjust Image Size

The wizard will guide you to the adjustment of the image size. If your TV doesn't overscan, meaning crop off the edges, you will see all 4 yellow arrows completely on this step. If your TV does overscan, be sure to hit the - key to reduce the image until all 4 arrows are fully visible. Use the arrow keys to shift the image. The goal is that all 4 arrows are centered and as close to the edges of your screen as possible, but without being cropped off. Once you made the correct setup press OK and go the next screen.

This is where LinuxMCE will display the user interface. Your movies and media themselves are always full-screen and are not effected by this.

Adjust Image Size

Audio Output Connector

Next set up the audio system. Again, you have to look at the sound card to see where is connected the cable which goes to the sound system. If you connected the cable to the correct output you have only to click the choice on the screen. If you will hear a melody, then everything is ok, you made the correct setup.

Audio Output Connector

Volume Adjustment

Dolby Audio Test

If your audio has Dolby, then you will have an additional screen, if not then you will bypass these two screen.

Dolby Audio Test

DTS Audio Test

If you audio has Digital Theater Sound(DTS) then you will have an additional screen, if not then you will bypass this screen.

Dolby Audio Test

Final Confirmation

The final screen of the AV Wizard will show you the settings that you’ve chosen for the LinuxMCE system. If agree these setting press I agree, if not, press I do not agree and you’ll be able to make the settings again.

Final Confirmation

Section II

Another method to choose the resolutions and the connector is by pressing some keyboard keys. By default, the AV Wizard has the resolution 640x480 on VGA. To choose the connector you have to press the keys from 1 to 5 (1=DVI, 2=VGA, 3=Component, 4=Composite, 5=S-Video). To choose a resolution you have to press the keys from 6 to 0 (6=640x480, 7=1024x768, 8=720p, 9=1080i, 0=1080p). For choosing the resolution and connector you have to be in the initial screen of AV Wizard.

Welcome

When you are in this screen press the key the desired connector. The screen will flicker and will return to this initial screen. Then, press the key for the desired resolution. Again, the screen will flicker and will return to the initial screen, using the resolution that you chose. After you made the setup, you can continue with the next settings.

Troubleshooting

Driver Issues

• 1080i and 1080p are not fully supported because of some factory issues of NVidia drivers.

The AVWizard does not start

• I hear the beeps but I only have a black screen.

Please refer to Section II above as it will tell you how to start the AVWizard with a connection other than VGA.