Difference between revisions of "AVWizard"

From LinuxMCE
Jump to: navigation, search
(AV Welcome screen)
 
(69 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Note: Due to a bug in the 0704 release, the numeric keys 0-9 on the Windows XP I/R remote may not set your output connector & resolution.  If they do not, use the 0-9 keys on the keyboard or use another remote.'''
+
[[Category: AV_Wizard]]
 +
{| align="right"
 +
  | __TOC__
 +
  |}
 +
[[Category:AV Wizard]]
  
 +
This page covers the aspects of the AVWizard that the end user will be interested in.  If you want to customise the AVWizard for your needs, like writing a separate backend, see [[AVWizard for developers]].
  
 +
==Background==
  
The AVWizard has two points of view:
+
LinuxMCE is intended to act like a normal consumer A/V device, even though it is PC based. As a result, the process for configuring displays is substantially different from configuring X11 on a normal Linux machine, and the A/V Wizard has been designed to make this process as easy as possible. Please see the [[EDID]] page for more details on the reasons behind the way it has been designed.
  - [[AVWizard user's point of view]]
+
That covers the aspect that one user should handle the AVWizard
+
  - [[AVWizard developer's point of view]]
+
That match the part of how is to customise the AVWizard for your needs, like writing a separate backend, or changing the AVWizard for your needs
+
  
 +
==Starting A/V Wizard==
 +
===Initially===
 +
This wizard is started automatically the very first time the system boots; it does not automatically start after that.
  
==Background==
+
===Starting A/V Wizard from the LinuxMCE menu===
Consumer a/v gear, like DVD's, cable boxes and TV's, handle video differently than PC's and PC Monitors. PC's and PC Monitors exchange information about the resolution and capabilities of the monitors using EDID, and the PC's figure out automatically what type of monitor is connected to which video connector (ie VGA, DVI, etc.).  Consumer a/v gear generally does not work like this; you tell the device what resolution to output usually with a switch, and it outputs the same video on all connectors at the same time.
+
The A/V wizard can be restarted at any time from the LinuxMCE menu by choosing Advanced--> Advanced--> A/V Wizard.
 +
 
 +
===Restarting the AVWizard during bootup===
 +
Alternatively, the AV Wizard can be started during bootup. Either hold down the Shift key on the keyboard, or press the "A/V Menu" button on the remote to make the A/V wizard start. During bootup you should hear a series of escalating beeps to tell you when LinuxMCE is monitoring the Shift (and "A/V Menu") keys.   
 +
 
 +
When you hear the descending beeps it means that you're too late; the bootup has already gone past the AV Wizard check and LinuxMCE has already started.
  
This often leads to frustration when using a home theater PC because when you connect the PC to a TV the PC is expecting to get valid information from the TV using EDID, but most consumer TV's do not report this correctly, and so the PC's often times end up outputting the wrong resolution, or not correctly detecting which connector is active.  To get it to work can be complicated, using utilities like PowerStrip for Windows, or editing Modeline's in Linux.
 
==Starting A/V Wizard==
 
Since LinuxMCE is intended to mainly be used with a PC we made it act like a normal consumer a/v device.  It does not use EDID or try to talk to the TV or monitor.  It just outputs whatever resolution you tell it to on whatever connector you specify.  This is done using the video/audio setup wizard.  This wizard is started automatically the first time the system boots, and does not start again.  If you want to change the settings, you can restart the A/V wizard by choosing Advanced, Advanced, A/V Wizard from the main LinuxMCE menu, or during bootup you can either hold down the shift key on the keyboard, or press the a/v menu button on the remote to make A/V wizard start that boot.  During bootup you will hear a series of escalating beeps to tell you when LinuxMCE is monitoring the Shift & A/V Menu keys.  Hold the keys and A/V Wizard will start.  When you hear the descending beeps that means it's too late; the bootup has already gone past the AV Wizard check and LinuxMCE has started.
 
 
==How A/V Wizard Starts==
 
==How A/V Wizard Starts==
When A/V Wizard starts it always outputs 640x480 on the VGA connector. So, if you are not using the VGA connector, you will likely see a blank, black screen when A/V Wizard starts, even if you previously saw the Kubuntu boot splash.  You will know that the A/V Wizard is running because you hear a series of beeps. When you hear those beeps, if you have video, proceed to complete the A/V Wizard.
+
When A/V Wizard starts it always outputs 640x480 on the VGA connector. If you are ''not'' using a VGA connector, you will likely see a black screen when the A/V Wizard starts (even if you previously saw the Kubuntu boot splash).  You will know that the A/V Wizard is running, however, because you will hear a series of beeps. If you then have video after hearing the beeps, proceed to [[AVWizard_Step_by_Step| complete the A/V Wizard]]. If not, see the next section.
 +
 
 
==What to do if A/V Wizard does not start==
 
==What to do if A/V Wizard does not start==
If you do not, press the number 1 through 5 on the keyboard or the remote control to switch to the connector that is active. Wait about 15 seconds, and you will hear that same sequence of beeps telling you that A/V Wizard has now restarted using the connector you specified. If you don't hear the beeps after 15 seconds, press the number for your connector again.   
+
Press the number 1 through 5 on the keyboard (or the remote control) to switch to the active connector. Wait 15 seconds, and you will hear that same sequence of beeps telling you that A/V Wizard has now restarted. If you don't hear the beeps after 15 seconds, press the number for your connector again.  Some users may find that pushing 'QWERTY' keys may have the same effect.
 +
 
 
     <pre> Keys for choosing a connector:
 
     <pre> Keys for choosing a connector:
  
Line 26: Line 35:
 
3: Component
 
3: Component
 
4: Composite
 
4: Composite
5: S-Video</pre>
+
5: S-Video
 +
Q: DVI-2
 +
W: VGA-2
 +
L: LVDS</pre>
 +
 
 +
If you hear the beeps but still don't see a picture, it's possible that the display you're using cannot handle 640x480.  Press the number 6-9, or 0, as shown below, to select your resolution.  Again, 15 seconds later, you should hear the beeps when the A/V Wizard is restarted. If you again need to choose a connector (other than the default VGA), press the 1-5 key (as above) and wait until you hear the beeps again. Repeat as often as needed.
  
If you do hear the beeps, but you still don't see a picture, it's possible that the display you're using cannot handle 640x480.  If so, then press the number 6-9, and 0, and shown below to select a resolution.  Again, 15 seconds later, you'll hear the beeps when A/V Wizard is running.  If you need to choose a connector besides the default VGA, press the 1-5 key and wait until you hear the beeps again before choosing another connector or resolution.
 
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
Keys for choosing a resolution:
 
Keys for choosing a resolution:
Line 38: Line 51:
 
0: 1080p</pre>
 
0: 1080p</pre>
  
Once you have a picture you can proceed to complete the A/V Wizard and resize your user interface to fit your screen, choose your audio outputs and so on. You can follow the instructions listed here:
+
(''Note: Due to a bug in the 0704 release, the numeric keys 0-9 on the Windows XP I/R remote may not be able to set your output connector & resolution. Use the 0-9 keys on the keyboard instead, or use another remote.'')
*[[AVWizard running steps]]
+
  
A/V Wizard makes the process a bit more complicated for normal PC users that are using PC Monitors and used to having the video card automatically figure out the correct connector and resolution.  But it's the only way to make it simple to use a home theater PC with a consumer TV and still HD video without needing to mess with complex utilities.
+
=== Controlling AVWizard via a USB Game Pad ===
  
==AVWizard steps==
+
It is possible to use a USB game pad to navigate the AV Wizard and to set video modes. Read [[Control TV Orbiter Using Game Pad#Usage in AV Wizard]] for more information.
AVWizard is a 10 steps easy wizard which covers everything of basic configuration of your system.
+
  
After that will launch an [[OrbiterGen]] which will create an Orbiter corresponding to that tool.
+
== Once AV Wizard is started. ==
  
The pages are:
+
Once you have a picture you can proceed to complete the A/V Wizard. You can then resize your user interface to fit your screen, choose your audio outputs, and so on. Follow the [[AVWizard Step by Step]] instructions.
===AV Welcome screen===
+
[[Image:WelcomeAV.jpg]]
+
  
===AV Resolution and Refresh screen===
+
If you have more than one video card, or a video card and an onboard video chipset LMCE might not be using the correct one, and so you will still get a black screen. To use a card rather than your onboard chipset, go into your BIOS and disable the onboard chipset - note some BIOSs cannot disable, they can only set your card as the primary or initial video chipset, if so then do that.
{{sectstub}}
+
  
===AV Video Resolution counter===
+
If you were able to disable the onboard chipset in your BIOS, then you should be ready to run the AV Wizard - the Linux kernel will not even see the onboard chipset, so will select the card for output.
{{sectstub}}
+
  
===AV UI Switcher===
+
If you could only set the card as primary (and not disable the onboard chipset) the you will probably notice that you now see the Kubuntu splash screen and progress bar during start up that you didn't see before. However, once you reach the AV Wizard, the screen goes black again - here it is defaulting to your onboard chipset.
{{sectstub}}
+
  
===AV Video Output===
+
To correct this, reboot and hit Escape during the GRUB boot menu (just after the BIOS self test), and choose the recovery option. Once you get a command line, you can execute the lspci command - this will list all your PCI interfaced devices, including the onboard and card video chipsets. Make a note of the PCI BusID of the card, eg 2:0:0
{{sectstub}}
+
  
===AV Audio Connector===
+
Now use a text editor and edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf. In the Device section you will see the PCI BusID specified - this is probably set to your onboard chipset's ID. Change this to the ID you noted above, save the file and reboot.
{{sectstub}}
+
  
===AV Audio Volume===
+
==AVWizard steps==
{{sectstub}}
+
:''See [[AVWizard Step by Step]] for detailed screen-by-screen instructions.''
 +
 
 +
AVWizard is an easy 10 step configuration wizard:
  
===AV Dolby Test===
+
*AV Welcome screen
{{sectstub}}
+
*AV Resolution and Refresh screen
 +
*AV Video Resolution counter
 +
*AV UI Switcher
 +
*AV Video Output
 +
*AV Audio Connector
 +
*AV Audio Volume
 +
*AV Dolby Test
 +
*AV DTS Test
 +
*AV Final Selections
  
===AV DTS Test===
 
{{sectstub}}
 
  
===AV Final Selections===
+
After that an [[Orbiter Generator]] will be launched, to create an [[Orbiter]] (remote control) for that tool.
{{sectstub}}
+
  
==Running A/V Wizard from Commandline==
+
==Running A/V Wizard from the Commandline==
 
If you are having difficulty running the AVWizard normally (by selecting the option in the Orbiter) it can be run manually by typing in the command line. <pre>/usr/pluto/bin/AVWizard_Run.sh</pre>  
 
If you are having difficulty running the AVWizard normally (by selecting the option in the Orbiter) it can be run manually by typing in the command line. <pre>/usr/pluto/bin/AVWizard_Run.sh</pre>  
 
Note that you should kill X and any process trying to reload it before running the wizard. You should only do this if your attempt to run it normally fails for whatever reason.
 
Note that you should kill X and any process trying to reload it before running the wizard. You should only do this if your attempt to run it normally fails for whatever reason.
[[Category: Tutorials]]
+
Note: I had to use <pre>sudo -s /usr/pluto/bin/AVWizard_Run.sh</pre> to get my AVWizard to restart.
 
+
==For developers==
+
 
+
AVWizard is written in C++ using that libraries:
+
- SDL (SDL_image, SDL_rotozoom, etc.)
+
- libXML2
+
- network code
+
 
+
AVWizard has the next working steps:
+
- [[Generating screens of the AVWizard]] (in the /tmp folder as XML files)
+
- load one by one depending of the needs of running ([[Main AVWizard]]).
+
 
+
That two steps may be splitted in the future in two separately applications, that will make it more customisable and to not make it more "redundant code" like: defining object, '''save/load''' operations restore objects.
+
The XML files keeps only the display representations of the data. The factory creates the coresponding objects in a WizardWidget class which contains a tree of WizardWidgets that has as much childs as we are used.
+

Latest revision as of 16:15, 19 October 2012

This page covers the aspects of the AVWizard that the end user will be interested in. If you want to customise the AVWizard for your needs, like writing a separate backend, see AVWizard for developers.

Background

LinuxMCE is intended to act like a normal consumer A/V device, even though it is PC based. As a result, the process for configuring displays is substantially different from configuring X11 on a normal Linux machine, and the A/V Wizard has been designed to make this process as easy as possible. Please see the EDID page for more details on the reasons behind the way it has been designed.

Starting A/V Wizard

Initially

This wizard is started automatically the very first time the system boots; it does not automatically start after that.

Starting A/V Wizard from the LinuxMCE menu

The A/V wizard can be restarted at any time from the LinuxMCE menu by choosing Advanced--> Advanced--> A/V Wizard.

Restarting the AVWizard during bootup

Alternatively, the AV Wizard can be started during bootup. Either hold down the Shift key on the keyboard, or press the "A/V Menu" button on the remote to make the A/V wizard start. During bootup you should hear a series of escalating beeps to tell you when LinuxMCE is monitoring the Shift (and "A/V Menu") keys.

When you hear the descending beeps it means that you're too late; the bootup has already gone past the AV Wizard check and LinuxMCE has already started.

How A/V Wizard Starts

When A/V Wizard starts it always outputs 640x480 on the VGA connector. If you are not using a VGA connector, you will likely see a black screen when the A/V Wizard starts (even if you previously saw the Kubuntu boot splash). You will know that the A/V Wizard is running, however, because you will hear a series of beeps. If you then have video after hearing the beeps, proceed to complete the A/V Wizard. If not, see the next section.

What to do if A/V Wizard does not start

Press the number 1 through 5 on the keyboard (or the remote control) to switch to the active connector. Wait 15 seconds, and you will hear that same sequence of beeps telling you that A/V Wizard has now restarted. If you don't hear the beeps after 15 seconds, press the number for your connector again. Some users may find that pushing 'QWERTY' keys may have the same effect.

 Keys for choosing a connector:

1: DVI
2: VGA
3: Component
4: Composite
5: S-Video
Q: DVI-2
W: VGA-2
L: LVDS

If you hear the beeps but still don't see a picture, it's possible that the display you're using cannot handle 640x480. Press the number 6-9, or 0, as shown below, to select your resolution. Again, 15 seconds later, you should hear the beeps when the A/V Wizard is restarted. If you again need to choose a connector (other than the default VGA), press the 1-5 key (as above) and wait until you hear the beeps again. Repeat as often as needed.

Keys for choosing a resolution:

6: 640x480
7: 1024x768
8: 720p
9: 1080i
0: 1080p

(Note: Due to a bug in the 0704 release, the numeric keys 0-9 on the Windows XP I/R remote may not be able to set your output connector & resolution. Use the 0-9 keys on the keyboard instead, or use another remote.)

Controlling AVWizard via a USB Game Pad

It is possible to use a USB game pad to navigate the AV Wizard and to set video modes. Read Control TV Orbiter Using Game Pad#Usage in AV Wizard for more information.

Once AV Wizard is started.

Once you have a picture you can proceed to complete the A/V Wizard. You can then resize your user interface to fit your screen, choose your audio outputs, and so on. Follow the AVWizard Step by Step instructions.

If you have more than one video card, or a video card and an onboard video chipset LMCE might not be using the correct one, and so you will still get a black screen. To use a card rather than your onboard chipset, go into your BIOS and disable the onboard chipset - note some BIOSs cannot disable, they can only set your card as the primary or initial video chipset, if so then do that.

If you were able to disable the onboard chipset in your BIOS, then you should be ready to run the AV Wizard - the Linux kernel will not even see the onboard chipset, so will select the card for output.

If you could only set the card as primary (and not disable the onboard chipset) the you will probably notice that you now see the Kubuntu splash screen and progress bar during start up that you didn't see before. However, once you reach the AV Wizard, the screen goes black again - here it is defaulting to your onboard chipset.

To correct this, reboot and hit Escape during the GRUB boot menu (just after the BIOS self test), and choose the recovery option. Once you get a command line, you can execute the lspci command - this will list all your PCI interfaced devices, including the onboard and card video chipsets. Make a note of the PCI BusID of the card, eg 2:0:0

Now use a text editor and edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf. In the Device section you will see the PCI BusID specified - this is probably set to your onboard chipset's ID. Change this to the ID you noted above, save the file and reboot.

AVWizard steps

See AVWizard Step by Step for detailed screen-by-screen instructions.

AVWizard is an easy 10 step configuration wizard:

  • AV Welcome screen
  • AV Resolution and Refresh screen
  • AV Video Resolution counter
  • AV UI Switcher
  • AV Video Output
  • AV Audio Connector
  • AV Audio Volume
  • AV Dolby Test
  • AV DTS Test
  • AV Final Selections


After that an Orbiter Generator will be launched, to create an Orbiter (remote control) for that tool.

Running A/V Wizard from the Commandline

If you are having difficulty running the AVWizard normally (by selecting the option in the Orbiter) it can be run manually by typing in the command line.
/usr/pluto/bin/AVWizard_Run.sh

Note that you should kill X and any process trying to reload it before running the wizard. You should only do this if your attempt to run it normally fails for whatever reason.

Note: I had to use
sudo -s /usr/pluto/bin/AVWizard_Run.sh
to get my AVWizard to restart.