Has anybody looked at or tried Linus MCE?

[stitches68]

Hi
Has anybody looked @ linux MCE?

Thinking about playing around.

[vlad]

Not really, his OS is not doing that well, after promises of world domination for 10 years in a row, now. Same will be with his MCE, I guess
Pinky and the Brain.

[skypilot]

I too am thinking of Linux MCE - the demo video does look good BUT apparently the hardware support is limited. I am fed up with my (large brand name) intel based media centre using an ATI video card and Vista that cost over $3000. It is so unreliable -there is either a hardware conflict or Vista problem - As I write it has just rebooted for some reason!
Some of the issues are:-

• VFD does not work correctly and after time will not display the correct information - have given up using it now as I have read it is contributory to the "aggregator service" stopping. I can live without the VFD.
• The external IR receivers do not work. So if you are not more or less in front of the MC the remote is not "seen".

Some things I would like to know in advance of Linux MCE is:-

• wireless support- I use a wireless connection;
• copying bought DVDs to external hard disk and playing;
• playing DVDs from other regions (we have bought a lot of DVD from overseas);
• External firewire drive support

I have toyed with the idea of living dangerously and just trying it to see what happens. I would love to try it!

Originally Posted by stitches68

Hi
Has anybody looked @ linux MCE?

Thinking about playing around.

[arkay]

Originally Posted by skypilot

I would love to try it!

Which is generally the best way to find out if it's suitable for you

LinuxMCE is a bit of overkill in my opinion. It's based on home automation with MythTV plugged in for PVR functionality. If you don't need the home automation side of things I would try Mythbuntu or one of the other Myth specific distros.

Cheers,

Arkay.

[FredZ]

Originally Posted by stitches68

Hi
Has anybody looked @ linux MCE?

Thinking about playing around.

Mythbuntu 8.04! Installs easy as long as you don't go bleeding edge hardware and no PCIe tuner cards. Works flawlessly for me.

[skypilot]

Originally Posted by FredZ

Mythbuntu 8.04! Installs easy as long as you don't go bleeding edge hardware and no PCIe tuner cards. Works flawlessly for me.

How do you D/L mythbuntu???? I have used both IE7 and FireFox and when I got to the ISO D/L page I get a blank screen! I can get to the download page which tehn directs you to the image...

The D/l page says
"If you have trouble downloading any of these, please disable NoScript and/or Adblock Plus for Google Analytics & mythbuntu.org temporarily."

Can anybody please explain how to do that???

I do get an ISO image some how but is is only 24k in length - surely this is not right?

Update
Forgot I use the HOSTS file for ad blocking and other blocking - Disabled the HOSTS file and was ablr to D/L.

[skypilot]

Originally Posted by FredZ

Mythbuntu 8.04! Installs easy as long as you don't go bleeding edge hardware and no PCIe tuner cards. Works flawlessly for me.

Fred - Can you please give us/me some information about MythTV, for instance:-

• Can you use the standard MS media centre remote?
• Can you play DVDs from other regions - we have a lot of overseas DVDs?
• Can you copy (bought) DVDs to the hard drive/external drive?
• I just looked at ICE guide which I use, looks like a complicated setup for the guide?
• Does a wireless n/w connect work easily? I saw some Doco where it details the set up.
• Do front panel VFD displays work - are there drivers for them? - no big deal if it doesn't.

I am totally fed up with the large brand name MC which I bought for over $3000 - the VFD display does not work properly 100% of the time; there is a hardware/software incompatibility with VISTA and other issues so I am looking at the alternatives.
Linux MCE does look good but it does come with a lot of home automation which I would not be using so the MythTV might be the best option?

[FredZ]

Originally Posted by skypilot

How do you D/L mythbuntu???? I have used both IE7 and FireFox and when I got to the ISO D/L page I get a blank screen! I can get to the download page which tehn directs you to the image...

The D/l page says
"If you have trouble downloading any of these, please disable NoScript and/or Adblock Plus for Google Analytics & mythbuntu.org temporarily."

Can anybody please explain how to do that???

I do get an ISO image some how but is is only 24k in length - surely this is not right?

hmmm, I didn't have any issues and use adblock. Although, I don;t use Windoze anymore.

Is this http://www.mythbuntu.org/downloads where you were trying to download from?

[vlad]

Originally Posted by skypilot

I am totally fed up with the large brand name MC which I bought for over $3000 - the VFD display does not work properly 100% of the time; there is a hardware/software incompatibility with VISTA and other issues so I am looking at the alternatives.

VFD is not working and you are looking to change OS? Smart move, mate. Good luck
If you can't fix it under Vista, why do you think you will able to do it with other OS?
What brand of your VFD?
You have paid $3000 for Vista? Or was it hardware?

[skypilot]

Originally Posted by vlad

VFD is not working and you are looking to change OS? Smart move, mate. Good luck
If you can't fix it under Vista, why do you think you will able to do it with other OS?
What brand of your VFD?
You have paid $3000 for Vista? Or was it hardware?

No, I am not thinking of changing just because the VFD does not work - I can live without the (useless) VFD but if it did work on another OS then that is a bonus. In fact I have now removed the VFD drive under Vista because there are reports that the driver is contributory to the aggregator service stopping and it did not work properly anyway. The VFD display showed up in device manager as a FUTABA(?)

No, I spent that money on hardware of which Vista was part of the cost - Vista did not cost me $3000!

The reason I would like to try another OS else is I am dissatisfied with the overall performance of VISTA and/or the the way the hardware is so unreliable and the performance and the way it does not work the way I would like.