Smart Home Blog

Bang & Olufsen is will-known producer of hi-End A/V equipment such such as music systems, loudspeakers, televisions, home theater solutions and telephones. It seems that Danish company is going to provide complete home entertainment solutions with new and innovative features. To do that it has chosen Motama which offers a unique and powerful approach to digital media - Multimedia Middleware (NMM). So, let’s see what will be as result those symbiosis of stylish design and intelligent software.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

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Yesterday I released an updates for the LinuxMCE 0704 and Plutohome 2.0.0.44 Orbiters. Following changes were done:

• fixed a bug with running Orbiter from the application menu;
• fixed a bug with incorrect destroying of the Orbiter;
• modified a bit layout to fit captions for LinuxMCE version;
• added appropriate description for LinuxMCE version;
• fixed a few spelling mistakes in the ‘About’ section

Also, I’m planning perform following tasks next step: add all Orbiter’s dependencies to the Maemo extra repository and build a package for MS TrueType Fonts. The package for MS TrueType Fonts is needed because people usually forget to copy those fonts from the core to their Nokia. As result all dynamic captions are not visible.

The latest versions of the Orbiter for LinuxMCE and Plutohome can be downloaded as usual from the Maemo garage.

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Aaron J. Seigo write a post about cooperation with LinuxMCE to integrate in in the coming KDE 4 Plasma to make it a compelling media centre option for KDE 4. Those integration can bring the much needed interface standardization along with a rich set of features to the masses requires such a combined effort between the desktop environment and the media center projects. As I see that cooperation between well-known desktop environment project and potentially perfect full-featured home automation system will be good for both. KDE will get more fans, especially home users. LinuxMCE will be developed faster and more efficient.

Anyway, my LinuxMCE installation works fine. Using my home PC I play with home automation and use it as ordinary Linux computer. Integration with KDE 3.5 was done perfectly. It’s pretty easy to switch between on-screen Orbiter and KDE desktop. So, I’m happy with LinuxMCE and Kubuntu.

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Elan, well-known preeminent provider of home automation, communications, and multiroom A/V systems, has acquired an innovator in IP-based home control HomeLogic.

Once I explored HomeLogic via its web site when I was searching for ideas for an interface to my irrigation system. I was really impressed by a quality of user interface and a bunch of supported 3rd part systems like Rain8, for example. It covers all areas of home: lighting, entertainment, security, climate control, pool/spa, irrigation. Moreover, if I understand clearly the HomeLogic is multi-platform system. It’s based on Java technologies and can be run on Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista(?), Macintosh OX9/OSX and Linux.

Elan Home Systems concentrates on home entertainment mostly and according to CePro it has been perhaps a little slow on the IP uptake. So, the new alliance will be useful for both.

As I see currently commercial, proprietary systems are on the top. But I suspect that the future belongs to open source projects such MisterHouse, Plutohome or LinuxMCE. The main advantages of them are ability to test them, huge range of supported hardware (not proprietary only) and a bug number or users/tester/developers who can improve original system dramatically! But there are disadvantages too: pure user interface, unstable work, needed some programming/admin background. But it’s just a matter of time.

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Yesterday the release candidate 1 of LinuxMCE 1.1 is out. According to release note all known issues of beta 2 were fixed. So, you can download (from Torrent, as all previous releases) and try it. Please, submit all found bugs to help LinuxMCE developers come to stable version faster.

I tried to install Linux MCE 1.1 Beta 2 but during installation IP of my PC was lost. As result of that the installation failed. It happen “because LMCE uninstalls knetworkmanager in place of arping midway through the installation.” There are actually two ways to solve it (thanks to gazlang):

• re-boot and re-start the LMCE installer when it loses connection, then it’ll go all the way through;
• install arping before starting the LMCE installer, reboot first and make sure you are still connected to the net.

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