[conspire] New guest at CABAL, this Saturday: MythTV, Bluetooth, video, TV

[Rick Moen]

----- Forwarded message from Alon Gotesman <gotesman at gmail.com> -----

Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:02:07 -0700
From: Alon Gotesman <gotesman at gmail.com>
To: installers at linuxmafia.com
Subject: InstallFest on Saturday?

Hello,

Your site was linked from the BALUG site, and I wanted to contact you
about possibly getting your guys' help with configuring my
partially-working Ubuntu box as part of an InstallFest (which I hope
are still going on!)

As for some background: I'm fairly new to Linux, although I've been
hoping to try it for years now.  Ultimately I want to get MythTV
working, but for right now I'm just trying to get the machine to do
all the basic things really well.  I have a list of issues that I
haven't been able to resolve, including: connecting to WEP encrypted
networks, getting the machine to work on my monitor's native
resolution (1680 x 1050) using my on-board graphics (right now I'm
limited to 1024x768), getting an AGP card recognized by the OS,
getting Bluetooth to work, and getting a TV tuner card to work (for
MythTV).

I've been to one InstallFest like five years ago while studying at UC
Santa Cruz.


My box is modestly equipped:

 Sempron 3100+
 256 MB DDR SDRAM
 Integrate S3 Unichrome Graphics
 Dual Layer DVD-RW
 Available AGP slot


Anyhow, I'd love to meet a group of people who know Linux and could
point me in the right direction on some of this stuff.  At this point
in the learning curve, I just need to get hands on experience with
someone who knows what they're doing!

Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you.

Alon

----- End forwarded message -----
----- Forwarded message from Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> -----

Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:53:28 -0700
To: Alon Gotesman <gotesman at gmail.com>
Cc: installers at linuxmafia.com
Subject: Re: InstallFest on Saturday!
Reply-To: installers at linuxmafia.com
From: Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com>

Quoting Alon Gotesman (gotesman at gmail.com):

> Your site was linked from the BALUG site, and I wanted to contact you
> about possibly getting your guys' help with configuring my
> partially-working Ubuntu box as part of an InstallFest (which I hope
> are still going on!)

Yes, of course!  

> As for some background: I'm fairly new to Linux, although I've been
> hoping to try it for years now.  Ultimately I want to get MythTV
> working, but for right now I'm just trying to get the machine to do
> all the basic things really well.

Just so you know, what is said to be by far the easiest path to a good
MythTV installation is to start with the KnoppMyth "live CD"
distribution, and go from there.

> I have a list of issues that I haven't been able to resolve,
> including: connecting to WEP encrypted networks,

May or may not be something you'll get effective help with at tomorrow's
event, depending on whom you get to help you.  (One common mistake is to
seek help from _me_ personally for anything that takes longer than
around 5 minutes; the problem is that, as host, I'm the one most
interruptable person.)  We don't happen to have a WEP-using wireless
network on-premises; the ones we have here happen to be open.

> getting the machine to work on my monitor's native resolution (1680 x
> 1050) using my on-board graphics (right now I'm limited to 1024x768), 

Now, _that_ is no sweat.

> getting an AGP card recognized by the OS,

Er, you didn't say what _sort_ of AGP card.  AGP is just a system bus
(of sorts).  Ordinarily, I'd guess a video card, but then the
particulars would still depend on what specific video chipset.

> getting Bluetooth to work,

Never personally done that, but I've heard it's not difficult in
principle.  You might want to read, _in advance_, some of the primary
documentation on Bluetooth for Linux, which appears to be still linked
from or on this page:  http://www.holtmann.org/linux/bluetooth/

> and getting a TV tuner card to work (for MythTV).

And _that_ depends, of course, entirely on the chipset (as usual).
Assuming the card is based on a Brooktree Bt848/849 or Bt878/879
chipset, here's your information page:
http://www.metzlerbros.org/bttv.html

Plus, I have a little bit extra here:
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/tv-cards.html

> Anyhow, I'd love to meet a group of people who know Linux and could
> point me in the right direction on some of this stuff.  At this point
> in the learning curve, I just need to get hands on experience with
> someone who knows what they're doing!

You're very welcome to attend.  It's partially a social event and partly
technical with an emphasis on installing and debugging Linux & related
software.  Nobody is obliged to bring food (you're perfectly welcome to
bring just yourself and stuff to work on), though many entirely on their
own initiative bring things to eat.  I'll be providing (at minimum) a
fair amount of marinated beef to cook for the crowd, on my barbecue,
plus some garlic bread.

Afternoons and evenings in Menlo Park have been quite lovely, of late.
We get started at 4 PM, and meander amiably until midnight, when people
are expected to leave.  (You don't have to go home, but you can't stay
here....)

L'hitraot,
Rick M.


----- End forwarded message -----