Setting up Media PC

Got Windows 7 going and Media Center. Installed Cyberlink PowerDVD 10 OEM Blu Ray edition.

Now installing DVD Decrypter and HandBrake.

Ripped successfully, and converted to MP4/AC3 using HandBrake.

After installing AC3Filter, Media Player plays the file. Media Player Classic Home Theatre installed, and confirms that audio is AC3. But still won't play in Media Center - just flickers screen and comes back to the menu.

Media Player Classic Home Theatre wants very latest DirectX 10 End User Runtime - so installed from Microsoft. Still no difference in Media Center, but MPCHT runs without an error dialog now.

Should install Media Player Vis's from Microsoft, or Twisted Pixel gets good reviews.

Used HandBrake to encode an mp4 with (downmixed) AAC and AC3 sound - original one I did was AC3 only, maybe that's it. Yup, now that mp4 plays using "Normal" preset in HandBrake. Shouldn't have removed the AAC audio track!

Installed 'ffdshow tryout', a free codec package. Interestingly it allows to set the priority of its codec for DirectShow, and to see stats of its operation. But no stats appear in video OR sound sections when trying to or actually playing videos.

Can apparently use DirectShow Filter Manager to set the 'merit' of each codec, a problem which is well described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectShow#Codec_hell. Also GSpot for identifying what is actually in a file, and thus what codecs are required.

Joggler sound crackling

C patch for kernel, claimed to fix it
http://adq.livejournal.com/102923.html

Instructions to change grub settings
http://www.listshow.net/201004/ubuntu-uk/24117-ubuntu-uk-joggler-crackling-idlehalt-in-grubcfg.html

Copy iTunes music to SMB drive

Using rsync it is possible to copy only changed files to the BT Home Hub, once it's mounted using Finder->Connect To Server...

This command does it:

rsync -v -a -h --progress --delete --size-only --no-times /Users/Shared/iTunes\ Music/ /Volumes/Disk_a1/Music/

However, there is a problem in that the Home Hub, like all SMB servers I think, thinks you've made a typo when you use all capitals, but rsync is case sensitive.

This command line should do a fuzzy match (not clear from man file what that is precisely, but it looks for similar file names and sizes I gather), and delete files only after the transfer.

rsync -v -a -h --progress --delete-after --fuzzy --size-only --no-times /Users/Shared/iTunes\ Music/ /Volumes/Disk_a1/Music/

Finder in OS 10.5.7 doesn't copy to SAMBA!!!

Found this forum discussion, scroll to bottom and it turns out that others had the same problem I have - that I can't copy to a SAMBA network drive using finder. But I can save files there and I can edit files there.

It turns out that the problem probably lies with the .DSStore files that OS X is trying to create, being vetoed by the BT Home Hub.

Install Squeezebox Server on Joggler

Followed instructions from here., putting the "stable beta" repo in to the Software Sources: deb http://debian.slimdevices.com.

In the end had to get the deb http://debian.slimdevices.com stable main package as it couldn't find anything to download.

Ran Synaptic Package Manager and after a fashion it showed Squeezeboxserver as a package. Installed, required many other things too (mysql and perl linkages in particular).

Then navigate to /192.168.1.69:9000/ and configured it! All going!

Now sudo apt-get install smbfs.
sudo mkdir /mnt/hub

Then edit /etc/fstab to have //192.168.1.253/Disk_a1 /mnt/hub smbfs guest 0 0.

Seems bthub as name doesn't work, and IP address of the disk is at 253, not the gateway address of 254.

Happily indexing the hub's drive!

Squeezebox Server not indexing

Found that in scanner.log (get from http://localhost:9000/settings/index.html), it was always stopping at a song from an album called Golden Gate Breaks. When I moved it out of the way (delete it in iTunes), which is being indexed (though I had turned off iTunes indexing and was only pointing it at the iTunes folder), it indexed much further.

Suggested on Forum that I could upload a file or two.

Update 21 Oct: I uninstalled it cos it's now running on the Joggler. Used these instructions.

Forcing a re-index of Adventure in Spotlight

For some time now I've not had any new Applications appearing in Spotlight, and I think other things too. Found this advice from Apple:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2409?viewlocale=en_US

on a forum. Tried adding the Adventure HDD, and it seems to have worked.

Squeezeplay for Joggler on Ubuntu 9

Followed these instructions:
http://birdslikewires.co.uk/articles/squeezeplay-for-joggler

First time I tried it it was really, really, very slow. I disabled some plugins in Squeezebox Server and also rebooted the Joggler, and now it's running very, very well!

Installed icon in Sound & Video menu of UNR, using Menu tool (System Tools pane). Linked to app.png icon in /opt/squeezeplay/shared???/jive/jive, it's beautiful but takes up whole screen.

Really want it to not be quite fullscreen... Or to have a gesture to get to Chrome.

VNC for Joggler

Using Chicken of the VNC on OS X and TightVNC on Windows XP, connecting to Joggler is very straightforward. See System Tools (I think) / Remote Desktop and enable things in there.

However, don't see the desktop or the UNR menus, but everything else seems to work as I'd expect. Think it's probably configured to run without transmitting the desktop, to save bandwidth?

Joggler not booting - solved

Joggler wouldn't boot because the time of the last disk mount was in the future - basically clock was set to 2005 (battery gone?).

Won't boot because of wrong time, file system check fails/error:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/util-linux/+bug/432070

More technical and detailed info:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=45797

Sounds like need to do broken_system_clock in e2fsck.conf, if that option exists ("new versions of e2fsck have some new options. (1.41.10-1, found in testing):")

But e2fsck.conf man doesn't show that option, so this is what seems to have worked:

In the same file:
[problems]
# Superblock last mount time is in the future (PR_0_FUTURE_SB_LAST_MOUNT).
0x000031 = {
preen_ok = true
preen_nomessage = true
}
# Superblock last write time is in the future (PR_0_FUTURE_SB_LAST_WRITE).
0x000032 = {
preen_ok = true
preen_nomessage = true
}

Google Tasks in a window

Installed the Firefox Prism addon, and made this URL into an application to get Google Tasks on my desktop (since iCal sync doesn't work).

https://mail.google.com/tasks/a/provendelivery.com/ig

Other options are Fluid (fluidapp.com)

iPhoto crashing Hackintosh

iPhoto frequently crashes the computer, bringing up the shutdown dialog but then it just crashes within a second or two, shutting down. Could be that the temperature is rising too high, and self-protection cuts in.

Installed CoolBookController again to monitor temperature.

Opened it up. Cleaned out loads of dust, and it runs about 20C cooler now.

KeySnail plugin for firefox

I found that Ctrl-Left would go back when I was editing in Firefox - closing whatever page I was editing on and losing all my changes.

Installed KeySnail plugin and it fixes this problem rather nicely, if I configure the right keys. Also get Home and End keys doing what I want now.

Keychain Integration Plugin for Firefox on Mac

This addon integrates keychain with safari - seems to get keys okay.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/13509/

Joggler with Ubuntu

Used StephenFord.org's Ubuntu Netbook Remix for the Joggler.

Then used Ubuntu Software Centre in the System panel to install:

EasyStroke

set up C to be F11 for Google Chrome

reverse L for Esc

set up 'aggressive' Timeout

set up "Gesture Button" = Button 1 (main mouse button)

set up Autostart easystroke, show last gesture in tray 

Reorganised Favourites panel a bit.

XBMC Instructions

System -> Software Sources

Added following to Other Software panel:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu karmic main

Then allow to reload sources. [actually remove -svn in above]

In terminal

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 64234534
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xbmc

But it failed, so removed -svn, also Ubuntu software centre wanted to do some security updates, so I let it.

Tried last line again, seems to work.

Run it, set Settings -> System -> Video Output ->Windowed mode

The Madeo page says to install OpenBox to get it fully full screen, but I like it just the way it is as the touch screen works fine and you can access the task bar at the top.

ClamXav anti virus

Installed OS X client for ClamAV. Installs ClamAV for you and works just fine.

Glims Safari plugin

Adds more search sites and preview of top N search results.

Undo accidental close of a tab!

Restores Safari's state on reopen!

Allows separators in bookmarks, and right click to add a new folder to the bookmarks toolbars.

Very good so far!

Update 24 June: uninstalled cos it seemed to make Safari unstable. Hard time doing it - had to find / -iname *glims* and remove everything I found, rather than trust their uninstaller.

Update 21 Oct 2010: found one I missed, in Library/LaunchAgent. Perhaps it was causing all the glims-related error messages in the console (think they were saying glims couldn't be started - what was it doing trying to start glims when safari wasn't running. Very devious software).
Eventually found that even uninstalling AdBlock didn't stop Safari hanging up - so switched to Firefox and now there is a plugin for Keychain Integration.

iTuneMyWalkman

http://ilari.scheinin.fidisk.fi/itunemywalkman/?page=details

This free application will synchronise playlists (including podcasts) on an sony ericsson phone, but it has to appear as a volume. It will even sync when the volume appears on the desktop, automatically.

Looked for MacFuse or MacFusion bluetooth, but it's not really available. Experimental at best.

However, a new cable for the W880i means that now it connects beautifully. Moved iTuneMyWalkman to Applications and ran it. Set up to have a Folder Action and a Script, and configured to use Stick 1 memory card (probably should have left the * in the settings name) and sync just Stick 1 playlist. Seems to work very well! Dragging Podcasts into the Playlist means they're transferred too.

Spark - keyboard shortcuts on mac

Spark V 3.0 allows you to make keyboard shortcuts for loads of different things. Works v well with F1->F5 mapped to iTunes keys.

iTunes album cover retrieval Artwork Gopher

Downloaded Artwork Gopher from apple downloads - really good at finding album covers. Just ran it from the disc image so far and it installs a script into the script menu. But I think it prob needs dragging to the utilities folder.

Also, BPM identification by http://www.mixmeister.com/ might be worth checking out.

OS X Password Assistant

Create random passwords using Keychain's built in dialog box, but stand alone.

http://www.codepoetry.net/products/passwordassistant

Ruby in Netbeans

Used the Tools/Plugins to add Ruby plugin. Takes a while to install.

Git in Netbeans

Used nbgit plugin from Netbeans (0.3). Plugin installed okay. 

Put ProjectLocker seems to allow Git access only via a public key - which means that (since nbgit doesn't support that) I can't use it in Netbeans!

So used git-osx-installer from Google Code. Had to reopen the terminal window but then Git worked. Took my id_rsa.pub key from ~/.ssh/ and put it into ProjectLocker - used michaelfielding@Adventure.local as the identifier because that's what was at the end of the key file.

Lost Netbeans plugins

After I installed Ruby and PHP plugins into Netbeans (I think that was the trigger), the Plugins dialog box refused to populate. I opened the Netbeans application package and deleted the (empty) PHP and Ruby directories under Resources/Netbeans - but when I restarted, no difference.

Reinstalled Netbeans 6.8 and all the plugins had reappeared.

Another, better display mirroring solution

http://www.fabiancanas.com/Projects/MirrorDisplays/

Put that in Utilities, use Spotlight to find it if the display gets garbled, you're away.

Return to password manager and backups

The Keychain file format is apparently open source and documented.

It is possible to access Keychain from Java, but it might not work very well. Problem could be that only part of Keychain is accessible. Apple mentions it here.

If I could use the Bouncy Castle APIs to create a password store, then this program could read the archives on my mobile phone: TinyEncryptor

I tried MiniCommander which is already on the phone but it doesn't handle encrypted ZIP files.

I remember that I also found ways to export Keychains by automator or maybe it was applescript. But I can't remember where I put that info now... nor how to automate sending files to the phone via Bluetooth, automated by a script (check rest of this blog though).

Or, how about KeePass, open source, multi-platform - but is it as good as Keychain? Well, I guess I don't really use Keychain all that much, and it looks better than truecrypt because it structures data. I can also get it on my mobile. (There is another J2ME version but it's not looking as good.)

And some clever person has figured out how to get Auto-Type to basically work using some URL-handling trickery. Very clever.