Plex, PlexConnect and OpenPlex

Over the last couple of years my family has ripped every movie we own and stored it on a Mac Mini Server with a 4th drive attached. Using Plex and a number of plugins and add-ins, almost every device brought into the house can connect. It has been fantastic. Except.

Plex, do not work on the AppleTV. Until now! We were finally able to install PlexConnect and can now watch our movies on TV’s with AppleTVs connected. There are a couple of short falls.

1) the PlexConnect is started up using Terminal, not everyone in the house is tech savvy.

2) PlexConnect can’t easily be restarted if the system is restarted due to power loss.

Obstacles  had to be overcome included, we have been running Plex on a Mac mini server, PlexConnect won’t run on a server since the ports are already in use. We had to install another copy of Plex on an old iMac, connect that copy of Plex  it to the PlexServer  on the Mac Mini. then installed PlexConnect on the Mini everything worked fine. Oh and you need to install Certificates. There are so many different ‘instructions blogs” on how to install Plexconnect it was difficult to work out the proper install. Basically I just put down all the other instructions and tried to figure out what the end result was and why it didn’t work. Two plex servers, linked to the same data, install certificates and DON’T use a server. Bingo!

Then I wanted to find a way to restore PlexConnect in case of power loss while I was away from home. Due to bandwidths limits (by at&t) it is better for everyone if we are going to watch movies we already own, that we use local copies. (Rather than downloading it AGAIN and AGAIN.. Say ‘Frozen’ for a two year old!)

So started to work out writing a startup program in LiveCode, and ran across a program called OpenPlex. Spent a couple of hours playing with it, but it needed a lot of ‘support’ software installed. I am using an older model iMac running 10.6, and it was getting to be more of a pain to use OpenPlex than to write my own program that would just work..

I’ll keep everyone up-to-date on my progress and provide a link to the finished product when completed.

Have a great day.

WebIOPi – Wait through a couple versions before using!

Over the last couple of months I’ve been playing with a new web development system, WebIOPi.

Nice system, I’ve been reading wonderful projects that people have built using the system, most duplicates of the same projects. Temperature sensors and garage door opener.

I was able to get two temperature sensors up and working on the system, fairly easy. However when I attempted to develop my own ‘programs’ for the system, I ran into a minor, well major problem. No where in the documentation does it tell you where WebIOPi gets installed. So I search the Raspberry Pi for known code, find the html part but not the python. So I posted a question on the developers site, which was passed over with a boiler plate answer, that it wasn’t within the realm of the site. Oh! Great help. Great place to send students for help. Seems the program was written for engineers for engineers.

Feel free to check out their site above, read the instructions completely before trying to use this system. As easily as it installs, it not how easily it is to use!

Well, if your need extend beyond what they have fed you.

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My ‘out there’ goal was to have my raspberry pi send me a text message when a GPO changes state, basically an alarm. I have a remote connected to one GPO that it will monitor to arm and disarm the system (when disarmed don’t send text messages). Seems simple enough.

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Haven’t given up hope, still working on the project. Will post if I figure it out.

Franken – Wheezy

New project in the works. Push a Raspberry Pi to its breaking point.

We want to develop a mobile web server to host communications between both the PIFACE and Arduino that would grant access to users from either a closed network or the Internet. Act as a Mobile Media Server using PLEX, a Mobile WIFI hot spot, serving shared files and lastly a Mobile Web Camera using a Raspberry Pi Camera Module.

Specs so far:

  • Raspberry Pi Model B
  • 32 gb SIM for OS
  • 32 gb Thumb drive for media storage
  • PiFace control board
  • Arduino
  • WIFI
  • Camera

Planned Additions:

  • Plans to add Battery and Charger
  • Solar Battery Charger
  • LiveCode Server

Services Already working:

  • MySQL
  • Jabber – iChat
  • PHP – Web Server

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Thoughts to Ponder – CompuCarve

Purchased a Craftsman CompuCarve a few years back. Made a few signs and awards for staff members. Nice Machine, however it is LOUD. Wife didn’t like me using it. So put it away until last month. Learned I could use it as a object scanner, plus I had a few sign requests.

Was able to make 6 signs and the machine stopped working. Took the machine apart to clean, and found the problem. Seems there is a shaft that goes along the bottom of the machine to make sure both sides raise and lower at the same rate. Makes sense. However the shaft is held in place by two screws with washers held in place by plastic… The plastic broke on one screw making the machine unusable… Where did American workmanship go? I can not recommend this machine to anyone, and it was expensive. Wrote the company two emails asking if I could buy a replace part (the base).. No reply to either email. Another reason I can’t recommend this machine.

This has sadden me, I had great plans for this machine in building cases from Raspberry Pi’s, and desk stands for the office.

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UPDATE
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After two weeks and two emails I finally got a reply on repairing the CompuCarve. Their solution is to put a bigger/longer screw in the hole. I laughed at the lady on the phone, are you kidding. “No this is how we just fixed one on the floor in for repair”.

Needless to say I will not be following their directions and come up with my own repair.

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Highly recommend sponsoring projects on http://www.Kickstarter.com.

A Wonderful Donation and Expansion

One of my sites received a donation from another school. 2 Xserve G5s, a Xserve G4 and a 5tb RAID.. I donated a fiber switch and two replacement power supplies (Both G5’s had blown power supplies, common problem).

Wonderful system, now what.

The question I had in regards to the RAID: Is is possible to have its two drives appear on all the other Server’s desktops?

Fiber switch $70.
Fiber cables, systems came with 4.
Presently only 2 fiber cards.

Plugged the two cables from the RAID, one cable for each “Drive”, into the fiber switch. Then one (1) cable from each of the Xserves. Bingo, it worked. Both servers can access all the data on both RAID drives.

I can see possibilities for databases, podcasts….


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MySQL on a 10.5.8 (Leopard) Server

Always find installing MySQL frustrating, but after a half dozen attempts I finally get it right.

Again, these are more notes to myself than to be a full documentation.

Using Server Admin, make sure the MySQL server is running. Set the “Set MySQL Root Password”. Note the Database location. Start MySQL.

Using the free “MySQL GUI Tools” from the mysql.com web site run “MySQL Administrator”. Install and run the tools on the server itself. When you attempt to connect it will not work.

Server HostName: Localhost
Port: 3306
Username: root
Password: (password you set above)

And the tricky bit, Connect Using Socket: /var/mysql/mysql.sock (Database location)

Once connected you’ll want to add a root with “%” access to the users database. This will give root access from any computer besides the server. Or you can assign an IP to restrict database access/management.

WGM & DeployStudio Client Issues

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve spent at least 4 days at a school, helping with their Mac Lab. It had unexpected binding issues rejecting user log-ins, computers that refused to pick up security settings and a server that was acting ‘funny’.

Things I figured out that I’d like to pass on.

1) Setup Deploy Studio using the Computers/Server’s IP number rather than it’s name.
Since we were unsure if the ‘core’ group had setup full reverse lookup, this proved to be much more reliable.

2) If a computer refuses to pick up security setting from Work Group Manager (WGM), there is no need to re-image (which we tried).
The problem ended up being the systems binding. We unbound the computer from both AD and OD, then removed the computer from the AD OU and totally removed from WGM.. Then re-added, and rebounded. IT WORKED. Can’t tell you how frustrating this was.

The first day was spent working on getting a binding script to work. One of the two computers that gave us such a fit, was the computer I de-bugged the script on. So I am pretty sure that was on of the causes of the WGM issue later on (even after re-imaging).

One of the things I like to point out to techs new to Macs is, AD and OD are just directories, lists of computers and policies. How each directory manages the policies is a little different, but basically they do the same things. Binding allows for a connection, either secure or not. In our case AD provides the user authentication and OD is security settings, AD is secure OD is not. AD is from client to server, OD is from server to client.

Yes I know it is much more technical than that, but in simple terms.

One of my simple tests to see of OD is working is to add a user account to WGM, name address, phone number, etc. Then after binding, use AddressBook to search for that user. In my case, if I search for ‘dingley’ if it find’s my name in AD and OD, displaying two contacts, showing that the OD binding is working. (All employess are listed in AD. Credentials)

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This post is more a historic record of projects I’ve worked on. Hopefully they will help if I run into these problems again.

What happened to Caller ID?

Over the years of working with automation, one of the tasks I’ve always enjoyed was Caller ID. Knowing who was calling before you picked up, a joy of modern living. Having a computer broadcast Caller Id over the network using Growl, logging the call to display on a web page. Having it run a script depending on who is calling, truly geeky?

One of the fun things I did with Caller ID was deciding what do when someone entered or exited our community through our gates. The association has two phone lines, one for incoming visitor and one for exiting. What the computer said and did was determined by the number calling in.

Doing this task was a Mac Mini G4 and a OVOLab Usb Adapter running the PHLINK software and a bit of Applescript. Not difficult at all pretty much plug and play.

Twice over the span of 10 years, either the phone company or the power company has blown at least two adapters. The last time was about a month ago, not a cloud in the sky, and the power goes out. When it comes back on, my lovely adapter is once again blown.

Now the fun part, trying to find a replacement. There were two companies that made similar devices, OVOLabs and Parliant’s Phone Valet. Both are now off the market. … WHAT!?

OK.. So here are my problems.I have a few Mac Mini G4’s for automation and a couple of Intel Mac Minis which I use as servers. The servers are taxed to the max. The Mac Mini G4 has a built in modem which does NOT support Caller ID. After a bit of research I found out that the Apple’s USB Modem Adapter does support Caller ID. (Oh and I found out these do not work on the Intel iMacs! ).. Quick trip to eBay and $22!

Next problem, how to enable and use the Caller ID feature? First what program to use. The program that came up most on web searches was CIDTrackerX, which to my surprise I had purchased a license for back in 2003. And the second was MacCallerID. MacCallerID is a dead end, the web site is down, a very old mac.com web site. With no way to contact the author. However, CIDTracker (or CIDTrackerX), I emailed the author asking if his software had any unpublished updates and he replied. (He’d contact me in a few days). – While waiting I continued my quest.

So I continued to test CIDTrackerX. One of the things you need is the command to enable Caller ID on your modem. Back in the 80’s I lived Hayes AT commands, Hayes was king. I was surprised that the command set was still being developed and used, with what seemed like hundreds of new commands. With hundreds of new variations. Finding the one to enable CID on the Apple USB Modem took a little searching.

AT+VCID=1 to enable
AT+VCID=0 to disable

With those command in hand I returned to CDTrackerX and entered those into the proper boxes. Nothing! ARG. Hope Mr. Dean Davis of AfterTen Software gets back to me soon!

In the mean time I tested the modem a bit more using CoolTerm by Roger Meier at http://freeware.the-meiers.org . A wonderful free program I have used for years. Connect to modem, issue the enable command and call the phone line connected to modem. JOY, Caller ID info.

As it stands now I have two choices, wait for Mr. Davis to email back, or start working on my own software to deal with CID…

Know what I am doing this weekend!

Solidoodle 3, first and second impressions.

Building and creating my own creations has always been a fault of mine. Most of the creations were built from wood or scrapes of whatever was laying around. But then came 3D printers, the ability to print almost anything you could draw. A dream come true!?

A couple of years ago I purchased one of the first 3D printers (MakerBot) for myself and my stepson for Christmas. It took a couple of weeks to put together and align. Then came printing. Nothing ever printed as well as photos online. We spend MONTHS playing with alignments and settings, never quite right. So after two years, I gave up. Decided to try a new less expensive printer the Solidoodle.

When I ordered, a note said 4-8 weeks. Little did I know that it was really 6 months or more. Ordered September 2012, received February 2013. But in all honesty, while waiting for my Solidoodle 2, the Solidoodle 3 came out. An impressive 8 x 8 print area and only $100 additional, I was in.

Figured with all the talk of ease of printing and the nice metal case, it would be a plug and play operation. It would be aligned at the factory and shipped ready to use to your home.

Boy was I wrong. Plus the more play with it the more I see it is by no means a better printer. The print head break easily. If you run out of filament mid print, you have to take apart the print head, risking breaking it (Keep a few on hand!!!)

The software seems nicer than the MakerBots, but since I am yet to be able to print anything it is difficult to say.

Over the next few months I will continue my efforts and report my findings to this blog.
~David