[HOW TO] Build Ambilight on Linux (AppleTV; Sams image; Ubuntu 8.04;...)

Download Executor add-on for XBMC. If you prefer manually to download, here is the link http://mirrors.xbmc.org/addons/dharma/pl...-0.2.5.zip

I have had a bug in pre-eden on Sams image that caused that the config file was not created for Executor add-on so i had to make it manually.

1. Create two scripts which will turn on and off Ambilight. I have put them into (/media/scripts) Give 755 permissions to scripts.

Turn ON (elights.sh)

Quote:#!/bin/bash
killall boblight-X11
killall -v boblightd
/usr/local/bin/boblightd -f > /dev/null 2>&1
DISPLAY=:0.0 /usr/local/bin/boblight-X11 -f -x -o speed=50 -o value=5 -o saturation=1.5 -o threshold=75 > /dev/null 2>&1

Turn OFF (elights_kill.sh)

Quote:#!/bin/sh
killall boblight-X11
killall -v boblightd

2. Install Executor add-on and create config file for them.
Config file for Executor is located in:

Quote:/root/.xbmc/userdata/addon_data/plugin.program.executor

And it is called (programs.cfg)
Content of config file is:

Quote:[Ambilight OFF]
exec = "/media/scripts/elights_kill.sh"

[Ambilight ON]
exec = "/media/scripts/elights.sh"

3. You can create shotcuts for this two scripts on favourites menu. To do this just add them to Favourites menu. After that you have to change "favourites.xml" in (/root/.xbmc/userdata).

Change this lines (just an example - do not use copy/paste). Replace "RunXBE" with "RunPlugin"

Quote: <favourite name="Ambilight ON">RunPlugin(&quot;plugin://plugin.program.executor/?do=program&amp;id=Ambilight+ON&quot</favourite>
<favourite name="Ambilight OFF">RunPlugin(&quot;plugin://plugin.program.executor/?do=program&amp;id=Ambilight+OFF&quot</favourite>

Is this working, or what is the status?

Is this the easiest way to "do it yourself" ambilight?

I really like the sound of this.. However.. How well does this particular build actually work? Would like to see some fairly hi-res video footage of this thing and XBMC in action. (Preferrably XBMC Live).

illiac4 Wrote:Well this question will most likely know the author of boblight.

I'm using this amblone mode on ATV with Sams ubuntu 8.04 install.

To dim the lights i'm using screensaver and set them to 'black'. The problem is that even when it turns black the lights are sometimes still flashing totally random. Sometimes more and sometimes less or even nothing. But mostly the flash here and there even when screensaver 'black' is active.

Does someone has an idea why is this so or, how can it be achieved that they stay off when black sceensaver is active?

Hey man, did you ever find a solution for this?

Steini Wrote:Hey man, did you ever find a solution for this?

Nope. But i'm using executor script to shut down the ambilight and also to change the intensity of different preset.

But no it still flashes when screensaver is black. As far as i know is this the problem with nvidia drivers.

There is also a chip with transistors included so no need for too much soldering and even less soldering skills are required It replaces transistors and resistors.

There is the schema http://fritzing.org/projects/uln2003a-amblone/
The chip is ULN2003A and you need two for four channels.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULN2003A-7xDarli...1c1fbbee8d

illiac4 Wrote:Nope. But i'm using executor script to shut down the ambilight and also to change the intensity of different preset.

But no it still flashes when screensaver is black. As far as i know is this the problem with nvidia drivers.

I found a solution that seems to be working for me:

to /etc/X11/xorg.conf i added (in the section section "Device")
Option "NoFlip" "true"

Just a side-note. After adding this to xorg I got horrible framedrops when scanning the library and watching videos at the same time (Revo 3610 with Xbmc Live). The culprit was <nofliptimeout> in advancedsettings.xml.

Everything working perfectly now

Hmmm interesting. It looks that it is working also on ATV.
Really nice finding.
This will be also usefull in future ambilight that i will build in few weeks. It will be adalight with boblight. When i'm finished with it i will also write a tutorial. It will be much easier to build than this one and will have around 45 channels.
I hope that the number of channels does not affect the cpu power as bobo1on1 once said.

Just ordered the parts so I can do this myself,

thought about switching from Ubuntu to OpenELEC, has anybody done this on OpenELEC yet?

illiac4 Wrote:Hmmm interesting. It looks that it is working also on ATV.
Really nice finding.
This will be also usefull in future ambilight that i will build in few weeks. It will be adalight with boblight. When i'm finished with it i will also write a tutorial. It will be much easier to build than this one and will have around 45 channels.
I hope that the number of channels does not affect the cpu power as bobo1on1 once said.

These forums are great! My Adalight kit just arrived, and I've already pre-configured my scripts and boblight. Just need to start wiring it up. In theory, this weekend I'll be enjoying some amblight while the girlfriend growls at me.

illiac, let me know if you want a copy of my boblight.conf (used with 50 LEDs clockwise from bottom left on my 50" plasma). Apparently the "ledstream.pde" will work with boblight with no issues. I'll let you know how it goes.