Which flavor of linux to use!

Hello,

I am using an ER1401 as my htpc and initially set it up on ubuntu 11.04, however it was jerky playback even at 720p.

I then switched across to the current stable openelec and it works a treat as far as xbmc goes. unfortunately openelec doesn't currently support my remote and i would like to have access to an os for emulators etc.

what I was wondering is if there is a mid way version of linux I could use that would still manage 1080p fine and still have a functional OS underneath.

I was on Natty for a good while and didn't really like the redesign that Ubuntu did on it. Eventually a drive failure forced me into a reinstall and I choose to go back to Maverick. I'm running a full desktop, with xbmc autolaunching after gdm starts up.

I only have a nvidia 8400gs running on the old pci bus and this setup handles 1080p no problems. I've also tried my own "live" type installs in the past by installing something like karmic-server and just putting the packages I wanted on. Makes for a snappier experience and slower and older hardware and you can build in what you want and forget the rest... also make sure you follow the advice here if you use ubuntu:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=763326&postcount=1

If you've got more linux experience there's a community of arch-linux guys that run xbmc - get that set up right and you'll wring the most out of your machine I'm sure....

Jim

PS I'm sure someone will say "buy better hardware" but that costs money so is not my favourite advice!

thanks for the reply, however tearing wasn't really the issue on ubuntu, was just jerky more than anything.

does unity take a great deal of resources up? if so i may try a reinstall with v10

Yeah, got it about the jerkiness. You need to disable everything I think. Just run an ubuntu-desktop session with no effects. You may have to disable compiz in the settings as well. Hope it works! If not, you can reinstall something a little less system hungry with just the xserver and use xbmc as the window manager.

You would keep the flexibility to install stuff you want via commandline using apt, but cut out all the bulk that's weighing your system down....

Jim

I guess the big question is what do you mean by "and still have a functional OS underneath"? Because if all you are looking for is the ability to install other linux utils, and they don't require a regular desktop environment, I would just advise you to install lucid minimal, which is cli only, then install XBMC-Live on top of that via apt. Or, you could just install XBMC-Live from the cd, seeing as it's a full featured linux distro underneath. Either way, you could do that then use one of the many launcher addons to run your emulators.

I use Mythbuntu so I can have my MythTV backend running. It's 10.10 (Maverick).

I have the machine set to boot straight into an XBMC session and will only fire up an XFCE desktop session if I really need to. As this is a dedicated HTPC I don't need the desktop much at all.

This does mean that I can't use VNC (as I think this only kicks in with the desktop) but SSH access is more than enough for my needs.

xand49 Wrote:Hello,

I am using an ER1401 as my htpc and initially set it up on ubuntu 11.04, however it was jerky playback even at 720p.

I then switched across to the current stable openelec and it works a treat as far as xbmc goes. unfortunately openelec doesn't currently support my remote and i would like to have access to an os for emulators etc.

what I was wondering is if there is a mid way version of linux I could use that would still manage 1080p fine and still have a functional OS underneath.

Sounds like you dont have the correct drivers installed. Have you installed the restricted drivers and enabled vdpau in xbmc?

I have been using a minimal install of ubuntu 11.04 which would launch a lightweight window manager called fluxbox which automatically launches xbmc on startup and I use RomCollectionBrowser to launch emulators from within xbmc. If you start with a minimal ubuntu install you can choose how much of a os you wnt installed, be it a full desktop that launches xbmc or a xbmc-live like install. The same will be true for any other flavour of linux, it just depends on personal preference.

Openelec R7 is now released, maybe your remote is supported?

Arch Seriously, I've moved over to arch about a month and a half ago, and if you have some linux experience you can build your own very light desktop with only the stuff you need for it.

If you just want simplicity, I'd say go for mythbuntu.