[Nuka1195]

xbox
windows
osx

i voted for xbox though, since i want that platform to continue. good job arnova

[gquiring]

I started with Ubuntu and could not keep it running. Ubuntu Alsa bugs would loose my sound for no reason. Every time I would boot my box there was a 70% chance my IR would not work. Then I installed an open-ssh server and X11 would not allow XBMC to run. Clumsy Nvidia driver installs also. And none of these issues were XBMC, they were all Ubuntu.

I switched to Windows XP and no issues. Movies that had a high bit rate would not play on Ubuntu and they perfectly on XP. For some reason my videos are clearer on XP also. My buddy switched to XP also and found the same thing, XP is easier and more stable. I never thought I would praise BillyWare!

[Ranko]

Windows Vista Ultimate x64. Running perfectly.

[hikaricore]

2 systems with Ubuntu 8.10 and 1 system with Ubuntu 9.04.

[_J@n_]

XBMC running on Xubuntu 8.10.

Really a piece of cake to install and configure. Got my Nvidia driver up and running in no time. Sound (Alsa) was a breeze, Lirc provided a bit more of a challenge.

Been running for months without a glitch. Don't see Windoze do that:p

Loving XBMC. Thanks!!

Greetz,

J@n

[nekrosoft13]

windows, 3 machines total, 2 dedicated HTPC machines.

[Geeba]

"Don't see Windoze do that"

Troll......... Yawn..............

[Haggy]

Guess what? Linux all the way on all machines, flavor: My beloved Arch Linux.

[Livin]

WOW... XBOX is still way higher than I expected. Guess the fact that it started there, many people may not have HD TVs, and that they are basically free on Craigslist and Ebay makes them popular.

But... Windows is still the highest, as I would expect.

Honestly, I'd love to use Linux but the IR remote situation keeps me from it. LIRC is a PITA and I have a USB-UIRT which makes it even more difficult on Linux... but a breeze on XP.

If there was an easy IR solution to Linux, since it has hardware decoding I'd be all over it with a silent PC!

[Haggy]

If there was an easy IR solution to Linux, since it has hardware decoding I'd be all over it with a silent PC!

OT: Sure, it's not that easy, but LIRC is the way to go. Nothing as flexible and powerful as LIRC. It virtually controls anything in Linux, not just xbmc. That's something most windows users first have to deal with: With linux mostly there's one solution - and it works, but there's nothing plug and play when it comes to such basic features, and there's no success without efforts - that's it. Don't expect an xbmc linux box run ootb as you like it - that won't work and you will end up frustrated wishing your windows back.

[Livin]

It virtually controls anything in Linux, not just xbmc. That's something most windows users first have to deal with: With linux mostly there's one solution - and it works, but there's nothing plug and play when it comes to such basic features, and there's no success without efforts - that's it. Don't expect an xbmc linux box run ootb as you like it - that won't work and you will end up frustrated wishing your windows back.

Your statement tells me you are making statements without knowing (very common round here)...

a) there is at least 1 free app a forum member write to control the MCE remote, specifically for XBMC - many people use it just fine.

b) EventGhost (free app) controls about every IR combination out there. PLUS does everything LIRC does & MORE. I know, I have used both.

c) IR Server (free app) controls about every IR combination out there.

d) I'm know of other pay apps that work, and there are likely more out there that are free I don't know about.

Try not to make statements like that... you only misguide the noobies who, usually based on their own lack of research, have enough trouble as it is.

[Haggy]

Sorry - i don't get it. What has YOUR statement to do with me holding up the flag for lirc?

You are true - i don't know about the apps you mentioned, and honestly i don't even care, but after all that was not the point. i justed wanted to make clear that the average (welcome) linux newbie has to deal with the hassles and frustration one might come upon. there simply is no nice and shiny mouse controllable settings dialog most of the time - and that's fine because it urges you to read and understand what's going on beneath the shiny interface.

instead of understanding my post the way it was meant you're throwing windows apps at me i and the post i was answering never asked for?! i don't get it...

EDIT: If you're fine with windows - stick to it, but don't come up here whining about LIRC when YOU apparently have no clue or are not willing to invest more than 2 mins reading those zillion howtos out there.

EDIT2: that's the funniest part of your posting: "usually based on their own lack of research" - now i wonder who has lack of research.

[gquiring]

The Ubuntu distro is really not very easy to deal with, and I am a UNIX admin / programmer for the past 20 years using Solaris and Red Hat and in the earlier days SCO. I was very disappointed in how Ubuntu flaked out with constant IR and sound issues. Just look at the sticky in the Linux section - "Sound no longer working", well I had that problem at least once a week. After patches and trying different things and discussions with other friends and co-workers who also had the same issues we finally made the switch to XP and no more missing sound or IR. Another issue was upgrading Nvidia drivers, I never saw such a mess. Granted some of these issues are poor packages like Alsa or Nvida's install script but who needs these hassles.

I can't imagine how a non techie who has no working knowledge of Linux could possibly survive running Ubuntu with XBMC, it's just not that stable. I even had some non-working .mkv blue ray rips that choked when running the Ubuntu XBMC that play perfectly with XP/XBMC, that really surprised me, I assumed XP would have more issues. This is one of the very rare occasions where I am going to praise Billyware. It really bothered me switching to XP, but the goal is to have a stable environment.

[Haggy]

The Ubuntu distro is really not very easy to deal with, and I am a UNIX admin / programmer for the past 20 years using Solaris and Red Hat and in the earlier days SCO.[...]I can't imagine how a non techie who has no working knowledge of Linux could possibly survive running Ubuntu with XBMC, it's just not that stable.

Again: that was NOT my point. I would never lean out the window and say Linux is the holy grail with next to no issues, and i simply didn't say that. I'm only and precisely referring to this:

Honestly, I'd love to use Linux but the IR remote situation keeps me from it. [...]
If there was an easy IR solution to Linux, since it has hardware decoding I'd be all over it with a silent PC!

Seems like argueing with you guys is more a waste of time and i'd better spend that helping out guys with real problems who are willing to invest more than a mouse click or two.

End of line.

[Livin]

Haggy,
Maybe we misunderstood your post... If we did it was due to your phrasing...

"Nothing as flexible and powerful as LIRC"

- pretty clear statement, and not correct if talking cross platform, as your post mentions both. If you meant on ONLY Linux, you did not clarify.


"It virtually controls anything in Linux, not just xbmc. That's something most windows users first have to deal with"

- looks like you are saying it cannot be handled in Windows easily... again not correct.