Linux HOW-TO install XBMC for Linux on Asrock ION 330 with full Ubuntu Desktop

Now updated for Karmic!

USB disks does not work correctly in Karmic. Stay with 9.04 until a stable Lucid is out.

I have now finished the setup of my brand new Asrock ION 330 and though someone could have some use of my notes.

Killasample plays fine, it drops 4-6 frames. I am not sure if that is considered a problem.

My setup is more or less the same as the wiki:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=HOW-TO_insta...ep-by-step
+ some ION 330 specific stuff


----------------------
Installation Log:
----------------------
BIOS
-----
Change shared memory => 512
Upgrade BIOS => 1.60 (Download DOS version, unzip and put on USB => Smart Flash in BIOS)
Remove the boot logo
Enable "good night LED" if you want all light of on the box.

Other than that no changes to BIOS (No over clocking)

Ubuntu
-------

1) Install Ubuntu 9.04 (or 9.10) (user/pwd xbmc/xbmc)
The easiest method is to install the desktop cd. I dont do that, instead I do a minimal install +
sudo apt-get install xorg gdm gnome-core network-manager-gnome gnome-system-tools gnome-utils x11-xserver-utils


Since the disk is pretty big you should probably create a separate partition for media. This way you can re-install without wiping the media. You need much less than 10G for the system but since we have plenty of it I normally use 8-10 for the system and 3-4 for swap. Create and format a partition of the remaining space and remember the file system (ext2 or ext3). Do not mount it at this point.

2) Install all updates

3) Enable auto-login for XBMC

4) install ssh
sudo apt-get install ssh

*from now on I do everthing over ssh from my winxp laptop using putty.exe

LIRC
-----
Since my MS MCE Remote model 1039 does not work in xbmc without LIRC I installed it

1) sudo apt-get install -y lirc
Select Windows MCE Remote (new)

2) Test Remote & Lirc
Type: IRW
in terminal and press home MCE Home button. This should return "Home" in terminal


XBMC
------
1)
a)Add sources 9.10
sudo apt-get install python-software-properties
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/ppa
* I will add add-ons soon


b)Add sources 9.04 (old and not verified)
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/xbmc-addons/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/jaunty-ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 318C7509 9317790E


3) install
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xbmc xbmc-standalone

sudo apt-get install xbmc-skin-*
sudo apt-get install xbmc-eventclients-*
sudo apt-get install xbmc-scripts-*

NVIDIA Drivers
--------------
* For 9.10 Karmic I am using the incudded version 185 driver

Edit: Install nvidia PPA instead to avoid problem when upgrading kernel
https://launchpad.net/~nvidia-vdpau/+archive/ppa


1) Add source
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

3) Add key
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com CEC06767

4) Install
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185

5) Config
sudo nvidia-xconfig -s --no-logo --force-generate


Policy kit to allow Power management
-----------------------------------
*9.10 karmic: sudp apt-get install policykit
*Not sure if this can be skipped for 9.10 Karmic or not

sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.suspend
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.hibernate
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.reboot
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.shutdown
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.reboot-multiple-sessions
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.shutdown-multiple-sessions

Additional policy settings for 9.10 Karmic
------------------------------------------

sudo apt-get install policykit-1 devicekit-power

sudo nano /var/lib/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d/custom-actions.pkla
add:
[Actions for xbmc user]
Identity=unix-user:xbmc
Action=org.freedesktop.devicekit.disks.*;org.freedesktop.devicekit.power.*;org.f​reedesktop.consolekit.system.*;org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable;org.freedesktop.hal.device.volume
ResultActive=yes
ResultAny=auth_admin
ResultInactive=yes



XBMC Config
-----------
1) Start XBMC in Gnome

2) Change same settings
Settings, appearance, screen: Fullscreen

3) If you want to use sound over HDMI:
In latest version of xbmc just select hdmi in menu

If sound is playing too fast try with custom:
plug:hdmi or plughw:0,3



ALSA config
------------------------------------
1) sudo alsamixer
Unmute and set volume (MM means muted and OO On)
Hit "m" to toggle mute on/off.
Do not forget to unmute HDMI if you are going to use that

2) Store Settings
sudo alsactl store 0

3) If any problem with store, remove pulse audio and try again
sudo apt-get remove pulseaudio


Fix navigation sound with HDMI (not needed anymore?)
-----------------------------

Create a file in home directory:
nano .asoundrc

Add:

pcm.!default {
type plug
slave {
pcm "hdmi"
}
}



Wifi WPA2 in XBMC session (USB adaptor)
-------------------
1) Left click on network icon and select network & Connect
2) Right click on network icon , edit connecttions, wireless, select network, Edit - Click Always allow - Check Available to all users
- check remember autorization & enter password
3) Reboot and make sure that no dialog is necessary to connect wifi => Should work fine in the XBMC session.

There is a bug in karmic network-manager. When mking connection available for all users this just causes the connection to disappear
Workaround:
set "managed=true" in [ifupdown] section in /etc/NetworkManager/nm-system-settings.conf


XBMC session
------------------
To boot directly into the XBMC session:

1) Logout - F10 - select Session - XBMC
First time select "just this time" when function verified repeat and set to defalt session

2) Return to login by exiting XBMC

3) Back to Gnome
F10 - Select session - Gnome



Suspend/ Resume on Remote
-------------------
Seem to work out of the box (in 9.04 Juanty)
Resume by pressing Power button on remote.


Update System
--------------
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

xorg fixes
------------
HW cursor fix
sudo sed -i '40i\ Option "HWCursor" "False"' /etc/X11/xorg.conf


ENABLE 1080p 24Hz (screen section)
sudo sed -i '50i\ Option "DynamicTwinView" "False"' /etc/X11/xorg.conf
sudo sed -i '50i\ Option "FlatPanelProperties" "Scaling = Native" /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Make sure it ended up in the correct sections (I am not sure that this sed stuff is working):
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Mount a partition
------------------
1)
View partitions:
sudo fdisk -l
Hopefully you can find your unmounted partition. (if not or if you did not create the partition you need to install gparted)
In my case the partition is /dev/sda3
2)
Create a mount point (in this case a folder in the root):
sudo mkdir /storage
3)
Edit the fstab:
sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab_backup
sudo nano /etc/fstab
Add:
/dev/sda3 /storage ext2 defaults 0 0
ext2 since I remember selecting that when I created the partition.
4)
Refresh:
sudo mount -a
5) set permissions
sudo chown -R xbmc:xbmc /storage
sudo chmod -R 755 /storage

Optional
---------
1) I have also installed NX server to access the GUI while using xbmc in the console.
2) I only use xbmc in the standalone session now. If it should be used in Gnome irexec and some addition scripting is necessary to make it play nice.
3) I use deluge bittorrent client in a NX session in the background. Transmission did not work for me. With deluge it is back to normal.

Grat guide !

I suggest one change.
If you install nvidia driver this way, everytime when there is a kernel update you have to recompile the nvidia kernel module.

There is a solution. Nvidia has an official ppa for drivers here:

https://launchpad.net/~nvidia-vdpau/+archive/ppa

If you add the sources to the repos and the pgp key for the source you only need to:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185

This will install the nvidia driver in a way that whenever you have a linux kernel update, you will automaticly have a working driver for that specific kernel. You don't have to do anything it is done automaticly by the package management of Ubuntu.

Thanks!

Quote:If you install nvidia driver this way, everytime when there is a kernel update you have to recompile the nvidia kernel module.

I did see a note of that somewhere but did not know any better way.

If I understand you correctly the PPA solution is exactly what I want. I am trying to understand how to make it usable for non technical people. (I do not know much Linux myself, but luckily I am more than a bit technical)

Do you know what will happen if I put this on top of my manually installed driver?
Not a biggie if I have to make a fresh install.

just run the uninstaller script provided by the nvidia binary, then youu can install the PPA one

OK:

I just did this:

0) Remove manually installed driver
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
sudo /usr/bin/nvidia-uninstall

1) Add source
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

3) Add key
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com CEC06767

4) Install
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185

and it seem to work fine. Should really test on a clean install though...

Thanks!

vikjon0 Wrote:OK:

I just did this:

0) Remove manually installed driver
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
sudo /usr/bin/nvidia-uninstall

1) Add source
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

3) Add key
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com CEC06767

4) Install
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic nvidia-glx-185

and it seem to work fine. Should really test on a clean install though...

Thanks!

I've already tested on a clean install and works perfect. I did even test it with a 28.11 to 28.13 kernel update which ran perfectly fine.

One note that you can also try the cutting edge 190 series of drivers with initial opencl support (not usable by any app out so far) and some more vdpau refinement. Instead of 185 you just have to write 190 in the apt-get line.

I have added the stable PPA as well as the SVN.

Please vikjon0, can you do a guide step by step HOW-TO install XBMC for Linux on Asrock ION 330 with full Ubuntu Desktop , because i'm a new with linux and i dont konw nothig...!!
Now i have my asrock 330 with xbmc live and i would like skip to the full ubuntu because the live give me to much problem with 1080p mkv..!
tanks.

This is a step by step Guide:
http://www.xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52259

But what is the problem with the live upgrade? Should be quickly fixed.
Have you installed the liveCD to you HD? (as fixed disk)
Have you come so far that you have connected with ssh to the HTPC? or as an alternative accessed the command line directly on the machine?

vikjon0 Wrote:This is a step by step Guide:
http://www.xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52259

But what is the problem with the live upgrade? Should be quickly fixed.
Have you installed the liveCD to you HD? (as fixed disk)
Have you come so far that you have connected with ssh to the HTPC? or as an alternative accessed the command line directly on the machine?

I'm sorry but i dont know how to do the live upgrade, it's more sample..? or is better choise skip to xbmc+full ubuntu..?
Yes i have installed the live cd on my HD.