[prupert]

Hi

Just wanted to let people know that it is entirely possible and pretty easy to run both XBMC and Boxee on a minimal Ubuntu Karmic installation.

I installed a minimal version of Karmic, then installed XBMC using the excellent updated script from here:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=459...tcount=164

But check the whole thread for updates.

Then I installed Boxee using the deb provided during the Beta (I guess eventually they will add Karmic repos).

Then, I used the threads mentioned here to get irexec to launch Boxee or XBMC on a press of my remote:

http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?p=71809#post71809

Specifically, this post: http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=4...xec&page=3

Essentially, you create:

~/.lirc/irexec

And add the following to it:

Code:

#start xbmc
begin
remote = YOUR_LIRC_REMOTE_NAME
prog = irexec
button = WHAT_EVER_BUTTON_1
config = xbmc --standalone &
end

#start boxee
begin
remote = YOUR_LIRC_REMOTE_NAME
prog = irexec
button = WHAT_EVER_BUTTON_2
config = /opt/boxee/run-boxee-desktop &
end

Then you add

Code:

include ~/.lirc/irexec

To ~/.lircrc

The only thing to do is, as I mentioned on that post above, run irexec via openbox using ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh.

I just assigned my Red and Blue buttons on my Harmony to Start XBMC and Start Boxee.

So, to use, the box auto-boots with XBMC, if you want Boxee, simply exit out of XBMC using the Exit XBMC option from the main menu, then you press the button you assigned in

I know this is all very basic, but I wanted to post so others can see it is possible and easy to run XBMC and Boxee side by side on Karmic and to access them both via IR.

[d_schrute]

just curious to know how you installed boxee. I couldn't get it to run. what i did, which is probably wrong, was to:
install these missing files in karmic
libdirectfb-1.0-0
liblzo1 1.08-3
libkrb53 1.6

and then install boxee via sudo apt-get install boxee

it installs fine, but then when i go to run it, it gives me errors. I couldn't find any good tutorial that shows you how to install boxee from a minimal install, which is probably where i'm going wrong.

also, if for some reason i actually do get it working correctly, does this method only work if you exit out of xbmc first? Would pressing a button while still in xbmc launch boxee from there, or is it necessary to shut down xbmc first to get it run?

As you probably can tell, i am a huge newb when it comes to linux so please bare with me. However, any help comes with great appreciation and a spot in my cool book.

thanks, d

[prupert]

I'm using the newest beta version of boxee (9.20 not 9.14), not the one that is in the repos.

If you are a boxee user, I am pretty sure you can download the latest version from their site, just log in first (it is a .deb file). Don't install the version from the repos, as that is outdated and not supported in Karmic.

Once you have the boxee.deb file (the most recent version is actually called boxee-0.9.20.10356.i486.deb). Then open a terminal window and navigate to the .deb file, then issue the following command:

sudo dpkg -i boxee-0.9.20.10356.i486.deb

This will install the .deb for you.

Ta Da, it is installed and works!

If you can't access the beta or download the file, reply here and I can upload the .deb for ya.

As far as running it. Well, I had to create two scripts using irexec, as I mentioned above to run boxee and one to run xbmc. Yes, you will have to exit xbmc first, since it would tax the CPU a lot running both at the same time and it wouldn't work anyway, since the windows manager (the program that displays the stuff on the screen) is being monopolised by xbmc first.

If you need help getting the two to run, reply here and I will post how I did it, if I can remember!

[BluechipJ]

Thought it was an issue with using the XBMC Live LIVE 9.11 Camelot build so I installed a blank minimal Karmic on my Acer AspireRevo 1600.
(Used http://www.springydevelopment.co.uk/2009...mic-koala/)

XBMC runs, but won't suspend, but that's another issue (getting the ?1? and ?0? in the settings).

Main issue is trying to get Boxee running.

./run-desktop-boxee gives the following:

Code:

23/01/10 22:25:19#DEBUG#bxbgprocess.cpp:180(Start)#bg process initialized. [m_lazy=1] so m_maxNumOfWorkingThreads was set to [2]
23/01/10 22:25:19#DEBUG#bxbgprocess.cpp:180(Start)#bg process initialized. [m_lazy=1] so m_maxNumOfWorkingThreads was set to [1]
23/01/10 22:25:19#DEBUG#bxcurl.cpp:93(Initialize)#curl initialized. version <7.19.5>

Running Boxee test...
And the log goes to... /tmp/bluechip-boxee.log
commandline read: Boxee

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| DirectFB 1.2.7 |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        (c) 2001-2008  The world wide DirectFB Open Source Community
        (c) 2000-2004  Convergence (integrated media) GmbH
      ----------------------------------------------------------------

(*) DirectFB/Core: Single Application Core. (2009-06-02 06:33)
(!) Direct/Util: opening '/dev/fb0' and '/dev/fb/0' failed
    --> No such file or directory
(!) DirectFB/FBDev: Error opening framebuffer device!
(!) DirectFB/FBDev: Use 'fbdev' option or set FRAMEBUFFER environment variable.
(!) DirectFB/Core: Could not initialize 'system_core' core!
    --> Initialization error!
ERROR: Unable to create application. Exiting
Boxee: asked to stop
Boxee: already stopped
./run-boxee-desktop: 38: /opt/boxee/give_me_my_mouse_back: not found

Bluechip-boxee.log contains:

Code:

17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080 WARNING: Settings file does not exist, defaults assumed, path = special://masterprofile/profiles.xml
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: Starting XBMC, Platform: GNU/Linux.  Built on Jan  5 2010 (SVN:10063M)
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: special://xbmc/ is mapped to: /opt/boxee
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: special://masterprofile/ is mapped to: /home/bluechip/.boxee/UserData
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: special://home/ is mapped to: /home/bluechip/.boxee/UserData
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: special://temp/ is mapped to: /home/jeremy/.boxee/temp
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: special://userhome/ is mapped to: /home/bluechip
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: The executable running is: /opt/boxee/Boxee
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: Log File is located: /tmp/bluechip-boxee.log
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080    INFO: No settingsmap.xml to load (/opt/boxee/system/settingsmap.xml). Using default settings.
17:22:06 T:3078915968 M:715182080  NOTICE: Setup SDL
17:22:07 T:3078915968 M:715091968   FATAL: XBAppEx: Unable to initialize SDL: DirectFBCreate: Initialization error!

Apparently reinstalling the Nvidia drivers and setting glxinfo | grep direct is supposed to solve it but running glxinfo gives the following:

Code:

bluechip@media:/opt/boxee$ glxinfo
Error: unable to open display

Any help or info is appreciated.

[d_schrute]

hey prupert sorry for being a pest, but i really do appreciate the help.

I did as you said and got the 0.9.20, installed fine and everything, but when i go to run it it gives me errors

this is from the terminal window:

http://pastebin.com/m4027390f

and this is from the boxee log file:

FATAL: XBAppEx: Unable to initialize SDL: DirectFBCreate: Initialization error!

from the limited amount of linux knowlege I posses, i gather it's missing the directfb library. However, in the previous install method i did, they had me install the directfb lib, so i don't know why it says it's missing.

from what i gather the directfb lib has something to do with the graphics acceleration in linux, but then again i'm no expert.

I figured since you installed xbmc similarly to me, you may or may not have encountered the same problem when trying to get this to work. If you can help that's great, if not, no worries I appreciate the help you've give so far.

Once again thanks for the help,
d

[prupert]

This is a reply to both BluechipJ and d_schrute.

I know a fair bit about Linux, but also there is lots I don't know, so bear with me here.

Did you both install karmic and xbmc using the script I linked to at the beginning? Have you created the irexec files as I mentioned in my first post and tried to run boxee that way?

Basically, I think it is all to do which users are running openbox, which is the windows manager used to show xbmc and also boxee.

How are you currently trying to run boxee?

I think a good way of testing it is to exit out of xbmc using the Exit xbmc from the Power menu. Then, using the mouse, right click to access a menu and choose terminal, then running boxee from there using the command:

/opt/boxee/run-boxee-desktop

This should then run boxee.

Then, set up irexec as I have mentioned first and it should work for you.

It seems you are both having issues, because you are trying to run boxee without having a window manager that boxee can then use to display anything on the screen. The solution I mention above or in my first post gets round this issue, by running irexec under the same user that runs openbox (the windows manager) when the PC first boots.

If this still doesn't work, then I am afriad I am all out of ideas

[d_schrute]

hey prupert, once again thanks for your help and patience.

what it sounds like going on with me is that when i exit xbmc i don't load up a window manger and thus cannot run anything from the terminal. Again, i'm no expert just a guess on my part.

Here's exactly what i did to get xbmc running on my box.

i used the instructions found here
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=55282

1) Installed minimal karmic, when i say minimal i mean no desktop or anything as per the instructions.

2) downloaded the script from virtualdanny.net, though i changed the nvidia drivers from 185 to 190 just to have the newer drivers installed

3) installed lirc and set up remote(original xbox dongle remote). that was a pain in the ass, but managed to figure it out.

4) installed ftp

5) Ran the script
it installed fine no problems or anything. Been using it for a couple of months and everything works perfectly, albeit from a few random crashes due to aeon.


here's what happens when i try to run boxee

I did what you said in your post to create the ~/.lirc/irexec file
added the commands to run xbmc and boxee for my particular remote which looks like this

Code:

#start xbmc
begin
remote = XboxDVDDongle
prog = irexec
button = 1
config = xbmc --standalone &
end

#start boxee
begin
remote = XboxDVDDongle
prog = irexec
button = 2
config = /opt/boxee/run-boxee-desktop &
end

added the include command to the ~/.lircrc file

when i exit xbmc it exits out to the linux terminal and asks me to log in
so i type in user and pass

when i try and press either of the two buttons i setup it does nothing
checked with irw to make sure the remote is still working, which it is.

it's when i manually type in irexec into the prompt is when it works, which is when i get the errors for boxee as posted above. I should also mention that xbmc gives me errors and doesn't start up as well.

from what your last post said, it sounds like when i exit xbmc there's no window manager for either of the programs to start up in. Again pardon my "newbishness" with linux, but it sounds like i need to install openbox or something similar in order for them to start up properly.

again thanks for your patience with us newbs and for your help,
d

[prupert]

The fact that xbmc displays, means you already have a windows manager like openbox already installed, so re-installing wont help.

I used the newest version of the script, here: http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=459...tcount=176

And when I exit out of xbmc, I don't get left with a log in screen, I get left with a blank screen with a mouse cursor in the middle and right clicking gives me a menu.

This is the problem I think, but I haven't a clue how to fix it.

All I can suggest is start again from scratch, reinstall Ubuntu and then use the script to install xbmc that I mentioned earlier.

But, if you are gonna do that, you may as well just install full Ubuntu and then you can easily get xbmc and boxee running since you have a full desktop.

[d_schrute]

thanks again prupert. I think i'll try that, re-installing from scratch with the updated script and see how that goes. I'll let you how it goes

thanks, d

[prupert]

Good luck, hope it works this time round. Believe me, it is worth it getting it fixed

[d_schrute]

sorry for being such a pest, but i figured i'd ask one last question before i committed to re-installing. Am i safe to assume when you did your install, the only thing you used was the updated version of the installer script and nothing else. Just wanted to make sure that when i initially setup everything that i'd get something close to your setup. That way i'd know it was something else that was going wrong.

Once again thanks for the help and you're the man,
d

[prupert]

Yup, I just used that script to install. A bit later I did apt-get update and upgrade to update to the latest version of xbmc and the nvidea driver. But that's about all.

[Robgue]

d_shrute,
after you upgraded boxee to the beta did you delete your old UserData folder?

[d_schrute]

d_shrute,
after you upgraded boxee to the beta did you delete your old UserData folder?

no i didnt

[prupert]

I did a clean install of the beta, there was no previous version of boxee installed....that could have an effect I guess...