2010-02-09, 00:36
Hi,
I've been setting up my HTPC the last month, and since I've encountered a lot of issues on the way, I thought I just sum up my experiences so that other people might have less trouble.
My system is based on a Zotac IonITX in an Antec Fusion Remote case, very neat though a bit larger than it needs to be (the hardware set up was also a bit tricky; if anybody's interested, I can write more about that). The computer is supposed to play music, surf the net, and work as a backup server in my local network.
I decided to do all this in linux, for security and license issues but also just for the heck of it . As I'm a total noob in linux, I've tried a couple of distributions and came to stick with openSuse, mainly because it's working with pre-compiled packages which help you avoiding the "make"-ing of your software which never worked for me.
So here's the setting up:
1. OpenSuse (11.2 64 bit):
I still want to set up a couple of things, so this is likely to expand.
Have fun.
sirthid
I've been setting up my HTPC the last month, and since I've encountered a lot of issues on the way, I thought I just sum up my experiences so that other people might have less trouble.
My system is based on a Zotac IonITX in an Antec Fusion Remote case, very neat though a bit larger than it needs to be (the hardware set up was also a bit tricky; if anybody's interested, I can write more about that). The computer is supposed to play music, surf the net, and work as a backup server in my local network.
I decided to do all this in linux, for security and license issues but also just for the heck of it . As I'm a total noob in linux, I've tried a couple of distributions and came to stick with openSuse, mainly because it's working with pre-compiled packages which help you avoiding the "make"-ing of your software which never worked for me.
So here's the setting up:
1. OpenSuse (11.2 64 bit):
a. Install it. The set up menu is pretty straight forward. I've created three partitions (2 Gigs /swap, 6 Gigs /home, and 22 Gigs /) for the system, the rest (~ 600 GB) is used by a NTFS formated data partition. I've chosen the KDE desktop.
b. Install the nvidia drivers using YaST. The repository (YaST -> Software -> Software Repositories -> Add) can be found at http://download.nvidia.com/opensuse/11.2/.
c. Install Skype if you feel like it. For that, download the skype.rpm from http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/. Install libqt4-32, libqtB-x11-32, and xorg-x11-libXv-32bit via YaST to resolve the dependencies, then open skype.rpm.
d. Install xbmc if you haven't already . YaST even offers the beta, I've used the 9.11-1.pm.4.1 version and the Confluence skin.
e. The NTFS partition should be mounted on start-up. For that, edit /etc/fstab following this guide http://forums.opensuse.org/new-user-how-...ually.html.
2. Set up the LCD display and the remote:b. Install the nvidia drivers using YaST. The repository (YaST -> Software -> Software Repositories -> Add) can be found at http://download.nvidia.com/opensuse/11.2/.
c. Install Skype if you feel like it. For that, download the skype.rpm from http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/. Install libqt4-32, libqtB-x11-32, and xorg-x11-libXv-32bit via YaST to resolve the dependencies, then open skype.rpm.
d. Install xbmc if you haven't already . YaST even offers the beta, I've used the 9.11-1.pm.4.1 version and the Confluence skin.
e. The NTFS partition should be mounted on start-up. For that, edit /etc/fstab following this guide http://forums.opensuse.org/new-user-how-...ually.html.
a. add http://software.opensuse.org/download/LC...SUSE_11.2/ as a repository.
b. install LCDproc.
c. in /etc/LCDd.conf, set DRIVER=imonlcd
d. install lirc 0.8.6. Don't even consider earlier versions . This will work out of the box, in contrary to all the older ones. If you can't find it in YaST, you can get pre-compiled versions from the opensuse package-builder https://build.opensuse.org/. From there, you can also get liblirc 0.8.6 which you'll need for lirc.
e. copy antec-veris-remote.conf (comes with the installation files) to /etc/lirc/lircd.conf.
f. You can check your remote by typing irw or mode2 (see respective help pages) in the terminal.
g. if you want to control other programs with the remote, you can install IRKick (KDE desktop). You can make it start automatically by adding it in System settings -> Tab "advanced" -> Auto Start.
3. Set up XBMC:b. install LCDproc.
c. in /etc/LCDd.conf, set DRIVER=imonlcd
d. install lirc 0.8.6. Don't even consider earlier versions . This will work out of the box, in contrary to all the older ones. If you can't find it in YaST, you can get pre-compiled versions from the opensuse package-builder https://build.opensuse.org/. From there, you can also get liblirc 0.8.6 which you'll need for lirc.
e. copy antec-veris-remote.conf (comes with the installation files) to /etc/lirc/lircd.conf.
f. You can check your remote by typing irw or mode2 (see respective help pages) in the terminal.
g. if you want to control other programs with the remote, you can install IRKick (KDE desktop). You can make it start automatically by adding it in System settings -> Tab "advanced" -> Auto Start.
a. First, there was no sound, after some fiddling and similar experiences with Skype, I've set up a custom audio output device called "hw:0,0". (System -> System -> audio output)
b. I've chosen advanced shaders for the video playback render
c. activate LCD/VDF (system -> system -> video output).
d. for the LCD, edit /usr/share/xbmc/userdata/LCD.xml (create the file if it doesn't exists, more info on http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=LCD.xml ) or/and home/.xbmc/userdata/LCD.xml. The Antec Veris display has only two lines, so anything that goes beyond two lines will probably make everything unreadable. Also consider this thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=40998
e. create or edit /usr/share/xbmc/userdata/advancedsettings.xml (sic! remember, linux is case sensitive...) or home/.xbmc/userdata/advancedsettings.xml: insert to make the scrolling text readable (more info on http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Advancedsettings.xml).
f. personalize /usr/share/xbmc/system/Lircmap.xml. Also see http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Lirc_and_Lircmap.xml.
4. Set up the Samba server (I have two Windows computers which use my HTPC as file server):b. I've chosen advanced shaders for the video playback render
c. activate LCD/VDF (system -> system -> video output).
d. for the LCD, edit /usr/share/xbmc/userdata/LCD.xml (create the file if it doesn't exists, more info on http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=LCD.xml ) or/and home/.xbmc/userdata/LCD.xml. The Antec Veris display has only two lines, so anything that goes beyond two lines will probably make everything unreadable. Also consider this thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=40998
e. create or edit /usr/share/xbmc/userdata/advancedsettings.xml (sic! remember, linux is case sensitive...) or home/.xbmc/userdata/advancedsettings.xml: insert
Code:
<advancedsettings>
[...]
<lcd>
<row>2</row>
<columns>16</columns>
<scrolldelay>4</scrolldelay> <!-- Delay of the scroller widget. Defaults to 1. -->
</lcd>
[...]
</advancedsettings>
f. personalize /usr/share/xbmc/system/Lircmap.xml. Also see http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Lirc_and_Lircmap.xml.
a. install Samba via YaST
b. Add the file server folder in Samba (YaST -> Network services -> Samba Server).
c. Add firewall exceptions for the samba server, the NetBIOS server, and the Samba client (YaST -> security and users -> Firewall).
d. Allow Samba browsing under YaST -> Firewall -> Browsing
e. change the runlevel of nmb to 3 and 5. This option can be found under YaST -> services in the "expert mode"
f. to /etc/samba/smb.conf, under [global], addg. set a password for access to the shared folder by entering in a terminal window
5. General tips:b. Add the file server folder in Samba (YaST -> Network services -> Samba Server).
c. Add firewall exceptions for the samba server, the NetBIOS server, and the Samba client (YaST -> security and users -> Firewall).
d. Allow Samba browsing under YaST -> Firewall -> Browsing
e. change the runlevel of nmb to 3 and 5. This option can be found under YaST -> services in the "expert mode"
f. to /etc/samba/smb.conf, under [global], add
Code:
[...]
security=user
passdb backend=tdbsam
[...]
Code:
smbpasswd -a [i]user[/i]
If a system service doesn't start again after booting, YaST -> services is a good place to look for their auto start mode.
For Windows users who want to edit root-owned files, using kwrite is a nice editor. You can start it with root privileges by typing in the terminal.
This is as far as I remember and I hope it'll help. I can't, of course, guarantee that this will work on your specific system. If you encounter any problems with this guide, however, let me know.For Windows users who want to edit root-owned files, using kwrite is a nice editor. You can start it with root privileges by typing
Code:
kdesu kwrite [i]filename with path[/i]
I still want to set up a couple of things, so this is likely to expand.
Have fun.
sirthid