View Full Version : Is their a step by step guide to installing XBMC on Linux for Noobs!
Is their a step by step guide to installing XBMC on Linux for Noobs!
I have not idea what file to download off soundforge and how to install XBMC.
Ive looked and couldnt find a guide anywhere.
Can someone point me in the right direction.
Thankyou, Matt
P.S Sorry for the Noobness of my question, please refrain from pointing out my stupidity
:confused2:
Try this for starters -> http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=HOW-TO_compile_XBMC_for_Linux_from_source_code
Suggest strongly that once you have followed the directions for setting up Subversion and downloading the source code that you READ the README.linux file that comes down with it. The instructions in that will be most up to date vs what is on the Wiki. The Wiki will give you a good flavor for what's needed. Suggest you use Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop, there's a link in my signature.
Here's another good link ->
http://xbmc.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/*checkout*/xbmc/branches/linuxport/XBMC/README.linux
Nick8888
2008-02-20, 06:08
BLKMGK beat me to it..
As he said, I'd read the readme.linux as it is more current than the wiki.
Don't expect much more support than that as it is still pre-alpha and not recommended for linux beginners.
Thanx guys.. got a few spare pcs in the house so thought I try it and see how it goes.
Matt
althekiller
2008-02-20, 10:10
And so it begins :(
And so it begins :(
Aw c'mon now this isn't bad. Excitement over this project is a good thing! With your build script and the instructions in the Readme this isn't really too hard to setup. Ubuntu has even made the Linux part of it accessible to many without much fuss. We can always point future folks just getting into this at threads like this one to get them started. The more oddball hardware and the more eyeballs just means that there's more people testing....
althekiller
2008-02-21, 06:26
I meant the fact that this guy obviously did NO research before posting. Everything is available plain as day so long as you read.
I meant the fact that this guy obviously did NO research before posting. Everything is available plain as day so long as you read.
Well, I suppose if you came across this port in the forum and didn't spot the Wiki page it might be pretty confusing. <shrug>
+1 for Noob-Guide. :D
I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing if a total-noob-step-by-step-guide got written and pinned in this sub-forum.
Nick8888
2008-02-21, 10:29
there already is a guide.
If you want a more simplified guide then make one yourself. But accomodating all the possible errors in all the possible hardware configurations may be difficult.
Respect that the program hasnt been released. Use it at your own risk and dont expect support.
I didn't say "Write one."
I said that it would be nice to have one.
Yeah, I'm a total Linux-Noob. I've never worked on it nor I installed it on my PC... And because of this lack of knowledge I asked friends to help me with the Linux-part.
I even read different threads about how to compile the XBMC and I think I can make it on my own.
BUT:
It's for sure that there will be people which won't use the search-function, won't ask friends, won't think on their own...
Nick8888
2008-02-21, 10:51
I didn't say "Write one."
I said that it would be nice to have one.
guides dont make themselves....
It's for sure that there will be people which won't use the search-function, won't ask friends, won't think on their own...
Why should these people be testing unreleased programs????
guides dont make themselves....
Really? :sad:
(I tried to make a difference between a demand and a polite question. Since I'm not a native english speaker and far away from being good in this language it's some kind of problem to clearify exactly what I want to say... :sniffle: )
Why should these people be testing unreleased programs????
Simple Answer... they are curious. :nod:
They started with XBMC on their Xbox and can't run HD-material these days... so the want the Linux-Port for HD-Playback.
Nick8888
2008-02-21, 15:30
Well basically, the guide is as simple as it can be and the build script does most of the job anyway.
It's for sure that there will be people which won't use the search-function, won't ask friends, won't think on their own...
If they are curious and wanting to play around with the program, they have to accept some level of self thinking at this stage.
Of course this will change once the program is released id imagine.
Cheers for all the help guys.. will sit own on the weekend and do some reading.
Love the community that surrounds XBMC.
Best program and community in the world.
supagold
2008-02-21, 19:25
I've got to chime in favor of not making a total noob guide. My experience with linux was limited to installing it once every few years, and getting pissed off at how much it sucks. I spent probably probably the last 8 weekends learning how to get the thing up and running - and most of that was getting my hardware working with linux, not xbmc working. If people are so lost that they can't figure it out from the wiki, and the myriad helpful forum posts, then putting up a noob guide would just encourage them (us) to just ask a bunch of simple questions for which answers are already available.
I've been lurking in the forums for several months, and I've been happy to see the creation, then development of the xbmc-linux users forum into a real resource of people who are interested not only in helping each other, but in helping the developers. (No bug reports, I know, but it's nice that they monitor and respond in this forum too.) I feel like if we make this a place where "noobs" think they (we) can get up and running w/o hard work, we're asking for trouble.
althekiller
2008-02-22, 01:12
My views on this are that when we're ready for complete linux noobs to use the linux port there will be no need for a guide.
Supagold it's funny you say that - I'm pretty much in the same boat with regards to Linux! In the past when I've installed it I've almost always run into something that pissed me off or shut me down. I did find that Ubuntu was pretty good and have it on a laptop but with no real "purpose" other than some quirky hacking tools it just sat.
When I learned that XBMC was being ported to Linux I was ecstatic having been one of those who had found my XBOX unable to handle HD video. Now I had a purpose! I loaded XBMC on that laptop first just as a test run for the install instructions I found in the Wiki - it was cake. Then I backed up a spare machine, blew the OS off of it, and loaded Ubuntu on it - again it wasn't bad and it ran fine. I then built a machine with parts I could reuse later for a new desktop and used some parts I had laying around. Plugged that into the TV and proceeded to watch 2 seasons of a TV show I really liked but the XBOX couldn't handle.:nod: The woman hated the big "PC" in the living room so that was torn down to make a desktop and my new HTPC was born using much of what I had used in my test build. That machine is doing well and is my XBMC machine today. I've blown away the OS on it more times than I can count and blown it up a few times too. Trashed the audio, hosed the video, beaten my head against the wall with X11 config files - you name it. Each time I learned something too - just like I did once upon a time with Windows.
I'm no expert but I am doggedly persistent, willing to take some chances (having made backups), and if it comes to it I can go from bare metal to built XBMC executable in under 2 hours. I learn through painful experience and it's as much about the journey as it is the ending. I also do not mind helping along others who are trying to do the same thing that might not have the same skills or time that I've invested. Helping "noobs" isn't too big a deal or even hard and I'll keep doing it as best I can.
That said - the Wiki page on compiling is about as simple as it can get right now. To make it simpler would turn it into a Linux tutorial and while that's noble there are plenty of other places to turn for that which are better equipped. No way should we be trying to fix audio issues or video issues in Ubuntu if XBMC isn't the one causing it (IMO). When my audio died the very first thing I did was check to see if it worked in Ubuntu - it didn't and thus I whined elsewhere:p That why I ask if it works in Ubuntu first thing when people have issues <shrug> IMHO the Wiki is fine so long as it's updated for new packages and the README link is prominent :D
My .05 cents anyway.
Nick8888
2008-02-22, 01:59
@BLKMGK
My thoughts exactly.
I hadnt tried linux before a couple of weeks ago when i built box for xbmc and mythtv but found it pretty easy apart from installing drivers etc.
Basically the point i was getting at is that while installing xbmc-linux is pretty easy, some drivers and things arent, hence unless people are willing to read tutorials and do abit of their own research, they probably shouldnt be rushing into making a xbmx-linux box just yet.
I don't disagree Nick, some work has to be done on the part of the person interested. I can recommend ENVY for video and a few tweaks for sound or video config that might help but that's about it. If it's past that I'll point to the Ubuntu forums <shrug>
Myth I didn't have as good a luck with, possibly due to the networked tuner I use (HRHomerun). It looks like I'll just use Vista for that maybe and a plug in to commercial cut and transcode. My primary focus is my DVDs, HD content, music, and downloaded content. I'll try Myth again later maybe, especially with the kewl work the folks are doing adding control of it into XBMC. Now THAT is something I will probably need help with down the road. For now I'm content to watch and let the folks who know better what they are doing test it out...
rodalpho
2008-02-22, 03:38
Frankly, my opinion is that XBMC/linux is already good enough to mark a line in the sand, pull a branch off the trunk, test and massage it until relatively stable, package up a deb file complete with full dependencies so mere mortals can get it to install, and release it unsupported as beta 1. I really think a good chunk of the buzz around OSXBMC is that the developer packaged it up and made it easy to install for the masses.
But it's not my call.
Nick8888
2008-02-22, 03:47
abit offtopic.. but if your are giving it another go, I would get mythbuntu control centre and use it to set up mythtv (backend and frontend)
then follow this for setting it up with your hdhomerun
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Silicondust_HDHomeRun
I've found mythbuntu alot easier and it even set up mythweb automatically for me.
I must admit though, I was just as imtimidated as you a couple of weeks ago when I first tried to set it up. Just abit of trial and error really.
Now I am very happy with my box and just awaiting further integration of it into xbmc.
Frankly, my opinion is that XBMC/linux is already good enough to mark a line in the sand, pull a branch off the trunk, test and massage it until relatively stable, package up a deb file complete with full dependencies so mere mortals can get it to install, and release it unsupported as beta 1. I really think a good chunk of the buzz around OSXBMC is that the developer packaged it up and made it easy to install for the masses.
But it's not my call.
I almost agree:;): I still cannot (properly) play back IFO\VOB DVD rips as of a few days ago and right now I cannot run the current version at full resolution. As of 11703 the resolution change that XBMC attempts crashes on me and I can only run current builds at like 720X512 resolution. Oddly it appears it was mostly OSX code aimed at resolution changes that seems to have introduced this for me. Why either of these seems to effect me and no one else posting here is odd but I'll bet others would see it if this were more widely tested since IMO my setup is fairly straightforward.:sad:
Actually the DVD playback is probably least of those two issues since it seems many rip ISO and I'm the oddball there. Mebbe' I'm just selfish and want my bugs fixed:laugh:
Nick: I used Mythbuntu which I think had that control center. I had the HDHR working but it would sometimes tell me my tuners were "busy" and I couldn't watch anything. No biggie, I'll try Vista when I have time - oh and some splitters to hook it back up:shocked:
rodalpho
2008-02-22, 03:57
Well like I said, you take a week or two to test and iron out the obvious bugs, and then you release beta 1. You don't just package up the build straight from SVN.
Nick8888
2008-02-22, 04:26
Yeh I think some sort of stable release is necessary at some time for a reference point but 'when' is definately upto the developers.
althekiller
2008-02-22, 05:59
If you can't copy and paste a svn link, copy and paste an apt-get line and run a script it's not ready for you yet. Just because XBMC for Linux seems stable to some users doesn't mean that it is. There are still plenty of pretty easy ways to crash it.
rodalpho
2008-02-22, 08:43
Agreed, but that doesn't seem to bother the osxbmc users, who are loving it even without remote control support. Shrug.
If you can't copy and paste a svn link, copy and paste an apt-get line and run a script it's not ready for you yet.
Agreed, a lot of users are to lazy to search and experiment on their own, if it doesn't work on the first try, post in the forum.
But we were all newbies in the beginning and it would be sad if anyone missed out on the awesome XBMC!
Maybe if there was a "sticky" here with a "checklist" something like:
"Before you post in the forum:
Follow the wiki and most importantly, read the readme.linux! Since XBMC is still in development, updates to the sourcecode happens frequently and the wiki is not always up-to-date.
Make sure you have a working Ubuntu installation with video and sound.
Check that you have "Direct rendering : Yes" when you run glxinfo | grep "direct rendering in a terminal.
If it says "no" you do not have your graphicscard setup correct, either the driver is not installed correctly or your card does not meet the requirements.
Search the Ubuntu forums for help on installing your graphicscard."
Maybe someone with better english and technical know-how can write something like this and make it a sticky?
:blush:
glxinfo | grep "direct rendering"
..is the correct code... :grin:
althekiller
2008-02-22, 21:00
It doesn't matter, the kind of people who make these posts don't read stickies or IRC channel topics.
djdafreund
2008-02-23, 05:08
There's 4 very simple steps (Installing SVN/grabbing XBMC linux source, adding proper libraries, running build.sh, and running XBMC program itself when done.) Which is mentioned on the Wiki. I don't know how more newb' you can get then that.
As mentioned, if you can't copy paste exactly whats mentioned on the wiki page, this is already too much for you. Although if you've got as far as being able to use the simple Ubuntu OS, you've already used more skill required then whats needed to build XBMC for Ubuntu. Not trying to be harsh, but that's pretty much the truth. I just started using Ubuntu for a few weeks, and the 1st day i loaded it, i also followed the instructions, and build XBMC and ran it very easily. Granted i've been a windows user for more then a few decades, so maybe that helped a little, but doubt it since linux is a bit different.
But seriously, there's no way to get easier instructions then the 3-4 steps. LITERALLY. You need to install the svn program (obviously to get the xbmc source.) then you need to install the dependencies (to make things work.), then BUILD.SH (which does ALL the work for you, everything from auto-updating each time you run it, then builds it.) then run the xbmc file to run XBMC. That's it!
So other then initially 1 time installing and getting the dependencies. You simply run BUILD.SH, then after it's done doing it's thing, you simply run the XBMC file to load XBMC. Viola!!!
Got to the first step of running script # sudo apt-get install subversion
and get message "E: Couldn't find package subversion"
I know their is no support but just thought I'd ask.
Make sure you have all the software sources enabled. Multiverse etc
Just uncomment (remove #'s from before lines) in /etc/apt/sources.list or select them in
System > Administration > Software Sources
yeah I took out the #.. will try your suggestion now
Thanks Mate
Yeah thanx mate that worked. I just enables sources under
System > Administration > Software Sources
There's 4 very simple steps (Installing SVN/grabbing XBMC linux source, adding proper libraries, running build.sh, and running XBMC program itself when done.) Which is mentioned on the Wiki. I don't know how more newb' you can get then that.
Finally I installed Ubuntu 7.10 on my PC... and I allmost killed myselfe because of anger and frustration. :angry:
The instructions in the Readme are complicated.
The Linux-User have to understand that new users have no idea what the are doing... and if they follow the instruction step by step it won't work.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Getting the source code
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# sudo apt-get install subversion
# cd $HOME
# svn checkout https://xbmc.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/xbmc/branches/linuxport/XBMC
No problems so far.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Installing the required Ubuntu packages
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[...]
Again... no problem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. How to compile
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[...]
Problems spotted! :no:
1, It took me about 2 hours to figure out:
- that I have to change to another directory
- How I change the directory
- that there is a difference between cd xbmc an cd XBMC
Again... in the old days of MS-DOS it was totally clear to switch in the directory were an .exe file was located if want to start it... but Linux is new to me... and a followed the readme step by step without thinking to much... unfortunately 2 steps were missing.
PS:
After I started XBMC I only got 2fps... lol
I dont use an Intel-CPU... my CPU is an Athlon Dual-Core. But I was so frustrated, so I gave up.
Linux isn't that much difference. The configure your running ./configure is a executable. "./" means "this directory". cd is the same linux/windows.
But good you got it working by yourself atleast. Linux is wonderfull when you get to know it :)
I would have to guess you are needing new drivers for your graphicscard (Again same as windows, they aren't installed by default).
There are 2 options, either use envy (Not recomended on ATI card) or use ubuntu's own restricted-manager. Should pop up automaticly in the upper right if you use gnome, lower right if kde. But the command #sudo restricted-manager works. To see this works do # glxinfo | grep direct
It should say direct rendering yes
Note, XBMC linux IS pre alpha. When we think it's safe for the average user you will only have to do: #sudo apt-get install xbmc
But good you got it working by yourself atleast. Linux is wonderfull when you get to know it :)
Hehe, finally it was a qustion of honor... I hate it to be defeated by an (stupid) machine/program. :laugh:
I would have to guess you are needing new drivers for your graphicscard (Again same as windows, they aren't installed by default).
Yeah, probably you are totaly right.
The only Problem is that my LCD won't work... for the installation I used an old CRT. When I start Ubuntu i can see the orange backgrund with the logo and then my LCD "lose" the connection.
I tried to recofig the "server" (or whatever it is called) in the "recovery modus".
I can't remember exactly... I think it was some kind of "sudo reconfugure xserver xorg"-thingy.
Then som kind of menue started and I chose proper display-resolution... but I don't know if i was doing right... after I chose 24bit-colour-setting an error-message/whatever said something like "re-writing existing config blabla..."
I'm not sure if it have done the re-config or not.
Anyways... after this menue I restartet the whole thing via some restart /etc/blabla... ???
I know I had problems with my LCD tv in feisty, linux couldn't pick up the esid or something, though with the nvidia drivers it got sorted, but gutsy never had this problem (for me :) ) Though my ordinary LCD's have almost always worked (Though I have nvidia which provide great linux drivers)
To install envy:
# cd
# wget http://albertomilone.com/ubuntu/nvidia/scripts/ubuntu/envy_0.9.10-0ubuntu2_all.deb
# sudo dpkg -i envy_0.9.10-0ubuntu2_all.deb
# sudo envy -t
Then you have to choose 1 for nvidia or 3 for ati. If you have ati some have problems with video playback (a while back don't know if it is present) with envy.
Then you should just follow onscreen. It will ask you to configure xserver or xorg. You should choose yes. And it will ask you if you want to reboot, do so and pray that your screen loves you.
Btw, is it a lcd computer screen or lcd tv? because tv can be troublesome
It's a HP w2207h (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176091).
I tried VGA and HDMI... both with the same failure...
Later at home I will try your solution with envy. :D
Thx!
Extremely weird it doesn't work in VGA atleast. Then it should be the exact same thing as using a CRT but well.
If you have ati I sugest you install it with
# sudo restricted-manager
though, but then you WILL have to have some X running, like your old crt.
But well, good luck in you ventures :)
Yeah... it's odd.
BTW: I'm using a Nvidia-Chipset (Geforce 6150)... should be fine...?
I got it all working and yay.. very cool.
was only getting 2 FPS too then updated the nvidia drivers and fixed issue.
But:
How do I get rid of the bar at the top of the xbmc screen stating cpu usage and ram etc.
Thanks for all the help guys.
Linux build looks promising.
the easy way is with the 'quiet' flag
./XboxMediaCenter -q
or configure with --disable-debug
It is all in the readme
@Topfs2
Thx for your help!
Yesterday I deleted my Ubuntu-Partitions and installed it again.
After downloading the updates I followed you instructions (albertomilone, envy,... ) and after solving some restart-fail-fu*k-you-problems my LCD finally worked under 1650*1080. :laugh: :laugh:
The installation and compiling of XBMC worked out perfectly and thx to your suggested drivers the 2fps-problem is gone. :nod:
In fullscreen I got 20fps, normal SD-Xvid is running in a proper 24fps-framerate and HD-WMV havn't been tested so far... but I guess it won't work.