XBMC 9.11: Alpha1 ready for testing
Today we are pleased to announce the first official testing release of 9.11, Codename: Camelot. It’s been quite a while since Babylon, so we’re very excited to begin the release cycle and work towards a new release.
Please keep in mind that this is an early alpha build, and it should be treated as such. While it’s not likely to burn your house down or eat your pets, it’s likely that testers will run into a few bugs. If this happens, please search TRAC to see if someone else has already reported it. If not, you may submit a QUALITY bug report. Keep in mind that the reason for releasing alphas/betas is so that we can get a better feel for what bugs are out there. If you don’t report them, we can’t fix them.
We are also still working hard to clean up the settings. Many useless ones have been removed, but there’s still quite a bit of rearranging to do.
There are a host of new features in this release, far too many to list here. The highlights are:
- DirectX has replaced OpenGL for Windows
- Numerous skinning engine updates which allow for use of some fancy new skins
- Many improvements to the video player which allow for much smoother playback
- Switch to Core Audio on OSX
- Many VDPAU improvements under linux
- Many platform-specific customizations
- Much Much more. We will be showcasing the new features here on xbmc.org as the final release approaches.
Known Issues
- Windows: DirectX runtime and Visual C++ 2008 runtime(x86/x64) are required. The installer will be updated to check for these.
- Windows: ‘Windowed’ shortcut opens in full screen
- Windows: Non-functional brightness/contrast
- Windows: Discs inserted before XBMC is launched may not appear correctly
- Windows: Some videos may not play back as smoothly as on other platforms
- Linux: VDPAU de-interlacing is known to be broken
Note: Many of these problems have already been fixed since the alpha1 tag and should be resolved in the next testing release.
Download
If you like living on the edge and would like to try the alpha, head over to our download page. You will always find the most current official builds there. AppleTV users may update via launcher’s downloads.
Update: The Ubuntu PPA and XBMC Live are now up.
Great work, guys! Will give it a go soon (have been using svn-versions for quite a while)! Keep up the good work!
xbmc, you’re my hero (ferris buller reference implied)
Tomorrow my new Asrock ION 330 will arrive, so I will install this alpha :)
Thanks for this great product..use it since the first version “Xbox Media Player”.
Just updated my apple tv v3 – BBC iplayer is playing back far smoother on the 1500kbs feed, brilliant job.
When will XBMC be added to the official Ubuntu repositories? This would be a huge improvement, xbmc only an apt-get away…
Why is it called 9/11 ? (instead of 9.10)
Keep up the good work guys as we continue supporting you!!!
w00t! Update goodness. Time to start trying out a new piece of code, great work guys looking forward to testing this next cycle. I have to say, XBMC is by far the greatest piece of code ever made, keep up the great work guys…
@Wnuck
There’s a method to the numbers… I’m sure you’ll figure it out ;)
@Wnuck
Because it’s not October anymore ;)
Wow! This release fixed the only two bugs I could find: sound is behind when browsing with keyboard (the clicks) and it fails to start fullscreen sometimes (only in karmic for me). Great job! I love it! XBMC is truly a flagship of open source software, just as Firefox!
Nice work! Thanks for this great piece of software.
With the rebuilt of the settings, what happens to the skins? I’m currently using an older SVN version (from before settings rebuilt) and Aeon Hitched. Is it still useable with the alpha release?
Can’t wait to try it out on my new home theatre pc i’m building.
because 9.10 would’ve been for october, it’s november now, so 11 for the month. originally it was going to be released in Oct, but had to be pushed back.
Now that VA-API is available for Intel, AMD Radeon, Nvidia and VIA graphics adapters, shouldn’t effort be put into the VA-API support instead of VDPAU? Any plans on adding VA-API so that users of all video cards can have acceleration?
I am new to XBMC and don’t have a lot of experience with this type of software. I am following some dude’s guide for installing onto the Acer Aspire Revo using the XMBC Live installer with the Nvidia drivers slipped into the ISO. Any suggestions for how I can do the same thing but install Camelot? Is it easier than I am making it out to be? Any guidance here would be greatly appreciated.
@Dave
A new Camelot Live ISO will be ready soon (launchpad is taking its sweet time). You should see it on the download page later today or tomorrow.
@Gene
vaapi for intel amd and nvidia available ????
for me – no any vaapi support in drivers from them
Am I mistaken ?
MEvil its because AEON doesn’t display the settings like its suppossed to and uses a hacked up way to try and display custom labels and buttons you will either have to wait until the AEON people fix the skin or use another skin that does it the proper way (or just don’t change any settings)
Out of curiosity, what is the svn ‘version’ (trac changeset) of this camelot release?
Keep up the great work !
And what about the XBMC build for XBOX ?
Hmm I change SVN PPA repo to Stable (https://edge.launchpad.net/~team-xbmc/+archive/ppa) then update package list. After executed upgrade command nothing happend. I can not change packages svn to stable( I mean alpha1). Something wrong with xbmc-common package. Aptitude said it’s broken.
I think Intrepid also need libass3 package.
I have been playing with XBMC for about 4 months. Still a novice so i read your known issues and as I am running windows 7 ultimate x86, Installed direct x and visual c++ . Then installed xbmc 9.11 alpha 1 no issues with installation. Am using transparency 2.01 and all settings were still as i set them after installation. Note: First time ever it found an additional 40 movies (divx avi files) previously I had to add manually. It is playing back divx and avi files with no issues so far. Have not noticed any stutter.
The NEW movies found have not been flattened it is showing two entries. the Flatten button is enabled in source.
This is an awesome piece of software. You all are to be congratulated.
Keep up the good work. Thank You
Ray
@Tmc701
The tag was r24249
I tried it on Windows XP SP2 and video is not working for me.
It has to be some DirectX problem because first I couldn’t even launch it because of d3dx9_42.dll missing.
After DirectX update I can launch Xbmc 9.11 alpha1 but there is no picture in video, only audio??
@alessio2
Did you read the ‘known issues’ in this very post? The DirectX runtime and MSVC++ runtimes are both mentioned as prerequisites.
When exactly is that Live version available for download? Its been a couple of days now.. more info please.
when its made and uploaded by the person who does it in his free time and gets paid nothing :)
Thank you, had it for two days now and i havent found any bugs so far.
Thanks. But how come Programs are not present in the Mac PowerPC builds? Please add this feature — it’s the best part of XBMC! ;-)
d3dx9_42.dll missing @ Windows 7 64bit Swedish
too bad. :) Going back to stable now.
No need for a discussion here, there already exist a feature request thread about this.
In short: VA-api does not (yet) supports al the features vdpau has. For the time being va-api would be best for AMD and intel gpu’s, vdpau for nvidia.
Hi guys, all I got to say is WOW, this alpha runs better and more smoother then any other stable release I have been running. I cant believe this is still a free product. Keep up the good work guys… always a fan.
Running… Windows 7 Enterprise x64.
Excellent progress on the greatest multi-platform media center available.
You guys deserve a Trophy.
@Linus
It says very clearly in this post, as well as 5 comments above yours, that the directx runtime is required. Check the post for a link.
P.S. No self-respecting Linus would admit to using Windows 7 ;)
TheUni: You know that DirectX runtime is included with Windows 7 already?
@WrongTarget
Yes, DirectX runtime is shipped with Windows 7, but DX11 is shipped and is missing quite some DX9 stuff AFAIK. So simply download and install this: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=de&FamilyID=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3
@WrongTarge: I had to install directx 9 manually on win7 to get the missing d3dx9 libraries (mainly for games, xbmc on ION330 runs on loonix :-) so I think there’s only directx 10 included.
Where is the proper area to give feedback on this release?
I’ve loaded the Alpha 911 fresh on Win7 Ult 64 bit. This required a scan of my NAS connected DVD library, and making changes to the artwork, I noticed two issues:
1) Changes in artwork are not immediately displayed after making the change and returning to the
2) The library database seems to get overwhelmed after about 10 changes. Artwork disappears from view, reqiring a reboot.
Once rebooted, the corrected artwork is there, but the cycle repeats as I make additional artwork changes.
Let me know where to take this conversation in the forum, and I’ll follow up further there.
Not the older version that XBMC is utilizing. You still need to download it.
Hey!
Does “Linux: VDPAU de-interlacing is known to be broken” include my problem with VDPAU which is the crashing of XBMC? If not it would be nice to know so that I feel the need to file a bug-report :).
cheers
@WrongTarget
DirectX 11 – run dxdiag.exe. No need to download any DirectX for Windows 7, is already included. The link posted in the post is an update, you can run that if you want, but will only install updates to additional components.
@Linus
This can be downloaded, copied over and the problem resolved in less than a minute.
1. When i pause my video, after that and playe again, the sound desapear. I need go out from xbmc and return again to see the video and sound.
2. i can not see quicktime trailers from xbnc scripts. The snapshots of trailers is visible but when i select to see it, nothings appen.
Thanks
This software is very cool stuff. Excellent work. The ultimate tool for the all-my-media-is-digital-and-the-rest-is-in-the-internet-and-yes-I-have-a-HDTV generation. XBMC is what I’ve been looking for. Again: excellent work guys.
It seems “auto-detect” for decodng is very broken in linux. Hangs xbmc immediately on my two non-vdpau machines, one jaunty and one karmic. Works if i set them both to advanced shaders (glsl)
great work, the DX interface works like a charm on Windows 7, very smooth!
@vodamaxe
This has been fixed and should be fine in the next alpha/beta.
@Redin
@Zebraitis
Please re-read the post for how to submit a bug report.
Please include MythTV into XBMC and you got 150 points on a scale where 100 is the best….
Hi
I think that the Live XBMC installer will be much better if there will be a manual partition possibility, Why you don’t make it? Imagine that someone (like me) have a partition /home, all my films are there… If I install the live CD it’ll erase all the partition…
It’s very difficult to add the partitioner of the ubuntu for example?
Thanks!