sudo apt-get install hfsplus hfsprogs hfsutils

This is so Linux can read the filesystem on the harddrive.

Now, to find out which drive is our harddrive we need to use a utility called parted, this will show us all the drives attached and their partitions. You have to be a superuser to use parted.

Start up parted:

sudo parted

Now print a list of all the drive:

print all

Here is the output for the harddrive I wish to mount:

Model: WD 10EACS External (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 20.5kB 210MB 210MB fat32 EFI System Partition boot
2 210MB 1000GB 1000GB hfsx Untitled

The output tells us where the disk is: /dev/sdc and the number of partitions.

I want to mount the second partition as thats the one with all my data on it, to mount the second partition you add a 2 to the end of /dev/sdc to say you want the second partition:

sudo mount -t hfsplus /dev/sdc2 /mnt

Now the drive is mounted, all the files on the drive will be available in /mnt.

First, download the minimal install of Ubuntu Karmic Koala (12.1mb x86 12.2mb x64)

Download either the x86 or x64 version dependent on your hardware.

Once the disk image has downloaded either burn it to CD or use UNetbootin to boot from a USB pen drive.

Reboot the computer you wish to install xbmc on, and boot from the CD or USB pen drive, you may need to change some settings in your bios to boot from CD or USB.

Start the installation, and follow the onscreen instructions to set your language and keyboard layout. Enter a username and password for your main account, for this I entered xbmc.

The installer will ask you what packages to install, scroll down to OpenSSH Server and press SPACE, then press ENTER to continue.

After the installation has completed, your computer will reboot.

When you get to the login screen, login with the username and password you entered.

Once you have logged in we need to add the PPA for XBMC.

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

And these lines to the end.


deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/karmic-ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/karmic-ppa/ubuntu karmic main


We will need to add the a key to aptitude to stop it complaining.

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 64234534 40618B66 CEC06767 318C7509 91E7EE5E

Sometimes the key server will return this error:
gpg: keyserver timed out
gpg: keyserver receive failed: keyserver error

A trick I found was to ping the key server address, after it responded try and run the previous command again:

ping keyserver.ubuntu.com

Now we need to update aptitude.

sudo apt-get update


Now we will install the NVidia drivers:

sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx-190

You will need to enter your password again.

Next, we want sound for our media, so we will install some sound drivers.

sudo apt-get install linux-sound-base alsa-base alsa-utils


Your user needs to be added to the sound group.

sudo usermod -a -G audio xbmc


Change xbmc to the username that you entered.

The sound level will be set to zero, to change the volumes we need to enter the sound mixer.

sudo alsamixer


Use you up and down keys and set the volumes to the maximum they will go. Press the right key until you get to IEC958, EC958 D, EC958 1 and press M on each of them to un-mute them.

Press ESC to quit out of the mixer.

To make alsa save the volumes run.

sudo alsactl store 0


Now we can install XBMC.

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


This will install xbmc, all the skins and eventclients.

Now X will need to know about your monitor, so run:

sudo nvidia-xconfig

XBMC will need to control power settings of the computer:

sudo apt-get install pm-utils policykit


And give your user access to these power features:

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


Again you will have have to change –user xbmc to the username that you entered in the installation.

Now the last thing to do is make XBMC launch at startup.

sudo nano /etc/init/tty1.conf


Change the line

exec /sbin/getty 38400 tty1


To

exec /bin/login -f xbmc < /dev/tty1 > /dev/tty1 2>&1

Next we need to get Ubuntu to clear the screen and start X:

nano ~/.bash_profile


And add these lines to the file:

case "`tty`" in
/dev/tty1) clear && startx &>/dev/null;;
esac


Now we need to tell X to start XBMC:

nano ~/.xsessionrc


Add the lines:

exec xbmc --standalone

This next step is OPTIONAL, to hide all the information about what is being loaded, we shall install a usplash boot screen.

sudo apt-get install usplash libusplash-dev usplash-theme-xbmc-*


Once the splash screen installation has completed we need to select a splash screen:

sudo update-alternatives --config usplash-artwork.so


Enter the number of the splash screen you wish to use, find examples below:

Pulsating Logo
Spinner Black
Spinner Blue
XBMC Logo

All the previews where created by DU-Duke

Next set the screen resolution of your tv in the usplash settings:

sudo nano /etc/usplash.conf


And add these lines:

resx=1920
resy=1080


My TV is 1080p, so the settings above will suite yours if it is full HD, for 720p enter:

resx=1280
resy=720


To make the new splash screen active run:

sudo update-initramfs -u

Now reboot your computer:

sudo reboot


When the computer restarts, you should see the splash screen you selected, and XBMC should boot up.

Now, go into XBMC’s Videos settings and select VDPAU for the render mode (if your graphics card supports it) and edit the Sound settings:

Audio Output: Digital
AC3: Off
DTS: Off
Audio Capable Device: plughw:hdmi
Passthrough Output Device: hdmi
Downmix: On


And that’s it, you should have a fully functional media centre running the latest version of Ubuntu and XBMC.

As this is an alpha version, you will need to perform some updates now and again until the final release is out.

To so this, ssh into your computer and update it:

ssh xbmc@your media centre IP
sudo apt-get upgrade


Now I can’t take all the credit for this, I have collected some information from other sources and put them together from here:

http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=53812
http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38804

Thanks to jonassw from XBMC forums, who suggested using the latest version of the NVidia drivers.

I know the blog has been down for a long time, only displaying the nice words of the default Apache page, but rest assured I am back! But this time im going to be using this blog for iPhone development instead of Rails.

I have been writing some iPhone applications recently and have discovered some good tips that I want to share.

With the things I wanted to do there were not very many resources out there to help me, but I figured them out and I am going to share the wealth!

Im working on a new design for the blog, so watch this space!