[FreeMan xbmc]

Thanks for the quick response, Matt. Your comment about the thumbnails got me looking and thinking. I have the <useddsfanart> feature set in advancedsetting. That means that I've got duplicate files in both .jpg and .dds formats. If I delete the .jpg will Kodi run off the .dds formats, or will it go download new .jpgs for everything?

Since it's running off a SSD, I would think I could remove the <useddsfanart> setting, delete all the .dds files, and probably not see a significant decrease in speed. From a quick eyeballing, that would free up more than 50% of my Thumbnail space, since most of the .dds files are larger than their .jpg cousins.

I still think I'll end up getting a larger SSD, but this will forestall the process a bit, and possibly get me a functional box tonight. What are your thoughts?

BTW- I tried OE back around the Frodo days, I think it was, and wasn't overly impressed. Kodibuntu seems sufficient for me.

[Matt Devo]

Thanks for the quick response, Matt. Your comment about the thumbnails got me looking and thinking. I have the <useddsfanart> feature set in advancedsetting. That means that I've got duplicate files in both .jpg and .dds formats. If I delete the .jpg will Kodi run off the .dds formats, or will it go download new .jpgs for everything?

Since it's running off a SSD, I would think I could remove the <useddsfanart> setting, delete all the .dds files, and probably not see a significant decrease in speed. From a quick eyeballing, that would free up more than 50% of my Thumbnail space, since most of the .dds files are larger than their .jpg cousins.

I still think I'll end up getting a larger SSD, but this will forestall the process a bit, and possibly get me a functional box tonight. What are your thoughts?

BTW- I tried OE back around the Frodo days, I think it was, and wasn't overly impressed. Kodibuntu seems sufficient for me.

I think changing the fanart setting and removing the .dds files is worth a shot, then retry the upgrade from the command line. But if you haven't checked out OE recently, you definitely should - it is far and away the best platform for Kodi, especially on the ChromeBox. You can always run it in "live" mode from the USB installer, like many Linux distros these days

[FreeMan xbmc]

Thanks for the quick response, Matt. Your comment about the thumbnails got me looking and thinking. I have the <useddsfanart> feature set in advancedsetting. That means that I've got duplicate files in both .jpg and .dds formats. If I delete the .jpg will Kodi run off the .dds formats, or will it go download new .jpgs for everything?

Since it's running off a SSD, I would think I could remove the <useddsfanart> setting, delete all the .dds files, and probably not see a significant decrease in speed. From a quick eyeballing, that would free up more than 50% of my Thumbnail space, since most of the .dds files are larger than their .jpg cousins.

I still think I'll end up getting a larger SSD, but this will forestall the process a bit, and possibly get me a functional box tonight. What are your thoughts?

BTW- I tried OE back around the Frodo days, I think it was, and wasn't overly impressed. Kodibuntu seems sufficient for me.

I think changing the fanart setting and removing the .dds files is worth a shot, then retry the upgrade from the command line. But if you haven't checked out OE recently, you definitely should - it is far and away the best platform for Kodi, especially on the ChromeBox. You can always run it in "live" mode from the USB installer, like many Linux distros these days

Wow! I removed 5.3 GB of .dds files. Yes, GIGAbytes! I guess that all those thumbnails of the 200k+ photos that wander through the screen saver take some space, too...

After a re-boot to clear /tmp and make some room there,

Code:

sudo apt-get install kodi

did the trick!

I'll have to do some fiddling with settings to get everything back the way I had it set up (.kodi/userdata was still there and populated, but it doesn't seem to have saved all the skin settings).

Thanks so much for your advice! I'll have a happy wife & daughter now!

I may look at OE and upgrading the SSD at some point in the future, but I have function now, and that's the most important part!

[knives of ice]

ok today i got a displaypot to hdmi adaptor.

is there anything special i need to do to get the displayport output working?

i unplugged the hdmi cable so that only the displayport is plugged in, boot up and i get nothing i get no picture at all. when i just plug in hdmi it comes up no problem. i'm just trying to determine if the dispalyport adapter is defective or if i'm doing something wrong.

ideally, i'd like to have my displayport to hdmi adapter be able to ouput to my tv upstairs and my hdmi cable go to the tv downstairs like i did in the past with my nuc. i don't need to use both outputs at the same time, just want the box available as needed.

also, can anyone tell me what my idea render method settings should be? i see various settings in this thread as the bugs were worked out. i'm currently having a problem with some minor lip syncing audio issues.

EDIT - ok was determined to get the audio sync fixed and for some reason if i have the adjust display refresh rate to match video feature turned on then audio gets slightly out of sync. no idea why. when its turned off audio is perfect in full bluray or mkv rips

[Matt Devo]

ok today i got a displaypot to hdmi adaptor.

is there anything special i need to do to get the displayport output working?

i unplugged the hdmi cable so that only the displayport is plugged in, boot up and i get nothing i get no picture at all. when i just plug in hdmi it comes up no problem. i'm just trying to determine if the dispalyport adapter is defective or if i'm doing something wrong.

As detailed the wiki, using a passive DisplayPort->HDMI adapter as the only output doesn't work (because it gets identified as HDMI2, and OE will default to HDMI1 even if it's not connected). You can use it as a secondary output (with the HDMI as primary) and toggle it via settings, otherwise you'll need to set it as the output manually, either via ssh or autostart.sh script. Or get an active converter. I'd ssh in, enumerate the output names using 'xrandr --props' and then set the one needed (HDMI2?) manually to test. If the display comes up, then use autostart.sh to set it as the default (or you might be able to do it via the video output GUI settings)

ideally, i'd like to have my displayport to hdmi adapter be able to ouput to my tv upstairs and my hdmi cable go to the tv downstairs like i did in the past with my nuc. i don't need to use both outputs at the same time, just want the box available as needed.

doable, but see above

also, can anyone tell me what my idea render method settings should be? i see various settings in this thread as the bugs were worked out. i'm currently having a problem with some minor lip syncing audio issues.

the wiki is the authoritative source.

EDIT - ok was determined to get the audio sync fixed and for some reason if i have the adjust display refresh rate to match video feature turned on then audio gets slightly out of sync. no idea why. when its turned off audio is perfect in full bluray or mkv rips

I believe OE (or Kodi?) uses a 175ms delay by default for audio over HDMI at 24p, you can override (setting it to 0) it via advancedsettings.xml - don't have the setting handy, so just search for it

[memmo]

I bought a few Chromeboxes for the house with intentions to run Openelec/Kodi. I've successfully installed 3 so far. I'm doing the 4th now and seem to run into a roadblock.

I think this particular Chromebox was already configured to run Openelec/Kodi and then flashed back to stock before I bought it. When it boots, it goes to the Chrome login screen.

Anyhow, I put a paperclip in, start it up, get to the recovery screen, but Ctrl-D won't get me into developer mode. I do have 3 lines of text at the top of the screen:

gbb.flags is nonzero: 0x00000039
read-only firmware id: Google_Panther.4920.24.26
active firmware id: Google_Panther.4920.24.26

The read-protect screw has already been removed.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Matt Devo]

Anyhow, I put a paperclip in, start it up, get to the recovery screen, but Ctrl-D won't get me into developer mode. I do have 3 lines of text at the top of the screen:

gbb.flags is nonzero: 0x00000039
read-only firmware id: Google_Panther.4920.24.26
active firmware id: Google_Panther.4920.24.26

you're already in developer mode, the GBB flags are forcing it

[memmo]

Silly me..

Next oddity -- when I run the script and select 6 for coreboot/standalone -- I get a message:

"Your current firmware does not contain data for the device MAC address.
Would you like to load it from a previously backed-up stock firmware file?"

Not sure what this means?

[Matt Devo]

Silly me..

Next oddity -- when I run the script and select 6 for coreboot/standalone -- I get a message:

"Your current firmware does not contain data for the device MAC address.
Would you like to load it from a previously backed-up stock firmware file?"

Not sure what this means?

it means exactly what it says The stock firmware has a unique MAC address embedded for each device, which the script will persist if present. Because the previous owner restored a stock firmware from the recovery image (without a unique MAC), the script is giving you the option to read in the MAC from a valid firmware backup file. In your case, just hit 'N' and carry on.

[megamawax]

I recently purchased the Asus Chromebox (don't even have it yet) with the intention of dual-booting ChromeOS and OpenELEC, installing Kodi and using it primarily to stream internet video content. At the moment, I have just two questions. First, I'm planning on putting the CB behind where I would be sitting as I don't really have space by my tv for it. I'll just run an hdmi cable down into my basement, under the living room and back up through the floor to my tv. Thus, I am assuming that I won't be able to use any IR remote as I wouldn't have line of sight unless I wanted to turn around every time I needed to press a button. Would my best bet be to to get a wireless keyboard/mouse or to get a bluetooth remote? I've seen so many different remote recommendations that my head is starting to spin; however, most of them seem to be IR remotes, which I won't be able to use, which is kind of too bad because I have a couple different MCE remotes lying about, though I'd have to buy a receiver anyway. I do have a logitech k400 that I recently purchased, but apparently there are some issues regarding that device and dual booting (though it's probably not that big of a deal as I wouldn't be switching it on and off all the time).

More importantly, though, I just discovered that steam streaming is a thing. I've heard, though, that it's not really a thing for the chromebox, though maybe, kind of, it could be with kodibuntu, which is, apparently, a lot more complicated to install than OpenELEC. I have no experience whatsoever with linux, though I could probably follow a list of instructions. So, is steam streaming something I should just put out of my head and forget that it exists, or is there some way for a newbie such as myself to get that working with some operating system that I could install on the CB? Is this something developers for any of the platforms are working on? I can imagine that there'd be a lot of people that would like to be able to play their steam library on their TVs using a $150 chromebox as opposed to something twice as expensive.

Oh, one more thing. Is it possible to get miracast to work on the CB?

Thanks.

[nickr]

Well you'll need a keyboard of some sort for dual booting, so getting a wireless one that works on boot would be a solution. See chromebox (wiki) for a list of those that do and don't.

I prefer a remote though - one option is to run a usb cable on the same route as the hdmi cable. I don't know how far you are going but I recall a limit on usb cable length - maybe 20m? It would pay to check.

A flirc may be an option to use one of your MCE remote, they are meant to be very sensitive, people talk of putting them behind their HTPC - although whether being in completely the wrong direction will work is another matter. Again that long USB cable mould be a solution.

A bluetooth remote is certainly an option - the remote for the PS3 is bluetooth, this one

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-PlayStation-3...B000M17AVO

It has plenty of buttons! Almost too many.

I don't have a clue about steam or miracast sorry.

[megamawax]

I thought about running a long USB cable along with the HDMI cable. I actually have a vga cable, audio cable, usb cable, and ethernet cable running from my desktop pc through my floor, along my basement to the other side of the house to an old projector. This run will certainly be shorter than that. I figure, though, there are solutions other than IR that will work, as that would be one less expense and one less wire that I have cluttered about.

I do have a USB wired keyboard that I could probably use in the few instances that the k400 won't work. I would like to have some kind of remote that will work, though, especially if my wife or kids are operating it.

The PS3 remote has definitely been on my radar. I wonder how it compares to a wii remote. While I've seen a lot of people mention the PS3, I've seen very little in regards to the wii remotes, and I have several of them, one of which I could easily sacrifice for this if it works well, but I don't know if getting it to work is difficult or not or if it has enough buttons.

I was considering flirc before I decided that it would probably work better for me to put the CB behind me next to my desktop computer where there's more space, but not knowing if it would still work even if I was pointing the remote in the opposite direction makes me hesitant to drop $20 on that. There's always a million extra costs...

[Soli]

Silly me..

Next oddity -- when I run the script and select 6 for coreboot/standalone -- I get a message:

"Your current firmware does not contain data for the device MAC address.
Would you like to load it from a previously backed-up stock firmware file?"

Not sure what this means?

it means exactly what it says The stock firmware has a unique MAC address embedded for each device, which the script will persist if present. Because the previous owner restored a stock firmware from the recovery image (without a unique MAC), the script is giving you the option to read in the MAC from a valid firmware backup file. In your case, just hit 'N' and carry on.

Just a quick question. I have 2 HP chromeboxes. The first one I took backup of the firmware, the second I didn't because I thought they'd be identical. If I restore them both and use the same firmware backup file, will they end up with the same network ethernet MACs? (I supposed the wireless Macs are hardwired to the wlan adapter, no?)

[Matt Devo]

I recently purchased the Asus Chromebox (don't even have it yet) with the intention of dual-booting ChromeOS and OpenELEC, installing Kodi and using it primarily to stream internet video content. At the moment, I have just two questions. First, I'm planning on putting the CB behind where I would be sitting as I don't really have space by my tv for it. I'll just run an hdmi cable down into my basement, under the living room and back up through the floor to my tv. Thus, I am assuming that I won't be able to use any IR remote as I wouldn't have line of sight unless I wanted to turn around every time I needed to press a button. Would my best bet be to to get a wireless keyboard/mouse or to get a bluetooth remote? I've seen so many different remote recommendations that my head is starting to spin; however, most of them seem to be IR remotes, which I won't be able to use, which is kind of too bad because I have a couple different MCE remotes lying about, though I'd have to buy a receiver anyway. I do have a logitech k400 that I recently purchased, but apparently there are some issues regarding that device and dual booting (though it's probably not that big of a deal as I wouldn't be switching it on and off all the time).

for Kodi, any RF device should suffice (and BT is RF), since LoS isn't required

More importantly, though, I just discovered that steam streaming is a thing. I've heard, though, that it's not really a thing for the chromebox, though maybe, kind of, it could be with kodibuntu, which is, apparently, a lot more complicated to install than OpenELEC. I have no experience whatsoever with linux, though I could probably follow a list of instructions. So, is steam streaming something I should just put out of my head and forget that it exists, or is there some way for a newbie such as myself to get that working with some operating system that I could install on the CB? Is this something developers for any of the platforms are working on? I can imagine that there'd be a lot of people that would like to be able to play their steam library on their TVs using a $150 chromebox as opposed to something twice as expensive.

I think Steam streaming and Linux is still a WIP, but haven't done much testing myself. I do know that the Steam Linux app complains about being able to detect the amount of VRAM allocated, but that doesn't seem to be a ChromeBox specific issue

Oh, one more thing. Is it possible to get miracast to work on the CB?

not familiar, can't help you there

I thought about running a long USB cable along with the HDMI cable. I actually have a vga cable, audio cable, usb cable, and ethernet cable running from my desktop pc through my floor, along my basement to the other side of the house to an old projector. This run will certainly be shorter than that. I figure, though, there are solutions other than IR that will work, as that would be one less expense and one less wire that I have cluttered about.

I do have a USB wired keyboard that I could probably use in the few instances that the k400 won't work. I would like to have some kind of remote that will work, though, especially if my wife or kids are operating it.

The PS3 remote has definitely been on my radar. I wonder how it compares to a wii remote. While I've seen a lot of people mention the PS3, I've seen very little in regards to the wii remotes, and I have several of them, one of which I could easily sacrifice for this if it works well, but I don't know if getting it to work is difficult or not or if it has enough buttons.

I was considering flirc before I decided that it would probably work better for me to put the CB behind me next to my desktop computer where there's more space, but not knowing if it would still work even if I was pointing the remote in the opposite direction makes me hesitant to drop $20 on that. There's always a million extra costs...

FLIRC is IR, and requires LoS. Purchase accordingly.

Based on your posts, I'd advise against multiple long runs that aren't ethernet. I'd make your HDMI (and audio, if separate) runs as short as possible, and then you can use an IR receiver with a decent length USB cable if needed (though the PS3 remote is better than most IR ones, IMO)

Just a quick question. I have 2 HP chromeboxes. The first one I took backup of the firmware, the second I didn't because I thought they'd be identical. If I restore them both and use the same firmware backup file, will they end up with the same network ethernet MACs? (I supposed the wireless Macs are hardwired to the wlan adapter, no?)

yes, both would end up with the same ethernet MAC (since it's embedded in the firmware backup), and yes, the WLAN MAC is embedded in the WLAN device firmware itself (and therefore not affected by the ChromeBox firmware in any way)

[Soli]

Thanks Matt.
1. Could the script be made to inject a manual typed MAC address when restoring the original firmware?
2. Does it autogenerate a new MAC address when using a generic firmware
3. Anything else embedded in the firmware? (Like some unique Chrome serial, that let me take advantage of that 1TB google drive offer)
4. Can I simply hexedit the firmware with the correct MAC, or is it hidden?

It might be a good idea to mention that the MAC is embedded in the wiki, since I am probably not the only one that only took backup of the first device. After all, when I upgrade the Chromeboxes somewhere in the future, I plan on restoring them to ChromeOS and hand them over to someone else in the family.