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DJ_Izumi · 2012-05-31, 20:41

I run XBMC on Windows 7 boxes with an MCE Remote. This works great for me because I know what I'm doing. 95% of the time the machines work flawlessly, but then there's the other 5%. Something that pops up and takes XBMC out of focus, some thing I forgot to map and I have to go into keyboard.xml or anything else like that.

A friend of mine liked my XBMC setups and was interested in getting one, I'm thinking of building her something as a birthday present but I don't want to give her something that works great 95% of the time. ...That's kinda an terrible gift. So what implimentation is the most idiot proof? Ya know 'Just Works'? OpenOLEC? XBMCbuntu? Something else? Or will everything occasionally cause issues that I even see on Win7?

artrafael · 2012-05-31, 21:39

Either OpenElec or XBMCbuntu should do a pretty good job of hiding the OS from the XBMC user (especially OpenElec). But, hey, if something unexpected or goes wrong with the system occasionally, that'll give you an excuse to visit your friend more often and maybe get a nice libation or morsel in return as a thank you! Wink

jackh · 2012-05-31, 23:52

(2012-05-31, 21:39)artrafael Wrote: Either OpenElec or XBMCbuntu should do a pretty good job of hiding the OS from the XBMC user (especially OpenElec). But, hey, if something unexpected or goes wrong with the system occasionally, that'll give you an excuse to visit your friend more often and maybe get a nice libation or morsel in return as a thank you!

I agree. My own XBMC is running on top of Linux Mint though, for personal preference and extra functionality outside of XBMC when I seldom need it. Having said that, I believe the choice of Linux is a major help factor in the fact that this machine is easily used by my 4-year-old daughter!!

In my experience with Linux: for the most part (much higher than 95% of the time) "you can set it and forget it".
Disclaimer: I'm a Linux fan.... Wink

DJ_Izumi · 2012-06-01, 00:07

(2012-05-31, 23:52)jackh Wrote: In my experience with Linux: for the most part (much higher than 95% of the time) "you can set it and forget it".
Disclaimer: I'm a Linux fan....

Yeah, I have no experience with Linux so I use Win7 on my machines (Which also gives it an easier time with emulators and such, some of the external stuff I launch is Windows only. But if I gave a box away, I'd think it'd be something E-350 based or similar (AMD has some new Brazos stuff coming out afterall.) and have it 'just work'. Put a HDD on it, have that HDD have a nice happy shared folder that ANYONE can access through a windows machine on it to dump their media on it, have it interface with their wireless or whatever through XBMC, use an MCE remote or similar and work as an actual 'appliance' rather than 'A computer thingy that plays movies'.

Idiotproof connection do an HDTV too. No messing with getting HDMI audio to work, just plug and play, HDMI video with stereo LPCM HDMI Audio.

teaguecl · 2012-06-01, 00:23

I would vote OpenElec. XBMCbuntu isn't quite as accident-proof. For instance, in Eden when you choose to power off the HTPC you are presented with 6 options. Some of those options actually power off the machine, others dump you to the desktop. My wife doesn't know/care about those details and just hits whatever sounds right to her. When this leaves her at the desktop, it's problematic since we don't have keyboard/mouse - only a remote control. Now we're stuck at a desktop, with no way to recover other than to drag a keyboard to the living room and plug it in.
Note: I did solve this particular issue by modifying the Confluence skin to only have one "power off" option. Most people don't want to modify the skin .xml files, however.

DJ_Izumi · 2012-06-01, 00:34

(2012-06-01, 00:23)teaguecl Wrote: I would vote OpenElec. XBMCbuntu isn't quite as accident-proof. For instance, in Eden when you choose to power off the HTPC you are presented with 6 options. Some of those options actually power off the machine, others dump you to the desktop. My wife doesn't know/care about those details and just hits whatever sounds right to her. When this leaves her at the desktop, it's problematic since we don't have keyboard/mouse - only a remote control. Now we're stuck at a desktop, with no way to recover other than to drag a keyboard to the living room and plug it in.
Note: I did solve this particular issue by modifying the Confluence skin to only have one "power off" option. Most people don't want to modify the skin .xml files, however.

Sounds promising. How about mapping the remote controls in OpenELEC? I'm only used to using MCERemote to mess with certian mappings for the eHome driver in Windows and then messing with the keyboard.xml.

Is there something in OpenELEC to say which remote keypress sends what keyboard press? If so could I just use a keyboard.xml from a Windows machine on the OpenELEC machine, and it'd work assuming the remotes between either machine sent the same keypresses?

poofyhairguy · 2012-06-01, 00:37

Basically any Linux-based XBMC box you can make it an appliance. The hard part is the setup which you will do.

teaguecl · 2012-06-01, 01:00

(2012-06-01, 00:34)DJ_Izumi Wrote: How about mapping the remote controls in OpenELEC? I'm only used to using MCERemote to mess with certian mappings for the eHome driver in Windows and then messing with the keyboard.xml.

Is there something in OpenELEC to say which remote keypress sends what keyboard press? If so could I just use a keyboard.xml from a Windows machine on the OpenELEC machine, and it'd work assuming the remotes between either machine sent the same keypresses?

I've never used Windows, so I'm not sure how keymapping works there. On Linux, most people use Lirc, which is the standard software for dealing with Infrared remotes. It has historically been difficult to deal with. I hear things have improved recently, I haven't tried it in several years. I tend to like remotes that act like keyboards - which is why I use the Tivo Slide. If I didn't have that, then I would use the Flirc device to convert IR into a usb keyboard - from what I hear that device is awesome. Once you have keystrokes, then all you need is XBMC's keyboard.xml

poofyhairguy · 2012-06-01, 01:06

LIRC is ok with XBMCbuntu because MS remotes work by default. Just plug them in.

MassIV · 2012-06-01, 03:15

I have not tried XBMCbuntu yet but i hear good things. I have to say i am very impressed with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.
Specially for user friendliness. And now that people know android, other OS-es are not so scary anymore.

If i had to make a build for a friend, that is what i'd do. Very small Ubuntu SSD that is easy to remove and a big HDD next to it.
Just so you don't have to disconnect and drag the system if it needs some real work... (Just take the SSD)
Make it start up XBMC on boot. Spend some time pimping the skin an making sure that all settings they could fuck up don't even show up.
Just completely remove settings and let them use the power button for on and off.

Use an easy skin like Alaska revisited (not the mod) where you can put new items on home screen (like youtube).
If you want your friend to be able to use a web browser you will have to let them in the OS.
Same goes for using a torrent client... Finding magnets. Do they have experience with that?
Will they need to be able to delete movies? Maybe a nice shortcut to that folder?
If they don't need to do any of the above i don't see the point of them ever being in the OS.
And little things like auto clean library. Don't give them root.

Don't forget to make sure their current setup is compatible (tv / sound system).
And find a good way for them to control XBMC. I mean i bet your friend would like youtube on there. That means typing searches. And it needs to be easy to find, visually. Not in some sub sub sub menu.

Think like this: If a 5 year old can do it... it still needs to be easier. Because friends of friends will use it while drunk at parties.