[DeanM3]

I'm currently building a dedicated HTPC box, with barebone specs and a Geforce 9300 IGP to run VDPAU.

I'm done quite a bit on searching on this board, but cannot come up with a definitive answer as to which version of ubuntu to use and what are the pluses/minuses of using each.

I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction. I plan on using the box solely with XBMC + VDPAU + smoothvideo. I don't need a windowing system, or graphical gui, just a minimal system to run XBMC efficiently.

I guess my options are:
8.04
8.10
9.04

I was under the impression that it wouldn't matter, but I've seen various issues on this board with the different versions.

Thanks

[Maxim]

XBMC Live is my recommendation. Very minimal installation. Easy install. Bootable from CD if you like. Bootable from USB if you like. Install on the HDD if you like. Comes with apt-get so you can install what you like. SSH Enabled by default. Easy to install x11vnc to get vnc on the X server. Comes with PPAs ready to use for XBMC, easy to enable the SVN PPA. Based on Jaunty, latest drivers and such.

[DeanM3]

Thanks, I didn't know this was possible. I can simply just write the .iso of the live disc to a HD and boot off that? I thought the LiveCD was for a read only boot of xbmc.

Quick question, that may not be structured properly, but after installing off the liveCD and setting up the SVN PPA, I can simply pull the latest SVN and it will overwrite the liveCD?

[biggles]

http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=XBMC_Live

[DeanM3]

http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=XBMC_Live

Thanks, but I did read that before I posted and it doesn't answer my question of setting up the SVN through a LiveCD installation.

[biggles]

Yepp, it answers all your questions, including the one about SVN upgrades...

When installed onto a USB flash drive or hard disk drive XBMC Live ave the ability to save settings and make updates to XBMC Media Center and the operating-system back onto the USB flash drive or hard disk drive that it is installed onto, this is not possible when running XBMC Live only a a Live CD booting from a CD-ROM disc as they are read-only and any changes settings are only temporary saved until the system is rebooted.

BTW, it also answers your question about installation to HDD, and no, you cannot write the ISO to a HDD... Much easier to follow the instructions...

Once booted, XBMC Live will give the user the option to do a installation of XBMC Live complete with embedded operating-system onto a 2GB (or larger) USB-flash-memory-stick or your internal harddrive for a permanent and dedicated set-top-box style installation of XBMC...

[ERamseth]

If you plan to use your PC for more than just XBMC, you'll want ubuntu 8.04 (as to avoid the multi threading issues)

[DeanM3]

If you plan to use your PC for more than just XBMC, you'll want ubuntu 8.04 (as to avoid the multi threading issues)

could you elaborate? Does the LiveCD not support multithreading?