[tinker]

widdly:

I believe that we'll have to talk to Geniatech directly for individual issues like that. AuXBoX is getting the files from them in the first place. AuXBoX seems to be the only one to be supplying the 2014 update of Linux/XBMC and providing clear Android recovery instructions. Here is Geniatech's download directory:

http://www.geniatech.com/down-eng/

Did you apply the update in the first post of this thread?

AuXBoX:

How did you get the 2014 update of Linux/XBMC? The directories are closed and a Google search show this thread is the only source.

tinker

[widdly]

Some more details. I'm using a mygica atv1200. I have the optical spdif connected to to my reciever and I'm using component out.

With the android build I was able to select digital output for the audio and enable ac3 and dts passthrough. I was able to set 1080i for the video.

With the Linux build there is no option enabled for the output select for the audio and the passthrough stuff is disabled. I couldn't select 1080i output until I connected an HDMI, after which the 1080i option was enabled.

I have the SSH working so if there are some Linux configurations files I can modify I would be interested. I tried playing with alsamixer but I didn't get far. Any tips appreciated.

---

Thanks tinker. I'm using the update file already. Ill have a look at the geniatech files.

[tinker]

widdly:

It may be that Geniatech's Linux kernel isn't as mature as their Android one.

One thing you can do is compare the files of your two XBMC installs, the Android and the Linux versions. There may be differences you can exploit.

Since the atv1200 has quad processors, did you avoid the problems with choppy audio like I have with the atv520? Why did you switch to the Linux version?

tinker

[albator78]

P.S. Is it possible to make a static I.P. stick by using this method of modifying files?

It would probably be a better idea to create an IP reservation on the DHCP server, based on the MAC address of the device.
This way you don't have to reconfigure the address should you wipe the device, replace the firmware (switching back and forth from Android to Linux), or pull it from a drawer a year from now, not remembering what static IP you gave it.

It also guarantees that it will work without a problem if you bring it to a friend's house (provided they have DHCP on their network, which is most likely the case).

[albator78]

So I bought an ATV520 this week. Coming from a Raspberry Pi, the hardware is a welcome improvement (the Pi will be used for other projects). However I found the Android/XBMC combination frustrating, especially when losing all my settings on several occasions when XBMC crashed. Overall the performance is adequate, but losing everything randomly is no fun.

I found this forum post and happily installed Linux/XBMC. It is exactly what I was looking for: an XBMC only box. It feels much snappier and, most important, more stable. And the configuration survives crashes.

I haven't looked much into it (yet), but there are a few things that I am missing. Some may just be configuration issues (I can edit text files in Linux, restart services, etc.), some others may depend on what options the kernel was compiled with:

* Linux/XBMC doesn't seem to do CEC. I am able to use my TV remote with the Android/XBMC version so it is not a hardware limitation. I think this is a kernel/module thing; I haven't checked if libcec is present but I suspect it isn't.
* Multimedia keys on keyboard: I have a Logitech DiNovo mini, it works for the most part, except for the multimedia keys (volume, play, stop, FF, RW). Using the Keyboard Mapping add-on doesn't help: it doesn't register when any of these extra keys is pressed. Is it a matter of having the right keymap file, or do I need an additional module/driver?
* I couldn't find an option to connect a BlueTooth device. Maybe the BlueTooth stack is not there yet?

None of these items are real show stoppers, I can live without them, but life would be great if they were implemented I am getting very close to having my dream media box!

These remarks are no criticism, just user feedback. I fully realise that it is an unsuppoerted alpha release, and I must say that for an early build it is already awesome.

Kudos to everyone involved in building Linux/XBMC, your work is very much appreciated!

[tinker]

I got it working, when I looked carefully at the smb.conf file I noticed firstly that the workgroup needed to change (use default WORKGROUP) then hosts allow variable was also causing problems for some reason so I just took this out (put a # before that line) then share the data directory you want to save the file and restart samba (/etc/init.d/S91smb restart) and you should be good to go.

This is only for the samba server so shares you have on the media center that you want samba / windows clients to access, if you need to access samba / windows shares from the media centre this works without issues at all, my data is on a NAS which I access using samba, I dont like UPnP)

Hope this helps, below is my smb.conf file as its been amended...

#======================= Global Settings =====================================
[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP
server string = Android
max log size = 50
security = share
encrypt passwords = yes
smb passwd file = /etc/samba/smbpasswd
log file = /var/log/samba/log.smbd
# hosts allow = 192.168.170.
interfaces = eth0 192.168.0.1/255.255.255.0
socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192

#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
idmap uid = 16777216-33554431
idmap gid = 16777216-33554431
template shell = /bin/false
winbind use default domain = no

[XBMC]
path = /root/.xbmc
public = yes
only guest = yes
writable = yes
printable = no

---

yeah, reading your question again it sounds like you're having issues accessing media on your NAS from the ATV520, this should work out the box, make sure you're on the same workgroup and maybe use IP address instead of name so something like smb://192.168.1.10/Movies (if the IP of your NAS is 192.168.1.10) if the share is password protected syntax is smb://username:[email protected]/Movies

Hope that helps.

I edit the smb.conf by hand using vi, you could sftp the file or use samba / windows sharing but its more work than what its worth to be honest.

So vi /etc/samba/smb.conf, you'll need to know the vi commands, I've used it for years so am comfortable with it but there are other editing programs that may be easier. Once you've made changes make sure you restart the samba daemon (/etc/init.d/S91smb restart)

jatho:

I finally got around to editing the smb.conf and was able to get to work just fine. I've added shares for the external SD card and the first mounted USB drive as well as (Danger Will Robinson!) the home directory of the Linux installation (just to browse around a bit easier ).

Here it is:

#======================= Global Settings =========================
[global]
workgroup = WORKGROUP # Default in Windows, may be different.
server string = MyGica # The name seen in the file manager (eg: MyGica (Mx)).
max log size = 50
security = share
encrypt passwords = yes
smb passwd file = /etc/samba/smbpasswd
log file = /var/log/samba/log.smbd
# hosts allow = 192.168.1. # Not necessary.
# interfaces = eth0 192.168.1.1/255.255.255.0 # Not necessary.
socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
browseable = yes # Added this, may not be necessary but works for me.

#============================ Share Definitions ======================
idmap uid = 16777216-33554431
idmap gid = 16777216-33554431
template shell = /bin/false
winbind use default domain = no

[XBMC]
path = /root/.xbmc
public = yes
only guest = yes
writable = yes
printable = no

[SD0] # Shares the external SD card.
path = /media/usb0
public = yes
only guest = yes
writable = yes
printable = no

[USB0] # Shares the first mounted USB drive ("/media/usb3" would share a 2nd USB drive).
path = /media/usb2
public = yes
only guest = yes
writable = yes
prinable = no

[home] # Use at your own risk. Shares the home directory of the Linux install!
path = /
public = yes
only guest = yes
writable = yes
printable = no

# ============================== end =============================

That should be useful to folks wanting to manage media files on the Geniatech box 'from afar' (like another room, say).

Here is a tutorial for using vi (the Linux editor):

https://www.washington.edu/computing/unix/vi.html

...and here is the 'man' page for smb.conf:

http://www.samba.org/samba/docs/man/manp...onf.5.html

Have fun with that, I did! (and thanks for the help jatho, it's all coming back now!)

tinker

[sonicov]

Is there any chance getting Linux update for xbmc 13 gotham?

I would love to use this box as frontend for mythtv 0.27, and the pvr addon is compatible only on gotham and not on 12.3 frodo.

Great work! I think Linux xbmc compared to Android is much more responsive.

Thanks

[nickr]

Frodo works with 0.27. Ask geniatech to supply a proper addon.

[Biatsch]

Edit hosts file with adding your nas ip resolves first boot nas issue

---

Yippie now iam happy with linux build only issue is dvd iso playback for me

[sonicov]

Frodo works with 0.27. Ask geniatech to supply a proper addon.

My understanding is, that it only works with backported addon. Anyway, I sent message to Geniatech Support, but I'm not sure if it will help.

Have anyone here backport available? Would it be hard to compile yourself? I suppose answer to later is no, since I would need to have crosscompiler and my experiences on crosscompiling to embedded system is about 10 years outdated.

[nickr]

I have compiled it for 64 bit linux, but like you I wouldn't know how to set up the toolchain for arm. Hammer geniatech. Ask them for the source code, go all GPL on them.

[tinker]

Folks:

Funny thing! I added a second USB smb share to my smb.conf file (see example above) and after rebooting, it did see 1 external SD card and 2 USB sticks like I thought. But, it changed the order around so that the SD card was in the middle, as USB0, instead of SD0. It seems that they are assigned in the order they were mounted. The Geniatech box doesn't mix them up, just when you view the shares from another machine, so it's still useful.

Also, I have a 64gig USB stick installed and Linux seems to see it as such. Is the SD card slot really limited to 32gig under Linux? Still, it means the li'le box can have almost 100gig on-board storage, which is more than enough for a media server.

tinker

[nickr]

Still, it means the li'le box can have almost 100gig on-board storage, which is more than enough for a media server.

tinker

You are taking the piss right?

10T might be enough for some people, but 100G?

[tinker]

nickr:

With samba, some folks may want to store and manage media on the Geniatech box. Also, certain addons like YouTube simply won't let you save over the LAN. That means that downloads would have to be stored locally. Really, a 32gig SD card would be enough storage. I was just pointing out what's possible is all. I use one of the USB ports for a wireless keyboard anyway but if someone was using a phone or tablet as a remote, that extra USB port would be free to use for storage.

Also, the atv 520e has an extra USB port in the back but no plug. I might get brave and hook up a socket to it and see if it's live. There's no missing components except the USB socket, so I'm hopeful it will work. That would mean almost 200gig of storage space!

I don't call myself tinker for nothin'!

tinker

[sonicov]

I have compiled it for 64 bit linux, but like you I wouldn't know how to set up the toolchain for arm. Hammer geniatech. Ask them for the source code, go all GPL on them.

Well, I could do that, but then I decided just to downgrade to mythtv 0.26 and finally I'm able to use the box for what I bought it to.

This is excellent box, have to admit. XBMC is very responsive with Linux, alhtough I'm quite sure the Android performance would have be enough for me, but now I will probably never know.