2014-01-12, 10:19
Tags: Intel NUC d54250wyk, integrated IR receiver, Ubuntu 13.10 (a Linux OS), (Logitech) Harmony (550) remote, xbmc
After about a week of tinkering (mostly trial and error), I finally got my NUC set-up the way I wanted! I had to scour all corners of the internet to find my answers, so I figured I’d try to consolidate my problems/solutions in hopes that someone doesn’t have to spend as much time as I did searching.
System: Intel NUC d54250wyk, Logitech k400 (combined keyboard/touchpad – works right out of the box btw), Ubuntu 13.10, (Logitech) Harmony remote
What I wanted my NUC system to do:
1) boot directly to XBMC
2) use a Linux OS that is user-friendly for a mostly Windows user (don’t judge me
– blame it on convenience/ubiquity) that allows an easy-to-access web-browser (I use Chrome) for when I need it
3) use my Logitech Harmony remote to control it when running XBMC.
Problem 1: What do I need besides my NUC (I bought it from TigerDirect btw)?
Solution:
1) an MSATA SSD (your hard-drive)
2) SODIMM 1.35v ram (I bought a single 4GB – the NUC has slots for two, but the single 4GB was enough for my purposes)
3) a mini HDMI – to full HDMI cable (the mini HDMI transmits video/sound just like a full size, but the NUC has the mini port to save space) (there’s also another display port if you don’t want HDMI, but I can’t remember what it is)
4) Compatible Wireless Card (google it; start here - http://www.intel.com/content/www/xr/en/n...50wyk.html) OR a standard Ethernet Cable (you don’t need both, but can get both if you want – IMO Ethernet is better if you have the option)
5) Keyboard/mouse – wireless is fine (I bought the Logitech k400 and it worked out-of-the-box)
*You DON’T need a power cord (at least in the US, it ships with one; I wasted $7)
Problem 2: How do I install Linux (in my case Ubuntu 13.10) on my NUC (Why a Linux OS? Because Windows boots WAY too slow for my liking – too much extra stuff)
Solution:
1) Download your preferred Linux OS to a USB stick from PenDriveLinux (google it) (obviously, you’ll have to do this from a different computer)
2) If you have an Ethernet cable, make sure it’s plugged in to your NUC and router/modem
3) Plug the USB stick into your NUC
4) Turn your NUC on – should boot right up (if not, you’ll have to do a hard shut-down by pressing the power button, then press again to turn back on - and enter BIOS via F2 or F12 on start-up and set the computer to boot from USB, then do a hard shut-down/restart again)
5) Follow the on-screen prompts to install
Problem 3: How do I install XBMC on my NUC via Ubuntu?
Solution:
1) Go to Ubuntu Software Center – search for XBMC – click install
2) Install your preferred add-ons
3) * YOU MUST DISABLE THE COMMON TOOLS add-on under system > add-ons > services, OTHERWISE YOUR NUC WILL NOT SHUT-DOWN CORRECTLY FROM XBMC
Problem 4: How do I set up my NUC (running Ubuntu 13.10) to boot directly into XBMC?
Solution:
1) open a terminal (ctrl + alt + t)
2) copy/paste: sudo gedit ~/.config/autostart/xbmc.desktop
3) enter sudo password (you set it up when you installed Ubuntu)
4) copy/paste in gedit:
[Desktop Entry] Type=Application
Exec=xbmc -d 5 --standalone -fs
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name[en_En]=xbmc
Name=xbmc
5) click “save” and then close gedit
6) restart system (you can just type “reboot” in the terminal you have open)
* Should autostart into XBMC (*Many thanks to “borek-sadlak” via http://www.answeredubuntu.com/209650/aut...6IMDK.dpbs !)
Problem 5: How do I make my NUC integrated IR receiver work while in Ubuntu OS? (The IR receiver on your NUC works, it’s just that Ubuntu isn’t set up to recognize it/turn it on automatically – that’s why it’ll turn your NUC on out of the box, but not work out of the box once Ubuntu boots up. It’s not Intel’s fault/it’s not Ubuntu’s fault- just a quirk when combining the two)
Solution:
1) open a terminal (ctrl + alt + t)
2) copy/paste: sudo gedit ~/.config/autostart.sh
3) enter sudo password (you set it up when you installed Ubuntu)
4) copy/paste in gedit:
#!/bin/sh
modprobe -r nuvoton-cir
echo "auto" > “/sys/bus/acpi/devices/NTN0530:00/physical_node/resources”
modprobe nuvoton-cir
5) click “save” and then close gedit
6) restart system (you can just type “reboot” in the terminal you have open)
* Should start your NUC integrated IR receiver when Ubuntu loads up (*Many thanks to “aesalazar” via http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=176718&page=17)
Problem 6: How do I set up my Harmony Remote to work with XBMC on my newly set-up Intel NUC htpc that auto-boots into XBMC? (the final piece of the puzzle!)
1) Determine what you want (I wanted my Harmony to turn on my NUC and control XBMC with both standard buttons and a simulated mouse)
2) Open your Harmony software - I highly suggest using your computer that you already use to set up your Harmony Remote to set it up via the Harmony software/website
3) Add a device – Computer > Media Center PC > Intel > d54250wyk (change your power settings to leave on – you don’t want it to do accidently do a “hard shut-down” on exit – you can turn your computer off via XBMC)
4) Add a device – Computer > Media Center PC > Microsoft > Windows Media Center SE
5) Add a device – Computer > Media Center PC > Microsoft > XBMC
6) Add an activity – include your TV and all three of the above
7) Customize your buttons:
Suggest:
Standard Buttons:
Channel Down/Up – Windows MCE
Up/Down/Left/Right - Windows MCE
OK – XBMC – Enter
Exit – XBMC – Esc
Stop/Fast Forward/Play/Rewind – Windows MCE
* Pause – Windows MCE – Play (NOT PAUSE – won’t work)
Number buttons: simulate a mouse (awesome!):
1 – Windows MCE – Mouse LUp
2 - Windows MCE – MouseUp
3 - Windows MCE – MouseRUp
4 - Windows MCE - MouseLeft
5 – XBMC – Enter
6 - Windows MCE – MouseRight
7 - Windows MCE – MouseLDown
8 - Windows MCE – MouseDown
9 - Windows MCE – MouseRDown
Additional Buttons:
“Left Click” - Windows MCE – LeftClick
“Right Click” - Windows MCE – RightClick
8) Add an additional command to start your NUC when you power on your tv (b/c we told it to leave it on all the time in step 3)
*Enjoy!
After about a week of tinkering (mostly trial and error), I finally got my NUC set-up the way I wanted! I had to scour all corners of the internet to find my answers, so I figured I’d try to consolidate my problems/solutions in hopes that someone doesn’t have to spend as much time as I did searching.
System: Intel NUC d54250wyk, Logitech k400 (combined keyboard/touchpad – works right out of the box btw), Ubuntu 13.10, (Logitech) Harmony remote
What I wanted my NUC system to do:
1) boot directly to XBMC
2) use a Linux OS that is user-friendly for a mostly Windows user (don’t judge me
– blame it on convenience/ubiquity) that allows an easy-to-access web-browser (I use Chrome) for when I need it3) use my Logitech Harmony remote to control it when running XBMC.
Problem 1: What do I need besides my NUC (I bought it from TigerDirect btw)?
Solution:
1) an MSATA SSD (your hard-drive)
2) SODIMM 1.35v ram (I bought a single 4GB – the NUC has slots for two, but the single 4GB was enough for my purposes)
3) a mini HDMI – to full HDMI cable (the mini HDMI transmits video/sound just like a full size, but the NUC has the mini port to save space) (there’s also another display port if you don’t want HDMI, but I can’t remember what it is)
4) Compatible Wireless Card (google it; start here - http://www.intel.com/content/www/xr/en/n...50wyk.html) OR a standard Ethernet Cable (you don’t need both, but can get both if you want – IMO Ethernet is better if you have the option)
5) Keyboard/mouse – wireless is fine (I bought the Logitech k400 and it worked out-of-the-box)
*You DON’T need a power cord (at least in the US, it ships with one; I wasted $7)
Problem 2: How do I install Linux (in my case Ubuntu 13.10) on my NUC (Why a Linux OS? Because Windows boots WAY too slow for my liking – too much extra stuff)
Solution:
1) Download your preferred Linux OS to a USB stick from PenDriveLinux (google it) (obviously, you’ll have to do this from a different computer)
2) If you have an Ethernet cable, make sure it’s plugged in to your NUC and router/modem
3) Plug the USB stick into your NUC
4) Turn your NUC on – should boot right up (if not, you’ll have to do a hard shut-down by pressing the power button, then press again to turn back on - and enter BIOS via F2 or F12 on start-up and set the computer to boot from USB, then do a hard shut-down/restart again)
5) Follow the on-screen prompts to install
Problem 3: How do I install XBMC on my NUC via Ubuntu?
Solution:
1) Go to Ubuntu Software Center – search for XBMC – click install
2) Install your preferred add-ons
3) * YOU MUST DISABLE THE COMMON TOOLS add-on under system > add-ons > services, OTHERWISE YOUR NUC WILL NOT SHUT-DOWN CORRECTLY FROM XBMC
Problem 4: How do I set up my NUC (running Ubuntu 13.10) to boot directly into XBMC?
Solution:
1) open a terminal (ctrl + alt + t)
2) copy/paste: sudo gedit ~/.config/autostart/xbmc.desktop
3) enter sudo password (you set it up when you installed Ubuntu)
4) copy/paste in gedit:
[Desktop Entry] Type=Application
Exec=xbmc -d 5 --standalone -fs
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name[en_En]=xbmc
Name=xbmc
5) click “save” and then close gedit
6) restart system (you can just type “reboot” in the terminal you have open)
* Should autostart into XBMC (*Many thanks to “borek-sadlak” via http://www.answeredubuntu.com/209650/aut...6IMDK.dpbs !)
Problem 5: How do I make my NUC integrated IR receiver work while in Ubuntu OS? (The IR receiver on your NUC works, it’s just that Ubuntu isn’t set up to recognize it/turn it on automatically – that’s why it’ll turn your NUC on out of the box, but not work out of the box once Ubuntu boots up. It’s not Intel’s fault/it’s not Ubuntu’s fault- just a quirk when combining the two)
Solution:
1) open a terminal (ctrl + alt + t)
2) copy/paste: sudo gedit ~/.config/autostart.sh
3) enter sudo password (you set it up when you installed Ubuntu)
4) copy/paste in gedit:
#!/bin/sh
modprobe -r nuvoton-cir
echo "auto" > “/sys/bus/acpi/devices/NTN0530:00/physical_node/resources”
modprobe nuvoton-cir
5) click “save” and then close gedit
6) restart system (you can just type “reboot” in the terminal you have open)
* Should start your NUC integrated IR receiver when Ubuntu loads up (*Many thanks to “aesalazar” via http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=176718&page=17)
Problem 6: How do I set up my Harmony Remote to work with XBMC on my newly set-up Intel NUC htpc that auto-boots into XBMC? (the final piece of the puzzle!)
1) Determine what you want (I wanted my Harmony to turn on my NUC and control XBMC with both standard buttons and a simulated mouse)
2) Open your Harmony software - I highly suggest using your computer that you already use to set up your Harmony Remote to set it up via the Harmony software/website
3) Add a device – Computer > Media Center PC > Intel > d54250wyk (change your power settings to leave on – you don’t want it to do accidently do a “hard shut-down” on exit – you can turn your computer off via XBMC)
4) Add a device – Computer > Media Center PC > Microsoft > Windows Media Center SE
5) Add a device – Computer > Media Center PC > Microsoft > XBMC
6) Add an activity – include your TV and all three of the above
7) Customize your buttons:
Suggest:
Standard Buttons:
Channel Down/Up – Windows MCE
Up/Down/Left/Right - Windows MCE
OK – XBMC – Enter
Exit – XBMC – Esc
Stop/Fast Forward/Play/Rewind – Windows MCE
* Pause – Windows MCE – Play (NOT PAUSE – won’t work)
Number buttons: simulate a mouse (awesome!):
1 – Windows MCE – Mouse LUp
2 - Windows MCE – MouseUp
3 - Windows MCE – MouseRUp
4 - Windows MCE - MouseLeft
5 – XBMC – Enter
6 - Windows MCE – MouseRight
7 - Windows MCE – MouseLDown
8 - Windows MCE – MouseDown
9 - Windows MCE – MouseRDown
Additional Buttons:
“Left Click” - Windows MCE – LeftClick
“Right Click” - Windows MCE – RightClick
8) Add an additional command to start your NUC when you power on your tv (b/c we told it to leave it on all the time in step 3)
*Enjoy!
Your guide worked perfect for me to setup my Harmony Logitech 880 remote to work with my Nuc I3 D34010. It does it all, and the mouse will be great in a pinch. This is a great guide. I do have a few other commands I was hoping you could help with.