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Soli
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2014-09-17, 14:32
(This post was last modified: 2014-09-17, 14:34 by Soli.)
Just got back my old Mac mini 2006, and thought I might as well install XBMCbuntu on it. The CPU is upgraded from a CoreDuo 1,66Ghz to Core2Duo 2,33, and I have also put a small SSD inside. I didn't manage to install from a DVDR since the DVD Drive was defect, and I couldn't install from a usb stick either since the first Mac minis are limited to only EFI booting from USB. (It will only emulate a BIOS when booting from the internal Sata header). Since the EFI firmware is 32bit I couldn't boot XBMCbuntu with EFI either since booting a 64bit kernel requires a 64bit EFI firmware. Using EFI Mixed Mode isn't an option since this requires a kernel => 3.15
Fortunately the Mac mini, as all Macs, have a Target Disk Mode, which essentially turns the mac into an external firewire disk. I then used my Mac mini as a firewire disk, connected to another Mac and then I installed XBMCbuntu to my firewire disk (Mac mini) using Virtual Box is raw disk mode.
Almost surprisingly, that worked perfectly. XBMCbuntu works beautifully from the first boot. I wanted to use my Apple remote, so I removed Lirc and built Atvclient (a forked version that also supports the IR receiver in the Mac mini 2006). Works without any configuration.
Very surprisingly, the old Mac mini with the Intel GPU supports all the frame rates like 23,976 29,97 59,94 + the usual 24 25 30 50 60. I could install a Crystal HD card, but the support for this card was removed from Kodi so I rather not bother. Fortunately software decoding works without a hitch. Am I right to believe that the new multithreaded software decoding makes even the very first Mac mini 2006 Coreduo 1,66ghz suitable for 1080p playback? If anyone else has an old Mac mini laying around, then this actually makes for a very fine XBMC.
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kudos for the creativity getting it installed.
Multithreading for software decoding will indeed help a lot. Would be interesting what kind of cpu load get get with a 1080p bluray (rip)
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Soli
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16:9 1080p doesn't even sweat it, although the fan will spin up a little. the CPU is typically around 100% (of 200%) with varying degrees of cpu use of the 2 cores, but mostly both cores together would total around 100%. Big Buck Bunny @ 1080p/60fps plays fine with literally a couple of dropped frames in a few of the scenes. It typically stays around 85/85 for the 2 cores, and goes up to the high 90s in the most difficult scenes.
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Sometime in the process of doing apt-get upgrades I've lost an option to log on to XBMCbuntu.
By default xbmc autologins to xbmc gui which is what I want. But when I exit XBMC logon dialogue is now missing an option where I was previously able to specify where to logon: xbmcbuntu or xbmc (it's just username+password now and starts xbmc gui after entering credentials).
Is there a way to manually bring back the option where to logon?
Thanks for any help.
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the 1st post explains how to switch to the desktop. Did you select the xbmcbuntu session?
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Thanks, that worked! Previous method was faster and more intuitive but I guess it's changed on system level.
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nickr
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Its just a different place to choose the session.
An unfortunate one because it is not as obvious, and people with overscanned displays tend to lose the icon off the edge of the screen.
If I have helped you or increased your knowledge, click the 'thumbs up' button to give thanks :) (People with less than 20 posts won't see the "thumbs up" button.)
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Soli
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Had gotham 13.2 installed. Apt-got myself Helix beta 2 via the nightly PPAs. Reboot, and then I got the desktop login screen. Logged in but then it booted to Kodi, and it has ever since.
In other words, it should be safe to upgrade to Kodi.