Experienced Windows HTPC driver - Noob Linux wanabe... Openelec for me?

[nimrod77]

Hi all,
Like the title says, I have had a few HTPC's over the years and they all have been Winblows (Vista/7) based. I have been doing alot of reading and I am finding a lot of conflicting information regarding Openelec/XBMC. I am planning on building a new HTPC shortly when I move house and I want an "all in one" solution, so I have a few questions before taking the Linux/Openelec plunge.

1. Can openelec be used easily for live TV and recorded TV?
   
   
2. Can Openelec display an EPG and set recordings from it?
   
   
3. Can Openelec playback Blurays including Bitstreaming HD Audio?
   
   
4. Are AMD Fusion PC solutions no good for Openelec/linux? Should I go with Nvidia?
   
   
5. Being a total (read complete) noob in the linux world, am I out of my depth?
   

All these questions I have read about and googled to death, with many conflicting reports on all of them.
Thanks for taking the time to read and hopefully reply to my list of questions. Please go easy, as I want to give Linux a go on my HTPC, but I'm not sure if it is 100% for me.

Cheers!

[chewitt]

1. Yes (depending on your definition of easily.. PVR is still in its XBMC infancy)

2. Yes, if you use the PVR version of XBMC

3. Unlike Windows Linux is not officially supported by the BluRay consortium but it is possible to play BD disc images if you do some background reading on libaacs and put the missing file in the right place. That is the only clue you'll get on using libaacs as there's a thin legal line between including it in OE and encouraging its use.

4. General opinion is that the nVidia GPU drivers are more mature, but AMD is evolving rapidly and has good hardware. It's becoming a closer call between them.

5. OpenELEC offers fewer opportunities to arse things up than a full Linux distro and we aim to be n00b friendly.. and considering some of the queries that get posted here you're at least articulate and thoughtful so I reckon you stand a fair chance

[nimrod77]

Thanks for the quick reply chewitt. As I said, it's hard to get a definite answer to any of these questions (seems like a common Linux HTPC problem!).

With Question 3, does libaacs allow bitstreaming with the correct hardware?

I was initially thinking of building on a Fusion Asus E45M1-M-Pro board as an integrated and small footprint setup, but the setup problems others were seeming to have was putting me off. Mostly the Linux side of things I suppose, being so different.

I am no stranger to command line (growing up with DOS), so that doesn't scare me. Just need to do a bit of self teaching. Is there an Openelec version of a noobs "How to" guide?

Thanks again!

[chewitt]

libaacs is all about "can be it played at all" and support for bitstreaming is a separate discussion about hardware and XBMC. Even if your hardware choice supports the HD formats (not all do) the current stable version of XBMC (11.0/Eden) does not, unless a large code hack is applied when XBMC is compiled. OpenELEC does not officially provide (or plan to provide) that hack although there's a thread running in the forums where users are building images with it (with an appropriate level of success for a complex backported hack). The official OE response on HD audio is that the 'AudioEngine' feature in the next XBMC release (12.0/Frodo) will bring support when it ships and we'll support it then. There's another thread where some alpha code lemmings are building OpenELEC with the XBMC 'Frodo' alpha releases (with an appropriate level of success for alpha code). So, if you can live with 5.1 playback on 7.1 capable hardware for a while things are fine, and full 7.1 support will arrive in mid-term; sooner if you want to self-build and play with early release code.

Have a look at http://wiki.openelec.tv for HOWTO info's.

[joeythelips]

Just to throw in my 2c as regards HD audio on Fusion. I could not even get uncompressed 5.1 audio (from my FLAC files) to work at all on OE, never mind the HD 7.1 formats. Standard DD or DTS compressed surround is fine and I found the video stability excellent and the PVR support quite reasonable. I'm currently running xbmc on Windows 8 (free licence until Jan 2013!) where HD sound works fine and PVR support is ok, but I don't think video is as stable as on OE.
AMD/ATI seem to be very slow to engage with the open-source community on sound drivers for ATI based HDMI sound support, whereas nVidia don't seem to have the same problems. If you must have HD sound now on OE, then I would suggest you research an nVidia based offering. I think (hope!), in time, ATI based HDMI solutions will support HD audio, as chewitt says.

[therio]

Hi, what hardware are you using?
HD audio like Master Audio and TrueHD aren't officially supported yet, however they're testing some experimental builds with a total rebuild audio engine which could play it (the next release of XBMC (Frodo) could have it included). Flac 5.1 is another story, it should be possible, but people had this problem before. But let's first start by knowing what hardware you're using and what settings you configured for the audio.

[joeythelips]

@therio - who is your question directed to - me or nimrod77? ATI doesn't support more than two channel audio on linux, that's a given. DD 5.1 and DTS certainly, but no multichannel uncompressed audio for now. I've raised issues on github about this. The xbmc forums have confirmed that there is an issue on multichannel audio on Fusion which is down to problems with the open source flgrx drivers.

[lrusak]

AMD drivers do not allow bit streaming HD audio in Linux (yet). This is not xbmc's fault and there is nothing they can do until they get better driver support from AMD.

So, fusion builds are a definite no for HD audio

[nimrod77]

Ok Guys,
After a LOT of reading (not much info out there for current Openelec system builds mind you), I have a list that I think would be good...PLEASE be as critical as you like. Pull it apart and tell me what I have wrong, or right..
All the requirements for my system were in my first post as stated.

• Intel DH61AG Mini-ITX Motherboard $124.99
  
• Intel Core i5 3470 LGA1155 CPU 3.2Ghz 6Mb Cache Ivy Bridge $199.00
  
• Corsair CMSO2GX3M1A1333C9 2GB PC-10600 (1333MHz) SODIMM  x2 $30.00
  
• Bitfenix Prodigy $116.00
  
• BD-ROM $0.00
  
• Western Digital CaviarGreen 2TB 64MB SATA 3 $112.00
  
• Kingston 60G SSD V+200 $58.00
  
• Tuner HVR-2200 $0.00
  
• USB 3.0 16GB Voyager Proven Durabilit Flash Drive Corsair $19.50
  
• IR Receiver w/Cable and Custom Mounting Bracket for Intel CIR Motherboards $21.95
  

I am not sure if the SSD is needed if I run Openelec from the Flashdrive included here.

I believe that the Tuner card in this build should work with Openelec PVR build??

Also, has anyone got any experience with the remote I have included here? Will it drive openelec/XBMC ok?

Thanks for taking the time guys!

[jmoore]

to throw in my 2cents as a recent openelec convert, I came from a very experience windows based background but with no linux experience.

Openelec is pretty easy and straight forward to install and get working in its basic form, its the tweaking required that may throw off some people. Once you have got it setup, it continues to work in a repeatable and reliable manner, unlike my windows based HTPC setup.

There is a lot of information available on the internet, but there is also alot of outdated and misinformation as well. If you are prepared to spend your time searching, then most of the answers are there already.

I am still in the process of setting up all the additional features I want openelec to use, but from what I have done so far I am very, very impressed. My wife who is a computer rookie can easily turn on the system and navigate to what she wants to watch via the keyboard at this point in time.

I am very very impressed with this system, and will be donating once I have all the desired features up and running.