[FAQ] supported hardware

[tsella]

we have release boxee for Linux today, tested on the following hardware:

gpu
nvidia 6150le igp, go7300 mobile, 8600m gt mobile and 7,8 series desktop gpus
intel 945*, 965, X3000, X3100 igp
ati x1600 mobile gpu

* see known issues below

cpu
current intel and amd processors

audio
intel hda

we'd appreciate work/not-work reports on different hardware, and of cause, any issues you may have encountered with the listed hardware.

[Gamester17]

It should maybe be mentioned that you need a fairly fast CPU to be able to ‘garantee’ playback under Linux of all 1080p H.264 videos that are available to download from the internet these days. Either a Intel Core 2 Duo running at 2.6Ghz or an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.8Ghz (or an even faster processor, Intel Core 2 Duo processors are currently though more efficient than anything that AMD got to offer). This is because there is not yet a method of of-loading the video decoding process to the GPU so the CPU has to practically handle the whole load itself, (in 6-months from now this might no longer be the case).

For playback of 720p H264 videos you can go with a slower processor, but it should still really at least be a 1.8Ghz dual-core CPU.

More technical Linux hardware FAQ from XBMC:

For XBMC end-users the recommended minimum hardware requirement by Team-XBMC is a x86-based computer, with a 3D GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that at least supports Shader Model 3.0 and OpenGL 2.0 (that features 24bpp or 32bpp for 3D hardware-acceleration support, which XBMC GUI need to run smoothly at an acceptable frame-rate). Graphic adapters that support DirectX version 9.0c or later usually meet all of those mentioned requirements, (Team-XBMC recommends NVIDIA GeForce 6150 or later as NVIDIA is currently the only GPU hardware manufacturer that offers really good device-drivers for Linux (and NVIDIA GeForce 6150 or later supports OpenGL 2.0).

OpenGL 2.0 is not really the current minimum requirement to run XBMC, as in reality XBMC will today run with only OpenGL 1.4 + GLSL support (everything else has fall-backs to be runned in software on the CPU, slower than GPU hardware though), however to be sure to stay future-proof Team-XBMC have decided that the OpenGL 2.0 is the recommended minimum requirement.

[tsella]

good point about performance. you would need a strong cpu for bluray/hddvd sourced content at full bitrate. lower bitrate, even for 1080p content, can be played on lower level cpus and even simple gpus. a mac min grade hw is a good example, at 1.86Mhz cpu, and an Intel GMA 950 GPU.

additionally, opengl 2.0 is not a must. case in point, the GMA 950 has opengl 1.4 and works just fine. it depends on what ARB extensions are present afaik.

[agw]

With a clean install of Ubuntu 8.04 and the latest Catalyst driver (8.7), I am close to having boxee working on an MSI K9AGM2-FIH motherboard - which uses the AMD 690G chipset. Initial driver install left me with the white screen of death, but "aticonfig --initial --force" got everything up and running.

UI seems smooth and relatively snappy, but playing video results in a mess - you can see the video but it's got plenty of smears and streaks and is unwatchable.

Also, closing boxee returns to the desktop and the desktop is completely garbled and split into two halves.

Seems to be OK playing video (DVD) outside of boxee. I've also tested 720p, 1080i with a previous driver and neither was a problem. I have not tested yet with current driver, but I have no reason to think there will be any issues with anything less than full 1080p. I'm using AMD x4800+ w/ 2GB ram.

Any suggestions from the Linux gurus? Possible to share the xorg.conf file of the x1600 that was tested successfully? I'm pretty green with linux - so please be gentle!

Thx!
BTW - Boxee looks great otherwise.

[Bogus83]

Is the Linux version compatible with 64-bit processors and/or versions of linux? If not, it may be worth specifying that in the list of supported hardware.

[dave]

Is the Linux version compatible with 64-bit processors and/or versions of linux? If not, it may be worth specifying that in the list of supported hardware.

No 64-bit distro from boxee yet. Need to be at 32 for now, or compile your own....

[skideric]

But the 32 Bit Version (Only Vers) should run fine on 32 Bit Linux version installed on 64 Bit Dual (X2) AMD MoBo.You CAN Run 64 Bit OS & Software on 64 Bit CPU's but 32 bit ALSO runs fine.Case in point XP 32 Bit Version.I have same CPU as above AMD AM2 X2 4800+.Plan on installing Ubuntu & Boxee.That is as soon as i get an invite!......Hint ;0)

[tsella]

@skideric - indeed.

That is as soon as i get an invite!......Hint ;0)

PM me with your email

[prupert]

No 64-bit distro from boxee yet. Need to be at 32 for now, or compile your own....

Any plans to release a 64bit version?

[tsella]

Any plans to release a 64bit version?

haven't tried, but the next source tree (coming with the next version real soon) might compile under 64bit.