boxee for Linux, by-invitation-alpha 0.9.2927 released

[tsella]

first, my apologies - we really tried to make 64bit work in time for the release, but alas, it did not make the cut this time.

boxee for Linux has the following software requirements:

1. ubuntu 7.10 (gutsy gibbon) or 8.04 (hardy heron) x86 (not x86_64) operating system
2. for nvidia gpus, latest nvidia proprietary drivers from http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
3. for ati gpus, latest ati proprietary drivers from http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
4. if you have a lirc compatible remote, for example, windows MCE remote, install lirc using sudo apt-get install lirc command. we also support direct hardware mapping for supporting Apple IR and other usb based devices usually not supported under lirc, and can be contacted via support@boxee.tv or http://forum.boxee.tv to set those up.
5. visual effects (compiz fusion) should be disabled. this is done by System > Preferences > Appearance > Visual Effects, set to None

to get boxee for Linux, go to http://app.boxee.tv/download, and follow the instructions.

hardware requirements (this is hardware we tested with, other hardware may be supported as well)

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

any other alsa-supported should work

if using any other hardware, please post at this forum thread for other hardware tested with, mileage and tips.

new stuff

• manual editing of (un)identified movies/tv shows/albums - boxee sometimes identifies a movie/tv show/album incorrectly (or not at all). now you can fix these mistakes (some of them are quite funny) by manually telling boxee what it is. you’ll see a new “wrong movie?” option in the info screen. click it and get a list of potential matches.
• manual adding of a source - you can now manually add new media sources to boxee. use rss:// to add video or audio RSS feeds (make sure the feed you’re trying to access has a link to the original media enclosure), or upnp:// to add a upnp source, mms:// to stream audio or video (you can get creative with this one. i just pointed boxee at my http://drop.io rss feed. pretty cool stuff)
• mms:// support - streaming of audio and video using mms. we can now listen to israeli radio stations! that was a big one for our girlfriends, wives and gidonc. to add a new mms stream go to the ‘Add Source’ option and choose ‘manual’.
• upnp support - if you have a upnp server you can now access it using boxee. the shares list retrieved whenever the you browse to “network” is a union of smb and upnp. for some of you upnp may work better than smb. let us know.
• OSD for pictures - when you’re viewing a photo click ‘Return’ and you’ll get an OSD that will allow you to do stuff like rotate, zoom in/out and across the picture (my personal favorite), control slideshow settings and get some EXIF data.
• http proxy support - you always wanted to connect via an http proxy in india, right? so now you can. no support for user/pass, yet. so you’ll have to connect to them friendly and open proxy servers.
• UI navigation change - internet-applications now part of the main browse screen, so clicking on Video takes you directly to the main video screen (also applies for music and pictures).
• updated source management - we updated the Media Sources screen, so to enable you to get to all the places where you may have content you’d like to access with boxee. result is too complicated. we’ll simplify it in the future.
• new visualizations - Goom and Waveform. there were some fixes to the visualizations framework (which caused crashes). i still think most of them are a bit too much. we need create a more ambient boxee visualization as the default.

bug fixes:

• remake of our download system (solved many .torrent issues)
• python stability and performance improvements (affects youtube, flickr, etc.)
• improved resolution support (secondary display)
• fixed image bugs. raw images are now supported
• improved picture information and picture loading indication
• fixes to subtitle viewing (mainly on ff/rwd and large subtitle files) - thanks elan
• visualization - not to be affected by volume - thanks elan
• default screen saver - now boxee branded (boxee slide show)
• new versions of all our plugins (youtube, flickr, etc.)
• keyboard consistent “back” navigation
• “dim” screen saver to go into action on main screen (profile selection) - this screen was not starting the screen saver before
• faster file scanning since ~/Pictures is not getting scanned
• navigating in folder mode would display an image if one exists under the folder (folder.jpg, preview.jpg and cover.jpg). the detection and caching is done during file scan time, so may take a few minutes till shown
• app logs now go to ~/Library/Logs/xbmc.log under Mac, /tmp/boxee-xbmc.log under Linux
• edit controls instead of osd keyboard on login screen (user/password) (stupid, stupid bug that frustrated many users. me included..)
• hidden password on plugin settings (1999 vintage bug)
• dvd playback should be fine now on all dvd’s (my Road Trip dvd is mia. last seen in vulcan’s drowning MBP. oh, the sacrifice..)
• better treatment of thumb “loading”. should result in a lot less “loading” indications (less spinning circles on the screen == bliss)
• playback of “video_ts” folders should work fine now (i wish this format will go away.. takes too much space on the disk)
• smb upgraded to 3.2.1 and went through a fix session (hope this solves more bugs than it creates… let us know)
• new setting under network->smb called “use one connection per server” - it will control the amount of outgoing connections from the client. playing with it requires restarting the client.
• improvements to the thumb loading mechanism
• fixed sorting of items in internet apps (newest items should appear first in RSS feeds, etc.)
• add/remove internet apps from settings->media sources
• fixed deadlock in dvdplayer

known issues

• this is prerelease alpha software. 'nuff said.
• doesn't go back from window mode to full screen when compiz is enabled. workaround: disable compiz visual effects as above.
• logoff is temporarily disabled, please exit and restart boxee if you wish to switch profile, sorry

[axan]

no source code for linux distros other then ubuntu?

[tsella]

the code is for linux & mac. you can try building it for other platforms, your mileage will vary

[axan]

nm I need some sleep, I kept clicking the orange download button instead of the green "source code" next to it so I thought there was no source to download only packages for specific distros

[rolltide78]

Hey Tsella..I just upgraded to 2927 but when I go to General it still says Version SVN:2909. Is this correct?

[jtomelevage]

Does Boxee update via Synaptic if the source is added, or is it necessary to manually update it?

http://jt.west-age.com/2008/09/weeke...-boxee-part-2/

My version is the last pic at the bottom.

[seliko2001]

to main login window of ubuntu. what shall i do?

[agentlame]

Originally Posted by seliko2001

to main login window of ubuntu. what shall i do?

welcome to boxee! sorry you're having trouble, so soon.

it sounds like boxee is crashing x.
i would check out some of these tips:
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php...t=boxee+compiz

if you have anymore questions, or a follow up issues, stop in the linux forum:
http://forum.boxee.tv/forumdisplay.php?f=4