Install Ubuntu 9.10 Server [DRAFT]

First install Ubuntu 9.10 Server, follow the promts and pick the correct languages and keyboard layouts etc.  Select the "OpenSSH Server" option if you want to access the media-centre remotely.

At the "new user" section, create an admin user, do not use the username "xbmc".

Add some new Sources for installations

Edit the Sources list to add the new sources:

sudo vim /etc/apt/sources.list

Add the following to the end of the file:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc-svn/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu karmic main

Install the GPG key for the added repositories:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 64234534 40618B66 CEC06767 318C7509

Update Ubuntu with latest packages

After the main system is all installed, and has been rebooted, make sure it's all up-to-date:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo reboot

Updating the nVidia graphics drivers

Install the nVidia drivers:

sudo apt-get install nvidia-190-modaliases nvidia-glx-190  nvidia-settings-190

There'll be a whole bunch of dependencies added by that last install.  That's fine.

Install the audio drivers

sudo apt-get install linux-sound-base alsa-base alsa-utils

Configure the volume:

sudo alsamixer

Move right to the "IEC958" and "IEC958 D" and "IEC958 1" options and press the "M" key so that they have a green "OO" in the bottom, and not an "MM".  Also make sure Master and Front are up to the top.  Press [esc] when you're done.

Save the settings:

sudo alsactl store 0

Install XBMC

sudo apt-get install xbmc xbmc-eventclients-* xbmc-scripts-*

That will also have a lot of depencies, one of which is X11.  Now that's setup, we have to make sure it's setup correctly for nVidia:

sudo nvidia-xconfig

Add a window manager

sudo apt-get install fluxbox xterm

There are some helper-packages that, well, help out.  Install these.  They're helpful:

sudo apt-get install xbmc-live

Revert to Grub

sudo apt-get purge grub2 grub-pc
sudo apt-get install grub
sudo update-grub

Edit the grub config:

sudo vim /boot/grub/menu.lst

And add this to the end of the first "kernel" line that doesn't have a # at the start (after quiet nosplash)

xbmc=autostart,setvolume,wakeOnUSBRemote

Fix the bits that the xbmc-live package doesn't do at the moment

sudo useradd -m  xbmc

sudo passwd xbmc

mkdir -p ~xbmc/media/films
mkdir -p ~xbmc/media/tv
mkdir -p ~xbmc/media/music
mkdir -p ~xbmc/.xbmc/userdata

Create a default sources files (this can be done using the GUI once XBMC is started if you prefer)

sudo vim ~xbmc/.xbmc/userdata/sources.xml

And put this in it:

<sources>
 <video>
  <default></default>
  <source>
   <name>Film</name>
   <path>/var/media/film</path>
  </source>
  <source>
   <name>TV</name>
   <path>/var/media/tv</path>
  </source>
 </video>
 <music>
  <default></default>
  <source>
   <name>Music</name>
   <path>/var/media/music</path>
  </source>
 </music>
 <pictures>
  <default></default>
  <source>
   <name>Pictures</name>
   <path>/var/media/pictures</path>
  </source>
 </pictures>
</sources>

Make sure xbmc owns the files just created:

sudo chown -R xbmc:xbmc ~xbmc

Setup the xmbc user automation

sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.suspend
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.hibernate
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.reboot
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.shutdown
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.reboot-multiple-sessions
sudo polkit-auth --user xbmc --grant org.freedesktop.hal.power-management.shutdown-multiple-sessions

Edit /etc/init/tty1.conf so the exec line looks like this:

exec /bin/login -f xbmc < /dev/tty1 > /dev/tty1 2>&1

Create/edit ~xbmc/.bash_profile:

case "`tty`" in
/dev/tty1) clear && startx &>/dev/null;;
esac

Create/edit ~xbmc/.xsessionrc

exec xbmc --standalone

Reown all

sudo chown -R xbmc:xbmc ~xbmc

Make the remote control work

sudo apt-get install lirc

Select custom from the receiver list, and none for the second option

Copy the MCE remote config "live"

sudo cp /usr/share/lirc/remotes/mceusb/lircd.conf.mceusb /etc/lirc/lircd.conf

Create some directories to hold the media

I store all my media in one directory, because it's a big old disk with enough space.  It's also on an LVM volume, so I can grow it onto other disks if I need to.  If you have it in different places, adjust the paths as necessary.

mkdir -p /var/media/video
mkdir -p /var/media/tv
mkdir -p /var/media/music

Configure SMB to allow remote access to the media directories

Install Samba:

sudo apt-get install samba smbfs

Edit the configuration file:

vim /etc/samba/smb.conf

Add a section at the end of the files to create a media share

[media]
    path = /var/media
    browseable = yes
    comment = XBMC Media
    writable = yes
    public = yes

References

Thanks to various sources:

• Springy Development - Minimal install of XBMC on Ubuntu Karmic Koala (9.10)
  
• Ubuntu Geek - Install Nvidia Graphics Drivers 190.42 in Ubuntu Karmic/Jaunty/Intrepid/Hardy
• XBMC Wiki - XBMCbuntu
• XBMC Forums - #1