Comments on: The BoxeeBox Cookbook http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/ ...views from the Black Tower at the edge of the cloud Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:56:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jim http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2141 Jim Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:57:49 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2141 More info on Dish device at: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1099071 More info on Dish device at: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1099071

]]> By: Jim http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2140 Jim Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:56:08 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2140 Just adding my vote to Ryan and others who would like to see a tuner added. That would make the make the box near perfect. (Perfect would be 2 tuners, but that might be asking too much). This is a great box though - the open community aspect makes it so much more attractive. I have looked at other boxes like the Dish DTVPal DVR (see http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=972197 ) that has the hardware but Dish does not really "get" the idea that they are selling a platform, have trouble developing robust software, and should let other developers in. Just adding my vote to Ryan and others who would like to see a tuner added. That would make the make the box near perfect. (Perfect would be 2 tuners, but that might be asking too much).

This is a great box though – the open community aspect makes it so much more attractive. I have looked at other boxes like the Dish DTVPal DVR (see http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=972197 ) that has the hardware but Dish does not really “get” the idea that they are selling a platform, have trouble developing robust software, and should let other developers in.

]]> By: craig http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2139 craig Mon, 04 May 2009 07:40:40 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2139 Have you tried comparing Boxee yet to ZeeVee's new Zinc program? It sounds very similar, but is further developed & has released its 3rd Beta already. Plus w/ the add-on of the ZVbox you can connect all your HDTVs through your pre-existing coax connections & stream your PC & online content to any of your TVs in your home! Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me! Have you tried comparing Boxee yet to ZeeVee’s new Zinc program? It sounds very similar, but is further developed & has released its 3rd Beta already. Plus w/ the add-on of the ZVbox you can connect all your HDTVs through your pre-existing coax connections & stream your PC & online content to any of your TVs in your home! Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me!

]]> By: deviceguru http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2137 deviceguru Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:22:57 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2137 @Mike M: The Silverstone enclosure that I used for the BoxeeBox does have a provision for adding a card inside. You can probably do the wireless via USB and add the PVR card internally (if it's not too large). Alternatively, the $299 Neuros LINK (<a href="http://www.deviceguru.com/first-impressions-of-the-neuros-link/" target="new" rel="nofollow">which I reviewed here</a>) might be a better platform for what you're describing, as it has more vertical clearance to accommodate plugin-in cards and comes with WiFi in the box. @Mike M: The Silverstone enclosure that I used for the BoxeeBox does have a provision for adding a card inside. You can probably do the wireless via USB and add the PVR card internally (if it’s not too large). Alternatively, the $299 Neuros LINK (which I reviewed here) might be a better platform for what you’re describing, as it has more vertical clearance to accommodate plugin-in cards and comes with WiFi in the box.

]]> By: Mike M http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2138 Mike M Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:46:57 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2138 I would like to build this but with two additions - I need wireless access and I want to add a PVR card like Hauppague. This case seems too small for that. Can I put a PCIe card or two in here? How would it fit? I would like to build this but with two additions – I need wireless access and I want to add a PVR card like Hauppague. This case seems too small for that.
Can I put a PCIe card or two in here? How would it fit?

]]> By: DpwnShift http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2136 DpwnShift Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:53:31 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2136 I COMPLETELY agree about the Neuros Link. That is definitely what I will be getting. It STARTS with basically everything you hope to eventually get your box to without having to mess with installs/hardware: specialized keyboard/remote combo, hdmi output, a Ubuntu distribution of Linux optimized for TV, Boxxee, hulu and other web content, local (or streamed) content), netflix, mythTV, native wireless support, optional recording upgrades, and more. ALL FOR $299! I can't possible imagine needing more than that! The reviews this thing is getting tell me it will be perfect; for me, anyway! (With that said, I'm sure your Uber BoxxeeBox will blow it out of the water once you get it tweaked just right!) I COMPLETELY agree about the Neuros Link. That is definitely what I will be getting. It STARTS with basically everything you hope to eventually get your box to without having to mess with installs/hardware: specialized keyboard/remote combo, hdmi output, a Ubuntu distribution of Linux optimized for TV, Boxxee, hulu and other web content, local (or streamed) content), netflix, mythTV, native wireless support, optional recording upgrades, and more. ALL FOR $299! I can’t possible imagine needing more than that! The reviews this thing is getting tell me it will be perfect; for me, anyway! (With that said, I’m sure your Uber BoxxeeBox will blow it out of the water once you get it tweaked just right!)

]]> By: Michael Weitzel http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2135 Michael Weitzel Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:12:22 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2135 Hi there, I've followed this guide and set-up a similar system. Intially I also set it up Boxee on top of a full Ubuntu install. I found that I had some issues with video playback (couldn't pause or skip forward while playing a video as then the whole system would freeze). Not sure what caused the issue but since then I decided to use a different approach (which also has fixed the playback issues I had). I decided to use a minimal Ubuntu installation for the actual Boxee install. I built the system with a 1.5TB disk and thought I would have enough disk space to actually install several OSes on the box. The partition scheme I came up with looks as follows: 1. partition (100MB): /boot partition (primary partition) 2. partiton: (extended partition) 3. partition (10GB): XBMC (logical partition) (at first I suspected Boxee was causing my playback issue and decided to also try XBMC) 4. partition (10GB): Boxee (logical partition) 5. partition (20GB): Ubuntu 8.10 (logical partition) 6. partition (1GB): Swap partition (logical partition) 7. partition (1.4TB): data partition for all media files (logical partition) Both the XBMC and the Boxee partition are minimal installs and instructions can be found here: http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38804 (for XBMC) and here: http://forum.boxee.tv/archive/index.php/t-2046.html (for Boxee). So now I've got a full Ubuntu installation in case I need to do system maintenance and I've got the advantage of having a true appliance (without the Gnome, etc. overhead) when I want to watch videos... With all the OSes installed in logical partitions one can access the other partition from all OS installs. The only 'challenge' I had was that the data partition wasn't automatically mounted in any of the installations but a quick edit of /etc/fstab quickly fixed that (instructions here: http://t.webofgoo.com/2008/03/11/automount-partition-using-uuid-in-ubuntu/) Hope this helps somebody else as well... =) - Mike. Hi there, I’ve followed this guide and set-up a similar system. Intially I also set it up Boxee on top of a full Ubuntu install. I found that I had some issues with video playback (couldn’t pause or skip forward while playing a video as then the whole system would freeze). Not sure what caused the issue but since then I decided to use a different approach (which also has fixed the playback issues I had). I decided to use a minimal Ubuntu installation for the actual Boxee install. I built the system with a 1.5TB disk and thought I would have enough disk space to actually install several OSes on the box.

The partition scheme I came up with looks as follows:
1. partition (100MB): /boot partition (primary partition)
2. partiton: (extended partition)
3. partition (10GB): XBMC (logical partition) (at first I suspected Boxee was causing my playback issue and decided to also try XBMC)
4. partition (10GB): Boxee (logical partition)
5. partition (20GB): Ubuntu 8.10 (logical partition)
6. partition (1GB): Swap partition (logical partition)
7. partition (1.4TB): data partition for all media files (logical partition)

Both the XBMC and the Boxee partition are minimal installs and instructions can be found here: http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38804 (for XBMC) and here: http://forum.boxee.tv/archive/index.php/t-2046.html (for Boxee).

So now I’ve got a full Ubuntu installation in case I need to do system maintenance and I’ve got the advantage of having a true appliance (without the Gnome, etc. overhead) when I want to watch videos…

With all the OSes installed in logical partitions one can access the other partition from all OS installs. The only ‘challenge’ I had was that the data partition wasn’t automatically mounted in any of the installations but a quick edit of /etc/fstab quickly fixed that (instructions here: http://t.webofgoo.com/2008/03/11/automount-partition-using-uuid-in-ubuntu/)

Hope this helps somebody else as well… =) – Mike.

]]> By: Michael Eager http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2134 Michael Eager Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:07:13 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2134 I put together a media PC a while ago, using an ASUS motherboard and an Athlon processor reused from a desktop system which I had upgraded to a faster processor. I found an attractive small desktop case (also mATX form factor, but larger than yours) which had room for two SATA drives, DVD-ROM, and additional plug-in cards. I added the pcHDTV tuner card and installed MythTV. I got everything working on my workbench in my office. I could play video from a VCR through the S-video connection on the video card, play downloaded files, play from the DVD. I had some trouble picking up over-the-air broadcasts, but figured I would puzzle that out later after hooking it up to a real antenna. I moved the media PC to the living room, on a shelf next to the TV. That's when I first really noticed the noise from the fans. The box has three: the one in the power supply, the cpu fan, and an 80mm case fan. In my office, I hadn't noticed, perhaps because there were also desktop and server systems running. In the living room, the fans were loud enough to be distracting. So I moved the PC into a cabinet below the TV. I disconnected the case fan, which reduced the noise to tolerable levels. But in the enclosed space in the cabinet, the system started to overheat. Lessons learned: - 120mm case fans make significantly less noise than 80mm fans. No fans make even less noise. - Even with a lower power CPU, a system with 2 hard drives generates as much heat as a fair-sized light bulb. If I had put light in a closed space, I would expect it to get uncomfortably warm. Same thing happens with a PC. I've moved the "media PC" back to my office, where it is now a spare computer. (I also upgraded my desktop and server systems to boxes with 120mm fans, which significantly reduces the amount of noise in my office.) The way that the power on your BoxeeBox is split into a external step-down box and a fanless power supply is a good idea. Most of the heat generated by the PS is outside the case, where it easily dissipates in free air. I'm looking at another go-around at a media PC. Rather than mATX mobo, I've looked at mini-ITX or nano-ITX boards, or some proprietary form factors. A few of the boards I've looked at have HDMI (or DVI) output and suitable audio. But most have CPUs which are significantly slower than the one that you used. It's not clear to me exactly how much CPU horsepower is needed to perform reasonably. I put together a media PC a while ago, using an ASUS motherboard and an Athlon processor reused from a desktop system which I had upgraded to a faster processor. I found an attractive small desktop case (also mATX form factor, but larger than yours) which had room for two SATA drives, DVD-ROM, and additional plug-in cards. I added the pcHDTV tuner card and installed MythTV.

I got everything working on my workbench in my office. I could play video from a VCR through the S-video connection on the video card, play downloaded files, play from the DVD. I had some trouble picking up over-the-air broadcasts, but figured I would puzzle that out later after hooking it up to a real antenna.

I moved the media PC to the living room, on a shelf next to the TV. That’s when I first really noticed the noise from the fans. The box has three: the one in the power supply, the cpu fan, and an 80mm case fan. In my office, I hadn’t noticed, perhaps because there were also desktop and server systems running.

In the living room, the fans were loud enough to be distracting. So I moved the PC into a cabinet below the TV. I disconnected the case fan, which reduced the noise to tolerable levels. But in the enclosed space in the cabinet, the system started to overheat.

Lessons learned:
- 120mm case fans make significantly less noise than 80mm fans. No fans make even less noise.
- Even with a lower power CPU, a system with 2 hard drives generates as much heat as a fair-sized light bulb. If I had put light in a closed space, I would expect it to get uncomfortably warm. Same thing happens with a PC.

I’ve moved the “media PC” back to my office, where it is now a spare computer. (I also upgraded my desktop and server systems to boxes with 120mm fans, which significantly reduces the amount of noise in my office.)

The way that the power on your BoxeeBox is split into a external step-down box and a fanless power supply is a good idea. Most of the heat generated by the PS is outside the case, where it easily dissipates in free air.

I’m looking at another go-around at a media PC. Rather than mATX mobo, I’ve looked at mini-ITX or nano-ITX boards, or some proprietary form factors. A few of the boards I’ve looked at have HDMI (or DVI) output and suitable audio. But most have CPUs which are significantly slower than the one that you used. It’s not clear to me exactly how much CPU horsepower is needed to perform reasonably.

]]> By: Some Guy http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2133 Some Guy Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:28:06 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2133 For less then $600 you can buy a new/used intel mac mini. Hook it up DVI/DVI to HDMI/VGA, install boxee and set boxee to run on start up and to use the apple remote. As long as there are no resolution/input problems with the tv, it would take less then 10 minutes out of the box. Remote Buddy is a great add-on to consider as well if application switching is needed. For less then $600 you can buy a new/used intel mac mini. Hook it up DVI/DVI to HDMI/VGA, install boxee and set boxee to run on start up and to use the apple remote.

As long as there are no resolution/input problems with the tv, it would take less then 10 minutes out of the box.

Remote Buddy is a great add-on to consider as well if application switching is needed.

]]> By: deviceguru http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2132 deviceguru Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:16:34 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2132 @Steven: The drive I used is a Maxtor SATA drive. I listed the BoxeeBox's power consumption in another comment in this thread. Search for "BoxeeBox power consumption" and you'll see the data. I couldn't say how much of the power is due to the drive, though. @Steven: The drive I used is a Maxtor SATA drive. I listed the BoxeeBox’s power consumption in another comment in this thread. Search for “BoxeeBox power consumption” and you’ll see the data. I couldn’t say how much of the power is due to the drive, though.

]]> By: Steven http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2131 Steven Sat, 21 Feb 2009 04:19:25 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2131 Thanks for telling me, so any CPU running at 65 watts should be good? (fitting into the appropriate socket of course) Also I forgot to ask what brand of HD did you buy? And how many watts does it consume as I've been told that my hard drive choice consumes too much power. Thanks for telling me, so any CPU running at 65 watts should be good? (fitting into the appropriate socket of course) Also I forgot to ask what brand of HD did you buy? And how many watts does it consume as I’ve been told that my hard drive choice consumes too much power.

]]> By: deviceguru http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2130 deviceguru Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:17:19 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2130 @Matthew: Looks interesting, but since it doesn't network, it seems a bit like a fish out of water. Now, if it actually does run Linux (did you see something specific about that somewhere?) and if some hacking of the device's Linux OS could allow one of its USB ports to be used with a WiFi dongle.... that would REALLY start to be interesting! @Matthew: Looks interesting, but since it doesn’t network, it seems a bit like a fish out of water. Now, if it actually does run Linux (did you see something specific about that somewhere?) and if some hacking of the device’s Linux OS could allow one of its USB ports to be used with a WiFi dongle…. that would REALLY start to be interesting!

]]> By: Matthew http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2129 Matthew Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:50:54 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2129 What do you think of the <a href="http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?DriveID=572" target="new" rel="nofollow">Western Digital WDTV</a> device? $99 and support USB 2.0, HDMI, and composite-out. Looks like it runs Linux, too. No Ogg Theora support, sadly. (Please inform your visitors that if they do not have JavaScript or cookies enabled, then they will lose their comment when they click submit!) What do you think of the Western Digital WDTV device? $99 and support USB 2.0, HDMI, and composite-out. Looks like it runs Linux, too. No Ogg Theora support, sadly.

(Please inform your visitors that if they do not have JavaScript or cookies enabled, then they will lose their comment when they click submit!)

]]> By: deviceguru http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2128 deviceguru Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:41:14 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2128 @Steven: It's a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core <a href="http://www.intel.com/products/processor/pentium_dual-core/specs.htm" target="new" rel="nofollow">Pentium E5200</a> processor, fabbed in 45nm process. I suspect any 2GHz or faster CPU would work fine. @Steven: It’s a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core Pentium E5200 processor, fabbed in 45nm process. I suspect any 2GHz or faster CPU would work fine.

]]> By: Steven http://www.deviceguru.com/the-boxeebox-cookbook/#comment-2127 Steven Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:59:50 +0000 http://www.deviceguru.com/?p=3477#comment-2127 What kind of CPU did you use? Do you have linkage to where you bought it from and how many watts did it use? also would a 65 nm CPU be good? What kind of CPU did you use? Do you have linkage to where you bought it from and how many watts did it use? also would a 65 nm CPU be good?

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