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XBMC 10.0 'Dharma' now available to download with improvements galore, add-on manager and Apple TV support
You may have gifts for every family member under your Yuletide tree, but we're willing to bet you haven't given much thought to your trusty media center PC. Thankfully, the open-source community once again has a ready-made present, ready to be loaded right now -- the 10.0 release of XBMC, filled with goodies and toys. It's available for Windows, Linux, Mac and even the original Apple TV, and brings a brand-new add-on manager that lets you extend functionality and improve appearance right from the UI. There's also hardware acceleration for every platform, including special consideration for nettops sporting NVIDIA ION 2 or Broadcom Crystal HD chips, and even the underpinnings of support for Windows 7 touchscreens, ARM processors and OpenGL ES 2.0. The catalog of improvements is honestly rather staggering, so rather than read them all here, you can follow our source links to the full changelog and download pages, while we try to spread the Christmahanukwanzaakah cheer. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Kinect Hacks Daily, Episode 47: Kinect taught to control XBMC through hand gestures
One of our favorite parts of Kinect, at least theoretically, was the idea of controller-free and remote-free control of the dashboard and media playbook. Sure, it's never going to be as optimized and snappy as those tried-and-true digital buttons, but it's a great party trick, and we're all about the party tricks. Well, now you can get some of that gesture mojo going on with your XBMC setup -- and we're guessing eventually you'll be able to control just about anything else you'd use basic "left, right, click" actions for navigation. Our only suggestion? Get some of that Dance Central-style menu navigation going on here. That goes for you, too, Microsoft. [Thanks, Joshua]
XBMC bids farewell to its progenitor: the original Xbox
After seven years of development, the Xbox Media Center team says they'll no longer support the console that gave the project its name. We can't blame 'em: the writing's been on the wall for years now, and 733MHz will only carry you so far. If you can't live without your chunky horizontal monolith, don't despair -- you'll still find lingering threads of code being woven at our more coverage link, and you can always lend a hand yourself if updates aren't as quick as you'd like. Don't let that keep you from pouring out your sorrows in comments, though. We're sure Boxee, Media Portal and Plex already have a tear in their eye. [Thanks, bgjz]
Hacker gets XBMC running on his PS3, tells you how (video)
Sony's disabling of Linux on the PS3 has made many people very angry, some more so than others, but for an enthusiast named madshaun1984 it was something of a call to arms. He didn't file a lawsuit or whine about it in forums -- oh no. He sat down to get XBMC working and has succeeded, albeit slowly. Right now the CellSDK that this build relies upon is not up to snuff performance-wise, so just scrolling through media is somewhat less than fun and you can forget about playing it. But, the hope is to improve that and to turn the PS3 into a proper media-streaming Linux box... so long as you don't update the firmware, anyway. Full instructions on how to do this are at the source link, but be prepared to spend the better part of an afternoon at it if you want to try yourself. For those not ready for that kind of commitment (or anyone who already has the latest firmware) you can just enjoy the video proof after the break.
Marusys MS630S and MS850S set-top boxes stream straight to your iPhone
If you didn't already have enough ways to get content onto your iPhone, Marusys is adding two more to the pile with its MS630S and MS850S set-top boxes. Said to be PVR-ready, these boxes are designed to serve up content in all sorts of ways, with composite, component, and HDMI video outputs on the back and, inside, the ability to run Linux-based media players like XBMC. Both rock a Magnum DX6225 media chip, enabling on-the-fly transcoding of content into a variety of formats, including the hallmark feature of these devices: streaming straight to the iPhone over WiFi. It's not exactly clear how this will work as Marusys itself doesn't explain this functionality on its site, but Magnum certainly talks it up in the press release after the break. No word on price and availability of either, or when we might get more info on how this whole thing fits together, but you can be sure you'll know as soon as we do.
Boxee back on Apple TV
Boxee recently released a brand new version of their beta software, but unfortunately, that build didn't happen to work on the Apple TV. That's now been fixed, however, and you can now get the USB flash drive creator app that will give you a patchstick to install the latest version on that Apple box hooked up to your television. Here's a quick FAQ on the whole process if you need a little help with it, but it sounds pretty straightforward: set up the patchstick, power up the AppleTV with patchstick installed, and enjoy. And even if you have alpha currently installed, you can just put the stick in and upgrade to the beta, no worries. That's some very impressive and quick work by a bunch of people who aren't obligated to do this at all (there are a few XBMC devs on the team as well, and the patchstick will allow you to install XBMC also, if you'd like).
Modder trims the fat, turns chubby original Xbox into svelte XBMC machine
The original Xbox has been cracked six ways to Sunday, giving us the distinct impression that those consoles still in use are, at this point, providing services very different than its designers intended. XBMC is largely responsible for that, turning the original big black box into a more than respectable media machine, and now modder Richard Wileman has given it a redesign to suit its functionality. He's replaced the original, full-sized HDD with a 2.5-inch model, performed a DVDectomy, and wedged everything into a svelte, aluminum case. There's even an IR port on there for remote control and a wee LCD for checking playlists without turning on the TV. It's less than half the size of the original and, by our count, more than twice as attractive.
1080p support coming to the Apple TV
The crew over at XBMC have made the Apple TV a little more useful in our eyes. Up until now the Apple TV has failed to playback any 1080p content because its internal chips weren't up to the challenge -- a limitation that not even the most efficient codecs could fix. With a little help from the Broadcom Crystal HD BCM970012 PCIe Mini Card, XBMC can now play back 1080p videos with ease. The bad news is the little card sells for $69 and requires the same space as the built in 802.11N WiFi adapter, but as long as you don't mind dropping the cash and Wifi, this seems like a pretty solid solution. We can only assume that thanks to close ties between XBMC and Boxee, that Boxee will be next, but in the meantime give this a try and let us know how it works out.
XBMC "Camelot" update brings lots of new features
Just in case the gifts you got from your family last week didn't float your boat (no kidding, I got a Yakov Smirnoff DVD -- I love my parents, but they're not the best gift givers in the world), here's another fun present to unwrap. The folks at XBMC released a brand new version on Christmas Eve, and it's available as a free download right now over on their website. XBMC is the open source app that started off as "Xbox Media Center" (designed to be run on the original Xbox hardware), but has now blossomed into a full-featured media center that is usable on your Apple TV or Mac. Thanks to an app, you can use your iPhone as a remote as well. The new version 9.11, a.k.a. "Camelot," has far too many new changes for us to list in their entirety here, but there's a revamped (and good-looking) user interface with increased skinning capability, updated support for different subtitles and video formats, new movie database scrapers for picking up information, and specifically in Mac OS X, support for the very popular Logitech Harmony Universal Remote. The devs say they're excited to get this one out the door, if only because it means they can move on to bigger and better very soon. Kudos on the release (during the holiday season!), and if you're an XBMC fan, have at it! [via Engadget]
XBMC 9.11 'Camelot' now available for download, huge changelog in tow
Frankly, we haven't heard much noise coming from the XBMC camp in quite some time. All that changes today, as the project has just launched its latest major update in v9.11. The so-called Camelot build is now available for download on Windows, OS X and Linux, with the most notable changes including a revamped user interface, DirectX support by default in Windows, a "complete reorganization of the settings menus, automatic video information extraction, and smoother video playback." You'll also find updated scrapers, expanded remote control support and updated codecs. Tap that source link for the download and condensed changelog -- though, we should caution you that the live installer seems to be causing issues for some, so try and stay positive, okay? Update: We've been informed that a live-repack has been released, so those install issues should be long gone.
XBMC ARM port teased, will manage HD playback from pocket-sized Beagleboard (video)
There was a time when the X in XBMC stood for Xbox, but now just look at it. The open source project is showing up on everything from MIDs to Apple TVs and soon will be in the wild running on ARM-powered devices, with the development team posting a teaser video of the software running quite well on a tiny 600MHz Beagleboard. It's a fraction of the size of most HTPCs and, at $150, a fraction of their cost, too. Right now the software seems to be struggling a bit with what looks to be 480p wide content, but the devs promise proper HD playback in the full release -- though they're not saying when that full release will be.
Plex 0.8.3 brings on the Snow Leopard love fest
If you're rocking the Mac mini -- or any other Mac, for that matter --as a media center, then chances are pretty good that you've had some tough times following the upgrade to Snow Leopard. Anticipating such problems, some of us held off upgrading to Mac OS X 10.6. Now the wait is over. Shortly after Elan discussed the details of a workaround for Plex, a new release has been let loose on the web. Plex 0.8.3 was announced earlier this week with improved Snow Leopard compatibility as well as several other fixes and new features. For users of Apple's latest OS, the biggest new feature is probably the integration of the Candelair driver which returns Plex to the days of Apple Remote compatibility. Other notable improvements and new features include: Fixed an issue with MKV playback over the network A problem with the media server crashing has been fixed Video playlists work again A new feature where downmixing 5.1 surround audio to 2.0 stereo audio has multiple dynamic range compression options. In other words, surround audio will not be as "quiet" when played through headphones. New handling of quitting/suspending commands that includes a new scheduling feature. The new release of Plex means I can finally stop holding my breath and upgrade my Mac mini to Snow Leopard. It is available now, for free (!!!) right here. Anybody else ready to upgrade to SL now that the Plex release is out? Once my mini is upgraded, rest assured that Plex will be the first thing I install. [via Macworld]
TUAW Guide: Setting up the Ultimate Mac mini Home Theater
The Mac mini has always been the perfect form factor for a media center appliance (often called a Home Theater PC/HTPC). It's extremely small, almost completely silent and it can easily blend into an existing electronics shelf - or be hidden away completely. The lack of a refresh (and rumors that the line was going to be discontinued), coupled with technical specs that didn't justify the price-point, have led many would-be HTPCers to write off the Mac mini as an option because they assume it is just too expensive. However, as more and more content moves online and people become accustomed to getting their media from a computer, the idea of a HTPC is starting to make sense to more and more families. Taking off where netbooks left off, nettops are starting to enter the marketplace. These low-priced machines are diminutive, low-powered and connect easily to a television set. There's just one problem. Although nettops are pretty good at playing back regular video content, they absolutely choke when it comes to Flash, Silverlight or any other streaming content. Still, when you look at the numbers, nettops aren't much more inexpensive than a Mac mini. You get what you pay for, too: the mini is much more powerful and can actually be used as a workhorse computer. Thanks to updated hardware and a much-improved graphics chipset, the current revision really hits the sweet-spot for the ultimate HTPC. Although many of us have longed for Apple to release an official media center product that brings the Mac mini and the Apple TV together, the current Mac mini is more than capable of serving as that product right now. Now that Apple has allowed the purchase/rental of some high-definition films via iTunes, the media content options for the Mac mini match that of the Apple TV and then some. Last month, Robert wrote about his experience transforming his "Switcher-Dad's" mini into a nice Mac media center. In mid-June, my fiance and I bought a 2009 Mac mini (the 1GB 2.0GHz model). For the last few months, I've been testing hardware, accessories and lots and lots of software to make it into the best HTPC around. My goal was simple: my Mac mini needed to work with my existing surround sound setup and it needed to seamlessly connect to the FreeNAS media server where several terabytes of audio and video files reside. It needed to connect and work with our other Macs -- as well as our Windows 7 machines -- and it needed to be silent and simple, with an interface that a visitor or guest could easily suss out. Read on for tips and tricks to get the most out of your machine's hardware and software, as we transform a 2009 Mac mini into the ultimate HTPC! Part I: the hardware side Part II: the software side
Hack Patrol: Restore Hulu to Boxee
As one might expect in the hubub following Hulu's decision to block Boxee users from streaming its content, a technical work around has now popped up. Over at Lifehacker they've got complete instructions for installing a plugin for XBMC / Boxee that will bring back the brain-softening stream. It appears to be a relatively simple process that works for both the Apple TV and the Mac versions of Boxee. Of course, there's no telling how long this particular patch will work, though frankly it seems hopeless on the part of Hulu. After all, they have to make their content available to web browsers, so in the end all the XBMC / Boxee hackers have to do is fool the Hulu servers into thinking they're streaming content to a regular web browser's Flash plugin. So unless I'm missing something, from a technical standpoint it seems like as long as the XBMC community is willing to write patches I don't see how Hulu can keep their content locked up. Of course whether they might have some legal recourse is another matter whatsoever.Update: Apparently the plugin is already broken. Hopefully, a new one will pop up soon.
boxee for Windows alpha previewed
Looking for another Windows Media Center complement / alternative? Download Squad's taken a look at the currently in private alpha Windows version of boxee and found the interface a breeze to operate with a standard Windows Media Center remote, not surprising since it was originally designed with Mac remotes in mind. Of course, without Media Center's DVR underpinnings it's not a full replacement, but with a slick video browser and often updated sources, it could find its niche as a way to navigate both locally stored and online streaming video. Hit the read link for more impressions if you haven't been invited to the party (now open to all on Mac or Ubuntu) yet.
Hulu comes to XBMC
If you've been dying to get Hulu integrated into your HTPC and the Boxee experience isn't your cup of tea, now you can give the Boxee's older cousin, XBMC, a whirl. Hit the link for details on how to get rolling, and lest you blanche at the idea of retrieving the latest XBMC source from Subversion, there's a merciful link to a compiled installer. After getting your XBMC install squared away, simply add a script and away you go! Based on the one comment in the link, it sadly sounds like Xbox 360 owners might not be able to join in on the fun just yet; but if you give this one a go, let us know how things pan out.
XBMC caught running on Compal's Jax10 MID
Mmm, do we like where this could go. Some engineering soul has managed to get the open-sourced XBMC onto a MID -- Compal's Atom-powered Jax10, to be precise. In theory, at least, this combination would make for a decidedly incredible portable media player if the price of these Mobile Internet Devices were to hit a reasonable level. Sure, many of the Cowon / iriver / Archos units support just about every file format out there, but you're still limited by whatever ecosystem comes loaded in. Have a look at the demonstration vid after the break, but don't blame us if you suddenly get the urge to buy a MID.[Via Slashdot]
XBMC spinoff Media Portal reaches version 1.0, five year countdown to MediaPortal 2 begins
It's been five long years, but the devs behind MediaPortal have decided their Windows Media Center / SageTV / BeyondTV competitor is worthy of exiting beta, finally reaching version 1.0. A long way from its roots as a Xbox Media Center port for Windows, it promises easy access to music, movies and more from a full screen display, along with support for watching and recording live TV. DownloadSquad mentions MediaPortal 2 is now on the way, with the open source project looking to add media streaming to / from various devices to the mix. Certainly seems worth a look if waiting on a boxee invite isn't your cup of tea.[Via Download Squad]
boxee alpha opens up on Mac, Ubuntu January 8; Windows invites to follow
Six months and 150,000 signups later, boxee is preparing to move from alpha to beta status, ready to drop any unsent invites on all interested parties by the 25th ahead of the open alpha period starting January 8, 2009. While OS X / Apple TV / Ubuntu have been the required attire so far, Windows users won't be out in the cold much longer, as CEO Avner Ronen revealed in comments on the boxee blog that the Windows alpha program will start "early 2009" with thousands of invites sent out every week. That enough to pique your interest in this media streaming set-top box software?[Via A VC]
Boxee releases new alpha, adds Netflix support
It's a pretty awesome day to be a Netflix fan. Not only is the Watch Instantly service officially available for OS X, it's also now working via boxee, my favorite media center application!Boxee pushed out an impromptu update last week for Apple TV owners, specifically to address issues with the 2.3 firmware update. Today's update is targeted at all boxee versions and adds a host of new features, including the big dog: Netflix support for US customers. Note: Netflix support is currently only in the Mac version of boxee. The boxee team is working hard to bring it to the Apple TV, but they need to work around some of the hardware limitations. They'll be posting updates on the boxee blog on their progress.Here's the rundown: Netflix support for Mac users Improved Hulu performance and a new Hulu interface, including access to your personal Hulu queues Access to TheWB.com (US only unless you use a proxy) The Boston Globe's Big Picture blog - amazing photos from around the world MTVMusic - songs/artists in your collection are now linked with music videos New YouTube interface, improved performance and .h264 support Custom interfaces and improved playback for CNN, Flickr and Picasa All in all, this is a pretty stellar update. When I talked to the team from boxee last week, they made it clear that Neflix was the #1 priority. That they got Netflx running in boxee in under two weeks is nothing short of amazing. Yes, I do wish that support would be extended to Apple TV users, but I can be patient. If you haven't tried boxee, you can go to http://boxee.tv/tuaw and get an invite. You'll need an Intel Mac running OS X 10.4 or OS X 10.5 or an Apple TV. Boxee is also available for Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04, though I'm unsure if the team was able to implement Netflix support for Ubuntu yet.Give it a shot and tell us what you think in the comments!
