XBMC is a free opensource cross platform media player. It has its origins from the first generation XBOX game console, where XBMC was created as a homebrew media player making use of MPlayer sources as one of its cores. XBMC has since evolved with a huge and continuously growing forum with active discussions happening 24/7.
Its flexibility in allowing add-on scripts and user-created skins has also contributed to its popularity. User-contributed skins such as the “Aeon Stark” made it even more popular in the recent months. Video shown after the break.
Featured enhancements to XBMC such as the ability to use 3rd party infra-red receivers and remote and using the WII controller via bluetooth, gave XBMC the potential to become a full-fledged “Home Media Entertainment Centre”. Not surprisingly, the XBMC has also been ported to commercial devices such as the Myka ION., which is a set-top device based on the Nvidia ION chipset that allows full 1080p playback.
For 1080p video playback, it is recommended that the hardware specifications of the GPU supports VDPAU, which is currently only found on Nvidia ION and Nvidia GPUs of 8800 series and above. Though the Broadcom CrystalHD card is able to accelerate 1080p, support via the official XBMC channels is still relatively slow and because it is a complimentary add-on card, it doesn’t come with HDMI ports. On the contrary, all ,if not most, of the Nvidia chipsets supporting VDPAU, comes with a HDMI port, digital-multichannel audio and the HD video, can be passed to the LCD/Plasma screen using only one cable.
This HDMI cable can also be connected direct to an HDMI capable audio receiver which can then offer 5.1 surround sound for a complete home entertainment experience.
XBMC can also be run in a Live-CD mode, whereby it is not necessary to install the XBMC system. SGLNX recommends “unetbootin” to create the Live-CD on a spare USB memory stick.
XBMC, being one of the most popular home entertainment system software, is not impervious to competition. This competition, however, are development forks and derivative branches of itself, goes to show the popularity and recognition of XBMC to be the undisputed opensource software for home entertainment media center.
Here’s another video eye candy of XBMC running Aeon Stark skin on Linux using Nvidia ION for 1080p playback.
SGLNX recommends XBMC to be installed with Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx coupled with Nvidia ION GPU on Atom dual-core processor board preferably in a Mini-ITX enclosure that is small enough to be vesa-mounted behind a 42″ LCD/Plasma TV.
Over at Mini-ITX.com, they provide a very concise guide to install a full linux based XBMC system.
More from This Site
- Optimize HD video playback for Nvidia ION in Linux
- Nvidia 195.22 Beta Linux Display Driver Available In Nvidia Vdpau Team PPA [Ubuntu]
- SGLNX takes Moblin 2.1 for a spin! Part One
Tags: add-ons, aeon, audio, bluetooth, Entertainment, forums, hdmi, homebrew, ion, ITX, LCD, Live CD, LiveCD, lucid, lynx, media, mini, mini-itx, mplayer, nvidia, plasma, player, scripts, skins, stark, ubuntu, vdpau, video, wii, xbmc, xbox
[...] 3) Offer to setup complete home entertainment media player using XBMC [...]