Debian on ION system HTPC
Base system setup applies to all computers. Tweaks are for ASUS AT3IONT-I Deluxe motherboard with nVidia ION (and Intel Atom).
⚠️ Later I installed XBMC 10.0 “Dharma” which seems to be better and with more ergonomic OSD than Boxee (not as pretty though). There is also plugin for CSFD.cz database.
debootstrap-ping the base system
Everything is done by debootstrap tool which does installation of base Debian system:
debootstrap--arch=i386 --keep-debootstrap-dir squeeze path/to/squeeze/ http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian/
Here are some helpful links about debootstrap:
Now we need to do some changes to installed system (you will have to change Linux version for future Debian versions):
# use variable for system path and
BASE=path/to/squeeze
# mount pseudo-filesystems
mount proc $BASE/proc -t proc
mount sysfs $BASE/sys -t sysfs
# chroot and set root password
chroot $BASE /bin/bash
passwd
# basic configuration
dpkg-reconfigure tzdata
aptitude install locales
dpkg-reconfigure locales
# install kernel and bootloader
aptitude install linux-image-2.6.32-5-686
aptitude install grub
We need to make some configuration files (I will skip fstab until we have all done):
echo boxee > /etc/hostname
cat > /etc/network/interfaces <<EOF
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
EOF
cat > /etc/apt/sources.list <<EOF
deb http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
deb ftp://ftp.at.debian.org/backports.org squeeze-backports main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org squeeze main non-free
EOF
Installing software
At this point you can run aptitude and install whatever you want. I made a list of changes I did. It includes gdm, XFCE and various utilities but you don’t really need them in pure HTPC (but I tried to remove as much bloat as I could).
(First part are really basic tools I like to have.)
+mc
+screen
+openssh-server
+rsync
+ntpdate
+molly-guard
+curl +openssl blacklist/extra
+dnsutils
+mlocate +dlocate
+ethtool
+iw
+acpid -acpi-support-base
+nmap
+firmware-linux
+alsa-utils # for ALSA
+readahead # for quicker boot
# bluetooth:
+blueman
+bluetooth -bluez-cups
# fancy desktop environment
+gdm -gnome-panel -gnome-session -metacity
+xfce4-session +gdm -aumix -fortunes-min -gdm-themes -gnome-keyring -notification-daemon +xfce4-notifyd
+gnome-disk-utility
+xfce4-terminal
# other useful tools
+xbindkeys +xbindkeys-config
+devilspie
# fun stuff
+irssi
+links2
-vim-tiny
-nano
+zile
+rtorrent
Preparing partitions and /etc/fstab
This is really generic fstab which depends on parititon labels boxee and swap:
cat > fstab <<EOF
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# file system mount point type options dump pass
LABEL=swap none swap sw 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
LABEL=boxee / ext4 defaults 0 1
#LABEL=boot /boot ext2 ro,nosuid,nodev 0 2
EOF
You can set the labels like this (⚠️ don’t mix up the devices):
mkswap -L swap /dev/...
tune2fs -L boxee /dev/...
Also we don’t want long boot on HTPC:
# no checking after remounts/days
tune2fs -c0 -i0 /dev/...
Copying the system
Ok, my notes here are lacking, but you’ll do fine :)
umount $BASE/proc
umount $BASE/sys
umount $BASE/dev
# I have used: mount -t none /dev $BASE/dev -o bind
# but in the end I installed grub from my system
cp -a $BASE/* /mnt/boxee/
grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/boxee/ /dev/sdb
And don’t forget to delete APT cache with aptitude clean. You will need to run update-grub later on running system.
Booting with QEMU
It should give you grub shell, not grub-rescue:
qemu -hda /dev/sdb
An in grub shell:
root (hd0,msdos2)
linux /vmlinuz root=LABEL=boxee
initrd /initrd.img
ION HTPC installation
Make non-privileged user:
adduser boxee
usermod -a -G audio,video,cdrom,plugdev,powerdev boxee
Blank password
If you choose to use login manager you might want to use blank password. From /etc/passwd erase “x” between colons for boxee user. In /etc/pam.d/common-auth change pam_unix to use nullok.
Make sure /etc/ssh/sshd_config includes PermitEmptyPasswords no.
HDMI audio
/etc/asound.conf found here http://forums.boxee.tv/showpost.php?p=49052&postcount=6. The downside is that ALSA won’t remember it after suspend and alsa force-reload will kill the app.
cat > /etc/asound.conf <<EOF
pcm.dmixer {
type dmix
ipc_key 1024
ipc_key_add_uid false
ipc_perm 0660
slave {
pcm "hw:0,3"
rate 48000
channels 2
period_time 0
period_size 1024
buffer_time 0
buffer_size 4096
}
}
pcm.!default {
type plug
slave.pcm "dmixer"
}
EOF
More packages:
+nvidia-vdpau-driver +nvidia-settings
# better for HTPC with wifi than network-manager
+wicd
# boxee.tv or xbmc, but you're free to install mplayer-nogui or vlc (no VDPAU yet?)
+boxee
+flashplugin-nonfree
# for fancy bootsplash try plymouth, but it boots a little longer
You’ll need to run nvidia-xconfig.
Suspend
If you want to suspend you’ll have to make some modules unloaded before:
cat > /etc/pm/config.d/usb <<EOF
SUSPEND_MODULES="ehci_hcd uhci_hcd ohci_hcd"
EOF
⚠️ New scripts are reloading these manually after suspend – this allows resume by power button on the remote. See pm/sleep.d directory.
Drivers
Here’s nice package for bluetooth driver ath3k (don’t forget to install included firmware) and Philips remote driver: http://ubuntuone.com/p/3aX/. ath3k will be in later kernel.
I just extracted and compiled it manually.
hid_philips_asus
This driver works better for me than lirc. Also you’ll want newer version from Ubuntu. LIRC howto.
Here’s my mappings.h for Boxee. I’m not sure what’s wrong with rewind and fast forward, but it doesn’t work all the time. Below is another version for XBMC.
⚠️ Note: I’m using KEY_SLEEP for starting Boxee from acpid. Also I have radio button mapped to KEY_VIDEOSWITCHMODE which makes ACPI event and I reconnect WiFi connection (I had some wifi connection problems).
/***************************************************
* Button mappings
*
* Change the key values according to linux/input.h
* and then rebuild the driver
***************************************************/
/* Power button */
#define BUTTON_POWER KEY_SLEEP
/* Play, rewind, forward buttons */
#define BUTTON_REWIND KEY_LEFTBRACE
#define BUTTON_PLAYPAUSE KEY_PLAYPAUSE
#define BUTTON_FORWARD KEY_RIGHTBRACE
/* Previous, stop, next buttons */
#define BUTTON_PREVIOUS KEY_COMMA
#define BUTTON_STOP KEY_STOP
#define BUTTON_NEXT KEY_DOT
/* Volume buttons */
#define BUTTON_MUTE KEY_MUTE
#define BUTTON_VOLUMEUP KEY_VOLUMEUP
#define BUTTON_VOLUMEDOWN KEY_VOLUMEDOWN
/* Arrow buttons */
#define BUTTON_RIGHT KEY_RIGHT
#define BUTTON_LEFT KEY_LEFT
#define BUTTON_DOWN KEY_DOWN
#define BUTTON_UP KEY_UP
/* OK button */
#define BUTTON_OK KEY_ENTER
/* Back button */
#define BUTTON_BACK KEY_BACKSPACE
/* Special buttons from left to right counter clockwise*/
#define BUTTON_HOME KEY_ESC
#define BUTTON_WINDOWS KEY_I
#define BUTTON_RADIO KEY_FAVORITES//
#define BUTTON_MUSIC BTN_SELECT //
#define BUTTON_DTS KEY_SUBTITLE //
#define BUTTON_TRANQUIL KEY_S
#define BUTTON_FULLSCREEN KEY_Z
/* Middle special button */
#define BUTTON_HOMETHEATER KEY_HOMEPAGE
/***************************************************
* Button mappings
*
* Change the key values according to linux/input.h
* and then rebuild the driver
***************************************************/
/* Power button */
#define BUTTON_POWER KEY_SLEEP
/* Play, rewind, forward buttons */
#define BUTTON_REWIND KEY_RIGHTBRACE
#define BUTTON_PLAYPAUSE KEY_PLAYPAUSE
#define BUTTON_FORWARD KEY_LEFTBRACE
/* Previous, stop, next buttons */
#define BUTTON_PREVIOUS KEY_COMMA
#define BUTTON_STOP KEY_STOP
#define BUTTON_NEXT KEY_DOT
/* Volume buttons */
#define BUTTON_MUTE KEY_MUTE
#define BUTTON_VOLUMEUP KEY_VOLUMEUP
#define BUTTON_VOLUMEDOWN KEY_VOLUMEDOWN
/* Arrow buttons */
#define BUTTON_RIGHT KEY_RIGHT
#define BUTTON_LEFT KEY_LEFT
#define BUTTON_DOWN KEY_DOWN
#define BUTTON_UP KEY_UP
/* OK button */
#define BUTTON_OK KEY_ENTER
/* Back button */
#define BUTTON_BACK KEY_BACKSPACE
/* Special buttons from left to right counter clockwise*/
#define BUTTON_HOME KEY_ESC
#define BUTTON_WINDOWS KEY_I
#define BUTTON_RADIO KEY_O//KEY_SWITCHVIDEOMODE
#define BUTTON_MUSIC KEY_TAB
#define BUTTON_DTS KEY_COMPOSE
#define BUTTON_TRANQUIL KEY_S
#define BUTTON_FULLSCREEN KEY_Z
/* Middle special button */
#define BUTTON_HOMETHEATER KEY_HOMEPAGE
We must make sure it loads before usbhid. Add this to /etc/modules:
hid_philips_asus
usbhid
hid
And this /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:
blacklist usbhid
Then run update-initramfs -u. You might need to put command like this to /etc/rc.local to enable USB device to send wakeup signal:
# IR wakeup, UPS wakeup - you might want to enable USB2, US12, US15
echo USB0 > /proc/acpi/wakeup
⚠️ This stopped working in 2.6.32-29, in addition you will need to enable USB devices to allow wakeup with /etc/pm/sleep.d script like this:
#!/bin/sh
grep . /sys/bus/usb/devices/*/manufacturer | while read line; do
name=`echo $line | cut -d: -f2`
out=`echo $line | cut -d: -f1 | sed 's@manufacturer@power/wakeup@'`
if [ "$name" = "PHILIPS" -o "$name" = "APC" ]; then
echo Allowing $name device to wake up
echo enabled > $out
fi
done
Other tweaks
You’ll probably want halevt to mount removable media automatically. Didn’t work for my external DVD drive.
Important configuration files including boxee init script. You will need to run update-rc-d boxee enable for appropriate runlevel (usually for 2, which is default in inittab).
