Difference between revisions of "Fit-PC3: Installing Linux Mint 12"

Revision as of 14:18, 8 January 2012

Prepare installation media

• You can use USB DVD/CD-ROM Drive or USB Flash drive (disk-on-key) as installation media.
• Download Linux Mint 12 "Lisa" - CD or Linux Mint 12 "Lisa" - DVD.
• If you are using USB DVD/CD-ROM - burn downloaded image directly on DVD/CD.
• If you are using USB Flash drive, 1GB would be enough, use "Startup Disk Creator" utility to create LiveUSB.

Base installation of Linux Mint 12

• Standard Linux Mint installation - choose timezone, partitions, username, password etc.
• Unplug USB DVD/CD-ROM / USB Flash drive and reboot
• Login using previously selected username and password.

ATI Catalyst proprietary video driver

• Install fglrx video driver and other utilities required for the proper graphics acceleration.

sudo apt-get install fglrx xvba-va-driver vainfo

• Reboot.

XBMC with XvBA

• XBMC is a well-known free and open source media player and entertainment hub for digital media.
• There is XBMC release with direct ATI X-Video Bitstream Acceleration (XvBA) support.
• It requires latest fglrx griver that not present in Linux Mint 12 release, need to download and install it manually:

sudo wget -P /tmp https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fglrx-installer/2:8.911-0ubuntu1/+build/2952743/+files/fglrx_8.911-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i /tmp/fglrx_8.911-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb

• Now you can add XBMC XvBA repository and install the media player

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:wsnipex/xbmc-xvba
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xbmc xbmc-bin

• XBMC will support HW video acceleration out of the box.

Tips and tricks

• Fix VLC media player window style:
  • Open VLC player, go to the Tools->Preferences->Interface
  • Set "Force window style" option to "GTK+".
• Enable video acceleration on VLC media player:
  • Open VLC player, go to the Tools->Preferences->Input & Codecs
  • Check "Use GPU acceleration (experimental)" checkbox.