Hardware:<\/h3>\n1. Raspberry Pi Media Centre Kit which includes: Retail Price: $89.95<\/h4>\n\n- Raspberry Pi Model 3 B<\/li>\n
- Class 10 16GB MicroSD Card pre-loaded with XBMC (OpenELEC)<\/li>\n
- Our very own HighPi Raspberry Pi Model B+\/2\/3 Case<\/li>\n
- 5.25V 2.4A Power Supply<\/li>\n
- Cat6 Ethernet Network Cable<\/li>\n
- High Quality 3ft HDMI Cable<\/li>\n
- Aluminum CPU and GPU Heatsinks to keep your Pi running cool<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2.\u00a0 2 TB External Hard Drive – Western Digital (Already Had this)\u00a0 – Approximate Cost now $50-100<\/h4>\n3. NuRoMedia Mini Keyboard\u00a0 (Already Had this) – Retail Price $25.00<\/h4>\n4.\u00a0 HDHomeRun Connect DUO\u00a0 – Retail Price: $159.95<\/h4>\n
Pictures of all equipment below:<\/p>\n
![\"RaspBerryPiMediaCentreKit\"](\"https:\/\/ml0thziolnzt.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/http:\/\/rosenblath.ca\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/RaspBerryPi3MediaCentreKitjpg.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"heatsink-pi2\"](\"https:\/\/ml0thziolnzt.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/http:\/\/rosenblath.ca\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/heatsink-Pi2.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"powersupplyjpg\"](\"https:\/\/ml0thziolnzt.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/http:\/\/rosenblath.ca\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/PowerSupplyjpg.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
![\"HDHomeRun\"](\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20100%%20100%%22%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSetup the RaspBerry Pi:<\/h2>\n
The Raspberry Pi Media Center Kit comes with a 16GB micro SD card with the openelec build with Kodi etc already on it.\u00a0 I discovered that OpenElec is no longer being supported very well by the project owners (its an open source project)\u00a0 so I went to LibreElec instead.\u00a0 LibreElec is what is known as a code fork.\u00a0 In this case it’s a code fork of OpenElec (A Code Fork is when another group takes the source code and changes the name, creates their own project and begins working on it).<\/p>\n
LibreELEC<\/b> (short for Libre Embedded Linux Entertainment Center<\/b>) is a non-profit fork of OpenELEC<\/a> as an open source just enough OS<\/i> (JeOS) Linux<\/a> software appliance<\/a> distro for Kodi<\/a>. This fork of OpenELEC announced in March 2016 as a split from the OpenELEC team after “creative differences”, taking most of its active developers at the time to join the new LibreELEC project.[1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup>[3]<\/a><\/sup>[4]<\/a><\/sup> This is a conservative fork of the OpenELEC<\/a> project with a stronger focus on pre-release testing and post-release change management.[4]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\nWhen building a device such as this, you rely on your own ability to maintain the system, so choosing an appliance OS that’s being actively supported by people that love what they do (they have to, because they don’t make any money off of it.) is important.\u00a0 If you are saying to yourself….why would anyone work on something like this and produce code if they aren’t making any money? …. Take some time to read about open source software and the open source software movement and GNU\/GPL foundation…..you’ll understand better.<\/p>\n
The people supporting the LibreElec OS are dedicated to better pre-release testing and post-release change management, so from this we can expect more stable releases that have all the bugs worked out before released for General use to people like us.<\/p>\n
1. Download the LibreElect image.\u00a0 (at the time of this article : LibreELEC-RPi2.arm-8.2.4.img.gz<\/a>\u00a0(info<\/a>))\u00a0 Go to LibreElec–>Downloads to see what the latest is and download for the Raspberry pi version that matches your hardware.\u00a0 Ours is Version 3B<\/p>\nAfter This it starts to get more complicated because you need to know how to write an image to a Flash.<\/p>\n
Basically you take the downloaded GZip file and run a command or a program to uncompress and write this image to the SD card, thus making it a bootable OS.<\/p>\n
The way to do this is different on Mac Vs Linux and Different yet still in Windows.<\/p>\n
To make this easier, our friends at LibreElec created a program to write the Flash for us.<\/p>\n
To create bootable USB or SD Card installation media for any LibreELEC supported platform,\u00a0 download the \u201cLibreELEC USB-SD Creator\u201d app and run it with administrator rights: https:\/\/libreelec.tv\/downloads\/<\/a><\/p>\nIf you’re\u00a0 using Linux, the method for Linux is below, below that you’ll see the mac OSX method that I used.<\/p>\n
A(1): Linux | Download and Uncompress LibreELEC to MicroSD Card<\/h2>\n
Use the following instructions to download and write the LibreELEC image to the microSD card.<\/p>\n
\n- Insert the MicroSD card into your computer.<\/li>\n
- Determine the which \/dev\/device it is.\n
dmesg | tail<\/code><\/pre>\nExample output:<\/p>\n
$ dmesg | tail\r\n[ 227.218363] sdhci-pci 0000:01:00.2: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16\r\n[ 227.218396] sdhci-pci 0000:01:00.2: Refusing to bind to secondary interface.\r\n[ 227.218413] sdhci-pci 0000:01:00.2: PCI INT A disabled\r\n[ 227.218884] jmb38x_ms 0000:01:00.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)\r\n[ 227.218906] jmb38x_ms 0000:01:00.3: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16\r\n[ 227.218931] jmb38x_ms 0000:01:00.3: setting latency timer to 64\r\n[ 227.617315] mmc1: new SDHC card at address 0001\r\n[ 227.617720] mmcblk1: mmc1:0001 SD8GB 7.32 GiB\r\n[ 227.621661] mmcblk1: p1 p2\r\n[ 228.753036] EXT4-fs (mmcblk1p2): mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)<\/code><\/pre>\nFrom above output the device is \/dev\/mmcblk1<\/strong> (we ignore the partition portion p2<\/strong>).<\/p>\n
- \n
- Raspberry Pi Model 3 B<\/li>\n
- Class 10 16GB MicroSD Card pre-loaded with XBMC (OpenELEC)<\/li>\n
- Our very own HighPi Raspberry Pi Model B+\/2\/3 Case<\/li>\n
- 5.25V 2.4A Power Supply<\/li>\n
- Cat6 Ethernet Network Cable<\/li>\n
- High Quality 3ft HDMI Cable<\/li>\n
- Aluminum CPU and GPU Heatsinks to keep your Pi running cool<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2.\u00a0 2 TB External Hard Drive – Western Digital (Already Had this)\u00a0 – Approximate Cost now $50-100<\/h4>\n
3. NuRoMedia Mini Keyboard\u00a0 (Already Had this) – Retail Price $25.00<\/h4>\n
4.\u00a0 HDHomeRun Connect DUO\u00a0 – Retail Price: $159.95<\/h4>\n
Pictures of all equipment below:<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Setup the RaspBerry Pi:<\/h2>\n
The Raspberry Pi Media Center Kit comes with a 16GB micro SD card with the openelec build with Kodi etc already on it.\u00a0 I discovered that OpenElec is no longer being supported very well by the project owners (its an open source project)\u00a0 so I went to LibreElec instead.\u00a0 LibreElec is what is known as a code fork.\u00a0 In this case it’s a code fork of OpenElec (A Code Fork is when another group takes the source code and changes the name, creates their own project and begins working on it).<\/p>\n
LibreELEC<\/b> (short for Libre Embedded Linux Entertainment Center<\/b>) is a non-profit fork of OpenELEC<\/a> as an open source just enough OS<\/i> (JeOS) Linux<\/a> software appliance<\/a> distro for Kodi<\/a>. This fork of OpenELEC announced in March 2016 as a split from the OpenELEC team after “creative differences”, taking most of its active developers at the time to join the new LibreELEC project.[1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup>[3]<\/a><\/sup>[4]<\/a><\/sup> This is a conservative fork of the OpenELEC<\/a> project with a stronger focus on pre-release testing and post-release change management.[4]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n
When building a device such as this, you rely on your own ability to maintain the system, so choosing an appliance OS that’s being actively supported by people that love what they do (they have to, because they don’t make any money off of it.) is important.\u00a0 If you are saying to yourself….why would anyone work on something like this and produce code if they aren’t making any money? …. Take some time to read about open source software and the open source software movement and GNU\/GPL foundation…..you’ll understand better.<\/p>\n
The people supporting the LibreElec OS are dedicated to better pre-release testing and post-release change management, so from this we can expect more stable releases that have all the bugs worked out before released for General use to people like us.<\/p>\n
1. Download the LibreElect image.\u00a0 (at the time of this article : LibreELEC-RPi2.arm-8.2.4.img.gz<\/a>\u00a0(info<\/a>))\u00a0 Go to LibreElec–>Downloads to see what the latest is and download for the Raspberry pi version that matches your hardware.\u00a0 Ours is Version 3B<\/p>\n
After This it starts to get more complicated because you need to know how to write an image to a Flash.<\/p>\n
Basically you take the downloaded GZip file and run a command or a program to uncompress and write this image to the SD card, thus making it a bootable OS.<\/p>\n
The way to do this is different on Mac Vs Linux and Different yet still in Windows.<\/p>\n
To make this easier, our friends at LibreElec created a program to write the Flash for us.<\/p>\n
To create bootable USB or SD Card installation media for any LibreELEC supported platform,\u00a0 download the \u201cLibreELEC USB-SD Creator\u201d app and run it with administrator rights: https:\/\/libreelec.tv\/downloads\/<\/a><\/p>\n
If you’re\u00a0 using Linux, the method for Linux is below, below that you’ll see the mac OSX method that I used.<\/p>\n
A(1): Linux | Download and Uncompress LibreELEC to MicroSD Card<\/h2>\n
Use the following instructions to download and write the LibreELEC image to the microSD card.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Insert the MicroSD card into your computer.<\/li>\n
- Determine the which \/dev\/device it is.\n
dmesg | tail<\/code><\/pre>\nExample output:<\/p>\n
$ dmesg | tail\r\n[ 227.218363] sdhci-pci 0000:01:00.2: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16\r\n[ 227.218396] sdhci-pci 0000:01:00.2: Refusing to bind to secondary interface.\r\n[ 227.218413] sdhci-pci 0000:01:00.2: PCI INT A disabled\r\n[ 227.218884] jmb38x_ms 0000:01:00.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)\r\n[ 227.218906] jmb38x_ms 0000:01:00.3: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16\r\n[ 227.218931] jmb38x_ms 0000:01:00.3: setting latency timer to 64\r\n[ 227.617315] mmc1: new SDHC card at address 0001\r\n[ 227.617720] mmcblk1: mmc1:0001 SD8GB 7.32 GiB\r\n[ 227.621661] mmcblk1: p1 p2\r\n[ 228.753036] EXT4-fs (mmcblk1p2): mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)<\/code><\/pre>\nFrom above output the device is \/dev\/mmcblk1<\/strong> (we ignore the partition portion p2<\/strong>).<\/p>\n