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Q: What is XBMC?

A: XBMC Media Center (formerly named XBox Media Center) is a cross-platform free and open source software media-player and entertainment hub with a 10-foot user interface design for the living-room TV. It was originally created for the first-generation Xbox game console, but is now available for the Linux, Mac OS X (Leopard, Tiger, Apple TV), and Microsoft Windows operating systems. There is also a bootable Live CD and Live USB version referred to as “XBMC Live“.

Read more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XBMC

This guide is take from the “official guide.”

Adding the XBMC Repo

Adding the XBMC Repo tells your system where to look for xbmc for installation and future updates

  • From the Desktop, click System -> Administration -> Software Sources.
  • Click the “Third Party Sofware” tab.
  • Click “Add”. For the Apt line type the following, substituting “jaunty” for your version:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu/ jaunty main
  • Click “Close”. If you see a GPG Error upon closing the window, not to worry. That will be handled in the next step.

Adding PPA Keys

These packages are signed with a unique key for added security. Synaptic needs to know this key in order to verify the packages’ authenticity.

  • Click here to view the PGP key
  • Select the text from the beginning of the keyblock to the end (including those lines)
  • Copy that text to the clipboard (Edit -> Copy)
  • Open your text editor from Applications -> Text Editor.
  • Paste the key contents (Edit -> Paste)
  • Save the document in your home folder as xbmc-ppa.key
  • Reopen Software Sources, this time choosing the “Authentication” tab.
  • Click “Import Key File” and choose the newly created xbmc-ppa.key and press OK.

Installing XBMC

Now that the repo and key have been added, install XBMC like any other program.

  • Click System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager
  • Click “Reload”
  • Search for “xbmc”
  • Mark xbmc and xbmc-standalone for installation and mark additional changes when prompted.
  • Click “Apply” and agree to the changes after reading them.

XBMC is now installed and ready for use.

Autostart XBMC (optional)

By following these instructions, your system will boot directly into XBMC rather than your desktop from now on. It is advised that you delay this step until XBMC is setup as you’d like it.

  • From the desktop click System -> Administration -> Login Window
  • From the “Security” tab choose “Enable Automatic Login” and select your username.
  • Click “OK” to exit.
  • Logout of your system.
  • From the Login screen choose “Select Session”
  • Choose “XBMC” and click “Change Session”

You’re finished. Next time you login you should be greeted with XBMC.

NOTE: XBMC is inbuilt in Sabayon Linux! 😉