Installing OpenElec on Raspberry PI 2

In this article we will see how to create a media center with a solution called OpenELEC.

OpenElec is a Linux distribution based on Kodi (formerly XBMC), a very well known media center under different OS (Linux, Mac OSX and Windows). Its big advantage is that it natively supports many video, audio and image formats.
Thanks to it, you will be able to play video files even if they are encoded in 1080p HD. Play IPTV streams, etc...
We will see here how to install it on a Raspberry Pi 2 that I just acquired:

Raspberry PI 2

Software :

Image OpenElec
Win32 Disk Imager
SD Formatter

1. Preparing the SD card

Install the "SD Formatter" software to format your SD card correctly. You can follow the following article.


2. Downloading OpenElec

Start by going to the download page of the official OpenELEC website.
Choose the image according to your equipment, in my case it's a Raspberry Pi 2 with 1024 MB of RAM.
You have to choose the "Disk image" of the last stable release.
Save the image on your Desktop.


3. Write the OpenElec image to the SD card.

For the installation of openELEC on the SD card, we will use the "Win32 Disk Imager" software and the OpenELEC image that you have just downloaded from the official website.

Launch Win32 Disk Imager

Win32 Disk Imager

Click on the folder to choose the prevuiously downloaded OpenELEC image
Choose the Device (your SD card)
Click Write to start writing to the SD card.
Agree to erase the card
Wait for the end of the installation

Win32 Disk Imager Write Successful

Now that your SD card is ready, we will set up our Raspberry in Media Center mode.



3. Preparing the Raspberry PI

[PIC 4 Prepare Raspberry PI2 for first run of OpenElec]

• 3.a. Install the SD card in your Raspberry-Pi
• 3.b. Connect the USB extensions according to your needs: keyboard, mouse, Wifi key, remote control, etc.
• 3.c. Connect the HDMI cable between the Raspberry and your TV.
• 3.d. Power the Raspberry with a micro USB cable from a charger or the USB port on your TV.

Your Media Center will start up and you will see the following image on the screen to start the configuration process

First Start of OpenElec: Configuration