Topic: Mini-Review: Google Pixelbook (Read 8930 times)

JimH · « **on:** February 27, 2018, 09:00:45 am »

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a Google Pixelbook from Best Buy. I paid $899 for the laptop and $89 for the pen.

I bought an older Chromebook a few years ago, and it went straight into a drawer, never to be used again. This one is a different story.

I've used it now as my primary laptop for most of the two weeks and I love it. It's light, nice looking, has a great screen, great keyboard, and the battery life is good. For everything except using JRiver Media Center, it is a great computer. I usually don't notice that I'm not using Windows.

I'm not sure that I'll continue to use it as the primary laptop, but if I could only get JRiver running on it, I might! For now, I use Panel to control my IdPi, so for playback it works fine.

It also runs Android apps, so Gizmo works.

The package and finish of the computer are really excellent. Very well done.

I've had to adapt a little to the keyboard. There is no Fn key where I reach for it. The function keys have other purposes. There is a key similar to the Fn key, and it alters the purpose of some keys. For example, Fn-Backspace will delete right.

There is also a special Google search key and menu. I've not used that much yet.

It is so thin in part because it has almost no ports. Only two USB Type-C ports, one on each side. Either can be used for charging. I discovered that there is an adaptor available for converting USB-C to HDMI, so I've used it to watch Amazon Video on the TV.

The small package also means that it gets a little warm sitting on my legs, but not overly so.

In contrast to Windows, there aren't many settings. So far, I've found what I needed.

In summary, it's expensive, beautiful, only slightly quirky, and nice to use.

jmone · « **Reply #1 on:** March 01, 2018, 03:17:15 pm »

Mmmm could be an option for me. I'm looking for a replacement for the Samsung Galaxy View as the WiFi has died (now running wired) ... but the large 18" screen works really as the "Kitchen TV" running Android Apps

JimH · « **Reply #2 on:** March 01, 2018, 03:42:29 pm »

I had one of those. Nice package, but it went in a drawer a month after I bought it.

The Pixelbook is a lot smaller, but can fold backwards like a tent. It would probably work for that.

jmone · « **Reply #3 on:** March 01, 2018, 03:47:55 pm »

We still use the View everyday. I guess I'm really after a Google Smart Display but the ones announced this year all have little 10"ish displays. HP also made a slate / all in one device but these are also now discontinued. Want to sell your View?

BryanC · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2018, 11:22:45 am »

I would install a full distro on these the moment I bought one. I use a cheap chromebook for travel and dual-boot chromeos (for my GF) and Fedora for my work. My work partition resides on an encrypted ultrafit flash drive. It's a great setup.

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2018, 06:34:05 pm »

Just reporting back. I'm still using the PixelBook for most things.

It has a great keyboard. Battery life is never a problem. I love the size and weight.

My only complaints are:

I have to use F2 rather than F5 to refresh.

It doesn't run JRiver Media Center.

Maybe Google could fix those.

BryanC · « **Reply #6 on:** June 12, 2018, 10:13:33 am »

Jim, have you tried running MC in Crostini?

JimH · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2018, 10:30:28 am »

No. I haven't. Thanks.

jmone · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2018, 01:05:11 am »

Nice. Still looking for a replacement for the Galaxy View and have come up with nada. Also can't get a new one for love nor money these days. Happy to offer ~~Love or~~ Money for your old one if it is still in the drawer.

jmone · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2018, 07:33:05 pm »

Gave up on the Galaxy View and replaced it with an All-In-One Windows PC. So far so good.

JimH · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2018, 07:16:03 am »

Quote from: jmone on June 24, 2018, 07:33:05 pm

Gave up on the Galaxy View and replaced it with an All-In-One Windows PC. So far so good.

Sorry. I needed to look for it.

jmone · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2018, 03:41:58 pm »

Quote from: JimH on June 25, 2018, 07:16:03 am

Sorry. I needed to look for it.

Apologies, I meant I gave up on my Galaxy View. I ripped it apart and wobbled a few connectors and disconnected/reconnected the battery a few times. Got WiFi working once but next boot it had failed again. New Windows All-In-One is a hit with my wife however, so all good.

JimH · « **Reply #12 on:** July 18, 2018, 09:38:43 am »

I've had a problem with the Pixelbook. I found it in a state where it would not turn on. The display remained dark, but the keyboard would flash occasionally. I tried everything, then took it back to Best Buy, who exchanged it for a new one. Thank you, Best Buy.

Now, on vacation in France, I've had the exact same problem with the new one. Display won't turn on.

With a Google search, I found the solution.

Press esc, refresh, and power, all at the same time. The screen turned on and the device was in a mode that would accept a USB stick for recovery. I then shut it down and it restarted. It's now normal again.

I also realized why it happened (I think). I sometimes put the computer down on the floor but open and on end so it looks like a book standing. I think that the power button is then depressed and remains depressed for as long as it takes me to return. In this case, it was about 20 minutes, and the machine's screen was unresponsive. I won't do that again.

JimH · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2018, 03:45:28 am »

I'm looking at installing MC on it. Recent versions of ChromeOS support Linux apps.

https://9to5google.com/2018/11/01/chromebooks-to-never-receive-linux-full-list/

Wish me luck.

JimH · « **Reply #14 on:** November 08, 2018, 05:41:46 pm »

I needed Bob's help. He got MC installed and running on Linux on ChromeOS. Our notes follow.

JimH · « **Reply #15 on:** November 08, 2018, 05:41:57 pm »

Open a terminal, to see what is installed:

dpkg -l

Next we see what version of linux we are running:

cat /etc/issue

Debian GNU /linux9 (Stretch)

To see what architecture we have:

uname -m

x86_64

Now we go to the forum post by Awesome Donkey that tells us how to add the apt repository for MC.
Set up JRiver Media Center 24 in Debian/Ubuntu/Mint linux
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,115349.0.html

For MC26, here are the instructions:
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,123664.0.html

Note that you can copy/paste from the chromeos browser windows using the crl-c copy shortcut. To paste into the terminal window you do a spreading gsture with two fingers. (or you can paste into a Chrome OS terminal with Ctrl + Shift + v)

Note also that right click (which is used often in linux) on pixelbook is alt click

First we'll have to install a few packages to use this tutorial:

This is for encryption to add pgp keys

sudo apt-get install gnupg
sudo apt-get install wget

Then from the tutorial step 1, add the JRiver linux repo gpg key:

wget -q "http://dist.jriver.com/mediacenter@jriver.com.gpg.key" -O- | sudo apt-key add -

Now add the actual MC repo to the user-defined lists of repos (this for the latest repo):

sudo wget http://dist.jriver.com/latest/mediacenter/mediacenter24.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mediacenter25.list

Next we update the repos package lists stored on our machine:

sudo apt-get update

Finally install MC:

sudo apt-get install mediacenter25

JimH · « **Reply #16 on:** November 08, 2018, 05:45:19 pm »

So, after that, MC ran. It has some minor issues that we'll need to address, but Linux has a major problem at this time. It has no sound output.

We also found that outbound network connections work, but inbound connections don't. We think there is a way around this.

More soon, I hope. I really want this working on my favorite notebook.

Awesome Donkey · « **Reply #17 on:** November 09, 2018, 02:56:08 am »

Can't wait to hear more about this!

JimH · « **Reply #18 on:** December 07, 2018, 07:33:09 am »

JRiver for Android, build 24.0.7, works on the PixelBook. The PixelBook supports Android apps so I just installed it from the Play Store. Audio must be in the default directory for audio.

BryanC · « **Reply #19 on:** December 07, 2018, 12:58:10 pm »

Quote from: JimH on December 07, 2018, 07:33:09 am

JRiver for Android, build 24.0.7, works on the PixelBook. The PixelBook supports Android apps so I just installed it from the Play Store. Audio must be in the default directory for audio.

I wonder if it might be possible to add the ability to manually scan music file directories in future versions of JRiver for Android so that it would be possible to store music on a microSD card or OTG flash drive. I recall from working on a music app in the past that there were issues with how Android creates its music database so this may not be possible using the normal APIs.

JimH · « **Reply #20 on:** December 07, 2018, 01:30:45 pm »

We expect to make this more flexible in the future.

JimH · « **Reply #21 on:** March 04, 2019, 10:59:52 pm »

MC is now working on the PixelBook! Version 73 of ChromeOS supports audio out. I had to set audio to:

hw:CARD=i82801AAICH,DEV=0[ALSA] ... Direct Hardware Device without any conversions

JimH · « **Reply #22 on:** May 31, 2019, 06:56:43 pm »

Just using this to post a memo.

The root account doesn't have a password set. You use sudo if you need to execute commands with elevated permissions:

user@penguin:~$ sudo whoami
root

If you really need to become root for some reason, you can do so like this:

user@penguin:~$ sudo su root
root@penguin:/home/user#

JimH · « **Reply #23 on:** May 31, 2019, 07:27:06 pm »

Trying to re-install MC25. I get most of the way there, but when I try to run MC:

mediacenter25

I get this:

root@penguin:/home/jimhillegass# mediacenter25
Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 keyMediaCenter: Unable to open the X display device :0

Hendrik · « **Reply #24 on:** May 31, 2019, 08:03:14 pm »

Don't run it as root, return to your normal user to run it, or it won't have the proper environment.

JimH · « **Reply #25 on:** May 31, 2019, 08:25:34 pm »

Thanks. I'll try.

JimH · « **Reply #26 on:** June 07, 2019, 06:20:58 pm »

A problem was solved tonight by an update of Chrome to:
Version 76.0.3809.6 (Official Build) dev (64-bit)

Terminal had been missing for about 3 weeks from my Linux install and MC wouldn't start. Uninstalling Linux and reinstalling made no difference.

Tonight it appeared again and I can re-install MC.

JimH · « **Reply #27 on:** January 06, 2020, 03:23:23 pm »

Crostini, which enables Linux on ChromeOS, is weak on networking to the outside world, so MC on Linux wasn't able to connect to other machines on my network. I finally found a way. Not sure yet how solid it is.

Connection Forwarder
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/connection-forwarder/ahaijnonphgkgnkbklchdhclailflinn

You can add a rule like this

Forward: localhost:52199
To: 192.168.0.48:52199

Save the rule, then turn on forwarding (on the web page).

By doing this, I can now connect to an Id on my network by using the Access Key for it. I can play there. I'm still unable to play here, but it's a start!

JimH · « **Reply #28 on:** April 19, 2020, 10:01:15 am »

One of the Crostini (Linux support) updates caused JRiver to display a black screen. I just reported it here for a new Chromebook (Samsung Galaxy Chromebook):

https://support.google.com/chromebook/thread/40628509?hl=en

The solution was found by someone on the forum. In Chrome, disable the setting for gpu-support:

chrome://flags/#crostini-gpu-support

JimH · « **Reply #29 on:** February 18, 2021, 07:09:33 am »

ChromeOS is now in #2 position:
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,128639.msg892872.html#msg892872

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: Mini-Review: Google Pixelbook (Read 8930 times)