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Total Linux lightweight, but just wanted to report that it is a pretty smooth install of Mint17 on the nuc n2820. Everything but sound over HDMI works after install. After software update the intermittent sound problems went away. I really only have two and a half complaints right now (with the suspicion that some research may solve these problems):

1. My TV was not really designed for connection to a computer (so the manufacturer says) so I experience overscan problems. Intel drivers under Microsoft have a built in fix, not so easy in Linux.

2. I've never gotten great wireless performance under linux. This time around I am getting a little better than half speed of the same system under windows with some disconnect problems.

1/2. N2820 is a little pokey (ok, so thats not a linux problem )

I know that if I went the Ubuntu route I may be able to find solutions easier, or that I may be able to use Ubuntu solutions to my Mint problems.

Even with the challenges, XBMC works great and Web Surfing is tolerable. At $140 base, I think its a great value.

Atom/NUC class PCs are fantastic auxiliary machines provided they're running an efficient OS without a lot of desktop-experience bloat. I have one of Gigabyte's passive-cooled Bay Trails on the way, it's going to dual boot XP and Fedora and I'll make a note to post some results when it shows up.

One thing to be aware of with the N2820 is that depending on your luck the CPU may be a N2820 or it may be the N2830 that Intel surreptitiously dropped in without updating the product name.

NovusBogus wrote:

Atom/NUC class PCs are fantastic auxiliary machines provided they're running an efficient OS without a lot of desktop-experience bloat. I have one of Gigabyte's passive-cooled Bay Trails on the way, it's going to dual boot XP and Fedora and I'll make a note to post some results when it shows up.

One thing to be aware of with the N2820 is that depending on your luck the CPU may be a N2820 or it may be the N2830 that Intel surreptitiously dropped in without updating the product name.

Can I get you try a 720p+ rmvb file with VLC under WIndows? I can't find anything on the internet that someone actually tried it (will be pure cpu decode) and reported success. There is GPU decode for mkv/mp4, that I know for sure.

If you can point me to a sample file I will give it a go. I was able to find a 480p sample and it ran fine. Of course it is XBMC under Mint so you may not be interested (not Windows)

I'm also running Mint (16) on my N2820. It's a cute little box but the experience could've been a little smoother. Initially I had to take it to work because it wouldn't do HDMI -> DVI to my monitor. Ended up chucking it in a drawer anyway, due to install difficulties, until BIOS 25 came out. Then I was able to get Mint running without much hassle, although there is this mysterious dummy display which starts out as display #1, so you have to alt-F1 to bring up the menu to change the priority.

I chucked my old Intel G2 into it along with 8 GB of RAM for kicks. A little pokier than I'd hoped, but it's not too bad. My main gripe is the number of USB ports; I guess it's not a big deal for HTPC applications, but for desktop purposes, one or two more would've been a big plus. I might even 'upgrade' to the Bay Trail Zotac for that reason.

I also have weird wifi disconnect issues but hopefully that's a fixable problem.

Hmm, just looked for updates on the Intel site. BIOSes 0034 and 0037 both claim "Fixed issue where Intel wireless adapters lose connectivity." That's encouraging, but at the same time, there's more than one issue? Eh. I guess I'll try it out eventually, but it just so happens that I couldn't help myself and got a Zotac CI320.

Honestly, any Ubuntu things you see around the web should be almost verbatim applicable to a Mint machine. Mint is an Ubuntu derived distro.