Linux media center pc

People who love home theater PC are constantly getting interested in Linux since Microsoft made a wall above the Windows Media Center Edition for the users.

There are a number of Linux media center distros out there, and some of them do more than one thing. But which one is best? Which one provides the most value? And which one is the most well-rounded? As a subset of the Linux family of operating systems , Linux media center distros are a tool that lets you run Linux on your computer without requiring a traditional hard drive or CD. What they do is run Linux and install software on an operating system partition.

Linux media center pc

I have a TV and Media Streamer in most rooms in my house. In each of these rooms I have the ability to watch any Freeview channel. I can also listen to music, either owned music or internet radio, along with being able to browse the family photo album. Not only that but each room can do all of this independently of any other room. Sound exciting? Now, going that route is not only very impractical but it can also get rather expensive too since each room would have to have all that equipment in it. Hence my decision to build my own one. So, having decided to build my own media server what exactly were my requirements for it? Well, in no particular order they were:. Now, whilst there are a few pre-built devices out there that can do one or more of the above, NONE of them can do all of the above so I had little choice but to build my own. This was totally unheard of a few years ago! Talking about what this media server must be able to do is one thing but you want to know how to actually build it, right? Of course you do.

Because it's based on Arch Linux, it includes access to Arch User Repository AURwhich is a massive collection of user-contributed packages and software.

While proprietary options are available, the best solution is to rely on Linux for your media center OS. Looking for a Linux media center, or an alternative to the abandoned Kodibuntu? The Linux scene is an ever-changing, evolving environment with new development teams releasing new distros every week, while others close. For example, Kodibuntu is a big name in the Linux media center arena, but it's pretty much a dead project. It's time for you to move onto a Kodibuntu alternative.

There are a number of Linux media center distros out there, and some of them do more than one thing. But which one is best? Which one provides the most value? And which one is the most well-rounded? As a subset of the Linux family of operating systems , Linux media center distros are a tool that lets you run Linux on your computer without requiring a traditional hard drive or CD. What they do is run Linux and install software on an operating system partition. LinHES is a personal computer designed to playback media files and datastores, including video and audio, without the need for any special software or hardware. It also contains a full-featured music player, a video player with four built-in video encoders , and an optional media server. OpenELEC is an open-source media center distribution, which is based on the Linux kernel and is optimized for tablets, smartphones, and limited hardware. Its features include a built-in HD player, music player, and equalizer.

Linux media center pc

Despite the fact that set top boxes and devices like Chromecast are becoming popular, media center software is still around, especially on Linux. Why choose a local media center tool rather than something like Plex? Simple: ease of use. There is significantly less know-how required when you go this route in contrast to building a dedicated server and configuring it. This is the most popular media center solution on Linux.

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So for the benefit of anyone looking for some excellent hardware recommendations, here is my list. Also, you can enjoy media subtitles, and it will automatically update the media library when you make any changes. So a fair majority of individuals won't even require a DVD or Blu-ray player if this is the case. However, you might find your Linux media center OS of choice differs, determined by personal preference and hardware. Universal Media Server is a free, cross-platform, and open source media server software for Linux. I'll be sure yo update this if I can get it remapped. This operating system has also been in development for several years and offers a slick user experience. Newsletter Signup. Ubuntu MATE also includes a range of customization options, allowing you to tailor your media center to your specific needs and preferences. The Linux scene is an ever-changing, evolving environment with new development teams releasing new distros every week, while others close. Many plugins and scripts are available that make you flexible in transcoding various media formats. This powerful media server eventually supports almost all media formats and networks. I find bit versions of most Open Source software applications are better supported, especially when it comes to multimedia and desktop environment.

While proprietary options are available, the best solution is to rely on Linux for your media center OS. Looking for a Linux media center, or an alternative to the abandoned Kodibuntu?

Mehedi Hasan Mehedi Hasan is a passionate enthusiast for technology. You can store all the media files and share or enjoy those with friends and family from a local computer or network server. Madsonic is basically a music streaming software with unique features like jukebox functionality, Chromecast support, etc. In the case of my HDTV. Print Page Previous Next. Because it's designed to be lightweight, it doesn't require a lot of resources, which means it runs smoothly and reliably even on older hardware. However, did you like this list of Linux media server software? Now, whilst there are a few pre-built devices out there that can do one or more of the above, NONE of them can do all of the above so I had little choice but to build my own. Thankfully disk drives are cheap now-a-days. You have Media Portal on the list, but even though it is open source, it has never been available for Linux. While Manjaro isn't specifically designed as a media center distro, it includes support for a wide range of media center software, including Kodi, Plex, and Emby. I appreciate your patience and for helping me out. In this article, we'll take a look at some of best Linux media center distros for your home theater PC.