HTPC... OS choice?

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only1brian

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
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Ive been greatly thinking about making a HTPC but not sure what or how to carry it out.

1. What are the different media OS that can be run and what are the differences? (links, sites are appreciated/screen shots/videos)

2a. Would running MC on a Xbox be just as efficient with mapped drives to a server on the network?
2b. Does the new PS3, Xbox360, or Wii already come with a media center type OS?
 
I am using MS Media Edition, but will prob upgrade to Vista Ultimate when I get my academic copies....
 
XP MCE

I can't see any reason to upgrade to Vista considering it is slower and has more bugs/compatibility issues (i.e. last I checked PureVideo wasn't supported). When you are running a frontend, the glamour of Vista's new desktop is lost anyway.
 
Me, I use Linux, running MythTV. This means that other people don't have any clue as to how to quit it, and thus can't cancel my recordings by accident. It also means that certain people can't install HyperMegaDoom 65 or Unreal or something and roast the puny videocard.
 
alan.p said:
Me, I use Linux, running MythTV. This means that other people don't have any clue as to how to quit it, and thus can't cancel my recordings by accident. It also means that certain people can't install HyperMegaDoom 65 or Unreal or something and roast the puny videocard.
Click to expand...
Looks nice, kind of bubbly and bulky though.. unless that just the resolution the site has for screenshots.
 
Linux here. Still haven't ordered a tuner card, but once I do I'll be running MythTV as well.
 
Judging from the website, I take it MythTV needs linux? I couldnt really find it specifically but after reading the file structure section, I guess its linux only?
 
Another MythTV user here. I love it, and cannot say enough good things about it. It is, in many ways, *technically* superior to MCE (client/server architecture to start with)... BUT the most important advantage, in my opinion, is psychological. I KNOW without a doubt what will happen to my media. I am not beholden to what PHB's in Redmond (or the mafIAA / media cartel execs) want to do to my recordings. I can play back on any system that I want. I can burn recordings off onto DVD to watch later. If I feel that any part of the system is particularly onerous to me, I can GET THE SOURCE CODE and improve whatever I feel like.

Unfortunately, that means that it HAS to be on a linux box (for now... osX port and windows ports are forthcoming) and I have to be picky about hardware. Also, there is no way in hell that I will get cablecard support. That's okay, though. I have firewire out from my cable box... I can watch whatever I want.

As far as looks, MythTV is skinnable, so you can make it look however you want. I use Juski's Blootube-wide theme and think it looks fantastic.

MythTV runs very well for standard def. using an xbox as a frontend, although it takes a bit of work to get there. I don't know of any current way to use a Wii, 360, or ps3 for a frontend, but it's only a matter of time before unsigned code can be run on the wii and 360, and the ps3 can *run* linux, so with some hacking, I'm sure you could at least get the frontend to run. Although I'm pretty sure that most of the FOSS community are not big fans of sony (or MS for that matter)... SOMEBODY will eventually make it happen. Myself, I stick to a purpose-built PC for media duties.

I'd be happy to help you out if you choose to go the MythTV route, as will just about everbody on #mythtv-users on freenode. It's nowhere near as hard as most people make it out to be, but I admit it's harder than it should be.

Good luck!
-q
 
rhouck said:
I can't see any reason to upgrade to Vista considering it is slower and has more bugs/compatibility issues (i.e. last I checked PureVideo wasn't supported).
Click to expand...

the latest purevideo works just fine in vista, and is a whole lot better than microsofts codec.
 
I use XP pro with byondtv (server) and Link+ beyondmedia with DVD library plugin (client)

I like it and it handles my 3 tuner cards and DVDs in ripped in VOBs very nicely...

i know lots of people use mythTV but I just go into BeyondTV becasue it came with my first tv tuner card and since it works well for what I want I have no reason to change...

JMO
 
only1brian said:
Ive been greatly thinking about making a HTPC but not sure what or how to carry it out.

1. What are the different media OS that can be run and what are the differences? (links, sites are appreciated/screen shots/videos)
Click to expand...

Linux = Myth TV

Windows = SageTV, BeyondTV, Media center editons (Vista and MCE 2005)

2a. Would running MC on a Xbox be just as efficient with mapped drives to a server on the network?
Click to expand...

if you have a hacked first gen xbox you can run XBMC and yes it works but it won't do things like TV recordings or anything like that.

2b. Does the new PS3, Xbox360, or Wii already come with a media center type OS?
Click to expand...

With a PC running windows XP, you can use the media connect software and stream WMV, Mpeg2 and WMA files, the 360 doesn't support things like xvid or divx without using third party applications like transcode 360, and that still isn't seamless.

- Josh
 
UMDivX said:
Linux = Myth TV

Windows = SageTV, BeyondTV, Media center editons (Vista and MCE 2005)

if you have a hacked first gen xbox you can run XBMC and yes it works but it won't do things like TV recordings or anything like that.

With a PC running windows XP, you can use the media connect software and stream WMV, Mpeg2 and WMA files, the 360 doesn't support things like xvid or divx without using third party applications like transcode 360, and that still isn't seamless.

- Josh
Click to expand...

Thanks, great response! :D
 
Hey, here's a question...

Can MythTV record to a NAS setup? I plan to build myself a little NAS enclosure, but I'd like to know if Myth is capable of recording to networked storage, instead of locally. Thanks.
 
Xaeos said:
Hey, here's a question...

Can MythTV record to a NAS setup? I plan to build myself a little NAS enclosure, but I'd like to know if Myth is capable of recording to networked storage, instead of locally. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Yes it can.
 
I use GBpvr on WinXP with a Hauppauge PVR150. I have found it extremely functional & easy to setup. Though it does lack some of the "ooohhh aaahhh" video effects of MCE and the like, the interface can be dressed up a lot with the available themes.

Also it is free!

However, it's as in beer... not source.
 
i have MCE 2005 on my second PC, and it isn't bad.

but for home theatre functionality I prefer the iMedian software that comes with the Silvesrtone LC16-M case of my main PC.
 
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