Using Your Linux Computer As A Media Center

[LazyLion]

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-your-linux-computer-as-a-media-center-part-1/

If you are a Windows or Mac user, you will be familiar with Windows Media Center or Front Row that both have the ability to turn your computer into a Media Center PC. Linux users don’t have such luck as most distros do not come with a media center application pre-installed.

If you are like me who is a Linux user and owns a huge collection of music, videos and pictures, the world is not over for you yet. There are many open-source applications that you can use to turn your Linux machine into a lean, mean media center.

In part one of this series, I will go through some of these free media center software that you can use in your Linux machine

 

[milomak]

mythtv

 

[trenton]

Mythbuntu FTW

 

[bdt]

Ooh, here's a(nother) Gary_Thread worth tagging and watching; I'm tired of having to stay with The Great Satan for my HTPC research and there's even one in here that I'd previously not even heard of, who'd'a thunk it?

But here's a twist: much as I'd truly love to make one certain HTPC into a *NIX box, I absolutely, positively HAVE to have IE on it as it gets MJPEG feeds from (so far 2) network CCTV cameras on the property and I've (so far) yet to find another way but IE to view said streams ..any input on how to remedy this?

 

[Peon]

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/

Ok now my nix bretheren will tar and feather me..

EDIT: Media Portal runs on Windows, and I believe thats whats the author is looking for.

 

[bdt]

Unearthed this one that looks pretty good (..prima facie anyway. My bold below)

My Media System

My Media System is an application that manages, displays and plays media content such as videos, music, pictures, and more. MMS runs perfectly on anything from a Set-Top-Box connected to your TV-Set, to your specially tailored multimedia PC and HD display.

As the name implies, MMS is a media system with you in control. It lets other applications such as MPlayer, VDR, or Xine take care of what they respectively do best, and integrates them into one system, that is easy to understand and operate. By combining their individual strength, you get the best of all worlds, in one media application. MMS is easy to install, configure and use. It's even translated to 11 languages so there a good chance it's available in your native tongue.

MMS is open source and available free of charge. It runs on Linux and is known to work with all major distributions.

 

[milomak]

Ooh, here's a(nother) Gary_Thread worth tagging and watching; I'm tired of having to stay with The Great Satan for my HTPC research and there's even one in here that I'd previously not even heard of, who'd'a thunk it?

But here's a twist: much as I'd truly love to make one certain HTPC into a *NIX box, I absolutely, positively HAVE to have IE on it as it gets MJPEG feeds from (so far 2) network CCTV cameras on the property and I've (so far) yet to find another way but IE to view said streams ..any input on how to remedy this?

This might be a start?

 

[Lino]

Have not really tried menu media center solutions on Linux. I am afraid to say but so far i still find the Windows based far better

 

[BigAl-sa]

Took me several hours to get kubuntu 8.10 just to recognise an audio CD.

The truth is out there...

but where...

 

[Swift-wp]

LinuxMCE?

 

[bdt]

LinuxMCE?

A very worthy app ..well, more-or-less HTPC operating system really. It's sheer size and scope make it rather more to futz around with than any of the above.

 

[milomak]

Have not really tried menu media center solutions on Linux. I am afraid to say but so far i still find the Windows based far better

you haven't used MythTV if you say that.