The Linux community is at last seriously taking on the Microsoft Marketing Machine in the media centre space: Linux MCE is destined not only to be functionally superior, but easy to install too (it's based on Ubuntu).
Oh I'm not terribly biased, being a self-confessed Linux head as I am, but I have in my time used all of Windows MCE,
MythTV, and
Freevo.
For those not familiar, the latter two are Linux media center solutions which have been around for years now, but so far haven't exactly been user friendly.
Functionally, both are brilliant, and from my experience while Freevo isn't as fully featured as MythTV, it's a heck of a lot easier to setup.
But both, however, require a lot a fiddling to get running, installing dependency packages, configuring IR remotes, getting the TV guide working and so on.
I can't put it any more plainly than this -- I don't currently use either as a media center solution.
But that could be about to change. Given the features are largely there, and in many ways surpass Windows MCE, but the installation is a pain it's no surprise the Linux MCE project aims to not only makes setting up a media center a snap, but it builds on what is currently the Linux world's darling distribution -- Ubuntu.
And the feature list sounds quite impressive. From the Linux MCE homepage:
- 3D alpha-blended GUI optimized for displaying on a TV and using a remote control
- Media browser presenting all content on all devices in the home on a 3D rotating cube
- Plug-and-play detection and aggregation of network storage and DMA's
- Built-in NAS providing centralized backup and whole-house media server
- "Follow Me" Media, each family member's media follows him/her through the house
- Automatically controls all existing av devices, like TV's, Stereo's, etc.)
- Many control options: mobile phone, webpad, pda, phone
Building upon the Ubuntu base, Linux MCE integrates MythTV, Xine, Pluto and Asterisk. You've heard of MythTV and Xine, but possibly not Pluto and Asterisk.
Pluto is the glue that ties in the home automation, and is quite extensive.
Asterisk is an open-source IP PBX, presumably to expand on the telephony features already in Pluto.
And Pluto is perhaps one of the more interesting features given its home automation capabilities (and, in fact, also replaces MythTV for the media center interface).
Nothing I have here can take advantage of it (what, you think journos get paid that much?) but this video doing the rounds shows quite impressively what Linux MCE is capable of.
The video makes various comparisons to Windows MCE, and yes you can call me biased, but I tend to agree.
Unfortunately, there's no way Linux MCE will gain the exposure it deserves, as the Microsoft marketing engine ensures Windows MCE is an almost household name now for PVR and media centers.
I, for one, would rather save some dollars on a Windows license if I purchased a pre-built media center machine, but then where's the fun in that anyway?
So it looks like I'll have to drag out my home media center project again, and this time built it around Linux MCE. Damn it, there goes my social life, again!
 Linux MCE Setup: Source: Linux MCE |
 Pluto interface: Source: Linux MCE |
 Browsing movies: Source: Linux MCE |