LosOjos Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 OK, continuing my series of posts about my new HTPC/Steam Build (Budget HTPC/Steam Box Spec, Best HTPC Remote?) my next question is: What is the best front end for an HTPC these days? The obvious choice of course is XBMC, however I'm open to trying others. I remember Boxee being very good for streaming but a bit naff for local files (this was over 2 years ago mind you). Whichever I use will need to be customisable, as I'll be using this box for local files, streaming (YouTube, various On Demand services, Netflix, Lovefilm, Sky Go if at all possible) and it'll be doubling up as a basic SteamBox (will just need a link to Steam Big Picture Mode) Any recommendations?
zag Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) XBMC but I'm biased because i'm part of the developer team As I said in the other thread, a gaming pc and a home theatre machine are completely different hardware really. I personally use the new Haswell NUC machine as my main XBMC box. Edited January 17, 2014 by zag 1
Arthur Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Plex? Boxee is dead, so I wouldn't even bother with that. Edited January 17, 2014 by Arthur 1
LosOjos Posted January 17, 2014 Author Posted January 17, 2014 As I said in the other thread, a gaming pc and a home theatre machine are completely different hardware really. Yeah so you said but it's irrelevant really, whether I install XBMC on a tiny NUC or a full E-ATX tower, it'll do the same job, not really sure why you're taking offence at it? Plex? Boxee is dead, so I wouldn't even bother with that. I've used Plex on my home machine for a while as a library manager to stream to other devices, but does it have a decent front end? The browser interface won't cut it...
teky Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 XBMC here running on an Acer Aspire R3600 for my media box, can't fault it... even my 2 year old knows how to use it (for getting peppa pig on anyway...) 1
zag Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Yeah so you said but it's irrelevant really, whether I install XBMC on a tiny NUC or a full E-ATX tower, it'll do the same job, not really sure why you're taking offence at it? Most of us wouldn't dream of even running it on a multi functional Windows platform I'd recommend OpenELEC which is an embedded linux version. I run mine with a Harmony Smart Control remote and DVB-S2 card.
LosOjos Posted January 17, 2014 Author Posted January 17, 2014 Most of us wouldn't dream of even running it on a multi functional Windows platform I'd recommend OpenELEC which is an embedded linux version. I run mine with a Harmony Smart Control remote and DVB-S2 card. OK, well let's not call it an HTPC then, instead let's say I want a decent media centre app for my Windows PC (has to be Windows for Steam, not enough games for me to make the jump to Linux). Would you still recommend XBMC for my not-HTPC?
rush_tech Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 I've just brought a OUYA for the sole purpose of running XBMC streaming media from my NAS seems to do the job quite well only had it a few days plus you can play games aswell 1
abillybob Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 XBMC all the way, I have a raspberry pi with openelec on it which streams tv shows, films etc from my home server and also streams live television from home server using DVBViewer. Have a full fledged system downstairs with windows 7 and xbmc at startup, all add ons, iplayer etc.. and satellite tv from server Love XBMC! Best thing to come since sliced bread! 2
rich_tech Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 xbmc here too from using a few of them, simple and elegant
tmcd35 Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 Personally, I'd go Plex. Forget about putting a front end on the HTPC. Go for a £10 Roku box from Sky Now. Best of all worlds
Greenbeast Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 slightly off-topic: I just installed a rpi/xbmc media player I built, at a friend's place, it's an old 16 port planet switch chassis, gutted, sprayed black with 2 psu, rpi and 1tb drive in, all ports routed to a laser cut back panel and ir receiver in front panel http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/GreenBeast999/Projects/DSC02081_zpsa00f41b8.jpg http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/GreenBeast999/Projects/DSC02080_zps5fab7b57.jpg http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/GreenBeast999/Projects/DSC02074_zps24808d04.jpg may have posted it before my own personal xbmc machine is a mini ITX stone machine from a few years back with win7 on it. harmony remote
d0pefish Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 staying slightly off topic, i have a popcornhour a110 which has local media but can also play any networked media. have a raspberry pi which handles the downloading of stuff to the popcornhour.
Trapper Posted January 17, 2014 Posted January 17, 2014 XBMC - I used the original version on the Xbox Mark 1. The library update tool is fantastic.
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