List of free media center software


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Here is a list of free or open source media center software and also if any of you now any that arnt listed here let me now and i'll add them to the list

linux Media Center Software

boxee - http://www.boxee.tv/

Elisa - http://elisa.fluendo.com/

Entertainer - http://www.entertainer-project.com/

Freevo - http://freevo.sourceforge.net/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

GeeXboX - http://www.geexbox.org (has dvb/tuner cards support)

KnoppMyth - http://mysettopbox.tv/knoppmyth.html

LinuxMCE - http://www.linuxmce.org/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

My Media System - http://mymediasystem.org/

Mythbuntu - http://www.mythbuntu.org/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

Mythdora - http://www.mythdora.com/

MythTV - http://www.mythtv.org/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

XBMC - http://xbmc.org/

Windows Media Center Software

boxee - http://www.boxee.tv/

Freevo - http://freevo.sourceforge.net/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

GB-PVR - http://www.gbpvr.com/ (has limited dvb/tuner cards support)

MeediOS - http://www.meedios.com/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

MediaPortal - http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

moovida - http://www.moovida.com/

XBMC - http://xbmc.org/

Mac Media Center Software

boxee - http://www.boxee.tv/

Freevo - http://freevo.sourceforge.net/ (has dvb/tuner cards support)

iTheater - http://www.itheaterproject.com/

Plex - http://plexapp.com/

XBMC - http://xbmc.org/

Edited by DGMurdockIII
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Do any of the Media Center apps for Windows work with the Microsoft Remote Control? Like is it possible to use the remote to launch any of them, or at least use it while you're moving around in the app?

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XMBC is just too awesome, i run it on linux and after running it on my main pc for quite some time, i decided to build an HTPC with it. I must say, it looks great on my 60" Sony DLP. I still go back to Elisa (linux) from time to time to see the updates and new features that they incorporate into it, but as of right now XBMC is my main HTPC multemedia app. I just signed for Boxee, since this is the first time i hear of it, so i will see how it is once i get to use it.

If i had to rate these i would say:

XBMC = 5/5 all around awesome with skins and what not.

Elisa = 4/5 still needs some skins, is a bit sluggish on my c2d 2.66, 3 gigs ram, 1tb hdd, 8600gts vid card.

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MediaPortal is probably one of the best around for Windows. The 1.0 version will be released before Christmas. It support live TV unlike XBMC. Awesome skins, plugins like TV Series for your tv shows. It works great with a lot of hardware and remotes including the Microsoft one.

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Do any of the Media Center apps for Windows work with the Microsoft Remote Control? Like is it possible to use the remote to launch any of them, or at least use it while you're moving around in the app?

I am sure you can use the remote with most of the applications

The Up,Down,Left,Right are mapped to the arrow keys on a keyboard and the "OK" is mapped to the "Enter" or "Return"

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  • 2 weeks later...

I can't believe nobodies mentioned MeediOS It takes some setup but once you get it going it's very pretty and perfectly functional...I've tried just about everything else and can't find anything I like better than Meedio

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  • 3 weeks later...

The list really should include wich of them supports DVB cards. or even analog tuners even though they're fast becomign obsolete.

Personally I think dvb/tuner cards support shoudl e a requirement for an actual mediacenter app though...

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Ooooh awesome thread. Just had a look at a few... they either look great but are buggy / lack features or are ugly and have a tonne of features. :( Looks like I'll be sticking with MCE for a while yet. :(

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does anyone know of anywhere i can buy a pre-mod'd xbox so that i am able to use a media center ... just need the mod'd chip and bigger HD ... so i can put my dvds on it for my kids ...they like to scratch dvds and that gets expensive!

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm currently using the free open source Mediabrowser (beta 2.0.9.0). It's a plug in for Vista/Win7 Media Center. There is a companion application called Metabrowser with which you can download the metadata for films.

http://www.mediabrowser.tv

Pete

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  • 1 month later...

if you need tv tuner support for windows use media portal http://www.team-mediaportal.com/, if you need tv tuner support for only want to link os use mythtv based distro such as mythbunu http://www.mythbuntu.org/, but if you need more than basick media center that support tv tuner, dvds, video files and music files then look in to LinuxMCE http://linuxmce.com/

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  • 1 month later...
  • 11 months later...

I have used myth tv before. Was pretty stable and functioned well. Biggest problem with most of these is hardware support. Linux drivers arnt the greatest in this category.

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  • 5 years later...
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