Linux MCE looks hot

by Grant Robertson Mar 21st 2007

MythTV, the popular Linux based PVR project, has been around for some time. It's nice, and it functions well, but it's only as functional as Windows Media Center Edition plus, it can be difficult to install and configure. Linux MCE, which wraps MythTV up into a nice package and places it squarely on top of the leading Linux distribution Ubuntu -- may be poised to change some of that.

Take the leap to watch a demonstration of the Linux MCE project running on a home TV, and a comparison to Windows Media Center Edition.

The video is a little like having The Comic Book Guy give the presentation, as he's a little smug about the lameness of Windows Media Center at first. As the presentation wears on however, it's pretty clear why he's so smug.. Linux MCE is hotness. Like, get out the credit card cause we're building an HTPC kind of hotness. Apple's ITV is in for some serious trouble if this is the kind of project the FOSS community can turn out.

Tags: Linux MCE, Linux mtytv, LinuxMce, LinuxMtytv, MEdia Center, MediaCenter, mythtv, Windows MEdia Center Edition, WindowsMediaCenterEdition

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

cryton said 3:27PM on 3-21-2007

Well, it's always nice to hear/watch such unbiased reviews like this. So if I understand this demonstration, the gyro mouse only works in linux, simply inserting a dvd into a pc will render it completely installed without configuration, and the word "button" is one of the more challenging words in the english language.

There goes 15 minutes I'll never get back. Looks like a good system though.......

Janos said 7:01PM on 3-21-2007

Yeah, and I bet the six minutes of black at the end of the video come from Linux MCE too.

To be honest I hate these fanboyish presentations. Hey look Linux MCE cooks my dinner before I get home! And all this without any configuration! Sure. All of us who used Linux know well how compatible it is with TV cards and anything but mainstream multimedia hardware.

And did anyone notice how that UI looks? I'm a Windows user but comparing that to Apple TV...

Chris Brentano said 8:17PM on 3-21-2007

It's not "Linux MCE" it's MythTV. Sorry to be all uppity about this, but let's call it by its real name! Gah, it's driving me insane listening to his nasally voice continue to call it "Linux MCE".

Anyway, MythTV is teh rox0r.

Chris Brentano said 8:40PM on 3-21-2007

Okay, sorry, it's MythTV + Pluto. My bad.

Even still, this *is* the demo video made by the LinuxMCE project folks. ;p

Gabe said 12:53AM on 3-22-2007

How about, I don't want a PC in my living room. Period. It's more trouble than its worth, especially considering the one in my bedroom is more capable than anything that will fit in a SFF HTPC case. I use Windows MCE via xbox 360 (or xbox 1)extenders to front-end my live tv/ DVR, and a XBMC to stream all other media. I have 90% of that linux functionality, about 5% of the setup hassles (works out of the box my ass)and I haven't added ANY hardware to my living room that wasn't already there. Oh, and its all running on M$ soft/hardware...

Eric said 12:59AM on 3-22-2007

This guy is a tool. I use MCE and while I'm sure that while mythtv walks all over it, it's not for any of the reasons he names. He says you can only access local media in MCE? I have all sorts of network drives mapped. You can only go through the list one item at a time in MCE but you can page up and down in myth? Guess what, you can do it in MCE too. I mean he seems to point out some really trivial stuff to nit pick that I don't think really shows the power of mythtv. I mean I don't think he has to lie or whatever to make it look better than MCE but that's all he's doing to convince stupid people it's better. Frustrating.

Benjamin said 2:33AM on 3-22-2007

« I have 90% of that linux functionality, about 5% of the setup hassles (works out of the box my ass) »

and 300% the price.

Oh wait, 0$ * 300% == 0$.

Justin said 4:24AM on 3-22-2007

pretty stupid

Vista Media Center is a lot better
and looks more polished than Myth Tv

ehudd said 5:59AM on 3-22-2007

I use more than one media center setup: MCE and beyondtv (BTV) from http://www.snapstream.com . From just looking at the video Mythtv wins hands down for super techno geeks. MCE is for the masses you can network it and select which folders to share. I can think of tons of stuff that people wouldn't want to share instantly on their network. Its easy and quick.
No matter how tight a setup is the question to ask is how well does it record TV and how small is the file it creates. What options do i have on portability. That is why I like MCE for Media but choose bTV for my recording and watching TV. It kicks butt! MCE give you tons of info about what your watching and creates huge files while BTV does one thing ten times better: tv watching and recording. I'm gonna have to try Linux "MCE" it can do soem cool stuff but most people aren't ready for that level of geekiness. Turn the linux MCE into a topset like Tivo and then the masses will use it. Also I like a remote control! even though I use my air mouse from time to time when I'm to lazy to get up and find it.

ok I'm Done.

eagle said 7:08AM on 3-22-2007

No it's Linux MCE it's a distribution of Linux that has Myth TV on it. I have seen some distributions that configure themselves so it's totally possible it does this. I think it r0X0rs, Mac can't even touch that.

Jurjen74 said 7:34AM on 3-22-2007

Hah! Swing your remote to rewind. I can do that with a button on Windows MCE.
Good to see that a Windows hater now can have tv too. Join the world!

quux said 7:37AM on 3-22-2007

I have been following the PlutoHome project for about 2 years now. It's very interesting, but not for me yet because I am hard of hearing and MythTV doesn't do Closed Captioning (CC) very well. Still I follow it with interest and hope that they'll work out the CC issues. So, I'm very aware of this solution among others.

Now the video starts with several, err ... mistruths. He claims this wonderful out-of-box experience where LMCE knows everything about your TV/video/stereo and automated home solutions. That's a flat-out lie, as there is (still) nowhere you can buy a packaged PlutoHome/LMCE hardware/software setup. Verify this on the LMCE wiki: http://wiki.linuxmce.com/index.php/What_does_an_appliance_solution_like_LinuxMCE_cost%3F

So, there's no box. You'll need to put it together, but there is no list of approved hardware, so knowing which components (TV tuner card, telephone interface products for Asterisk, supported cellphones, remote controls, IR emitter to control your TV/video/stereo, home autmation control interface) will work well is going to be a trial-and-error process. Next you have to install Ubuntu and LMCE, both of which are fairly easy. Finally you will need to work through all of the setup screens and directions in this url: http://wiki.linuxmce.com/index.php/QuickStart_Guide ... suffice it to say, the 'out-of-box' experience documented in this video is at best a pipe dream.

The presenter claims you can buy a used PC and all the devices shown in the video for less than $400. I'd like to see a cost breakdown there - I don't think it's possible. You'll spend $100-$150 for the TV tuner card alone. Another $90-$160 for that cool Gyration AirMouse. And so on.

Please don't get me wrong - this isn't anti-Linux fanboyism. I'd really like to be able to have the out-of-box experience this guy talked about!

---Too bad it's not available right now.---

Dean Collins said 8:41AM on 3-22-2007

Yep it's been very dissapoint to see Myth-TV with a hell of a start be overtaken by windows and other commercial applications.

When you consider how fast Asterisk@home now trixbox grew which was nothing more than an easy to install iso script I just cant understand why MythTV hasn't done similar.

Cheers,
Dean

grug said 9:02AM on 3-22-2007

Linux MCE looks cool but the speaker his typical smug arrogant Slashdot attitude is really grating.

Also he loses points for watching Desperate Housewives...in an incorrect aspect ratio. For shame.

It would also be nice if he compared features to the current version of Media Center (that is Vista Home Premium or Ultimate) instead of XP MCE 2005.

matt.k.mead said 10:53AM on 3-22-2007

funny he complains about MCE 2005 when he has even adjusted his video aspect ratio. My MCE box shows 4 hours of programing time on screen at once.

However I like the blue as it makes seeing the menu easier but it would be nice if MS allowed to customize that option.

Thai Dang Vu said 11:32AM on 3-22-2007

There's no argument about the usability of MythTV, I think. The biggest problem, in my opinion, is finding the Linux driver for your TV tuner. I have a WinTV-USB2(http://hauppage.com/pages/products/data_usb2.html)and it is very difficult for me to find its Linux driver (I found one before, but I had to compile it, but then the remote didn't work under Edgy, maybe I didn't install LIRC or something .... a big hassle and I gave up. Maybe I'll wait for Feisty and try again).

Justin Turner said 11:53AM on 3-22-2007

So obviously this guy was way too biassed, but I think this does look interesting.

I like the idea of the LMCE universal remote, but honestly, I prefer buttons to waiving my arms around, and I need number buttons to channel surf. Quite honestly, even if the cost was the same, and the features were better, if I can't instantly jump from channel 25 to 35 and then to 47, but have to wade through menus, then I'm not as interested simply because I'll end up using it as a DVR only and not enjoying all of the extras he talked about. Putting together a playlist on this thing would really tone your arms though...

Tom McK said 1:03PM on 3-22-2007

Dean:

The reason that MythTV is not easy to use (or easy to develop for) is that Isaac (the guy who started it) continues to say "this is a project for developers... It is not a commercial product... I'm not spending time making this easy for normal users". That is paraphrasing, but he will tell you exactly that as he has to me and many others before.

It's a shame. If I had the time (i.e. didn't need to work), I'd fork the project and redesign the app layer.

Tom

Brandon said 2:12PM on 3-22-2007

Wow, could that have contained more BS?

First off, in the beginning it shows a Vista logo - making you think he's comparing "Linux MCE" to Windows Vista. But he's not, he's comparing it to the XP version that has been out for YEARS.

Everything in the beginning about it automatically setting everything up is BS, too. You most certainly have to configure it (and have special hardware) to make it control you TV, lights, etc. You can do the same on Windows.

Then there's the fact that when he shows the MythTV UI, it has a POINTER. Who the hell wants to use a POINTER with a remote control, on a TV, from that far away? What a lame user experience.

That crappy 3D cube rotation is horribly distracting, the viewing the video thumbnails directly against the video background is distracting. In fact the whole UI is in poor taste, and seems to be less about a 10 foot experience and more about a 2 foot one.

The effects are crude compared to Vista MCE, and him making up things about how Linux "automatically" sets things up (no worries about security/permissions, actually sharing the media on the other PCs, whether they're shared folders or UPNP devices, etc), which is just a total lie.

I'm amazed this post acts like they actually showed something useful.

immrlizard said 9:09PM on 3-22-2007

Actually, there is a setup that is pretty nice out of the box if you want to try it. It is a knoppixmyth setup. I was a real noob when it came to instaling linux and this really helped me. It does all of the setup for you. It guides you through the process at an easy pace. IT is available at mysettopbox.tv Is it perfect, no, but it is free and works really well. I even tried another one called media portal and it works on windows. It is really nice too. Oh, it's free too. DO a little research to see what hardware both are being used with to be the safest. Some hardware works better then others, but there is a good deal of hardware it works with.

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