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Open Source Multimedia Center For Windows

An anonymous reader writes "A new opensourced multimedia center for Windows has been released. Media Portal boasts the ability to turn your PC into an advanced HTPC (Home-Theatre PC) and PVR/DVR (Personal/Digital Video Recorder). It allows you to listen to your favorite music and radio, watch all your video's and DVD's, view, schedule and record live TV and much more. The software is a port of the homebrew Xbox Media Center software which requires a Modded Xbox to run."

6 of 215 comments (clear)

  1. Hardware by hoggoth · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This could be interesting.
    What is the most inexpensive hardware with enough OOMPH to run this?

    I looked at Mini-ITX systems, and the HUSH grabbed my eye. Then the price grabbed me somewhere else.

    And I don't really want to get an XBOX then modify it, so don't give me the obvious answer...

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  2. Re:HAHA by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Insightful
    An Open Source solution running on Microsoft branded hardware.

    You're still paying the Micrsoft tax after all.

    Actually, if you buy the Xbox but no games for it you're screwing Microsoft, since the box is a loss-leader. The real revenue is games and services.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  3. That's hardly the point... by spoco2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The point is:
    * The VAST majority of computer users are using Windows ie... they've already paid for it, so it's not an issue (ie. it came with their computer or whatever)
    * They don't want to wipe it out completely to install a media center
    * Things like this can exist harmoniously with Windows, and can be tried before wiping it all out... or you can use the computer for both purposes (htpc and normal)

    There is another free (not open source) windows based media pc solution... It's called myHTPC.

    Now, it's since turned into a paid product called Meedio, however you can still get the free version and have access to a gazillion (oh yeah baby, that's a number) plugins for it.

  4. Re:Use Linux for PVR by rewt66 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I can't speak for the grandparent, but...

    Yes, I found her. She's under 40, cooks, and pays the bills. She cleaned until a couple years ago, when as a birthday present I got her someone to come in and clean every other week.

    "If she still does this in 5 years"? Try 14. Yes, she still does. And no, she's not a psycho.

    Where did I find such a gem? In church. (What, you thought I found someone like that in a bar?)

  5. Re:HAHA by mattyrobinson69 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    i use gentoo and before that slackware, ive never had to chmod my dsp device, even on advanced distro's like gentoo and slackware.

    sound is now very easy using alsa (alsaconf)

    device management is now very very easy using
    udev, hotplug and coldplug

    package management (including dependancies) is very simple now using apt-get or emerge (slackware's not there yet).

    i cant think of anything else that supposed to be hard, but im sure its not quite there for everybody.

    maybe its just because im now used to using linux and it seems natural and actually find it easier to use than windows (it does what i tell it rather than guessing what it thinks i want).

    Im sure times have changed since last time you tried installing a distro at home, if you get time try one.

    *not a troll, but i am now familiar with linux and prefer administering it in a home environment to windows and i know that things were not always this easy.

  6. What does this do that MythTV doesnt? by billybob · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'd say RUNS ON WINDOWS is a pretty damn big feature that MythTV lacks. :P

    --
    Joseph?