Sugguest the most suitable media center OS

[Workaholic]

As title really, but with support for:

DivX
Real Media Formats
DVD playback
All music format playback (mainly wav, mp3, sony and apple mp3, mobile phones clip formats etc etc...)
Also needs support for (if possible) for internet broswing and internet radio.

Preferably, on a linux background then no-one else in the family will know how to install crap/viruses etc on the computer.

And now to the gritty details.....

System Specs
1.8Ghz Athlon
512MB Ram
40GB HDD
Geforce 2 graphics card
Standard Compro PCI analogue TV card
DVD ROM Drive

I've taken a look on wiki sites on advice and comparison on whats on the market, with MythTV coming out tops, but due to propertiery formats such as real media, its a no no......
I've found another called Media Center (NOT windows media center) but as its based on Windows that means people will install crap on the machine.

and so here's where you guys come in.....

[TAKTAK]

well you could use any linux distro, all you need to do is install codecs for the media player of your choice (plus install the media player ), using apt or the particular distros equivelent like yum.

you can use any linux distro for a media centre PC, the question you need to ask is what programs do i want to use. (you could probably just use mplayer on debian etc.) mobile phone clips tend to be in .3gp and there are plenty 'o codecs for playing them in media players

[TheAnimus]

any OS will let people install crap, enless you lock it down.

The real media is going to be a problem.

[TAKTAK]

any OS will let people install crap, enless you lock it down.

yes but most novices can install things on windows, and as soon as they even hear the word linux they don't even try to install something (mainly because novices will try and install M$ word on linux by putting the disc in and going yay, it's done).

[peterb]

Real player is available on inux platforms. Where you may have a little difficulty with some distros is that the MP3 codecs are not always shipped (MP3 is not actually an open source format) but thney are readily available. The same goes for the decrypt libraries for DVDs - not always shipped but readily available. Apple AAC codecs might be tricky, as is the BBC's Iplayer for video (streaming audio isn't) although the BBC are reported to be working on a Linux version. (There is rumour of a workaround for playing BBC video on Linux, but you will need to Google for it.

[Workaholic]

Could one of you guys send me the link for real player support packages/binaries and I'll go and check it out....

yes but most novices can install things on windows, and as soon as they even hear the word linux they don't even try to install something (mainly because novices will try and install M$ word on linux by putting the disc in and going yay, it's done).

My exact idea as my sister etc won't know how to use bash commands.....
*last time I leant my own computer to her for homework it ended with me spending 2 days getting rid of viruses and random video encoders and players.... not to mention the 50 or so popups.


The mp3 codec I know of, as I spent a day or so in the uni days trying to find, a few years back

[Agent]

I have a MCE2005 machine in the main front room that all the family uses, and quite honestly its one of the best products MS have made IMO.

Its easy enough to lock it down - users with limited power. Disable the net if you must. Don't allow program installation etc...
Not that anyone uses it for anything other than a MCE machine. There isn't even a keyboard and mouse for it.

[Hasnath]

If you do go down the windows route, I've found that vista's media centre is a lot better for video codecs, in particalur video in mkv containers and the like. Just need to lock it down like Agent suggested.

[Funkstar]

My personal preference would be WinXP with MediaPortal.

MP1 RC1 is out and is very stable now.

For Real media, have a look at RealAlternative and for QuickTime there is QTAlternative. These include DirectShow filters which allow any app that uses DirectShow for media playback to play Real and QT files. Combine that with FFDshow and you should be able to play back pretty much anything.

[dangel]

If you do go down the windows route, I've found that vista's media centre is a lot better for video codecs, in particalur video in mkv containers and the like. Just need to lock it down like Agent suggested.

I'd choose Vista MC over XP - it comes with a decoder for a start and it's nicer product IMHO to use.
It was a real pain the early days of Vista but it's been fine for months now (drivers wise).

[Zadock]

My personal preference would be WinXP with MediaPortal

Media Portal is a little resource hungry for his system though? It'd run but I wouldn't be surprised if it were a little stuttery. Still good programme though.

[Funkstar]

Media Portal is a little resource hungry for his system though? It'd run but I wouldn't be surprised if it were a little stuttery. Still good programme though.

Ah, ok, I missed that. You are probably right, especially with the GeForce 2 card, they aren't DirectX 9 are they?

[Zadock]

the only other thing I can think of is sage tv but thats not free I don't think?

[Lee H]

I have a MCE2005 machine in the main front room that all the family uses, and quite honestly its one of the best products MS have made IMO.

Its easy enough to lock it down - users with limited power. Disable the net if you must. Don't allow program installation etc...
Not that anyone uses it for anything other than a MCE machine. There isn't even a keyboard and mouse for it.

Ditto - I've got MCE2005 and it's the right balance between XP and the media side of things. People keep questioning why I've not gone and installed vista yet over this and the reasons are as Agent's kindly pointed out. Another thing I've noticed is that this runs like a dream with my TV tuner and when I did try out 'vista' the drivers for the card were very flakey to say the least.

[TheAnimus]

I use vista fine, i prefer the UI for a nice widescreen TV. For a dedicated media center pc, thats enough of a reason alone imo.

[Bugbait]

Vista MediaCenter for me, but I don't have a TV Tuner to mess with so not sure how it rates in terms of compatibility. Streams cleanly from my NAS.