Showing posts with label linux media center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label linux media center. Show all posts

Monday, May 20, 2013

If I was to build and sell a small Media Center Computer for £180 - £200 would anyone be interested?

Q. Using Ubuntu as a base I would customize this to make it quick and to the point. Allowing quick access to the web, emails and media center applications. Can I please have some feedback on this idea and whether anyone would be interested in purchasing one.
Just to confirm this will be built to quick and easy access to the web, emails and media files. So not to be used strictly as a computer!

A. At that low of a price, I can't imagine a custom-built computer being any more cost efficient than a pre-made one. That, and I'd have too many compatibility problems with Linux... :P

Can I use linux to stream videos to a windows pc?
Q. I have an old computer that i want to turn into a media center for my household. The problem is, I really want a linux distro on it if possible. I know Tversity and Twonky don't support linux, but is there a distro or program I could use to stream my videos?

A. http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/groups/dvd/ www.mplayherhq.hu
available in command line and GUI
â Be sure to get all the codecs, including the W32
codecs.
â available as source, RPM or Debs
â Yum RPM updates for Fedora from
www.greysector.net
Mplayer tricks
â Make a script with your favorite command-line
parameters like this
â time mplayer autoq
20 cache
32768 autosync
30 framedrop
zoom
fs
stopxscreensaver
$*
â Or put them in your GUI launcher
â mplayer-plugin for Mozilla & Firefox
â Skip ads and start at 4th file on DVD with dvd://4
(or whichever one starts the show on that DVD)

how to speed up XBMC on an old Ubuntu Linux computer?
Q. I recently installed XBMC media center on my old Ubuntu Linux computer. I am running 11.04 and have already changed the sources to the 10.10 release. There is lots of lag in the media center and a very low frame rate. Is there a way to disable some of the 3D effects to make XBMC run faster? If not is there another way to speed up XBMC media center?

A. Disable or low some of the XBMC settings
Close any programs you have open before using XBMC
Turning off any start-up programs that you don't use



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

How do you boot into Ubuntu with no bootloader installed?

Q. How do you boot into Ubuntu with no bootloader installed?
I wasn't able to install grub because there was an error.
I cannot boot into Linux at all
I am running Win Xp Media Center Edition SP3
Thanks in advance
Soo.. How do I install a bootloader that works with XP and Ubuntu?

A. A bootloader is a crucial compoment of the operating system, there simply is no way to boot into an operating system without one.

A lot of people with this problem have ended up installing grub legacy, an older verision of grub. It does not have the same features, but if you are not going to edit your startup scripts, that is not going to bother you.

There is also something called LILO, but i have no idea how to set that up on ubuntu

Is it possible to run Linux/windows on the original xbox by swapping the original hard drive.?
Q. This would mean taking a hard drive already formatted with an operating system, and negating any system requirements.

I've been looking into turning my old xbox into a media center, and since I may very well end up getting a larger hard drive, I am curious if this would be an option.

A. Simply swapping the hard drive would not work. For one thing, the Xbox firmware locks to a certain drive, and will not even attempt to boot with another drive in the system without additional hackery. For another, the Xbox has a totally different type of BIOS from the one in the PC. This means that legacy bootloaders, such as GRUB or NTLDR won't work. New bootloaders have been written for Linux; there is currently no working bootloader for Windows.

There are a few other technical reasons why Windows wouldn't work, but its probably not worth getting into right now.

How the heck do I dual boot an Operating system?
Q. I'm currently running Windows XP Media Center sp2 and I want to use this dual boot thingy with the Ubuntu OS when the computer starts. I just don't get this entire thing. I've tried using Acronis Disc Director and that didn't really work for me. I just want to partition my hard drive so that my C:\ splits into two. I also have a D:\ drive but thats a HP recovery partition and i don't want to get rid of that.

A. to do a dual boot system you really need to be up on computers
but to point you in the right direction this is the way I did it first back up everything on your computer if things go wrong you'll loose the lot
Use a third party partitioning tool like partition magic to partition your hard drive linux requires two partitions one for the o./s and one for the swap file mine was set to 2gig for the swap file and 20gig for the o/s then the two partitions need formatting with ext3 file system (the linux install disk will let you do that) then install linux on the new partition linux will detect windows and create a dual boot system for you fairly staight forwared but thing can go wrong when creating a dual boot system so be prepared to format if necessary



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Friday, May 3, 2013

Linux and WinXP Media Center at the same time in different screens?

Q. I have 1 laptop and a spare monitor. I want to use windows xp media center edition and linux (pardus) in seperate screens. But
I don't know
how can I install linux without partitioning my harddisk?
and how can I work with linux and win XP at the same time in same machine but different screens?

I'd appreciate your help
I have WinXP Media Center now.
How i'll install linux to boot with a Virtual Machine program ?

A. Use a VM (virtual machine) to emulate a pc running linux and then use dual screens (supposing your graphics card supports it) and just put the VM on that screen.

Here's a link to a good VM: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx

Well, you have a linux cd right? Insert it in and select it as the boot device in your VM program - you should be able to install it as you normaly would and it won't overwrite anything in windows. Dont boot it from your bios, boot it from INSIDE the VM.

What is the best Linux Media Center Distribution?
Q. I am looking for something that I can boot right into that will allow me to play all of my videos, music, and hopefully old video games like SNES, NES, and other systems. I've seen Ubuntu Media Center and I am waiting for that but other than that I really can't find any media center that I can just install by itself without having to install a distribution underneath it. If there is a MythTV, Freevo, or other media center ISO that I can install as my main OS then that's what I'm looking for. Just gimme anything that's out there.
I also wouldn't mind hearing about speeding Media Center Application that can be installed for a Windows XP PC. My PC isn't that fast and I am looking for a good solution.
Once again, I'm looking for an OS that is a media center by itself without having to install anything at all.

A. Check out Linux MCE

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?
Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?

Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?
Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?
Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Linux and WinXP Media Center at the same time in different screens?

Q. I have 1 laptop and a spare monitor. I want to use windows xp media center edition and linux (pardus) in seperate screens. But
I don't know
how can I install linux without partitioning my harddisk?
and how can I work with linux and win XP at the same time in same machine but different screens?

I'd appreciate your help
I have WinXP Media Center now.
How i'll install linux to boot with a Virtual Machine program ?

A. Use a VM (virtual machine) to emulate a pc running linux and then use dual screens (supposing your graphics card supports it) and just put the VM on that screen.

Here's a link to a good VM: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx

Well, you have a linux cd right? Insert it in and select it as the boot device in your VM program - you should be able to install it as you normaly would and it won't overwrite anything in windows. Dont boot it from your bios, boot it from INSIDE the VM.

What is the best Linux Media Center Distribution?
Q. I am looking for something that I can boot right into that will allow me to play all of my videos, music, and hopefully old video games like SNES, NES, and other systems. I've seen Ubuntu Media Center and I am waiting for that but other than that I really can't find any media center that I can just install by itself without having to install a distribution underneath it. If there is a MythTV, Freevo, or other media center ISO that I can install as my main OS then that's what I'm looking for. Just gimme anything that's out there.
I also wouldn't mind hearing about speeding Media Center Application that can be installed for a Windows XP PC. My PC isn't that fast and I am looking for a good solution.
Once again, I'm looking for an OS that is a media center by itself without having to install anything at all.

A. Check out Linux MCE

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?
Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Monday, April 8, 2013

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?

Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?
Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?
Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Sunday, April 7, 2013

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?

Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?
Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus

Can I use linux to stream videos to a windows pc?
Q. I have an old computer that i want to turn into a media center for my household. The problem is, I really want a linux distro on it if possible. I know Tversity and Twonky don't support linux, but is there a distro or program I could use to stream my videos?

A. http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/groups/dvd/ www.mplayherhq.hu
available in command line and GUI
â Be sure to get all the codecs, including the W32
codecs.
â available as source, RPM or Debs
â Yum RPM updates for Fedora from
www.greysector.net
Mplayer tricks
â Make a script with your favorite command-line
parameters like this
â time mplayer autoq
20 cache
32768 autosync
30 framedrop
zoom
fs
stopxscreensaver
$*
â Or put them in your GUI launcher
â mplayer-plugin for Mozilla & Firefox
â Skip ads and start at 4th file on DVD with dvd://4
(or whichever one starts the show on that DVD)



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Monday, March 25, 2013

What is the best Linux Media Center Distribution?

Q. I am looking for something that I can boot right into that will allow me to play all of my videos, music, and hopefully old video games like SNES, NES, and other systems. I've seen Ubuntu Media Center and I am waiting for that but other than that I really can't find any media center that I can just install by itself without having to install a distribution underneath it. If there is a MythTV, Freevo, or other media center ISO that I can install as my main OS then that's what I'm looking for. Just gimme anything that's out there.
I also wouldn't mind hearing about speeding Media Center Application that can be installed for a Windows XP PC. My PC isn't that fast and I am looking for a good solution.
Once again, I'm looking for an OS that is a media center by itself without having to install anything at all.

A. Check out Linux MCE

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?
Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?
Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Friday, March 1, 2013

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?

Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus

Can I use linux to stream videos to a windows pc?
Q. I have an old computer that i want to turn into a media center for my household. The problem is, I really want a linux distro on it if possible. I know Tversity and Twonky don't support linux, but is there a distro or program I could use to stream my videos?

A. http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/groups/dvd/ www.mplayherhq.hu
available in command line and GUI
â Be sure to get all the codecs, including the W32
codecs.
â available as source, RPM or Debs
â Yum RPM updates for Fedora from
www.greysector.net
Mplayer tricks
â Make a script with your favorite command-line
parameters like this
â time mplayer autoq
20 cache
32768 autosync
30 framedrop
zoom
fs
stopxscreensaver
$*
â Or put them in your GUI launcher
â mplayer-plugin for Mozilla & Firefox
â Skip ads and start at 4th file on DVD with dvd://4
(or whichever one starts the show on that DVD)

how to speed up XBMC on an old Ubuntu Linux computer?
Q. I recently installed XBMC media center on my old Ubuntu Linux computer. I am running 11.04 and have already changed the sources to the 10.10 release. There is lots of lag in the media center and a very low frame rate. Is there a way to disable some of the 3D effects to make XBMC run faster? If not is there another way to speed up XBMC media center?

A. Disable or low some of the XBMC settings
Close any programs you have open before using XBMC
Turning off any start-up programs that you don't use



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?

Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus

If I was to build and sell a small Media Center Computer for £180 - £200 would anyone be interested?
Q. Using Ubuntu as a base I would customize this to make it quick and to the point. Allowing quick access to the web, emails and media center applications. Can I please have some feedback on this idea and whether anyone would be interested in purchasing one.
Just to confirm this will be built to quick and easy access to the web, emails and media files. So not to be used strictly as a computer!

A. At that low of a price, I can't imagine a custom-built computer being any more cost efficient than a pre-made one. That, and I'd have too many compatibility problems with Linux... :P

Can I use linux to stream videos to a windows pc?
Q. I have an old computer that i want to turn into a media center for my household. The problem is, I really want a linux distro on it if possible. I know Tversity and Twonky don't support linux, but is there a distro or program I could use to stream my videos?

A. http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/groups/dvd/ www.mplayherhq.hu
available in command line and GUI
â Be sure to get all the codecs, including the W32
codecs.
â available as source, RPM or Debs
â Yum RPM updates for Fedora from
www.greysector.net
Mplayer tricks
â Make a script with your favorite command-line
parameters like this
â time mplayer autoq
20 cache
32768 autosync
30 framedrop
zoom
fs
stopxscreensaver
$*
â Or put them in your GUI launcher
â mplayer-plugin for Mozilla & Firefox
â Skip ads and start at 4th file on DVD with dvd://4
(or whichever one starts the show on that DVD)



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Monday, February 18, 2013

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?

Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?
Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?
Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

If I was to build and sell a small Media Center Computer for £180 - £200 would anyone be interested?

Q. Using Ubuntu as a base I would customize this to make it quick and to the point. Allowing quick access to the web, emails and media center applications. Can I please have some feedback on this idea and whether anyone would be interested in purchasing one.
Just to confirm this will be built to quick and easy access to the web, emails and media files. So not to be used strictly as a computer!

A. At that low of a price, I can't imagine a custom-built computer being any more cost efficient than a pre-made one. That, and I'd have too many compatibility problems with Linux... :P

Can I use linux to stream videos to a windows pc?
Q. I have an old computer that i want to turn into a media center for my household. The problem is, I really want a linux distro on it if possible. I know Tversity and Twonky don't support linux, but is there a distro or program I could use to stream my videos?

A. http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/groups/dvd/ www.mplayherhq.hu
available in command line and GUI
â Be sure to get all the codecs, including the W32
codecs.
â available as source, RPM or Debs
â Yum RPM updates for Fedora from
www.greysector.net
Mplayer tricks
â Make a script with your favorite command-line
parameters like this
â time mplayer autoq
20 cache
32768 autosync
30 framedrop
zoom
fs
stopxscreensaver
$*
â Or put them in your GUI launcher
â mplayer-plugin for Mozilla & Firefox
â Skip ads and start at 4th file on DVD with dvd://4
(or whichever one starts the show on that DVD)

how to speed up XBMC on an old Ubuntu Linux computer?
Q. I recently installed XBMC media center on my old Ubuntu Linux computer. I am running 11.04 and have already changed the sources to the 10.10 release. There is lots of lag in the media center and a very low frame rate. Is there a way to disable some of the 3D effects to make XBMC run faster? If not is there another way to speed up XBMC media center?

A. Disable or low some of the XBMC settings
Close any programs you have open before using XBMC
Turning off any start-up programs that you don't use



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?

Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?
Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?
Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Friday, February 15, 2013

Is there a way to have Window Media Center recognize and play rar'ed videos?

Q. I want WMC on XP to recognize and play video in rar archives, either by extracting it completely before playing or not.

Or should I go with some other Media Center, Windows or Linux based, excluding MythTV?

A. No,only the archiver application can recognise the file. Not that there is any point in compressing a video file as they already, usually have high compression levels due to their encoding.

How can I fix a computer with Windows Media Center on it?
Q. I can fix any computer, but when the computer has Windows Media Center on it I can't do a thing! Any advice?

A. Install Linux, and your computer will work.

How can I make a Media Linux Machine?
Q. I have an old windows computer that I have deleted everything on the hard drive. I would like to find a distribution of Linux that would be good for a Media center. I need the distribution to run on a small amount of ram. And I don't quite know how good the graphics card is. I'm primarily going to be using this computer as a DVD Player and a music player via external hard drive music. Thank you to all that respond. I will choose the best answer that I deem the best!

Thanks Again!
Corbin

A. Ah, at first I thought you were trying to make a Tivo like system which can be done with installing the myth-TV package.


I would boot the Ubuntu or Fedora Core 11 live CD and see how well it performs. Then there is an option to click on "Install" on the desktop to install it to your system.

I've used FC11 and recommend that version of Linux (though it's VERY similar to Ubuntu with the added benefit of being closer to the business RHEL version)

http://fedoraproject.org/

After installing FC11 from live CD, I would do the following:
(note, these all can be installed graphically as well)

Basic Tools:
From the command line type 'su -' <and press enter key> to become root then issue this command:

yum -y install k3b gftp nmap telnet-server kdeedu kdenetwork kdegraphics system-* thunderbird

(I think I'm missing some here but this is an OK start)

Full Open Office install (including uneeded langs)
yum -y install openoffice.org*


For full Video and mp3 support (use the FUSION repository):
Download the following and install them with rpm -Uvh <package name>
http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm

Now, Install the XMMS player (which is a lot like WinAmp)
yum install *xmms*
(i suggest you change the skin or look and also add the playlist and eq views, but now you can play any audio with this. Look for "audio player" under Sound and Video")

Now install mplayer
yum -y install *mplayer*
(look for the mplayer icon under Sound and Video)

Another thing, if you plug this box into your TV , you can use Mplayer to play video right to it.. then setup a remote desktop session using the "Share Desktop option" in FC. Read up on VNC and krdc, it's easy to setup.

Good luck :-)



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

What is the best Linux Media Center Distribution?

Q. I am looking for something that I can boot right into that will allow me to play all of my videos, music, and hopefully old video games like SNES, NES, and other systems. I've seen Ubuntu Media Center and I am waiting for that but other than that I really can't find any media center that I can just install by itself without having to install a distribution underneath it. If there is a MythTV, Freevo, or other media center ISO that I can install as my main OS then that's what I'm looking for. Just gimme anything that's out there.
I also wouldn't mind hearing about speeding Media Center Application that can be installed for a Windows XP PC. My PC isn't that fast and I am looking for a good solution.
Once again, I'm looking for an OS that is a media center by itself without having to install anything at all.

A. Check out Linux MCE

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?
Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?
Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Sunday, February 10, 2013

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?

Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?
Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus

If I was to build and sell a small Media Center Computer for £180 - £200 would anyone be interested?
Q. Using Ubuntu as a base I would customize this to make it quick and to the point. Allowing quick access to the web, emails and media center applications. Can I please have some feedback on this idea and whether anyone would be interested in purchasing one.
Just to confirm this will be built to quick and easy access to the web, emails and media files. So not to be used strictly as a computer!

A. At that low of a price, I can't imagine a custom-built computer being any more cost efficient than a pre-made one. That, and I'd have too many compatibility problems with Linux... :P



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?

Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?
Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?
Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Saturday, February 9, 2013

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?

Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.

How do I hook up a Linux computer to the internet using an XP host?
Q. I am running Fedora Core 5 on my laptop and I have Windows XP Media Center on my desktop which is connected to the internet via LAN. I want to know how I can connect to the internet from my laptop using my desktop's net connection. I already have all the physical connections set up (network adapters and cable) and I'm already using my network for file sharing. Please don't offer any suggestions on using Linux as host (I already know how much safer it is). I want help on dealing with situation as it.

Incidentally, I'm also facing trouble using ICS from my XP partition on the laptop. It used to work flawlessly before, but I think after I installed Fedora it stopped working (although file and printer sharing areOK). I ran the ICS wizard again on each comp, but it didn't work. Any suggestions on what might cause that?

A. First of all ICS or a proxy service are the way to go.
XP is a bit limited with other choices. If you already
had ICS set up for the XP partition the same settings
will work for the fedora one.

For the other part. No. Linux has nothing to do with it.
The ICS configuration ist just settings within the XP
partition. Linux can't change that. You have recently
installed a firewall or made some firewall rule changes
on either of the crates?

Are there any programs like Windows Media Center for the Mac?
Q. Mac comes with Front Row, but that is not a good program like Windows Media Center. I would preferably would like to watch TV on my Mac. If there are any alternatives to Windows Media Center only available for the PC then tell me. I can run VMWare fusion and run windows on my mac too however I don't think I have enough memory space or processor cards installed for me to be able to do that. I got Windows Vista Basic (it didn't come with Media Center)

A. Freevo
XBMC
MediaPortal
Elisa
GB-PVR

and also there are a number of linux Media Centre operating systems
* GeeXboX
* LinuxMCE
* KnoppMyth
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Linpus



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:

Thursday, February 7, 2013

What is the best Linux Media Center Distribution?

Q. I am looking for something that I can boot right into that will allow me to play all of my videos, music, and hopefully old video games like SNES, NES, and other systems. I've seen Ubuntu Media Center and I am waiting for that but other than that I really can't find any media center that I can just install by itself without having to install a distribution underneath it. If there is a MythTV, Freevo, or other media center ISO that I can install as my main OS then that's what I'm looking for. Just gimme anything that's out there.
I also wouldn't mind hearing about speeding Media Center Application that can be installed for a Windows XP PC. My PC isn't that fast and I am looking for a good solution.
Once again, I'm looking for an OS that is a media center by itself without having to install anything at all.

A. Check out Linux MCE

What is a good Linux Media Centre for the PS3?
Q. I want to be able to easily stream media files to my PS3 over wifi, however the PS3 OS doesnt support many of the files and I dont like alot of the transcoders (e.g. orb, tversity, etc). So I was wondering if the was a good media centre software like XBMC for PS3 linux?

It has to be able to work on an SDTV (576i).

A. Sure, it's called Mplayer.

That's kind of a joke. There is a "media center" version of Ubuntu but I don't think it has a ps3 platform release.

The first thing you must do with linux is break the addiction to the do-it-all software that people use with windows. Nobody makes that stuff i linux because there's no money in it; but on the other hand, having to do it yourself clues you in to the secret they don't want you to know, that it's easy and you don't need to depend on all the commercial stuff and malware (for example, ps3video9 which spies on your pc).

Here is where to get ps3 ubuntu:

http://www.psubuntu.com

Try intrepid or Jaunty, Hardy never quite worked right on ps3. (i.e. use version 7.10, 8.10, or 9.xx)

Once you've got it installed, open synaptic package manager, run a search for Mplayer, and download and install it. Find medibuntu.com for the restricted codecs you'll need, because they don't include them on the install disc.

Mplayer can watch any video stream and pretty much handle any format, and under ps3 linux, it's the only decent video player. It's been patched to compensate for the RSX being locked under linux. The video doesn't look very good, but it's not so crappy either.

If you want a upnp client specifically, use synaptic to search for one, I'm sure they're there. But with Mplayer, all you really need to do is set up a stream with WMP or VLC from your pc, then you should be able to view it with Mplayer on your ps3.

Ubuntu does work in SD but it's not very much fun. There aren't really any good distros for 576i. Video will work, but not look so great.

You might want to just get a better transcoder. I don't know what tversity uses but there's lots of good gui's for ffmpeg. Try getting firefox 3.0 if you don't already have it, then find and download the download manager add-on, and then the manager's converter add-on. This converter is basically an ffmpeg GUI and you can hand it entire folders of video, with default or custom conversion instructions. If you've got a bunch of downloaded .wmv videos, you can just pass them to the converter with settings to convert to .mp4 under lavcodec, same quality, audio libfaac, and you'll end up with a folder of videos your ps3 can watch via upnp, within an hour or two.

What is the best equipment I should get in order to create a media center?
Q. I want to create a Media Centre in my living room -- would like some help with respect to what PC + other equipment I should buy and what types of software I should use in order to create a cool media center (e.g. to watch/record TV, browse internet, listen to music, look at photos etc)

A. If you are interested in non-Windows solution, I would definitely recommend MythTV on Linux with a Hauppauge PVR250/350 TV tuner card. It is very powerful and comes with all the features you want and more. It requires some time to set up but once you do, believe me, its worth it.



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

Labels:
Older Posts Home
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)