Linux MCE Misses The Point
In my last job I was labelled a ‘Wannabe Techie’ by the network and systems guys as I was always asking for advice on modding Xboxs, using newsgroups, managing servers, building a PC etc. However, in the past I’ve drawn the line at learning about Linux as I decided in my head that it wasn’t for me and that it was for the real techies.
In fact, despite making nearly 1500 posts on this blog, amazingly this is the first time I’ve ever used the word Linux. I know this because I checked last week when Sanketh asked if he could post about Linux as well.
Although Linux may offer potentially great software for free, from what little I know it just never seems to be targetted at mass market users. For instance, take this video that compares Linux MCE to Windows Media Center Edition that was featurd on DownloadSquad. At the start of the video I thought, ‘wow, this application is cool’ and building a Linux MCE PC might solve my HD media problems. But, as the video progressed I decided that Linux MCE just did too much and the interface wasn’t actually that user-friendly. Yes, it might do everything including picking up the morning newspaper and making breakfast, but I don’t need all those features. All I want is the ability to start a file, pause, rewind/FF and turn the volume up and down. Simple.
Watch the video from a blatant Linux Fanboy and see if you agree with me.
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Comment by Pablo on 1 September 2008:
I don’t get any of this. I’m a techie in the strict sense, I’ve worked in IT engineering for over a decade and was exploring their innards back in the days of BBCs and Speccies. I run lots of boxes, in fact I work in networks / security on enterprise networks and so I have had a lot of exposure to a wide variety of OSs, Windows, Nix, Solaris, etc.
For kicks (and out of DRM frustration), I decided to bin my media system and rebuild it on Linuxmce. Now this is a true box of frogs, just old parts I have chucked together: 2GB (ish) Athlon, couple of gigs of mismatched RAM, couple of old IDE drives, etc so I was expecting grief from the start.
I got none. It setup perfectly first time, mounted my backup NTFS partitions and everything is working out of the box. That woman starts to grate on the ear fast, but other than that, it’s running rock solid.
As for “overkill”, the Kubuntu side of it gives a lean enough desktop that is (so far) fast, simple and intuitive. I do not have enough experience to offer any valid comments on the media side yet, but I’m about to dive and find out.
An old friend stayed over last weekend, he’s Windows to the core, never touched nix. He started complaining about AV subscription, Windows licencing, etc and so I fired up my MCE box and explained that you do not need an AV for it, there is no licencing, it’s utterly free. It took a while for him to understand this, but when he did, he asked me for a copy of LinuxMCE which I happily (and legally) copied for him.
He’s having a great time with it.
Comment by leo amxwell on 7 August 2008:
I am in the process of writing a comparison article on MCEs for a UK computer mag.
I managed to install and run Mythbuntu on a PC In less than 30 minutes.
It took me much longer to install windows MCE 2005, Media Portal, SesamTV or GBPVR. all were more complex, all relied on 3rd party software, all were less stable. (in fact much less stable or usable)
All on the same hardware.
I also tried some proprietary Windows solutions, and other Linux packages. I have yet to try LinuxMCE.
But the windows MCE solutions require :
A windows MCE compatible TVcard, keyboard, mouse and remote.
None of which I have. The MythTV solutions work with far more hardware and are not tied to the windows DRM infested platform.
Comment by Joker on 27 July 2008:
I had my Linux MCE for a long time.It was great but now I switched to Mythbuntu. 1 backend where I keep all my videos and music and 2 frontends that are hooked up to two plasmas placed in the lounge and bedroom. All machines are placed outside the rooms so the noise of the fans is not disturbing. What I’m left with in the room is the remote control. I have analog and digital audio from both. Currently working on having HD video. All that didn’t take very long time and money to setup (3 x pc, 2 x r/c, cables:cat5,rgb).
“Techie is a term, derivative of the word technology for a person who displays a great, sometimes even obsessive, interest in technology, as well as high-tech devices,” - Wikipedia
I don’t think any of you is a techie. You are just a lazy Windows users. You should write something more sensible….
PS: “Why so serious?”
Comment by Alec on 1 June 2008:
I’ll admit, I’m a techie, I’ll admit I’m currently running vista and ubuntu on my work machine, a ubuntu server streaming media to my xbox, and an xp laptop. I know just how much of a pain linux can be.
That being said, one of the major things they’ve added recently is a simple install, which is why I’m so surprised by some of these contents. You pop in the disk, it loads, and you either say install or boot. The end. It should detect all the hardware automatically.
Comparing it to the windows mce…there is no comparison. Yes, some of the features are overkill if you just want to watch movies, but even Windows MCE is overkill. It you just wanted to watch movies, all you really need is windows media player 11. And if you’re watching them on a computer, all you need is VLC.
Media centers are supposed to be overkill. They are supposed to simplify complicated processes, not just do one thing. They are an operating system more than a program.
The only time I have ever had trouble with modern linux distributions is when I’ve had to interact with windows products such as DRM movies and Xbox’s and so on. As a techie, setting up printers, cameras, usb drives, network storage, word processors, virus scans, automated backups, and all other standard home uses has be easy on Ubuntu compared to Vista Ultimate.
Comment by T-Ed on 14 January 2008:
Ugghhhh. I’ve waited, and waited, and waited for the day that Linux would be usable for the masses. Unfortunately, it is 2008 and it *still* cannot compare to either MAC or WIndows OSes regarding setup/install. It really is unfortunate. I think after the 9 years I have waited for Linux to get better at installation, someone would have stepped up to the plate (that was good at it) and made drivers for commone systems! I just spent two days (in my spare time) to get LinuxMCE up and running. Downloaded the DVD Quick Install and the 2 CD install. The DVD Quick install can’t handle my Sata drives and the 2 CD Install can’t even get past GRUB without an Error 15.
I’ve run Windows MCE on Vista for awhile - reformatted cause Windows puked out, then lost all of my DRM stuff cause the security was wiped (grrrrrr). I can tell you that I am not a fan of Windows MCE, but I am definately no fan of spending the ammount of time I did trying to get Linux MCE to run to no avail.
Definately no way *anyone* that doesn’t even tinker in computers would ever be able to install, let alone fix any issues with a linux based MCE. (Not that they would be much better off with Windows - but at least it would install!)
Anyway - bummer for me on the LinuxMCE - I will have to try this MythTV though before I relegate myself to another Windows MCE pukehole. It sucks when you have to explain to your wife that “rebooting” the TV is gonna take about 3 hours worth of techno crap to get it working again…
“Sorry - codec cannot be loaded.”
Damn