Media Centre
I’ve been saying for ages that I should buy a dedicated media centre. Although the modded xbox does a reasonable job it can’t play back anything higher resolution than SD and it’s connected over SCART.
I had plans to build a system from the ground up and learn about it on the way but a large part of me just can’t be bothered doing that. What’s to learn? I’ve build PCs several times and I’ve installed Linux on them. There wouldn’t really be much new to gain from going down the DIY route.
Enter all the myriad media centre options that abound. My selection criteria are fairly straightforward; small, quiet, able to play back HD content and not obscenely expensive. Recently I’ve been getting very close to purchasing a Popcorn Hour. It sounds like just the ticket. The only thing it doesn’t have is the functionality to act as an audio playback device (not without having it piped through the tv anyway) but I’d let that go if it does good video which all reviews say that it does. Hmm, time to check the bank balance…
I too would like a new media centre. It may be that I’ve forgotton how bloody annoying it was, but I miss my old box.
Indeed, Popcorn Hour looks good, but from what I’ve read the interface is rubbish.
You can now stick xbmc-based boxee on an Apple TV (£195). Boxee is brilliant, and the Apple TV will access Apple’s streaming HD content. Only downside is that you won’t be able to play mkvs higher than 720p :-/
The MSI Wind PC looks like the perfect barebones to stick something like Mythbuntu onto. Not sure if I can be bothered going down the “hacking around with drivers for 12 hours and getting nowhere” route though…
If the interface allows me to select a file and play it I’m pretty much sorted. I only need to get it past a panel of 1 in the user interface acceptance tests. I’ve read the same things, but for most reviews that the only real negative they list.
I really can’t be fucked going down the Mythbuntu route. I’m sure it would be fun an’ all, but I’d spent more time fiddling with it than watching anything. It’d be quite nice to get a box, plug it in, point it at an nfs mount and let it do its thing.
My TV only does 720p so that wouldn’t be an issue. But seriously, can you see me buying Apple?