yeah, I could get another 512 stick. What about my other question though?

I've been toying with getting linux MCE for a while now, and think that I'm ready to do it, but I don't know if it's right for me.... I plan on doing the following with linux mce, and I won't really be using all the features. I will be using a a hybrid.

1. Playing videos/DVDs
2. Watching live TV
3. ripping DVDs
4. Recording TV shows
5. using a remote while viewing my media (possibly fiire remote)
6. Possibly using a security camera.
7. Playing music

That's all that the computer would do. Is linux MCE overkill?

Also, is 512 mb ram and a pentium 4 ok for a hybrid?

thanks. My webcam is supported (I have it running on an ubuntu box right now) so I could use it with linux mce, right?

thanks for the response. I think the setup I wanted to have seems to be fairly plausible. Does anyone have answers to my other questions.

I have a few questions about linux mce that I want to know the answer to before I install.

1. I already have some movies ripped as avi files, can I use these with linux mce, or do I have to re-rip the dvds? If yes, can I use any media format that xine will play with linux mce?

2. Is it really necessary to have a TV at each media director, or can I just use a monitor?

3. If I use the core with only one network card, and have it as the DHCP server, do I lose any functionality as compared to have it with the dual network card "Firewall" setup?

4. Does the core need a lot of ram and a good processor, or can I just use an old PC with a big HD?

5. I'm thinking of installing within the next week or so. Is the beta 2 stable enough to install/will the stable version be coming out that soon? Should I stick with version 1.0 for now?

6. Can a USB webcam attached to the core a be watched live from media directors?

7. Can two media directors be watching the same movie/tv channel at once?

8. If I have a VCR hooked up to my core, can I control it (rewind/pause etc.) from the media directors?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the help 1audio.

so you're telling me that wifi wouldn't allow for network boot? I would be willing to install what's necessary to boot on the HD of that box, or on a usb stick/cd.

Still, does anyone have answers to my other questions?

LinuxMCE looks really interesting, and I really want to install it in my house. I just had a few questions. I drew up how I would like my media directors/core:

1. I was wondering if having that one media director hooked up over wi-fi would allow it to stream movies/tv from the core, or if it wouldn't have a fast enough connection.
2. Can I have the core hooked up to the switch, or does it NEED two network cards. I saw that you had a diagram of a hybrid hooked up to a switch in the wiki, but I didn't know if it would work with a core.
3. Seeing as I wouldn't be using all the features that linux MCE has to offer, would using linux MCE be overkill?
4. Can I hook up a usb webcam (I know it works with linux, I have it installed on my ubuntu box) to the core and be able to look at it from the other two computers? If not the core, can I hook it up to a media director, and look at it on both media directors?
5. I've already got a good amount of movies ripped as .avi, can I put them on the core and use them with linux mce? if not, can I do that with any file types?