Is LinuxMCE Right for My Simple Needs?

[knickerlas]

Hi everyone,

I want to setup a PC instead of a TV. We get most TV from DVD's and torrents currently and I had planned to just download or rip on my Mac, then transfer via the wireless net to the media pc when we need TV in the living room.

I don't have a PCI tuner and don't really have a need to network media, though the Linux fan and "tinkerer" in me loves the idea and I may well start working toward getting new hardware to set this all up.

What I'm really asking right now though is is: Will LinuxMCE run ok with just one network card and play AVI files i send to it from the Mac?

Love the project, can't wait to try

thx!

[tschak909]

This system is much more than that. It's a smart home platform with the LMCE server intending to be the center of the house. With that said, put two network cards in the system, and connect your modem directly into the first network port, and connect a switch into the second, put your computers etc on the switch.

What do you get with this?

* A file server, ready to use, to copy anything including media.
* Automatic detection of network devices such as NAS bricks for more storage, IP telephones and tuners, and Orbiters (touch panel remotes which you can make out of any PDA, tablet, or laptop)
* the ability to have LMCE handle your telecom

[Marie.O]

What I'm really asking right now though is is: Will LinuxMCE run ok with just one network card and play AVI files i send to it from the Mac?

To answer the question in the title first: In my humble opinion, LinuxMCE is overkill for you, and might bring you more grief, than worth. Try a pure media center like XBMC

rgds
Oliver

[knickerlas]

Thanks, but for right now, will it do what I said above? And will it run in that simple mode with just one network card?

[tschak909]

Not out of the box. You will spend a lot of time trying to get the single NIC option to work.

-Thom

[skeptic]

If all you want is a stand alone media player I'd suggest you go with MythTV.  If you just want to start with a stand alone media center, but later want to add media directors (other players for other TVs and such) and various other home automation devices then save yourself a lot of grief and do what Thom (tschak909) says.  Two nics, an internal LMCE network separate from everything else.  In short, LinuxMCE relies on it's DHCP to identify and use the various devices it interacts with and the only reliable way to do this is to have separate NICs with LinuxMCE as the only DHCP server on the internal side.

I've done the single nic setup, including other MDs.  There are a number of limitations which just happened to match my previous setup (a block of static IPs from my ISP, no DHCP servers anywhere on my LAN, etc.).  When I changed Internet providers and no longer had this setup I also switched to the LinuxMCE standard two nics setup.  The switch from one nic to two is also a bit of work.  At a minimum, buy a second nic and put it in the computer even if you don't use it for now.

[niz23]

Hi everyone,

I want to setup a PC instead of a TV. We get most TV from DVD's and torrents currently and I had planned to just download or rip on my Mac, then transfer via the wireless net to the media pc when we need TV in the living room.

I don't have a PCI tuner and don't really have a need to network media, though the Linux fan and "tinkerer" in me loves the idea and I may well start working toward getting new hardware to set this all up.

What I'm really asking right now though is is: Will LinuxMCE run ok with just one network card and play AVI files i send to it from the Mac?

Love the project, can't wait to try

thx!

Hi.

I vote for XBMC as posde said.
LMCE is great, but from what you say above it will be overkill.

XBMX is simple to install from the livecd(based on ubuntu mobile edition) and is available in beta2 at the moment.
Works great if you only want a media player device. Also it play pretty much everything.

It has no tv functionality (like mythtv do). However are plugins for vdr and mythtv but I dont know their quality.

Only my two cents...

/niz23

[knickerlas]

Thanks everyone, this is fantastic help!

XBMC looks like a great solution for me right now. I can't see that it would support freeview (uk digital tv tuner) but I presume I could hook that all together and will investigate a bit further.

[seth]

 
Heh, Why am I the only one that uses LMCE, MythBuntu, and XboxMC.

I must be a total freak!!!!!!

Regards All,

Seth