Best OS for a HTPC?

[chainers]

So I am considering turning an old gaming PC into an HTPC, and wanted to see if someone can point me to an OS that will accomplish what I want. Ideally, I would like an interface that would work like a current console (such as the PS4 interface) allowing me to access apps, such as Pandora, Netflix, or Amazon Prime.

From what I have researched, Kodibuntu seems to be the best one (in terms of free, I will not be playing PC games on this, so I do not need to be on windowns). Does anyone know if I can install "Apps" that allow me to stream from Netflix onto this system, or would it only work from a web interface?

Am I able to install software that allows me to play a blu ray from the appropriate drive - such as VLC? Most of the searching I have done only allude to ripping blu ray content, which I do not really care to do.

Can I install Steam onto this OS and stream it from my main PC if I feel like gaming in the living room? Further, how does the OS handle controllers (if I chose to have one?)

And, as a side note, are there any HTPC cases that can fit a full size computer in them in a stylish way, or would I need to get a mini-itx/atx to fit in an HTPC case (and thus, use my current case/setup for what I have now?)

Any advice you guys have would be super!

 

[captaincharisma]

they do have a kodi plugin for netflix but it is really difficult to get working

Kodiubuntu just lets you use Kodi and nothing else and kodi does not have a steam client so if you are looking to install steam you can install a Linux distro on it and them install kodi and steam. i find ubuntu and Mint OS are the popular distros these days

however i am liking windows 10 on my HTPC. i just put it in tablet mode with the windows 8 fullscreen start menu with kodi and the windows netflix app

 

[chainers]

they do have a kodi plugin for netflix but it is really difficult to get working

Kodiubuntu just lets you use Kodi and nothing else and kodi does not have a steam client so if you are looking to install steam you can install a Linux distro on it and them install kodi and steam. i find ubuntu and Mint OS are the popular distros these days

however i am liking windows 10 on my HTPC. i just put it in tablet mode with the windows 8 fullscreen start menu with kodi and the windows netflix app

Thanks for the tips man! Do you know if you are able to use a remote with Windows 10, such as Yatse for Kodibuntu? It would be great to be able to manage everything from my phone for an HTPC.

Also, does windows 10 allow for a blu-ray drive to work and play blu rays?

 

[captaincharisma]

they do have a kodi plugin for netflix but it is really difficult to get working

Kodiubuntu just lets you use Kodi and nothing else and kodi does not have a steam client so if you are looking to install steam you can install a Linux distro on it and them install kodi and steam. i find ubuntu and Mint OS are the popular distros these days

however i am liking windows 10 on my HTPC. i just put it in tablet mode with the windows 8 fullscreen start menu with kodi and the windows netflix app

Thanks for the tips man! Do you know if you are able to use a remote with Windows 10, such as Yatse for Kodibuntu? It would be great to be able to manage everything from my phone for an HTPC.

Also, does windows 10 allow for a blu-ray drive to work and play blu rays?

not that i know of. i use a wireless keyboard with a built in track pad for anything in windows 10. but when i am in kodi i use an app on my phone that lets me use my phone as a remote control in kodi

 

[jmsellars1]

In terms of a free OS, the best thing I can think to do is install Ubuntu then have Kodi open in full screen on boot. Netflix won't work within Kodi but you could just alt tab and open a web browser.

 

[why_wolf]

for bluray play back on a PC your only for sure/reliable choice is to buy Cyberlink powerDVD, Macgo Windows Blu-ray Player or WinDVD. Which is a pain because the cheapest one is $40.

Unlike DVDs open source stuff like VLC haven't really cracked the blu-ray protection enough to enable a reliable realtime playback. Though if you look around you can find these kind of shoe string setups that sort of enable it.

Personally for me if your primary watching routine is to dig out a disc and insert it into a machine you'd be better served by just buying a cheap stand alone player.

Kodi is good but at this point I'd actually recommend PLEX more. Far simpler to use and setup, not to mention its ubiquity as an app one cellphones, Roku and pretty much any other media device. Kodi on the other hand is tied to single instance PC like cement shoes on a mobster. This is assuming that you are ripping the info off discs or other means, otherwise both programs are kind of pointless/useless.

 

[chainers]

In terms of a free OS, the best thing I can think to do is install Ubuntu then have Kodi open in full screen on boot. Netflix won't work within Kodi but you could just alt tab and open a web browser.

So there is no way to have a streaming add-on for Kodi? Most of my entertainment needs are running pre-exisiting programs on my PC, or are streamed from Netflix/Hulu/HBO-Go. Ideally, I would have something I can run/use without a mouse/keyboard. Is this somewhat of a pipe dream I have?

 

[why_wolf]

pretty much yes. Despite what Kodi evangelists will tell you Kodi is very much a patchwork effort unless your only operation is playing back ripped material you have saved local/home network. Same for PLEX. HTPCs are basically an exercise in compromise, over promise and under delivery.

You might be better off just getting a Xbox or Playstation or one of the better "smart" blu-ray players.

 

[captaincharisma]

pretty much yes. Despite what Kodi evangelists will tell you Kodi is very much a patchwork effort unless your only operation is playing back ripped material you have saved local/home network. Same for PLEX. HTPCs are basically an exercise in compromise, over promise and under delivery.

You might be better off just getting a Xbox or Playstation or one of the better "smart" blu-ray players.

HTPC's are the better way to go for flexibility. if it is just going to use KODI for a local media server then i would suggest Universal media server over both Kodi and PLEX for a local media server and Kodi for playback also Kodi does have a lot of great plugins

 

[chainers]

pretty much yes. Despite what Kodi evangelists will tell you Kodi is very much a patchwork effort unless your only operation is playing back ripped material you have saved local/home network. Same for PLEX. HTPCs are basically an exercise in compromise, over promise and under delivery.

You might be better off just getting a Xbox or Playstation or one of the better "smart" blu-ray players.

Well that is a shame. I was hoping to have something that would be easy to use, allow me to stream from Steam, and run emulators for older systems/consoles.

Do you have any advice on what I should do with my old PC? I am finding that it isn't running the way I would like it to, and I need to upgrade the CPU/GPU. It feels like a shame to waste all these components on nothing...

 

[why_wolf]

pretty much yes. Despite what Kodi evangelists will tell you Kodi is very much a patchwork effort unless your only operation is playing back ripped material you have saved local/home network. Same for PLEX. HTPCs are basically an exercise in compromise, over promise and under delivery.

You might be better off just getting a Xbox or Playstation or one of the better "smart" blu-ray players.

Well that is a shame. I was hoping to have something that would be easy to use, allow me to stream from Steam, and run emulators for older systems/consoles.

Do you have any advice on what I should do with my old PC? I am finding that it isn't running the way I would like it to, and I need to upgrade the CPU/GPU. It feels like a shame to waste all these components on nothing...

Maybe keep an eye on steamOS then. If any OS is going to get close to having a keyboard free PC experience and maybe have apps like Netflix on it, it will be steamOS. That said its not really clear how much Valve actually cares about steamOS. I get the feeling they thought making an OS (even if it is just a skin job of Linux) would be easy and only now are realizing why it takes Microsoft years in between major releases.

 

[chainers]

pretty much yes. Despite what Kodi evangelists will tell you Kodi is very much a patchwork effort unless your only operation is playing back ripped material you have saved local/home network. Same for PLEX. HTPCs are basically an exercise in compromise, over promise and under delivery.

You might be better off just getting a Xbox or Playstation or one of the better "smart" blu-ray players.

Well that is a shame. I was hoping to have something that would be easy to use, allow me to stream from Steam, and run emulators for older systems/consoles.

Do you have any advice on what I should do with my old PC? I am finding that it isn't running the way I would like it to, and I need to upgrade the CPU/GPU. It feels like a shame to waste all these components on nothing...

Maybe keep an eye on steamOS then. If any OS is going to get close to having a keyboard free PC experience and maybe have apps like Netflix on it, it will be steamOS. That said its not really clear how much Valve actually cares about steamOS. I get the feeling they thought making an OS (even if it is just a skin job of Linux) would be easy and only now are realizing why it takes Microsoft years in between major releases.

Do you think it would be worth keeping my windows OS, installing PLEX or Kodi into it, and using it as a media center, and only having a mouse/keyboard when I need to set things up? I mean, I think if I strip out a lot of the programs and have Kodi run on setup it may get most of the functions for me that I am looking for...

 

[why_wolf]

pretty much yes. Despite what Kodi evangelists will tell you Kodi is very much a patchwork effort unless your only operation is playing back ripped material you have saved local/home network. Same for PLEX. HTPCs are basically an exercise in compromise, over promise and under delivery.

You might be better off just getting a Xbox or Playstation or one of the better "smart" blu-ray players.

Well that is a shame. I was hoping to have something that would be easy to use, allow me to stream from Steam, and run emulators for older systems/consoles.

Do you have any advice on what I should do with my old PC? I am finding that it isn't running the way I would like it to, and I need to upgrade the CPU/GPU. It feels like a shame to waste all these components on nothing...

Maybe keep an eye on steamOS then. If any OS is going to get close to having a keyboard free PC experience and maybe have apps like Netflix on it, it will be steamOS. That said its not really clear how much Valve actually cares about steamOS. I get the feeling they thought making an OS (even if it is just a skin job of Linux) would be easy and only now are realizing why it takes Microsoft years in between major releases.

Do you think it would be worth keeping my windows OS, installing PLEX or Kodi into it, and using it as a media center, and only having a mouse/keyboard when I need to set things up? I mean, I think if I strip out a lot of the programs and have Kodi run on setup it may get most of the functions for me that I am looking for...

Really depends on how your media library is setup. If you have or are going to rip your movies/tv shows then yes having either one. PLEX is better since it can broadcast your library across your home network and the general internet, KODI can not. If that's not your plan then I'd say no you really aren't getting much of anything out of it, unless you just want a project to tinker with. You can buy a Steam Link for $50 to stream your games to a TV, so no bulky PC in the living room and any blu-ray player will do a better job of playing discs and having apps like Netflix.