XBox like media center with old hardware
I have a friend with a modded Xbox that he is using for XBMC (Xbox Media Center) to watch his DivX/XviD videos and play games in emulation (NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, etc).
Is there a good linux solution that would provide that type of functionality for me on my TV?
I know about MythTV, but I don't know if it will work without a capture card. I don't know if I want to drop the cash on a hardware based encoding capture card.
Jared
Is there a good linux solution that would provide that type of functionality for me on my TV?
I know about MythTV, but I don't know if it will work without a capture card. I don't know if I want to drop the cash on a hardware based encoding capture card.
Jared
ASKER
I already have a PC with plenty of power to do what I want it to. I just don't want to buy a capture card.
An XBox would cost me way more than even buying a decent capture card.
I'm also well aware of MythTV and KnoppMyth.
An XBox would cost me way more than even buying a decent capture card.
I'm also well aware of MythTV and KnoppMyth.
Perhaps you might want to try Freevo, if you don't want to use MythTV. And yes, MythTV will work without a TV tuner, just that you lose the TV viewing and recording functionality.
Here's a tip though, don't use 64-bit processors. I tried it, and the binaries for MythTV and Freevo were screwed on the 64-bit repositories.
Cheers!
Here's a tip though, don't use 64-bit processors. I tried it, and the binaries for MythTV and Freevo were screwed on the 64-bit repositories.
Cheers!
Just get KnoppMyth, it will do almost everything XBMC does. It's a live cd so the most you've wasted would be the bandwidth and cd you burned it on.
ASKER
I have tried knoppmyth and mythdora, and for one reason or another, neither will install on this machine.
What does it do? Does it lock up at a specific point? Do you get an error?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
If you like to use Linux, it will run on your computer and monitor, not on TV :)
Total cost of such solution is much higher than just xbox+tv.
I've looked to MythTV project. It's only a software, not OS. But there is a link to KNoppix Linux distro optimized for MythTV: http://mysettopbox.tv/ which you can burn to CD, insert and boot as your mediacenter. After that you probably will have access to DIvX videous and MP3 tracks and firewire capturing capability.
If want to watch TV channels on such Linux (on any linux), you do need to buy a TV capture card.
If you like to play games (as on xbox) - by an xbox.
Anyway you need a computer and it costs higher then xbox.