I'm finally doing it. Charter has pissed me off enough that I just finished building my first ever HTPC so I can stream video and tv off the net.
Being a total noob with this type of PC use, I keep reading about a lot of different OS, front ends, etc. and don't really understand a whole heck of a lot of it. I want the interface to be easy to access shows, movies, and episodes. It's not going to be a media center PC where I would need it to integrate with photos & music and it isn't going to be used to record like a TiVo. I'm big on Hulu and will probably get a Netflix account.
I know I definately want to use a Windows based OS, even if it is as a dual boot system because I want to be able to use it for some mild gaming as well. I already have a gaming PC for the heavy stuff, so I'm talking shit like seek n find, mahjongg type of stuff. Maybe some surfing.
Given my needs, does anyone know enough about these type of systems to recommend how it should be set up? Ubuntu with a dual boot for Windows? MythTV, Boxee, XBMC??? I'm concerned about making sure that I'll have all the drivers to be able to run 1080p and HD audio, I'm assuming Ubuntu is able to do all of this?
I've got a wireless keyboard but I'm gonna want a remote as well to give it more of a T.V. feel. Does Ubuntu work with remotes, etc.? To pick up network T.V. do I have to have a tuner card?
I'm doing all of this on the cheap to justify booting Charter, so I'm looking to run out and buy tons of crap just to make it all work.
The system is an MSI e350ia-345 motherboard, 4gb DDR3, 2.5" HDD, DVD. The harddrive already had a working copy of Windows Vista on it. But I'm open to other suggestions on the OS.
The info on the net is just so overwhelming that I almost want someone just to tell me what will work for my needs. Then I can figure out the how-to from there as I go and learn. Thanks for any suggestions!
Being a total noob with this type of PC use, I keep reading about a lot of different OS, front ends, etc. and don't really understand a whole heck of a lot of it. I want the interface to be easy to access shows, movies, and episodes. It's not going to be a media center PC where I would need it to integrate with photos & music and it isn't going to be used to record like a TiVo. I'm big on Hulu and will probably get a Netflix account.
I know I definately want to use a Windows based OS, even if it is as a dual boot system because I want to be able to use it for some mild gaming as well. I already have a gaming PC for the heavy stuff, so I'm talking shit like seek n find, mahjongg type of stuff. Maybe some surfing.
Given my needs, does anyone know enough about these type of systems to recommend how it should be set up? Ubuntu with a dual boot for Windows? MythTV, Boxee, XBMC??? I'm concerned about making sure that I'll have all the drivers to be able to run 1080p and HD audio, I'm assuming Ubuntu is able to do all of this?
I've got a wireless keyboard but I'm gonna want a remote as well to give it more of a T.V. feel. Does Ubuntu work with remotes, etc.? To pick up network T.V. do I have to have a tuner card?
I'm doing all of this on the cheap to justify booting Charter, so I'm looking to run out and buy tons of crap just to make it all work.
The system is an MSI e350ia-345 motherboard, 4gb DDR3, 2.5" HDD, DVD. The harddrive already had a working copy of Windows Vista on it. But I'm open to other suggestions on the OS.
The info on the net is just so overwhelming that I almost want someone just to tell me what will work for my needs. Then I can figure out the how-to from there as I go and learn. Thanks for any suggestions!
