Thursday, January 20, 2011
Mohan wants to speak to you on Skype
Monday, January 17, 2011
5 Great Linux Media Center Distributions To Transform Your TV
Many people have used Microsoft's Windows Media Center at some point, either on their PC or Xbox 360. Personally I found it a frustrating experience, with my Xbox 360 not recognising my Windows 7 laptop, not to mention limited streaming and playback options.
If you really want a powerful media center and are fed up doing it Microsoft-style then one of these Linux solutions might just do the job.
XBMC Live
I've already mentioned it once – and for good reason. If you read my XBMC article then you'll know that I personally think it's the bees knees. Once a hacked media solution for the first generation Xbox console, XBMC now packs a punch and comes with its own stripped-down Linux distro.
You can use a blank CD or USB stick to create a Live version of XBMC which boots straight into its media interface. Once you're satisfied you've got no hardware incompatibilities you can install it straight to the hard drive (or even keep it on the USB stick for a truly portable solution).
XBMC is responsible for a number of other media products including the highly praised Boxee.
Mythbuntu
Based on Ubuntu (clue's in the name), Mythbuntu is a dedicated MythTV distribution with full recording support (use your box as a PVR). The team of volunteers closely monitor the main Ubuntu project and release updates for their media distro every 6 months.
Mythbuntu uses the XFCE desktop (found in Xubuntu) for its fast and simple nature. All the usual Ubuntu software extras have been stripped out, and your system is administered from the Mythbuntu Control Center.
The distribution provides you with a highly configurable system on which to build upon. What's really nice about it is you retain compatibility with Ubuntu which makes customizing your box a cinch.
Element
A fantastic all-in-one solution which brings the power of several services to your living room. Included in Element is the aforementioned XBMC, Boxee, YouTube XL, Hulu and more. You also have access to a web browser (that'll be Firefox) with Cooliris support and as many extras and add-ons you can download.
Thanks to pre-installed Boxee and the fantastic XBMC you'll be able to stream the best live TV and make the most of your local media too. Element is based on Ubuntu, and thus binary compatible with available software.
GeeXboX
Much like XBMC, GeeXboX aims to be a ready-to-go media solution ideal for streaming local, networked and online media. The project has spawned numerous side-projects including networking protocol uShare.
GeeXboX uses an integrated media center frontend called Enna (which you can also download separately). The latest version (2.X) has improved on the visual style and aesthetics to bring this dedicated media OS in line with similar projects.
The distro can be run from a Live CD or USB stick, or you can install it on your media PC's hard drive. The goal of the project is to embed all media applications into a single interface for the perfect media hub.
Do It Yourself
It might sound like a bit of a long shot, but there's every opportunity for you to custom build your own particular set-up to use as a media center. There's a myriad of lightweight Linux installs, many of which are binary compatible with big distributions such as Ubuntu.
What this gives you is the barebones of a media center PC and the option to install what you want, be it Boxee, XBMC, MythTV and even set up games and emulators to enjoy from your living room. You can then use a fancy launcher to sew it all together.
Time consuming but rewarding!
Conclusion
You're not exactly spoiled for choice, but considering these offerings are completely free and have been developed by volunteers they pack a considerable punch. Luckily it's easy to download and test out any of these distros using just a CD or USB stick.
If you've not tried these before then prepare to be impressed at what the developers have been working on in their spare time.
Install & Use Linux The Easy Way With The Ubuntu-Based PinguyOS
Much like Mint Linux which we have covered previously, PinguyOS has the latest base 10.10 Ubuntu Linux distribution and customizes it with an eye towards ease of use. Continue reading for an overview of this operating system and whether it is worth your time to check it out.
PinguyOS is an Ubuntu-minimal base installation with customized packages, sources and other tweaks to make it a "zero effort" install. What I mean by this is when you install the regular Ubuntu operating system, there are a number of problems you face out of the box due to technical and other legal restrictions which can make it a several-hour or day-long endeavor to get it optimized and running the way you most likely want it. The creators of PinguyOS have taken the viewpoint of a new user and has tweaked, remixed and otherwise customized the operating system so that it is ready to go as soon as you install it.
Installation
After you download the ISO file (32 or 64-bit, depending on what your computer supports) you then burn it to a disk. Place it in your CD drive and boot off of it – you will be given several choices much like the original Ubuntu install. You can either "try before you buy" and run it as a LiveCD or jump straight to the installer if you want to wipe out your current system and dive in head first. If you are installing it to your system follow the prompts as they are very straightforward.
Getting Accustomed To The Desktop
If you are coming from either Mac or Windows you will feel at home in PinguyOS. The main difference is that the "Start" menu is at the top along with the clock and other system shortcuts. On the right side is a system status menu – if I had one complaint about the OS it is that this is information that would be mostly irrelevant to a "new" Linux user and seems extraneous from this viewpoint. As a big Linux user myself I thought it was cool that this was included in the default install.
There is a dock at the bottom and left named Docky, this works much the same as the Mac OSX dock and will be familiar if you are coming from Apple. The start menu is the same one that Mint uses – it has been optimized to look much the same as the Windows 7 start menu with a search bar and frequently used programs.
You have many programs available to you right out of the box. VLC and many multimedia codecs (including h.264) are installed and I had no problems playing the movies I have saved on my shared drive. Speaking of file sharing, Samba – the Linux folder sharing program – is installed and ready to be activated on any folder so PinguyOS plays nicely with any other Windows or Mac computers on the network.
What Makes PinguyOS Different From Mint Linux?
First of all PinguyOS borrows from some of the packages that Mint Linux has developed to make things easier for end users. But it also adds in frequently used programs so that you do not have to search around for them, some examples are Docky, Virtualbox, VLC and media codecs. In this respect it is not a "bare bones" Linux install like Mint Linux, it is more rounded out with programs many Ubuntu enthusiasts use.
Although PinguyOS started with an minimal Ubuntu distribution it has added many of the programs most power users will install right away after an install. In this way it literally saves someone hours of time of research and installation of these packages. The creator, Antoni, listened to friends and family while deciding which packages to install in this distribution in a way that many power users of Linux simply forget. The way that Linux is infinitely customizable is also its downfall for many new Linux OS users as it is easy to get drowned in the sea of choices.PinguyOS makes it simple to get up and running in minutes instead of hours.
In Summary
If you are looking to get into Linux, PinguyOS is a must-try distribution. Download it today and you can literally be running Linux like a pro in minutes. If you have always wondered what all of the geeks that are running Ubuntu rave about, this is it! Let us know how you make out, we would be interested in hearing your thoughts on it.
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