[kreggz]

I am running XBMC on Ubuntu Server with no Desktop environment it just boots into XBMC. To get everything setup in Linux initially takes a lot longer than Windows.

The benefits are command line management and updates, you can run it on older hardware and your media centre feels more like a purpose built appliance rather than a PC. I would also argue that boot time is faster.

[eg4190]

The difference between setting up XBMC on Linux and Windows is this: Linux is more work to set up, but once everything works, you never need to touch the box again; Windows is easier to set up, but you're constantly dealing with annoyances that never go away.

Windows likes to update your machine once a week and reboot in the middle of the night. Windows makes it difficult to get certain remote configurations to work without running EventGhost as an administrator (and you can't have administrator programs start at boot). Windows likes to annoy you with pop-ups and reminders to get the latest video drivers and security updates when you're only using the box to watch movies. XBMC crashes more often on Windows from my experience and drops you to an ugly desktop. Windows can make it hard to get the computer to wake up from sleep without causing video issues.

Yeah, there are workarounds for some of these issues. But they aren't any *less* work than getting HDMI audio or a WiFi adapter to work in Linux.

[teeedubb]

The difference between setting up XBMC on Linux and Windows is this: Linux is more work to set up, but once everything works, you never need to touch the box again; Windows is easier to set up, but you're constantly dealing with annoyances that never go away.

Windows likes to update your machine once a week and reboot in the middle of the night. Windows makes it difficult to get certain remote configurations to work without running EventGhost as an administrator (and you can't have administrator programs start at boot). Windows likes to annoy you with pop-ups and reminders to get the latest video drivers and security updates when you're only using the box to watch movies. XBMC crashes more often on Windows from my experience and drops you to an ugly desktop. Windows can make it hard to get the computer to wake up from sleep without causing video issues.

Yeah, there are workarounds for some of these issues. But they aren't any *less* work than getting HDMI audio or a WiFi adapter to work in Linux.

+1 I had a similar experience with Windows - htpc waking for no reason and hd films mysteriously stopping while streaming from my nas whilst sd films worked fine. Another plus for Linux is that the configurationfiles are plain text so once hyouset it up its very easy to transfer to another computer.

[teeedubb]

The difference between setting up XBMC on Linux and Windows is this: Linux is more work to set up, but once everything works, you never need to touch the box again; Windows is easier to set up, but you're constantly dealing with annoyances that never go away.

Windows likes to update your machine once a week and reboot in the middle of the night. Windows makes it difficult to get certain remote configurations to work without running EventGhost as an administrator (and you can't have administrator programs start at boot). Windows likes to annoy you with pop-ups and reminders to get the latest video drivers and security updates when you're only using the box to watch movies. XBMC crashes more often on Windows from my experience and drops you to an ugly desktop. Windows can make it hard to get the computer to wake up from sleep without causing video issues.

Yeah, there are workarounds for some of these issues. But they aren't any *less* work than getting HDMI audio or a WiFi adapter to work in Linux.

+1 I had a similar experience with Windows - htpc waking for no reason and hd films mysteriously stopping while streaming from my nas whilst sd films worked fine. Another plus for Linux is that the configurationfiles are plain text so once hyouset it up its very easy to transfer to another computer.

[HellDiverUK]

The difference between setting up XBMC on Linux and Windows is this: Linux is more work to set up, but once everything works, you never need to touch the box again; Windows is easier to set up, but you're constantly dealing with annoyances that never go away.

Windows likes to update your machine once a week and reboot in the middle of the night. Windows makes it difficult to get certain remote configurations to work without running EventGhost as an administrator (and you can't have administrator programs start at boot). Windows likes to annoy you with pop-ups and reminders to get the latest video drivers and security updates when you're only using the box to watch movies. XBMC crashes more often on Windows from my experience and drops you to an ugly desktop. Windows can make it hard to get the computer to wake up from sleep without causing video issues.

Yeah, there are workarounds for some of these issues. But they aren't any *less* work than getting HDMI audio or a WiFi adapter to work in Linux.

Typical post of a clueless Windows user. Windows Updates can be easily configured to not reboot at night, hey you can even configure it to not update at all! Same with popups about drivers and the like. Turn them off, only takes two seconds.

If XBMC is crashing to the desktop, then you've got faulty hardware, plain and simple. How is that Windows' fault? Let me see....it isn't.

Waking from sleep and video issues? Wut? You've done something wrong.


I've tried various Linux distros on various machines, and boy is that one unfriendly method of running XBMC. OpenELEC, where do I start. Takes an hour to get the USB stick working, then it doesn't install properly. If it does, then it's another hour to maybe get the sound working. If it works at all. Forget it if you move your HTPC and need to change from HDMI to analogue sound, that's another 30 minutes of fruitless Googling.
Tried running it on Ubuntu, that wasn't anywhere near as horrible, but same issue with sound.

Windows 7 is fantastic in comparison. I can install it from USB stick to a SSD in less than 20 minutes, install drivers in 10, run all the Windows updates in 30. Copy over my XBMC profile directory and that's XBMC up and running in it's entirety in 1 hr 10 mins, no messing, no fuss, no Googling. My Windows boxes boot straight to XBMC off SSD in under 15 seconds, and run for weeks without "dropping to desktop" - and none of my Windows boxes cost more than £200. They all run on Intel's DH61AG boards, either Celeron or Pentium Sandybridge CPUs, using the iGPU. 4GB RAM (recycled 2GB sticks from laptop upgrades), and small SSD drives (32GB/64GB Crucial m4 mSATA).

I spend all day messing with servers and PCs. I don't want to do that in the evening too. I want something that's easy installed, and just works. For me, that's Windows 7.

[artrafael]

I want something that's easy installed, and just works. For me, that's Windows 7.

Good for you! And for others, that would be Linux or OSX. Use what works for you and what you're most comfortable with. Threads like these are guaranteed flame-bait (whether intended by the OP or not) and, predictably, will bring out the fanboys from all sides and discussion quickly devolves into a pissing match. No side "wins" and belaboring the discussion is pointless.

[TugboatBill]

Typical post of a clueless Windows user. Windows Updates can be easily configured to not reboot at night, hey you can even configure it to not update at all! Same with popups about drivers and the like. Turn them off, only takes two seconds.

If XBMC is crashing to the desktop, then you've got faulty hardware, plain and simple. How is that Windows' fault? Let me see....it isn't.

Waking from sleep and video issues? Wut? You've done something wrong.


I've tried various Linux distros on various machines, and boy is that one unfriendly method of running XBMC. OpenELEC, where do I start. Takes an hour to get the USB stick working, then it doesn't install properly. If it does, then it's another hour to maybe get the sound working. If it works at all. Forget it if you move your HTPC and need to change from HDMI to analogue sound, that's another 30 minutes of fruitless Googling.
Tried running it on Ubuntu, that wasn't anywhere near as horrible, but same issue with sound.

Windows 7 is fantastic in comparison. I can install it from USB stick to a SSD in less than 20 minutes, install drivers in 10, run all the Windows updates in 30. Copy over my XBMC profile directory and that's XBMC up and running in it's entirety in 1 hr 10 mins, no messing, no fuss, no Googling. My Windows boxes boot straight to XBMC off SSD in under 15 seconds, and run for weeks without "dropping to desktop" - and none of my Windows boxes cost more than £200. They all run on Intel's DH61AG boards, either Celeron or Pentium Sandybridge CPUs, using the iGPU. 4GB RAM (recycled 2GB sticks from laptop upgrades), and small SSD drives (32GB/64GB Crucial m4 mSATA).

I spend all day messing with servers and PCs. I don't want to do that in the evening too. I want something that's easy installed, and just works. For me, that's Windows 7.

One could easily use the term you used about the windows user when talking about your experience with linux.

[rodalpho]

The main reason to run XBMC on windows used to be Netflix, but you can do that on Linux now too-- I don't believe it integrates with XBMC yet though.

https://launchpad.net/~ehoover/+archive/compholio/

OSX runs netflix also of course, but the main reason to run XBMC on OSX is the mac mini hardware, just perfect for a HTPC. (but quite expensive)

[Saner]

Maybe its just because I am used to it, but I tried XBMC on windows once and found it a complete pita and I just couldnt get my remote working, but I can accept that is my inexperience with it I am sure if I spent hours googling I would have found a way.

It takes me about 20 minutes (if that) to get everything installed and working on Linux (I tried OpenElec last weekend because I had to redo my fathers old HTPC Mac Mini and it was fantastic)

If you like and find Windows (or OSX) easier and a better experiance with XBMC then good for you, personally I can't see why anyone would choose to rrun a Windows HTPC but to each their won.

[protocol77]

when i first started i used Openelec which is a minimal linux distro and give you that appliance feel but ended up having compatibility issues with drivers so switched to windows and haven't gone back not because openelec isn't good it is and it has probably gotten better in the six months since i used it but i find having windows builds gives me the ease of being able to update and change things a lot easier i would suggest trying openelec first if you want to stick with linux otherwise windows works just fine and it is easy to setup to boot straight into xbmc if needed

[Vertigo]

So the question is: does the difference in performance really worth all this constant struggle? Besides performance, is there really anything to justify this?

Thanks everyone!

Im not using linux for performance reasons. Im using it because:
- its so much easier and faster to install
- easier to maintain (at least if you know linux). Can you say SSH? Antivirus? Repositories?
- its free

But of course every machine is different and its not unheard off to run in to driver issues with linux. Im struggeling with the no HDMI sound myself, after switching tv inputs its gone. Its a driver issue.
Also, Im not sure about playing bluray on linux, but I would share your fear there.

Bottomline: XBMC is cross platform, so use the platform that works best for you.

[BrooksyX]

So simi silly question I guess. I noticed that there is now an amd vs intel XBMCBuntu for frodo and I believe Eden just has one version. My rig has an AMD AM3 cpu with an ATI(AMD) 5XXX gpu so obviously I will run the AMD build. But whats the difference? Just driver support?

[ixian]

So simi silly question I guess. I noticed that there is now an amd vs intel XBMCBuntu for frodo and I believe Eden just has one version. My rig has an AMD AM3 cpu with an ATI(AMD) 5XXX gpu so obviously I will run the AMD build. But whats the difference? Just driver support?

Streamlined install - drivers and proper HW acceleration support baked in. Otherwise identical.

[NickUK]

I've only read the first page, however I've only had one issue with OpenELEC which is a Linux distribution and that is with one of my soundcards and all that was working out which one it was as there was alot of different settings you could have it on. Other than that I've not had an issue it boots pretty damn quick and my remotes work so I cannot complain. I'm getting a little media center case within the next month or two so once everything is in there it will certainly be running OpenELEC as I do love XBMC and the speed it runs at.

[Hack_kid]

Typical post of a clueless Windows user. Windows Updates can be easily configured to not reboot at night, hey you can even configure it to not update at all! Same with popups about drivers and the like. Turn them off, only takes two seconds.

If XBMC is crashing to the desktop, then you've got faulty hardware, plain and simple. How is that Windows' fault? Let me see....it isn't.

Waking from sleep and video issues? Wut? You've done something wrong.


I've tried various Linux distros on various machines, and boy is that one unfriendly method of running XBMC. OpenELEC, where do I start. Takes an hour to get the USB stick working, then it doesn't install properly. If it does, then it's another hour to maybe get the sound working. If it works at all. Forget it if you move your HTPC and need to change from HDMI to analogue sound, that's another 30 minutes of fruitless Googling.
Tried running it on Ubuntu, that wasn't anywhere near as horrible, but same issue with sound.

Windows 7 is fantastic in comparison. I can install it from USB stick to a SSD in less than 20 minutes, install drivers in 10, run all the Windows updates in 30. Copy over my XBMC profile directory and that's XBMC up and running in it's entirety in 1 hr 10 mins, no messing, no fuss, no Googling. My Windows boxes boot straight to XBMC off SSD in under 15 seconds, and run for weeks without "dropping to desktop" - and none of my Windows boxes cost more than £200. They all run on Intel's DH61AG boards, either Celeron or Pentium Sandybridge CPUs, using the iGPU. 4GB RAM (recycled 2GB sticks from laptop upgrades), and small SSD drives (32GB/64GB Crucial m4 mSATA).

I spend all day messing with servers and PCs. I don't want to do that in the evening too. I want something that's easy installed, and just works. For me, that's Windows 7.

One could easily use the term you used about the windows user when talking about your experience with linux.

I have a pc with a AMD semprom 2800+ or something and 512 mb of ram and a nice radeon hd 5800 with hdmi and it plays everything i through at it 1080p etc and it still can use intensive skins like Aeon-Nox. This is all because of linux. I installed windows on the thing. cant even navagate the pc which is expected. but it took a junk pc and made it into a 4th setup for me. I also have it on faster hardware too and my expierence is just the oppistie of yours. I can have minimal-ubuntu drivers all nessasary config files set up and xbmc compiled and installed in about 45 mins because i saved a lot of config files or made sh scripts to automate a lot of stuff for me. I cant do this in windows. Ive had a linux box run for 6 months with xbmc still running.

so it depends on what you are use to. when i first started using linux i had all these problems people are speaking of. most are from using old distros. once 11.10 came out a lot of stuff was sorted out and oh whoever who couldnt play mp3s. heres the fix sudo apt-get install libmad0 thats it! a windows fix is never that easy. read the readme file for xbmc.linux its in there as a dependency