[FuQDuB]

So, I sideloaded Kodi to my Fire Stick but it stopped working, just hangs at the Kodi load screen. I have decided to build a custom HTPC and have already ordered the hardware as follows:

Case: SilverStone Technology Milo Z Mini-ITX / DTX Small Form Factor SFX Computer Case with PCI-E Riser Card, Black (ML07B)
Motherboard: ASRock Mini ITX Motherboard FM2A88X-ITX+
APU: AMD A10 7800 FM2+ Box R7 Series Graphics 3.9 4 Socket FM2+
PS: SilverStone Technology 450W SFX Form Factor 80 PLUS BRONZE
RAM: Kingston HyperX FURY 16GB Kit (2x8GB) 1866MHz DDR3
Boot Drive: Kingston Digital 120GB SSDNow V300 SATA 3 2.5
CPU Fan: Noctua Low-profile Quiet CPU Cooler for AMD Based Retail Cooling
Remote IR: Flirc, will control with my Logitec 650 UR

I will mostly be watching media and listening to music however I would like to have Netflix, Sling TV to my Hopper, Amazon Prime and some other Apps that as far as I can tell are not straight forward with the Kodi setup. I may do some light gaming and would like to use a browser, email and some other tasks that a full OS would offer.

I mostly have a Windows background but have experience with Linux (Ubuntu, Mint etc..). I have already tried out KODIbuntu and I don't think that will work for me. What OS would you recommend for my hardware and what I want to get out of my HTPC? Also, any recommendations on my hardware? I still have not ordered the APU and RAM but all others are on the way.

Thanks

[calev]

The thing is, you could get windows so that you can watch amazon easier as I don't believe its supported on linux natively yet, but then a windows license cost as much as a fire tv stick that works better. I would just load up openelec on it. You could also return all that and get a nvidia shield console. That would serve most of your use cases, all except for normal pc uses. There really isn't a great solution to kodi + gaming + netflix/amazon + microsoft word. There is going to be some give and take. It could all be done with a linux distro like ubuntu, but the configuration is endless. You get interrupted by updates if you want to keep it up to date ect.. Personally I would probably start with steam os as a base with that hardware and configure it from there.

[FuQDuB]

Thanks, I already have Windows licensing and was thinking of going with 8.1. The only reason I was looking into other options is to make it more secure, will look at Steam OS as I have not played around with that.

Also, how does a Fire Stick work better than running Kodi from Windows? I had it setup and configured and it worked for a couple of weeks and then just stopped. It Hangs at the Kodi Helix 14.2 load screen and I have let it sit there for 30 minutes at least. Cleared out temp data etc.. Also, it only had a couple of visualizations and I like the MilkDrop and other ones that don't seem to be available on the Android nor Linux programs. Is this a hardware limitation with Fire Stick and would those be available on Ubuntu or Stem OS?

[noggin]

Also, how does a Fire Stick work better than running Kodi from Windows?

I think the suggestion was to install OpenElec on your hardware for Kodi, and then buy a Fire TV stick for Netflix, Amazon Video etc. That way you get a decent UI with remote control for both boxes? (Netflix and Amazon on Windows aren't that remote control friendly)

[FuQDuB]

Thanks for the clarification noggin, I already have the FireTV Stick so that is deffinately an option. I would need to swap out the HDMI connection, depending on which one is in use as my receiver has only 4 In connections and the FireTV stick and the HTPC would need to share.

[noggin]

Do you have a spare HDMI on your TV? Does your TV and/or AVR support ARC (Audio Return Channel) - that might be a solution?

[Tinwarble]

Thanks for the clarification noggin, I already have the FireTV Stick so that is deffinately an option. I would need to swap out the HDMI connection, depending on which one is in use as my receiver has only 4 In connections and the FireTV stick and the HTPC would need to share.

You could use a HDMI switch, like this: http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity%C2%AE-Wir...dmi+switch

[FuQDuB]

My TV does have multiple HDMI connection however, I want to go through my 5.1 speakers. The receiver is ARC compatible but not sure how that works. Would one of the devices be plugged into the TV and then the TV sends back the audio to the receiver? I'll look at the HDMI switch as well thanks....

[noggin]

My TV does have multiple HDMI connection however, I want to go through my 5.1 speakers. The receiver is ARC compatible but not sure how that works. Would one of the devices be plugged into the TV and then the TV sends back the audio to the receiver? I'll look at the HDMI switch as well thanks....

Yes - that's exactly what ARC does. It sends audio from your TV back down the HDMI cable to your amp. I believe on some TVs it may only send the audio from internal sources (TV Tuner, Smart TV apps etc.) to the receiver, but on my Sony TV ARC sends audio from the other TV HDMI inputs back down to the amp via the HDMI input used for the Amp (it uses the same cable that connects your Amp to your TV to send video from the amp to the TV).

It isn't perfect - and ARC only supports PCM 2.0 and Dolby Digital on my TV (and with no HD Audio supported in the ARC standard you wouldn't use it for a Blu-ray player or Chromebox - which supports HD Audio) but it is good for things like Fire TV sticks, Chromecast etc.

[FuQDuB]

Sweet thanks noggin, I will need to review my manuals but that just might work. My AVR I know supports it and but will need to check out my TV.

[calev]

Thanks, I already have Windows licensing and was thinking of going with 8.1. The only reason I was looking into other options is to make it more secure, will look at Steam OS as I have not played around with that.

Also, how does a Fire Stick work better than running Kodi from Windows? I had it setup and configured and it worked for a couple of weeks and then just stopped. It Hangs at the Kodi Helix 14.2 load screen and I have let it sit there for 30 minutes at least. Cleared out temp data etc.. Also, it only had a couple of visualizations and I like the MilkDrop and other ones that don't seem to be available on the Android nor Linux programs. Is this a hardware limitation with Fire Stick and would those be available on Ubuntu or Stem OS?

Not sure why the stick didn't have visualizations. Every os should. Any linux would be more secure as far as viruses are concerned. Openelec doesn't let you change the root password which makes it a little less secure than other distros. But if ssh is disabled it wouldn't matter much.

[FuQDuB]

Calev, the stick did have visualizations however they are very, very basic and not to my liking. From what I have researched MilkDrop and others have not been ported to Android. Looks like MilkDrop2 is going to be available for Windows systems soon:

http://kodi.tv/some-new-year-community-updates-2015/

"Milkdrop 2 Add-on
The current Kodi music visualizations have been around a long time and some of you may have got a little tired of the same old graphics. Fear not, because one of the greatest vizualisations of all time has been ported to Kodi using our new binary add-on system! Milkdrop is now available for download on windows platforms after being open-sourced by its original developer and ported to Kodi by team member MrC. Now that Kodi supports some binrary add-ons, we look forward to many more advances in music music vizualisations"

I have setup Kodi on Ubuntu but I would also like to be able to watch my Sling TV / Hopper and that is only supported on Windows and Mac. It's looking more and more like I will need to install Windows to get this running to my liking.