[buser2]

Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong section but I don't know where else to post this. I just download Boxee and XBMC on my mac to see how they looked and they seem pretty cool (similar to Plex that i use right now). At christmas I am going to buy the Acer Aspire Revo to use it as my HTPC. Needless to say I am not going to have a cable subscription anymore as I have over 25 hundred movies and several TV series on my NAS. I have always only used Plex on my mac so i am not very familiar with boxee or xbmc (even though they all seem to offer the same basic functionalities).

I am going to install Ubuntu on my HTPC so at the moment I am torn between Boxee and XBMC.
What I need is a program that lets me watch my files on my NAS and then allow me to stream shows from websites. I am thinking of getting a Netflix account (I do not have it yet) and I am pretty sure I would be using Hulu as well since I can watch the latest TV shows i have missed.
I will still be able to use the browser in Linux but for pure laziness I would like if i could always keep my media center program on and just use that to get everything i need.


Can someone please explain to me what the best set up would be to have (in their opinion) and why.
I ask just because i have not played with either software too much and they do not seem to different.

Thanks

[jhsrennie]

Check that Netflix and Hulu work on Ubuntu. They used not to, but progress in this area is swift and they may work now/soon.

JR

[kuseman]

Forget Netflix. As long as they use PlayReady DRM, Linux will never be able to play their content.

[buser2]

Oh i had no idea Netflix did not work on Ubuntu..this really sucks. Hulu works, or it should since you can download Hulu desktop for Linux.

I figured since you could get netflix working on xbmc it would work on any platform. I guess i could still install Ubuntu and just use my ps3 for netflix. Just wish i could just have one application that does everything.

[htpc guy]

If you need Netflix then Linux might be a no-go. I'm pretty sure there is a working Netflix plugin for Windows so you could go that route. Honestly windows is much easier to set up than Linux anyway. I don't see Netflix coming to Linux any time soon simply because the DRM and Silverlite don't play nice with Linux.

Hulu on the other hand does work in both OS's.

[buser2]

If you need Netflix then Linux might be a no-go. I'm pretty sure there is a working Netflix plugin for Windows so you could go that route. Honestly windows is much easier to set up than Linux anyway. I don't see Netflix coming to Linux any time soon simply because the DRM and Silverlite don't play nice with Linux.

Hulu on the other hand does work in both OS's.

I guess you are right. In the end I feel like i will keep windows 7 installed on the Acer aspire revo so i can make my life easier with netflix and hulu etc.

I was reading a bit yesterday about xbmc and from what i understood i can download plugins from the community (even though there isn't an app store like on plex) so i guess i will go this way instead of Boxee

[jhsrennie]

See http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Usi...nal_player for a way to run Netflix reasonably seamlessly.

JR

[buser2]

Thanks for that jhsrennie

[fekker]

there's also the netflix plugin, http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=87552
for playback it uses the external player
for navigation, queue add/remove, search, those are done from within xbmc.
Windows and OSX are supported, no dice on linux until silverlight drm works there (might never happen)

[poofyhairguy]

If you get a barebones ION system for the price of Windows 7 premium you can get a Blu Ray player that streams netflix. Great synergy with XBMC Live because XBMC can't play Blu Rays, nor can XBMC Live do Netflix. No overlap.

[buser2]

If you get a barebones ION system for the price of Windows 7 premium you can get a Blu Ray player that streams netflix. Great synergy with XBMC Live because XBMC can't play Blu Rays, nor can XBMC Live do Netflix. No overlap.

I already have a PS3 so there is no need to buy another blu ray player. The Acer aspire revo is not that expensive and since its so small and quiet i can just have it always plugged to my tv. For now i will just use my ps3 for blu rays and netflix and my htpc with linux and xbmc for everything else

[Plaguester]

If you have a PS3, then get the Netflix app for that and stream it there. Then you can have Ubuntu+XBMC/XBMC Live on one and PS3/Bluray/Netflix on the other.

Also, I'd wager that Ubuntu is easier to set up than Windows, but I haven't done a Windows install since XP.