You may also want to look at some of the set-top box or game console options. Many of them will stream Hulu or Hulu Plus, Netflix, and their own proprietary media services (i.e. Playstation Network sells & rents TV or movies). You can also stream from UPnP to most of them.<br>
<br>I've gone the streaming route, mostly watch Hulu or Netflix, don't have any cable TV, and only occasionally watch broadcast TV.<br><br>-dc<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 9:20 AM, Matthew Nuzum <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:newz@bearfruit.org">newz@bearfruit.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="im">On Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 2:17 AM, David Runneals <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:david@runneals.com" target="_blank">david@runneals.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
Hello Geeks,<div>I was looking for a good os to put on a media center box (it's an old Dell Optiplex Desktop)... Was wondering if there is a good OS you would recommend for it. I have OTA programming only, and no cable. I would like to be able to save shows and watch them on my laptop and TV later & for it to play DVDs. I also need it to have a decent web browser for netflix and pandora. I assume I would need to get a tv tuner & a graphics card with HDMI out.</div>
<div><br></div></blockquote><div><br></div></div><div>Your need for netflix pretty much limits your choices to Windows or Mac OS. I recently went through this when I built a Boxee for my wife (which, btw, is a great media center front end). Netflix requires silverlight, esp a certain DRM component that is only available in the official silverlight from Microsoft. Therefore the mono project's moonlight port won't work.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I have two TVs so this is my set-up:</div><div><br></div><div>Main TV:</div><div> * Mythbuntu with one tuner (SD) configured to be a backend and a frontend</div><div><br></div><div>2nd TV</div><div> * Windows XP running boxee and the Mythtv app (the nighly version) found here: <a href="http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=18699" target="_blank">http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=18699</a> note that some days it doesn't work</div>
<div> * This computer connects to the mythtv server over the network using Samba so that movies in the /videos folder show up as normal movies in boxee, the mythtv app is only needed for watching recorded programs</div><div>
<br></div><div>Boxee has a nice interface that is easily controlled via a remote control. I picked up a USB sensor on e-bay and then just use my cable box remote to control it. Any remote can be made to work pretty easily.</div>
<div><br></div><div>By the way, I've found that if you're hooking up to a flat panel TV then DVI or HDMI are the easiest ways to get the full native resolution of the TV.</div></div><br><font color="#888888">-- <br>
Matthew Nuzum<br>newz2000 on freenode, skype, linkedin, <a href="http://identi.ca" target="_blank">identi.ca</a> and twitter<br>
<br>"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." -Benjamin Franklin <br><br>
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