The client device UIs are built for 'lean back' living/media room experiences. You have full-size, standard interface troubleshooting tools. You have a full-blown PC that can handle anything (except, perhaps, realtime 4K downsampling) you throw at it. From adding channels (like Netflix, YouTube, and TED), to accessing media files on your PC and other computer on your network, Plex makes the process easy. This solves the preceding problems as:Īny administration you do would be administration you'd do anyway since you actively use the desktop for things other than media.

Then install Plex on non-PC client devices throughout your home and BOOM! your media is everywhere.

Get a big rig desktop that you also use as your primary machine with proper monitors, keyboard, mouse, etc. PC UIs just do not translate well into living room/theater room UIs.Įrgo, my recommendation is to scrap the mini-PC concept altogether. Troubleshooting a PC with a mini keyboard and a TV screen is a major PITA compared to troubleshooting one at a desk. While there is a Linux-based version of XBMC available, the widely-used OpenElec is built specifically to maximize power on budget-friendly systems, and comes with a suite of software and. The more you ask your mini PC to do, the more its workload becomes that of a full-blown PC.

Like it or not PCs - Macs & Linux included - require active administation to stay updated and secure. Here are my problems with using mini PCs as media centers:

Linux media center pc software