HTPC Front End
There are two definitions for a HTPC front end. The first one is the software interface that you use to run your HTPC. This means the interface that makes it easy to play your movies, watch TV, access you photos and listen to music etc.
The 2nd definition of a HTPC front end is when you have networked PCs, and the front end is the computer or media extender you use the access the more powerful backend HTPC which runs everything.
In this article we will be using the first definition, and outlining some of the popular front end HTPC programs:
Media Portal
This is an open source HTPC front end, for use with windows. Because it is open source this means that it is free. It is very customizable and regularly updated, making it a good choice for a HTPC Front End.
It is currently the most popular free HTPC front end choice, being a very stable and easy to use system. My only complaint is that it can be difficult to set up TV with certain TV cards.
MeediOS
Meedio used to be a popular HTPC Front End, but was then abandoned. Since then MeedioOS has been released, which is an open source alternative to the Meedio software.
This software is good because it is free and customizable, but it can be quite difficult to set up for someone inexperienced. To me Media Portal is better, but this is good for those who want a free alternative to media portal.
MythTV
MythTv is a HTPC front end for the Linux operating system. It is currently the best interface for Linux, beign easy to use and having low hardware requirements.
The best thing is that you don’t need to buy windows to use this, and there are some Linux distributions such as MythBuntu and KnoppMyth that install MythTV with the operating system, making it even easier to set up.
SageTV
This is a software package that is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, meaning you can use it whatever operating system you are on. It is quite good because it is privately developed, so there is financial investment going in to developing it. However this means that the software isn’t free, so you have to pay for the program.
GB-PVR
This is a freeware HTPC Front End for windows, but it is closed source. This makes it generally more stable, but has the disadvantage that the community can’t help with the development. However users can still make plugins and utilities, which makes GB-PVR very customizable.
Overall this is a good free alternative to Media Portal, being generally a bit faster and more stable, but less flexible in what you can do.
Vista Media Centre
This is the Media Centre HTPC Front End that comes with Windows Vista. The advantage of this is that it is already installed, easy to use, and generally does not require you to set up much (as the hardware is already installed in windows vista). However it is very uncustomizable, and you have to pay for a premium copy of vista in order to use it.
Conclusion
To me the best HTPC Front End is Media Portal for Windows, and MythTV for Linux (Don’t ask me about Mac, I don’t really use them). If you are really a novice at setting up software, then Windows Media centre is probably the easiest, but the other options available are a lot more flexible.
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One Response to “HTPC Front End”
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Media Portal is so incredibly bulky, bloated and slow it is almost impossible to use. I have used meedio, meedios, media portal and myth. Obviously found mythTV to be the best, fastest responding htpcc front end that can do more than all the other combined with lower hardware requirements. But obviously the most difficult to setup requiring linux. For Windows, MeediOS is miles beyond media portal in terms of usability. Has a few less features though. I will take a look at the other recomendations in due time but MP would be my absolute last choice.
btw you’re article is incorrect. Meedio was NOT abandoned, you make it sound like it was unpopular or unsuccessful. Quite the contrary, it was so popular and successful that Yahoo bought it and have developed their own HTPC front end based on it. As good as meedio was I wouldn’t recommend the yahoo version as it all links in with the yahoo web site now and isn’t as customizable as meedio originally was.