#Linux media center os software
XMBCbuntu, formerly known as XBMC Live, is a package that contains the XBMC software along with a minimal Ubuntu system. You can also use Windows-based media center software instead of relying on a dedicated Linux system - Windows Media Center isn’t the only option on Windows. Each package has its own strengths and is designed for different types of use. Of course, you can turn XBMC into a PVR or utilize some streaming services with MythTV, but neither will work quite as well. If this is how you use your media center PC, you’ll want MythTV. If you have a source of television (antenna, cable, or satellite) and a TV tuner card, MythTV will allow you to watch TV, schedule recordings, and play back your recorded television shows later. If you use your media center PC for playing back downloaded files or streaming Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and other online sources, you’ll want XBMC.
XBMC: XBMC started as “Xbox Media Center.” It’s designed to play back video from local files, network shares, or online streaming services.
Both have different strengths, and which one you prefer will depend on how you use your media center - either as a DVR for recording TV from a traditional television connection, or a box for playing back Internet streams and local media files. The real choice you have is between XBMC and MythTV. There are many different Linux-based media center distributions you can download, but we’ll focus on what are likely the most popular and well-supported two: XBMCbuntu and Mythbuntu.