Free

LinHES

LinHES is a Linux distribution based on Arch Linux that enables users to configure MythTV on their Home Theater PCs. It aims to reduce the cost that arises in maintaining a Home Theater PC. Users can utilize the tool to convert a blank system into a fully-featured HTPC in less than an hour. LinHES offers several features such as playing games, Pausing TV broadcast, retrieving the latest news & weather and recording TV shows, viewing images, and more.

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LinHES Alternatives

#1 OpenELEC

Free
0

OpenELEC (Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center) is a lightweight Linux distribution that enables you to convert your PC into a highly popular Kodi media center. It lets you organize playlists, watch videos, and gather related fanart, information, and subtitles. The information about the videos is displayed through the selected themes. It makes it easy to organize and monitor TV series, as well as actors, plots, and relevant information using scrapers.

The platform empowers you to view photos manually or automatically using a slide show. It also provides additional options like Zoom in/Zoom out and rotation to enhance your experience. OpenELEC supports a wide range of audio formats and enables you to play favorite songs through the Music Section. Enthusiasts can get Artist photos and covers as fanart.

OpenELEC includes a Comprehensive TV and Personal Video Recorder module that empowers everyone to stream popular TV channels, explore titles, and capture favorite shows. Recording can be played anytime. Lastly, everyone can enhance the features by downloading and installing add-ons.

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#2 GeeXboX

Free
0

GeeXboX is a Linux distribution based on Debian built from scratch to serve as a media software suite for computers. It provides media playback through XBMC and can be stored on a USB & CD. This enables users to load it into their systems by inserting the LIVE CD or LIVE USB, negating the need for installation.

The distribution is a great tool for users who’d like to use media playback and perform other operations separately. They can use the tool to have their old computers function as media centers. It is also an ideal choice for those searching for a better alternative to Windows XP Media Center.

#3 LibreELEC

Free
0

LibreELEC is a lightweight Linux distribution designed for use on Home Theater PCs. It is a fork of the discontinued OpenELEC and allows users to install and configure Kodi on their HTPCs. The project was realized after the demise of OpenELEC. The developers knew that it would be impossible for the project to function properly with only a single overseer.

The overseer at that time didn’t like the idea of communication or heed the advice of other team members. This is why the developers took it to themselves to start anew, and since then, the project and the team have grown tenfold.

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#4 Mythbuntu

Free
0

Mythbuntu is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that installs Myth TV on your Home Theater PC. It is similar to LinHES & MythDora and isn’t included with the base installer of Ubuntu, which is why it has to be downloaded separately. Once Mythbuntu has been successfully installed, the installer for MythTV will initiate. You will have two choices, to set it up as a media viewer, media server, or as a combination of the two (Hybrid).

Mythbuntu performs its function using the Xfce desktop interface. It also provides flexibility to select any theme from Xubuntu-desktop, Ubuntu-desktop, or Kubuntu-desktop. These themes are easily downloadable via the Control Centre. It comes pre-loaded with multiple audio/video playing software, including Rhythmbox, VLC, and Amunix.

Mythbuntu Control center gives you the freedom to select the primary function of the system. It is a GUI that enables you to choose from one of the three settings: Backend, Frontend, Hybrid as the default configuration. You can also use the Control Center to tinker with the MySQL database and install additional plugins.

#5 Jellyfin

Free
0

Jellyfin is a powerful Media System that allows users to gather, organize, and stream their media. Users can run the Jellyfin server on several operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac OS and get access to all the features of the top-rated entertainment system. It makes it easy to collect and manage Movies, TV Shows, Music, and Live TV & DVR.

Besides PC, users can also access the media system on their Android, iOS mobile phones, enabling them to stream their favorite collection anywhere, anytime. The system follows a transparent approach and doesn’t track or collect any personal information. It does, however, gathers technical details such as crash logs to fix issues and deliver the best experience.

The best feature of Jellyfin is that it doesn’t charge any money from the user, allowing them to use one of the top-rated software without paying a penny. It is licensed under the GNU GPL and enables users to use it, analyze the technical details, add changes, and share it for free.

#6 Kodibuntu

Free
0

Kodibuntu (previously known as XBMC) is a combination of Kodi and Ubuntu Operating systems. It is similar to installing Windows or a large Linux-based operating system. It is also known as an Ubuntu-based distribution whose installation process is practically identical to any other platform. You can use the OS image as a Live CD or as an installer via the DVD or USB. With the help of this operating system, you can enjoy all its features without any limitations. Overall, Kodibuntu is one of the best-operating systems for your multimedia content because this OS is completely based on providing support for multimedia content.

#7 LinuxMCE

Paid
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LinuxMCE is an advanced home automation software that leverages you to make your home a smart technological place. The software is dispensing a wide range of features and functions that legitimates you take every action from your device even when you are out of your home. Whether to provide lightning automation, playing games, control media, and parameters like heating and cooling and all the security tasks are at your tips.

The software provides support to organize your media with particular metadata tags, and new media can be detected easily regardless of the device. Your home will remain secured entirely with the perfect monitoring of sensors, trigger events, and monitoring of security cameras. LinuxMCE seems to be very valuable with its telecommunication management such as advanced firewall, QoS, home router, manage device storage, and more to follow. Other features are Network storage support, TV capture devices, multiple protocols, and more.

#8 Kodi

Paid
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Kodi is an open-source and home theater solution for personal and commercial purposes. It is a multifunctional and multiplatform theater system available for various hardware that features the support for TV and remote controls.

When you use the Kodi, it will provide you with the feature of playing and viewing videos, music, podcast, and other digital media files from the network and local storage media. Kodi was launched as a replacement to Windows Media Center for home theater PC.

The best about Kodi is that it is a highly customizable media solution that provides a lot of user interface and other functions. The availability of various plugins makes the users able to stream media content via various online entertainment services like Crackle, Amazon Prime Instant, YouTube, and various other streaming and video-on-demand platforms.

In addition to available for the multiple operating systems, Kodi is also available in a standalone version as well by the name of Kodibuntu. The main highlighted features of Kodi are add-ons manager, plugins infrastructure, plugins & scripts, metadata extraction, web scraper, skins & themes, web interface, application launcher, Live TV with EPG/PVR/DVR frontend, video playback, support for various media formats, and much more.

#9 Plex

Free
0

Plex is a multiplatform media organizing system that allows you to organize your digital media and stream all kinds of digital media screens. It is the best way to enjoy your favorite media resources anywhere and anytime. Plex is a centralized home media playback system having robust pivotal server streaming with several player apps. The server is available on platforms like Windows, OS X, and many flavors of Linux, along with many NAS devices like ReadyNAS or Sinology.

It comes with the capability to play a range of videos, audio, and photo formats, along with online streaming. The odd part of Plex is that it is traced in its store features. The main highlighted features of Plex is that it will double your enjoyment and support all kind of media files, beautifully organize the data, manage everything, own music home, automatically upload the photos and much more.

#10 Emby

Paid
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Emby is an open media solution for centralizing all of your digital media collection and accessing it from any part of the world. It has a lot of cloud storage services but not efficient in dealing with the arrangement of music and videos in proper order.

Emby is the way to get your media files organized at a central place. By using this, you can bring all of your media files like audio, video, music, movies, and photos at a centralized location.

Having Emby means have a personal server for automatically arranging all data and accessing it anytime and anywhere. Emby is the simplest and easiest way of keeping your media all the time with you. The best about Emby is that the Emby will automatically convert the media that you will upload at this platform to play it on other devices.

In that’s way Emby ensures the compatibility of the media to be played across all digital devices. The three most important advantages of using It is easy to access, support for live TV from any device and manage content for the access of the children. Emby allows its users to monitor the activities of the children over Emby as well.

#11 OSMC

Paid
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OSMC is a leading open-source software based on Debian Linux and, more importantly, for the Kodi Project. The software is an advantage to you with the rich features that are very easy to use, and you have an OS with more flexibility in the functions. OSMC is a trendsetter for others with its customization experience that will enhance the sustainability of the whole system. The remote features are extraordinary that will enhance your reliability on the cloud and within the system.

Play all of your major media formats from a wide range of device streaming protocols. You will be amazed by the playing ability because of 4K support, and you will have an HD audio experience, or you can opt for what graphics you need on your screen. The software shows your pictures in a better way having multiple display support. You can choose your TV shows and movies based on date, actors, and titles. Moreover, the software is integrating with the App store which will bring more options into the spotlight.

#12 JRIver Media Center

0

JRIver Media Center is a complete multimedia solution that allows you to organize all type of media content and play it on any digital device or operating system. It is available to use on Mac OS X and Windows operating system and allows the users to build their own media center to organize media files of all type.

By using JRIver Media Center, you will be able to organize all of your media, including audio, video, music, web media, HTPC, DLNA, etc. All at one place because JRIver Media Center provides the one complete media solution. The platform even supports the creation of playlists as well and can export playlist in various formats as well.

The formats supported by JRIver Media Center for the purpose of exporting playlists are CSV, MPL, M3U8, M3U, and ASX. There is another unique feature by the name of smart lists that is similar to the playlist system but very different in various aspects.

The smart lists system of JRIver Media Center instead of the creation of the favorite songs is based on the system of some rules. JRIver Media Center has four different user interface view that allows the users to select the interface according to the situation.