Preferred Operating System for XBMC
#16
I have Chromecast, a smart TV, and a game console for Netflix. So Netflix alone is not sufficient to move me toward Windows, if there are easier solutions for XBMC out there.
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#17
(2014-04-01, 21:16)nickr Wrote: Plenty of people say Netflix works fine on linux, using pipelight.

(2014-04-01, 21:47)awp0 Wrote:
(2014-04-01, 21:13)tential Wrote: Too bad Netflix is being throttled by many ISPs.

First ISPs said that I couldn't torrent without being throttled. So I went legit and got Netflix.
Now they say I can't Netflix without being throttled.

Apparently when you purchased 50 Mbps down it means "As long as you only use 10% of your connection."

I've been trialing a VPN service for exactly these reasons. The connection is managed on my router, so all traffic on my home network is encrypted. It seems to work pretty well and for about $3/month I might sign up for a year. I don't trust Comcast at all, and I don't want to worry about torrent and Netflix throttling anymore.

The things we have to do to use the internet we already pay for.
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#18
(2014-04-01, 22:57)Knocks Wrote: I have Chromecast, a smart TV, and a game console for Netflix. So Netflix alone is not sufficient to move me toward Windows, if there are easier solutions for XBMC out there.
I have two LEDTV SmartTV, PS3, XBOX 360 and Smart Bluray player, but I still prefer searching/watching Netflix on HTPC using this little "Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard k400r". It is a lot easier and quicker than searching the show using any remote in the house.

Oh Windows is not only for Netflix, it is for other streaming and Live TV (Directv2pc, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Hulu, YouTube, editing Hi-Def video, etc).....
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
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#19
(2014-04-02, 03:51)bluray Wrote:
(2014-04-01, 22:57)Knocks Wrote: I have Chromecast, a smart TV, and a game console for Netflix. So Netflix alone is not sufficient to move me toward Windows, if there are easier solutions for XBMC out there.
I have two LEDTV SmartTV, PS3, XBOX 360 and Smart Bluray player, but I still prefer searching/watching Netflix on HTPC using this little "Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard k400r". It is a lot easier and quicker than searching the show using any remote in the house.

Oh Windows is not only for Netflix, it is for other streaming and Live TV (Directv2pc, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Hulu, YouTube, editing Hi-Def video, etc).....

You can get live TV on Linux/OpenELEC. Lots of PVRs for Linux.
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#20
Knocks, if you have the budget then I'd personally stay away from Android. It seems there are still little nagging issues even on the popular Android devices like the Ouya (Live TV limitations, passthrough issues, etc).

Even if your budget is tight then there are other options like the Raspi, which would probably be my preference in the sub-$100 market.

Otherwise I'd go with x86 and choose between Windows, Linux and Openelec. They're all very well supported. If you don't need anything outside of strictly XBMC then Openelec is your best bet by far. If you need other applications and services (media managers, downloaders, virtual machines, etc) then you should go with Windows or Linux and the choice boil down to your requirements and your comfort level. I like to use MediaCenterMaster and the WMC PVR plugin, which is one of the reasons why I chose Windows 7. However Linux-based platforms like Ubuntu and Openelec are free and stable so they're compelling as well. I probably would run Openelec if I didn't have Windows-specific requirements.
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#21
Free version of Windows is coming soon- Microsoft experimenting with free version of Windows 8.1....
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
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#22
My budget is not tight, but there's something to be said for getting a $70 Android stick, playing with it for a couple of months, then throwing it away and getting something cooler, better, and faster. As opposed to spending $800 on a bulky HTPC and being stuck with it for a year or more.
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#23
$800? Dude, you can build a great, slick little windows/Linux HTPC for around $250, with far more power and flexibility.
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#24
Well I think the OP's question has been sufficiently answered. As for which $70 device to purchase, or which $250 or $800 HTPC to purchase, there's an overwhelming about of information on this in the Hardware forum, and there's no simple answer.
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#25
I agree that it's gone a bit off topic. I simply wanted to know if there are operating systems of the bunch that are currently supported that are favored by XBMC developers, and it seems the overwhelming answer is Windows and Linux, with Android possibly catching up soon.

I think it's also correct to assume that if the hardware itself is limited in features, then the whole platform is automatically not a "favorite," so iOS, RaspberryPi, and OS X are not looking to become the flagship versions of XBMC in the near future.
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#26
There isn't a "Favored" OS. EVERY OS is worked on hard. It's that Windows/Linux have the most flexibility currently due to the existing things already there. There isn't a "flagship" version of XBMC.
RaspPi is limited by hardware
OS X isn't mentioned here because I doubt many of us have Macs. It does work fine though it just isn't a fan favorite of forum posters.
iOS is the same way.

Don't mistake "favorite" of forum users for there being a flagship version of XBMC.

The reason Android is "catching up" has nothing to do with the Android version of XBMC being bad. It has solely to do with there not being much hardware out there that runs XBMC at the speeds many users want it to go at. Lots of users use Android and are happy. There is now a TON better Android hardware out there, and the Android version of XBMC has gotten more and more optimized.

Any officially supported platform will work well. Don't buy into a certain platform because you think you'll receive updates faster on it or something. Use what is most convenient to you.

Most of this thread has to do with Addon support and Addon support has nothing to do with the XBMC team and has to do with the developer of the addon and the addon limitations. So a Netflix App may work on Windows but may not get the necessary permissions to work on another platform (example I know nothing of these Netflix addon or whatever.)

When using the XBMC functions, I really don't notice a difference between Android/Windows except with how fast my hardware runs it. My Windows XBMC Box is a full spec desktop. I have a 4770k in there just because I could. So I notice the difference vs my android Galaxy S3.
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#27
If you want 5.1 audio and SuperHD(+) with Netflix on a computer - then so far - The Windows 8 Netflix Metro app is the only way to get that. It might not mean a lot to some, but lack of, is a dealbreaker to others.
Android and its hardware has its challenges - poor driver support and closed source kernels from some manufaturers don't help. But its going places, be sure of that. All in good time Wink
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#28
Another reason android is perhaps rpesently "not the best" is that android was the last OS that XBMC was ported to, so development has been behind the other OSes.

Gotham should change that a lot.

But you still can't make a silk purse out of an underpowered closed source pig's ear Smile

As android boxes get better and better hardware at least part of that equation will change, but access to things like hardware acceleration are often hindered by SoC manufacturers.
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#29
I have Android on my Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and with the current gotham beta it works perfectly, it has come such a long way this past year cant thank the developers enough !
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#30
Its a shame - a damn shame. Hopefully soon, SoC manufacturers like Rockchip etc, will see that proper open source kernels and firmware lead to further community development. This alone might not mean much to some of these, but once it doubles or triples a SoCs sales period on the marked, this might get them going. (Just look at Allwinners SoCs. Although they've "had some help" getting it out there, they've benefited enormously).

So I guess conclusion is, at this point in time; While XBMC on Android is fully doable - both the platform and XBMC for it, has not matured enough yet to be a "OS platform of choice" - atleast not for the average end user.

If you're a dev with a lot of spare time on your hand and well established in the Android community - then we urge you to try it out (and chip in) Wink
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