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Knocks
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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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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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Knocks
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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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$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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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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Knocks
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2014-04-03, 23:45
(This post was last modified: 2014-04-03, 23:46 by Knocks.)
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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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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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 !