XBMC
The most widely used competitor to WMC is
XBMC. So named because it started off as a media application for the original
Xbox console, XBMC has evolved to become one of the most sophisticated and
slick HTPC applications available. Setup is simple; it's extremely lightweight
and works surprisingly quickly on even modestly specified hardware. If you are
using an entry-level laptop or Atom-based mini PC as your media PC solution,
then XBMC has the low CPU usage requirements and small memory footprint you
need in order to get the best results. XBMC supports all major operating
systems including Windows, OSX, Linux and even jailbroken iOS and Apple TVs.
XBMC media center
Best of all there is a dedicated XBMC Linux
distribution called XBMCbuntu. This is a lightweight Ubuntu based operating
system with XBMC pre-loaded, it is absolutely perfect if you want to use an old
or diminutively-specified PC as your HTPC, as its ultra-small footprint and low
system requirements are far easier to run than a Windows 7 based OS.
XBMC is a free download from xbmc.org. Each
version is visually identical regardless of your chosen operating system or
version, so regardless of what device you choose to use it on, the experience
is the same. As standard the media bar is separated into six section - weather,
pictures, videos, music, programs and system. There are plenty of different
skins to choose from if the default isn't to your liking, but we are confident
most will like its understated, appealing look.
(the
old BETA 2 version can still be found http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/2623)
One of the best features of XBMC is its
speed. Whether browsing files locally, or over a network, even vast lists of
music or video files are displayed without the characteristic lag of many of
the program's competitors. Power users with well-organised media folders will
also relish the ability to actually pick and choose what media to play from a
normal folder structure rather than being forced to add content to libraries
and ensure that artist, album and track names for all of their content is
accurate.
XBMC Turns Your Mac into the Ultimate Media Center
XBMC's video player works perfectly with
the vast majority of downloaded video file formats and is far more forgiving of
unusual codec combinations that the super-picky Microsoft alternative requires.
Even on an aging operating system like Windows XP, you'll just need to install
XBMC and it will be ready to play back even .mkv files no problem. Other
features like the ability to adjust the audio delay for files where the audio
loses sync with the picture are also incredibly useful, and can turn otherwise
useless downloads into watchable content.
For playing back music, XBMC comes with a
wide array of really beautiful visualisations. These kinds of visual
accompaniments to your music are not for everyone but if, like us, you'd rather
not just stare at the title of the track while the music plays back it is a very
welcome addition.
A criticism long levelled at XBMC was a
lack of support for hardware acceleration for video playback, but this is now
included in later builds and greatly assists older hardware not capable of
decoding full HD content using the CPU alone. There is no getting away from the
fact that XBMC is an enthusiast grade application, however. If you are new to
watching multimedia on your PC you may find the sheer scale of customisation
and information available intimidating. Endure the initial steep learning curve
however and you will be justly rewarded with an exceptional application.
The
open source nature of XBMC
The open source nature of XBMC means that
there are now literally hundreds of add-ons available. Want to check your Gmail
from within the application? Want a bit torrent client accessible from within
the XBMC interface? No problem. If there's a function you wish XBMC supported
that it currently doesn't, the chances are that someone within the open source
development community is working on it, or its already available via the add-on
page of the XBMC website.
Currently XBMC has no built-in support for
TV tuners, which is a major feather missing from the application's cap compared
to Windows Media Center, and will prevent it from being a single app solution
for many users. If you already have a feature rich PVR for your television
needs like a Sky HD subscription or Virgin's Tivo, then it's unlikely this will
be an issue, though. For those who prefer not to pay £30+ a month for the
ability to record telly, it means XBMC will have to run alongside either WMC or
your TV tuner's dedicated PVR application. The XBMC developers are working hard
to bring a tuner facility to the program, but they quite rightly don't want to
integrate it into the standard distribution until it is perfect.
Another omission from XBMC is a lack of
Blu-ray support. Windows Media Center also lacks Blu-ray playback natively, but
both PowerDVD and Arcsoft Total Media 5 add a Blu-ray WMC application when
installed.
Truth be told, if you are looking for a
single application to handle all of your HTPC needs, XBMC probably isn't it.
However, for simplifying the playback of online multimedia files without hassle
or compatibility issues, it can't be beaten.
