Completely Mind-Blowing! LinuxMCE ROCKS!
By Alexander Grundner |
March 22nd, 2007
Comments (4)
A new project called LinuxMCE is set to create some major waves in the Media Center PC world (via Download Squad). Unlike its nearest competitor, Windows MCE, LinuxMCE is free, open source software, built on top of the Ubuntu operating system and features an innovative 3D user interface (which you’ve got see in action to believe) for superior media navigation, integrates home automation / lighting / surveillance functionality, easily catalogs content from all network storage devices and PCs, has the ability to control all existing A/V gear in your rack (i.e. stereo, VCR, Blu-ray/HD DVD set-top, etc.) with one remote, integrates an Asterisk VoIP phone system, a neat little feature called “follow me” that allows users to go to different rooms and access content from where they left off, and a whole bunch more. Personally, this is the first time I’ve heard of this project, but all I can say is: It’s the most impressive, out-of-the-box media center application suite I’ve seen to date on any platform. Have a look for yourself in the video demo below.
UPDATE 1: Official LinuxMCE .ISO image download mirrors now available.
UPDATE 2: For those skeptics out there who think LinuxMCE’s auto TV and light manipulation is a trick of video, read the developer’s explanation here on how it’s accomplished.
Features - Version 1.0
Media & Entertainment
- 3D alpha-blended GUI optimized for displaying on a TV and using a remote control
- Media browser presenting all content on all devices in the home on a 3D rotating cube
- Plug-and-play detection and aggregation of network storage and DMA’s
- Built-in NAS providing centralized backup and whole-house media server
- “Follow Me” Media, each family member’s media follows him/her through the house
- Automatically controls all existing av devices, like TV’s, Stereo’s, etc.)
- Many control options: mobile phone, webpad, pda, phone
Smart Home
- Home Automation: Control lighting, climate, security, camera surveillance, and more
- Communication: Phone system with auto-attendant, voice mail, call forwarding/routing for VOIP and POTS lines
- Security: Uses your existing home alarm, surveillance cameras, lights, phones and tv’s to notify you on your mobile phone of any security alerts with the option of reseting the alarm or broadcasting your voice in the house over the tv’s
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:24 am
I am very impressed with this project. I have used XBMC almost exclusively to watch commercial free TV for a few years now and have recently wanted to moved to a PC based media center for the high def and other features not available or not well implemented on XBMC but I have yet to find any interface that can measure up to the wife-pleasing ease of XBMC. This could have what it takes to get me on that road. Thanks for the info.
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:57 am
Sounds really cool. I just wish they’d compared it to Vista MCE instead.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Call me when they intergrate voice command, like one voice media commander. I do not want to hit any buttons. Just turn it on, hold up the remote with build in mic and say “play the matrix”
April 19th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Quote: “Call me when they intergrate voice command”..
..Haven’t tried it, but I bet it won’t be long until someone integrates perlbox (http://perlbox.sourceforge.net/)or it’s foundational voice recognition CMU sphinx (http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/) into the LinuxMCE / Pluto Home project!