HTPC OS/Set up

[Eclectic]

Ive just invested in a new LED TV to replace my ageing LCD Bravia.

Now, whilst doing so its got me thinking about my HTPC set up. Ive been for quite some time using my PS3 with PS3MS. I then had some spare parts so built a server/htpc about a year ago.

The specs:
Asrock VSTA Conroe
e2160
4gb DDR2 800
HD5450

Now the box is running Gentoo as the main server in the household but its also connected to the TV and running XBMC.

I was at first hugely delighted with XBMC but as I got more into the streaming side of it its left me somewhat in a muddle. For myself its easy to navigate to the source I want, but for my good lady and kids they get lost. Whereas the PS3 was easy for them.

Im contemplating a Netflix subscription so want ease of use with that, so its got me thinking whats the best set up for a family using a HTPC? Ive seen ElementOS and it looks promising, but I dont want to tear up my Gentoo rig that I worked hard to get right without getting something solid. So, here I am asking the community for the experiences.

 

[arad85]

For myself its easy to navigate to the source I want, but for my good lady and kids they get lost. Whereas the PS3 was easy for them.

In which case you have your media organised badly. We have a number of XBMC systems here, all served off a central server. Films are organised as

• adult (no, not "adult", but anything over 12A)
• 12A
• Family
• TV Series/Program name

All the Family contains anything we're OK with the kids seeing, 12A & adult is anything else. Presented as single mount points so you just enter it and all the films are there.

TV series the same... all organised Program/Series xx/Name.SxxEyy....

Dead easy to use.

 

[Eclectic]

I don't have mine quite listed like that. But when its displaying the movies, which is how its usually left. In that case its easy.


But when they want to get from that view to say icefilms or Netflix then it confuses them as the interface isn't intuitive.

Was looking at moovidia last night. Awesome set up but needs plugins. MythTV could be worth a look.