Low end HTPC

[CU]

I am looking at using an old PC for a HTPC for standard cable DVR and streaming Netflix. I am fine using linux or XP on it. With linux I would use Mythtv for DVR function, but for Netflix I would have to dual boot XP. Unless someone knows how to get Netflix to run in Linux. For windows what is a good piece of software that I could use to stream Netflix and/or do DVR stuff? I want everything to work with the remote ie. no keyboard or mouse. I would also like to have the ability to have a front end connect to it to watch DVR'ed, live TV, or stream Netflix. I was all set on MythTV until I got a Netflix account and watched a streaming movie. So what our my options?

PC Specs:
P4 1.8@2.2 will run at what I can get away with in that range.
1gig ram
Nvidia 5200 AGP
PVR-150 w/ its remote

 

[kalrith]

I'm currently building an HTPC with Windows XP Home and using MediaPortal. It's a great media center and does just about anything. It's open-source, so there are all sorts of plug-ins and a really good forum support system as well. I haven't looked into doing Netflix on it, but I'd be very surprised if it couldn't do that.

I can't comment much on those PC specs. I'm building my system for HD, so I haven't looked into the SD requirements at all (I obviously know that the requirements are lower, but that's all I know).

 

[mc866]

I've heard Boxee supports Netflix streaming but can't confirm cause I've never used it.

 

[CU]

MediaPortal looks to have Netflix plugin that will stream stuff. And, it will do DVR. That might be my best choice. Boxee doesn't seem to have DVR functionality and is only alpha, so it is out.

As for my PC's specs it won't have a problem with standard def. I just listed them so people would know what I was using.

 

[Reel]

Google "VDPAU". Look into Boxee. I believe it works on Ubuntu. The information you learn should help you put together a cheap HTPC.

 

[Slick5150]

Boxee does work on Ubuntu, but the Netflix part does not and will not until Netflix releases Linux code, which they claim they're going to do later this year.

Boxee has a Windows version in closed beta testing at the moment though that does include Netflix..

 

[CU]

Did some reading about Netflix and Mediaportal. It seems new accounts don't work because Netflix now makes everyone use silverlight which breaks the old plugins. I assume that breaks just about every plugin in all the HTPC's. The posts I found about this were from the beginning of this year, so this appears to be pretty new news.

If anyone knows of any plugin for any HTPC software that works in windows and supports new Netflix accounts that use silverlight for watch now, let me know.