Media PC?

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03-12-2009, 10:21 PM
awelsh

Media PC?

Ive got an old desktop lying about now and I want to use it for something :P

Specs are:

Pentium 4 (3GHZ)
768MB RAM
60GB HDD
DVD Drive
Floppy Drive
And all the rest....

Im thinking of doing one of the following:

1. Media PC - Hope to use it so it purely boots up onto a list of films I have on there and I can simply select one from the list to watch on the TV. Needs to do nothing else but load up and display the list to select from, anyone know an OS that can do this? preferably with no mouse needed, but I don't mind if I do need one.

2. OSX86 - Attempt this :P
03-12-2009, 10:28 PM
The Professor

You'll always need a mouse methinks, or at least I'd recommend one because it makes sense!

Windows media centre kinda does what you're asking and has a nice big user interface, there's a linux distro called myth that is built to be a media centre and stuff too but I don't know much about that!
03-12-2009, 10:30 PM
awelsh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor-Alex

You'll always need a mouse methinks, or at least I'd recommend one because it makes sense!

Windows media centre kinda does what you're asking and has a nice big user interface, there's a linux distro called myth that is built to be a media centre and stuff too but I don't know much about that!

I don't want the pain of having to open and click loads on media center etc tbh. I just want it to boot to the list or something similar to that. Windows would take too long because of all the start up processes etc :P

EDIT:

What about this :) - http://geexbox.org/
03-12-2009, 10:32 PM
Recursion

Just install Windows Vista or 7, slim down all the services and set Media Center up to run on boot in fullscreen :P

Then you could buy a USB receiver and remote to use it without a keyboard and mouse
03-12-2009, 10:43 PM
awelsh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Recursion

Just install Windows Vista or 7, slim down all the services and set Media Center up to run on boot in fullscreen :P

Then you could buy a USB receiver and remote to use it without a keyboard and mouse

It pretty sluggish with 7, its got it on there now and it just takes an age.

Ill have a go at the Geexbox thing on there, if not ill just attempt OSX86, and if all else fails ill stick on XP and set it to open the files on startup :P
03-12-2009, 11:51 PM
[Chris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by awelsh

It pretty sluggish with 7, its got it on there now and it just takes an age.

Ill have a go at the Geexbox thing on there, if not ill just attempt OSX86, and if all else fails ill stick on XP and set it to open the files on startup :P

Its only really sluggish because of your Ram?

32bit requires 1gb ram to run decently.
64bit 2gb
06-12-2009, 08:23 PM
awelsh

Quote:

Originally Posted by [Chris]

Its only really sluggish because of your Ram?

32bit requires 1gb ram to run decently.
64bit 2gb

Exactly, and the video card is pretty old in there too, so 7 isnt an option to have on there again.