HTPC's and Netflix

[DurocShark]

I've been using MythTV for my HTPC needs. (If you don't know what HTPC means, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Htpc ) But Netflix streaming doesn't have a Linux client, and probably never will.

So I blew away my Myth installation and dropped XP on it. (This is an old Celeron 2.13 with a whopping 512mb... No Windows 7 happening here.)

The streaming-only $7.99 a month package from Netflix is pretty cool. Some movies and shows I've not yet seen. But more importantly, lots and LOTS of stuff for my 7 year old daughter. Eight bucks a month to not have to buy all the kids DVDs she wants. Absolutely worth it.

 

[MatthewZS]

If you check around amazon you can find one of the Roku Netflix boxes for a song. They work like a dream, give you OTHER cool stuff besides netflix and will let you have your HTPC back.

BTW, when I say song, I mean 60-70 dollars. They aren't much more than that new from Roku.

 

[ctubbs]

Don, why not dual boot your machine. Partation Magic will do it as well as a variety of other software. I think Linux may even have that ability native. Been a long time since I played with dual boot and linux.
Charels

 

[DurocShark]

Don, why not dual boot your machine. Partation Magic will do it as well as a variety of other software. I think Linux may even have that ability native. Been a long time since I played with dual boot and linux.
Charels

Crappy machine, 250gb hard drive. One of these days I'll build a better box. But it's really hard to get into computer stuff at home when I do it all day at work.

 

[ctubbs]

Don, I hear that. Been there with a closet full of them nasty shirts. I actually bought my last box turn key w/ monitor. How about them stuff?
Charles

 

[DurocShark]

Heh. My last machine for personal use was bought the same way. An eMachines of all things. But at the time it was a killer deal. $300 for a 2.8 Sempron with an LCD. Right before the Core 2 Duos came out. Now, of course, it's aged. But it hardly gets used since I pretty much live out of my MacBook Pro.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Heh. My last machine for personal use was bought the same way. An eMachines of all things. But at the time it was a killer deal. $300 for a 2.8 Sempron with an LCD. Right before the Core 2 Duos came out. Now, of course, it's aged. But it hardly gets used since I pretty much live out of my MacBook Pro.

Hey! I used an eMachine the last 8 or 9 years I worked... biggest reason I wound up with an eMachine was my boss was kinda close to his money, but I used the eMachine to interface with the HP main frame in lieu of a straight dumb terminal like the rest of the office... I also interfaced with U.S. Dept of Commerce, U.S. Customs and a few internet sites.... never had a single problem with the eMachine.

I bought one for my wife a couple years back when her computer crashed... it was $198 at Walmart... think it was supposed to go to France as the library for spell check was in French at first... works great for her.