Chromium OS for streaming media?

Hi guys,

now that I have a new computer (well, really two) we now have two older laptops. I think I can sell one of them, but not the other. I want to make it into a fast-on portal for streaming movies and TV from netflix and amazon, and listening to music. I think the easiest way to do this would be either via stripping down the windows 7 install (maybe even a clean install, and putting very little else on) and using Boxee and/or just the web browser. The alternative which is appealing to me is to try the chromium OS, since all I want to do is front-ending different web services. Any thoughts on how successful that may be? I like the idea of trying a new OS, and super fast and streamlined. Any thoughts on how successful it might be as a web media interface? Clearly I can install it onto a USB and give it a try, but until I get a chance, I'd love some input.

Thanks!

 

Mythbuntu is a pretty good media centre OS. Though it is not 'light' on the resources.

OS that are rather lighweight :

Linux Mint LXDE (based on Ubuntu)
Crunchbang Linux (xfce or Openbox) (based on Debian)
Xubuntu (based on Ubuntu)
Puppy Linux

Distrowatch.com is a good place to see updates and distro status.

 

MythTV based and XBMC based linux distros are very much HTPC capable - you can get liveCD versions of these as well (support for proprietary graphics drivers might be a problem with LiveCD mode).

Could you describe your usage case a bit more ? Would you like to use the laptop as a something like a NAS for a HTPC and stream content over your network to a TV ? Or is it just you'd like to view web based services like Netflix, Amazon VoD either directly on the laptop or a TV connected via HDMI ?

 

I have a NAS, and I suppose I'd be interested in something like subsonic or audiogalaxy to stream music from it, but that's sort of a low priority. More realistically, I'd like to view web-based services on the laptop, which will be TV connected (probably just via VGA).

I currently watch all our TV/movie needs this way. Our HDTV is small enough that the VGA output is sufficient quality. I have a remote via USB which I trained our harmony remote... so i'd love to be able to use that as well (some driver work might be needed here).

The benefits of moving away from Windows here would be a) for fun b) for speed. If useability takes a severe hit, then it's not worth it.

 

MythTV and XBMC both have plugins for Netflix and pretty stable too. As far as Amazon VOD is concerned, it involves Windows DRMs and so official support from these open source software/tools community would be less - but I have a gut feeling you can get it unofficially working just like people are able to view AACS protected Blurays and HDVDs using opensource software.

Remote should not be a big problem at all. For example MythTV has a page for your remote: Logitech Harmony Generic Setup - MythTV. If it is via USB then it is just another input device afaik for the Linux box - should not be a big problem configuring it. If it were an IR based (like a traditional IR receiver), lirc should provide the required framework in linux.