Best HTPC Software?

[malynch7]

I have been bouncing back and forth between a few different setups for my gaming htpc and figured I'd ask the community what you guys are running.

1) Kodi - My favorite interface in terms of customization and aesthetic. Also, It is very easy to launch steam from within; but, the settings are too easy to get to for my 4 yr old and there is no real great way to lock them, at least that I have found. Also I have to manage a separate library from Plex Media Server, which I use to steam my content when I'm out of town on work (about 3 days a week).

2) Plex - My current setup. PC boots into Steam Big Picture and from there I have Plex Loaded as a "non-steam game". I love the simplicity. It is the easiest for my wife and son to understand, and the settings are more hidden than Kodi's. The customization is much more minimal, but it still looks good. My big problems are that there is no good app for youtube (I really like leanback through kodi's chrome launcher) or news (CBSN addict), so I have to grab a keyboard and launch chrome from the desktop to achieve this. It's also not near as responsive as Kodi, and feels laggy at times

3) Plexbmc - I Want to like this option as a midpoint between the other 2, but I just can't. It seems to carry the worst attributes of It's contemporaries and melds it into a mess. Doesn't look good, doesnt have good skin support, takes forever to launch from steam and if i launch steam through it, steam launcher get lost in the sea of favourites.

Any thoughts?

 

[rwpritchett]

It can take a bit to set up, but since I've switched over to JRiver Media Center I haven't looked back on my HTPC. Best $$$ I've spent on software since AnyDVD. JRMC can also act as a media server, although I still run Plex as well because Plex support is more widespread.

Anyways, if you haven't looked at it give JRiver MC a try.

 

[malynch7]

I appreciate it, and I will. But, I can't justify spending money, if it can be done pretty well for free, principals and all.

 

[malynch7]

Although, the audio side is really impressive. I could use the zone software. Is there another program that could do the same thing with plex?

 

[rwpritchett]

I guess Kodi really is your best option... it's hard to beat free. Maybe you need a more couch-friendly keyboard to make hopping into a web-browser less painful?

The JRiver trial runs 30 days. Even my wife can use it and she used to have all sorts of troubles with WMC and XBMC. We were exclusively HTPC for content for 5 years and it drove me batty. I've been on JRMC for 4 years since.

I'm not sure if Plex can do zones. I only use the free version. The paid version might unlock some features but I haven't seen a zone setting in any of the menus.