Media centre options?

["Paul Gale" <groups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I=92m just trying to work out what the best route is for a shared
whole-hou=
se media centre solution for me. I have some thoughts but wanted some
other=
thinking!

I currently have:

Xbox with XBMC
Xbox 360 =96 standard software
Apple Mac mini =96 with that media software (can=92t remember the name)
An older (1GHz?) shuttle PC in the AV room (limited expansion for tuners
et=
c) linked via VGA to plasma.
Sky+ and Sky boxes in node0

I=92ve used all of these solutions with varying degrees of success. The
Mac=
Mini is just too slow and the software is not fully featured enough.

I=92d like to rip a small number of DVD=92s and make these available along
=
with all TV shows downloaded (DivX AVI format normally) to all and any TV=
=92s around the house. I have an Extron video matrix switcher and Kat5
infr=
astructure, so getting the signal around is already possible. I also have
I=
R distribution, so remote control is also sorted (providing the hardware
so=
lution supports it).

What are my options hard/software wise that will do both of these things?
I=
don=92t particularly want to have to spend lots of time programming screen=
s, so Main/XLobby etc are probably not an option.

Cheers,

Paul.





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