Official HTPC Software Thread

[dhrandy]

Originally Posted by dr_bowtie

this thread should be stickied as it has good info in it....

Thanks

[redalert]

may wanna look at this program for Linux Elisa http://elisa.fluendo.com/

[dhrandy]

Originally Posted by redalert

may wanna look at this program for Linux Elisa http://elisa.fluendo.com/

Added. Thanks. The site says it also supports windows and mac.

[stn0092]

Do I absolutely need to have software to play HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs? Are players like Media Player Classic just incapable of doing it?

[dhrandy]

Originally Posted by stn0092

Do I absolutely need to have software to play HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs? Are players like Media Player Classic just incapable of doing it?

Found a link for you. I haven't did much reading on it.

I have been playing around with MPC to play HD-DVD and Blu-Ray & I think I have finally got it sorted.
The filter list took some playing around with to get all the different combinations working.
You will need some way to decrypt your files first (I used AnyDVD HD, and you can play files straight off the original HD/Blu disk)

Source

[Manyak]

GameEx

You can use it standalone (and even switch it to be your shell instead of explorer.exe), or you can use it as a plugin for Windows Media Center.

It's basically a front end for all sorts of console Emulators - NES, SNES, PSX, MAME, whatever. It displays a list of all the games you have in your folders and automatically launches the games through the proper emulator. Its very nice to have this in an HTPC IMO, as you can combine like 20 consoles into one system. All you'd need is a USB controller or a PSX->USB adapter.

Its also got audio/video stuff in there, but I don't think many people would use in any way but as an addon to Media Center (so you don't need those options).

[SmasherBasher]

What about ripping DVDs to HDD and playing them? Whats the best, fastest ripper out there? I currently use DVDfab

[innocenceisdeath]

DVD Decrypter for sure

http://www.dvddecrypter.org.uk/

Definitely best for an accurate rip.

[corky dorkelson]

Great list. I will post back with what (free) option worked best for me!

[corky dorkelson]

Yahoo Go TV is the ONLY free program I could get to work with my system, and I must say, it works great. MediaPortal doesn't support my OS (xp 64 bit) and GB-PVR didn't work at all. Thanks again to the OP for compiling such a great list!