linux vs windows movie playing

[superben51]

hey so i need some help deciding if i should put linux on a computer in my house but the only computer i can do that with is the computer i use to stream and play videos right now it is running windows but can i change it to linux and not encounter problems to steam and play video ?

[oz]

can i change it to linux and not encounter problems to steam and play video ?

Hello and welcome to the forums!

The answer would be "maybe, maybe not", but it doesn't cost anything but some of your time to find out. I'd recommend installing one of the Linux distributions to see how it works out for you, depending on what all you are wanting to do. If you want, you can even run a distribution from a liveCD to see how it looks and operates.

Best of luck to you with it either way.

[jayd512]

Welcome to the Forums!

Just to add to what oz suggested, you might want to setup a dual-boot system since you mentioned having one computer to play around with.
Dual-booting would allow you the availability of streaming in Windows, as you do now, and giving Linux a spin at the same time.

[Rubberman]

I have been using Linux for years to stream and play most every audio and video format known. The only ones it won't play are Windows WMV files that are encrypted. If that isn't an issue for you, then you should be able to configure a system that will meet your needs quite nicely.

[ryokimball]

It sounds like the focus is on streaming, but to my knowledge Blu-ray (and HD-DVD <,<) still isn't "exactly" available in Linux, either. It is possible to watch the featured film but the full Blu-ray experience (menus and navigation --which may just be in the way for you anyway) is hindered by the closed-up methods for the format.

[reed9]

It depends where you're streaming from as well. For example, Netflix doesn't support Linux.

[Rubberman]

Yeah, re. Netflix, but I think you can run a Windows virtual machine to get around that, maybe... As for Blu-ray, there has been some recent work on getting around that issue. I don't have a blu-ray player yet to test that out on, but I'm starting to consider that. Sorry, but I don't remember the sites off-hand, but I found them with some google search terms. Of course, I could be just doing some wishful thinking... Argh! I do hate DRM!

[reed9]

You can use netflix running Windows in a virtual machine.

[D-cat]

Question, when you say streaming, do you mean like from the web or as a LAN media server (watch movines on your XBox, PS3, etc)?

There are a few media server applications for Linux. I have found the most reliable is also the most simplistic: FUPPES, but there's also Mediatomb and a module for MythTV.

For receiving internet streams, so far Netflix has been my only major disappointment, and it's a legal issue not technical (no major Linux distributor will accept the Microsoft Silverlight DRM license conditions, nor will Microsoft compromise to anything compatible with GNU/GPL). Netflix web only supports WinXP SP3 or newer, MacOSX, or various consoles.