After a DVD we'd watched very often started having some issues skipping and with the prospect of children and their destructive ways coming into my life eventually, I've started ripping my DVD collection.

I was curious what the best Linux solution would be for a 10 Foot Interface (ie one easy to use with a remote control) for accessing these videos. Here's the solution I envision:

Backend: The videos reside on a FreeNAS (FreeBSD) or Linux box.
Front End: A small Linux computer with HDMI out connected to TVs or, in some rooms, the general purpose Linux computer that happens to be in that room

Front end interface: Ideally would look like Netflix. I just see the DVD covers of all the movies/TV shows and then can start them in a program that supports the features of MKV - chapters, subtitles, audio tracks. For TV shows would allow you to select the episode.

Super ideally it would also allow metadata associated with the fields so you could search on an actor, or any other field.

The closest thing I've seen to this is Plex, but, as far as I can tell, that only runs the frontend on a Mac.

I've used MythTV before and that has SOME of this, but I think it'd be overkill since LiveTV isn't involved.

Thanks,

Sounds like XMBC is worth a look for you.

1 members found this post helpful.

you are very right. That does look like someting I want. I'll have to investigate further. I thought it only ran on Xboxes so it's good to know that's in the past.

Update, still using and loving XBMC - now known as Kodi.