LinHES (Linux Home Entertainment Server) is a

Linux distribution A Linux distribution (often abbreviated as distro) is an operating system made from a software collection that includes the Linux kernel and, often, a package management system. Linux users usually obtain their operating system by downloading one ...

designed for use on Home Theater PCs ( HTPCs). Before version 6, it was called KnoppMyth. The most recent release (R8), for 64-bit machines only, is based on

Arch Linux Arch Linux () is an independently developed, x86-64 general-purpose Linux distribution that strives to provide the latest stable versions of most software by following a Rolling release, rolling-release model. The default installation is a minim ...

, though previous versions were based on

Knoppix KNOPPIX ( ) is an operating system based on Debian designed to be run directly from a CD / DVD (Live CD) or a USB flash drive (Live USB), one of the first live operating system distributions (just after Yggdrasil Linux). Knoppix was developed b ...

and

Debian Debian (), also known as Debian GNU/Linux, is a Linux distribution composed of free and open-source software, developed by the community-supported Debian Project, which was established by Ian Murdock on August 16, 1993. The first version of D ...

. LinHES includes custom scripts that install and configure the

MythTV MythTV is a free and open-source home entertainment application with a simplified " 10-foot user interface" design for the living room TV. It turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital ...

PVR software as well as a number of add-ons. Most standard HTPC hardware is supported, and much of it is even configured automatically, making the often complex installation and configuration process relatively easy and pain-free. Cecil Watson developed and maintains the LinHES operating system.

Details

Practical explanation

LinHES is a Linux distribution equivalent to the

Windows Media Center Windows Media Center (WMC) is a defunct digital video recorder and media player created by Microsoft. Media Center was first introduced to Windows in 2002 on Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE). It was included in Home Premium and Ultimate e ...

. LinHES comes as a

CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains data. Computers can read—but not write or erase—CD-ROMs. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold both comput ...

software distribution which automates the setup of the popular MythTV package as well as several HTPC-related add-ons. Ultimately, LinHES is used to create a home theater PC. These HTPCs are commonly plugged into a

standard-definition television Standard-definition television (SDTV, SD, often shortened to standard definition) is a television system which uses a resolution that is not considered to be either high or enhanced definition. "Standard" refers to it being the prevailing sp ...

(SDTV) or

high-definition television High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the g ...

(HDTV) rather than monitors for a complete home theater experience. HTPCs bring the power of PCs to the living room in an "all in one" device.

Ease of installation and features

A common complaint about MythTV is that it is difficult and time-consuming to install and configure. The goal of LinHES is to make creating and maintaining a home theater PC as simple as possible. A blank system can be transformed to a fully functional HTPC in around 20 minutes capable of: * watching & recording television * pausing live TV * playback of DVDs and most popular video formats * retrieve fan art and information about your videos * jukebox supporting multiple audio formats * view images * get the latest news & weather * play games

Applications

Complete Installation (Front-end and Back-end)

LinHES can be used to install a full MythTV client and server system. This means that the front-end is stored on the same device as the back-end. The front-end is the software required for the visual elements (or the

GUI The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inste ...

) that the regular user can utilize to find, play and manipulate media files etc. The back-end is the server where the media files are actually stored. A full front-end and back-end system may have an advantage in that it has 'portability', i.e. it is a standalone device that is not dependent on a separate server (like a

video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally placed i ...

for example).

Front-end only installations

Alternatively, LinHES can be used to install a MythTV client, front-end-only system. For example, users may have a central storage device (server) in their house, the server can then be accessed from numerous other devices throughout the house, these other devices needing only a front-end installation on devices containing minimal hardware. LinHES can also run directly from a CD-ROM (i.e. without installation) providing that there is a network connection to a PC with a 'complete installation' (a MythTV back-end server). Using a 'server' separate from one or more front-end units has the obvious advantages of multiple simultaneous access to shared media files. The server used would generally have hardware of a relatively high specification and would be kept outside of the main living room. An advantage of keeping the server PC outside the living room is that the cooling fan required to accommodate a 'fast' processor can be quite noisy (as can certain hard drives), it can be expensive to invest in fanless/heat sinking equipment to avoid such noise problems. LinHES can also be used to upgrade existing LinHES and KnoppMyth installations.

LinHES community

LinHES users generally discuss ideas and help others at the officia
forum website

Version history

LinHES R7.4 was the last 32-bit release.

KnoppMyth releases

LinHES releases

References

External links

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:LinHES Arch-based Linux distributions Free television software Linux distributions