A neat little media center tool...
So, today I decided to check out Boxee – again – a neat little program that replaces media centers – like Front Row – on all three major OSes – Mac, Windows and Linux.
Technically, it’s still in Alpha, but it’s very stable and very useable – something I couldn’t have said for it just a few months ago.
For those that care about these things, it’s based on the XBMC. Not really sure if that matters or not, as it’s light-years ahead of XMBC in terms of features and usability. See, this thing not only ties in with the media you already have – and will allow you to play it back with subtitles if you so choose, something which I find awesome – but it also ties into the majority of the internet based video services – like ABC, CBS, Hulu and YouTube. It also allows for easy adding of podcasts – video and audio. Shit, it even does Netflix – Better than the 360, I dare say.
Basically, it’s your ones stop shop for all your playback needs… if you have a media center computer. I’ll admit, I’ve had it lock up a few times – but only when I was really dicking around with the more advanced settings or features. But for basic, everyday use – it works, and it works great. Setup is a breeze, and use is pretty damn fun.
All said, if you got some need for playing stuff back on a PC, and that PC might be hooked up to a TV, then this be the thing for you.
