Are there really better alternatives as the main stream operating system? However, I have been wondering why so many people absolutely hate Windows. I have always been a proud Windows user, but I am currently writing on a Mac Mini, own an iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone, and use Linux based home theater PC. Windows Media Center is the most known 10-foot user interface, but many other media center software are compatible with Windows nowadays. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium is the most common operating system and it is also used in HTPCs. – Look and feel (how stylish and practical is the UI for TV) Windows 7 – Video codecs support and performance (support for Blu-ray, H.264, etc.) – Compatibility with the 3rd party software (support for media center software) – Compatibility with the hardware (support for remote controls, etc.) In this comparison, we are using the following evaluation criteria: So, let’s continue looking in detail Windows 7, Mac OS X, Linux and Windows XP operating systems to find out which one is optimal to the living room use. In this article, we will compare the top 4 HTPC operating systems that can be used as the 10-foot user interface for your TV.

Linux media center pc plays x.264