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Is there a linux distro (or just a DE) that can be used like a Smart TV (programming.dev)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

51 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I don't want to use Osmc or LibreELEC. What I'm going for is something like Android TV (tried using LineageOS but that didn't work out for me).

I was interested in something like Plasma Bigscreen but most of the tutorial is about 4 years old and point to using an old image.

I installed the Debian package. After that, I logged in and set Automatic login, and switch the session to Plasma Bigscreen (x11). After applying and a reboot, it launched Plasma Bigscreen but some widgets (like the audio, KDE Connect) froze when clicking on them.

What do you recommend? I prefer to use a Raspberry Pi.

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[–] [email protected] 79 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (7 children)

I run an HTPC that works fully with my AirMouse Remote I bought for it for ~$15USD. It uses Flex Launcher running on Debian.

Basically, I use it for Plex, some Netflix, retrogaming, and Steam.

I was in a similar boat to you were I looked at Plasma Big Screen, LibreElec, etc. Plasma BigScreen was too buggy or unmaintained. LibreElec is great if you want to play local stuff, but terrible for streaming things like Netflix. In the end I said "screw it. I'll make my own". Now it's the center of my living room.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago (1 children)

That looks amazing! Are the icons you have there, for example, Netflix, is that a desktop shortcut to open up the browser and load the website?

Your use case is very similar to mine. Thank you for sharing.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It loads the web page in full screen kiosk mode in Chrome.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You could also always nativefier it and make it like a webapp. I have some sites setup like that on my machine.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Does that offer any advantages over the kiosk mode functionality? Looks like that repo was abandoned in 2023 and marked as archived.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What repo? Use npm to get nativefier, the one from regular apt etc. are not current, they’re copies of older versions. Dunno why someone did that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The GitHub repo of the maintainer shows that the project is archived and dead.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Again of what? Of nativefier?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Yes

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Well it does what it’s supposed to do, so who cares.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

If you look at the repo, the very first line in the readme links to an issue that briefly explains why you should care.

Unmaintained software comes in two categories:

The software is done. It does exactly what it was meant to do and it was written in a language and in such a way as to be pretty future proof. Examples are some basic code libraries or command line utilities.
The software had to be updated all the time to keep up with changing environments and security problems, so the dev got sick of it and dropped it. Or a better solution came along so the developer felt free to finally drop the burden.

Nativefier falls in the second category and the second clause. Don't use it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Ok so, it doesn’t seem to me to be the case. But if you’re indicating a better solution came along, what would that be? I’m fine with nativefier for the two items I made with it. But if there’s something better then please do tell.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Again The issue on the repo. The developers recommend just using the app feature of the browsers to get similar functionality without the security concerns.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago

Oh, Flex Launcher looks perfect! I didn't even know I needed it!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Do you get high def Netflix? I’ve read in multiple places that Netflix limits streams to 720p in web browsers, which has always stopped me from straying from my chromecast. Not sure if that’s what I’m seeing in your photo, though. (basically I have the same question as OP)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

As long as your browser supports the DRM, it should stream 1080p and 4k fine. Chrome is best, unfortunately, specifically for Netflix.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

No DRM for desktop Linux supports 4k Netflix. IIRC Netflix doesn't even support 4k on Windows for anything except Edge, at least that was the case for many years.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Really? I thought Chrome added support on Linux for 4k.

I rarely stream Netflix and it's only on there for my wife. If I want a show, I add it to my Plex library. Even if Netflix has it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

According to Netflix documentation, they only support 720p on Linux, regardless of the browser.

Chrome officially supports 1080p on Windows and macOS, while 4k is only available through Edge on Windows and Safari on macOS.

In the past I've used a Firefox plugin to enable 1080p playback on Linux, but the bitrate was lower than the 1080p bitrate on Windows (with Edge, iirc).

https://help.netflix.com/de/node/30081

Edit: Luckily Jellyfin does not have such annoying restrictions.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

I think the Windows Store app for Netflix supports 4k, but that would require running Windows.....and that's just icky.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Aside from Edge, the Netflix app will also work. Basically, Netflix doesn't send you a 4k stream without PlayReady or an equivalent level of DRM, which native apps typically also will (though your experience may vary on Android if you buy cheap Chinese phones).

There are addons that will get you 1080p on Linux instead of the 720p that you get by default. They break every now and then, but at least full HD is possible without too much effort.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This looks awesome. I currently don't need a TV interface, but when I do I'll definitely try this out over Kodi.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Same boat here. RaspberryPi running LibreElec, which is okay but can be unstable and lacks power. Been looking at an AMD 4x4 pc to boost performance and run some form of full Linux distro.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What air mouse did you get? How does the keyboard work?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It's a brand called Gimbi. It has a keyboard on the back and programmable IR buttons.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

There are a few brands of them I love mine! Sooo tiny and awesome.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Flex Launcher looks awesome! Thanks!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

May I ask: did you write the config on your own and did you create the neccessary icons? Or is there a sample config somewhere, with some icons as well (jellyfin, youtube etc would be nice).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

There is a default config it comes with. I just modified it. Their documentation is really good. If you'd like a copy of my config, LMK.

Icons I found online and then trimmed to the correct size and transparency.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You are right, I had a look at the documentation, made myself some icons and modified the standard config in /usr/share/flex-launcher a bit. Thanks!

Could you copy and paste the menu-entry you start jellyfin with here?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Entry3=Jellyfin;/usr/share/flex-launcher/assets/icons/jellyfin.png;flatpak run com.github.iwalton3.jellyfin-media-player --fullscreen

Make sure you switch your view to TV in the settings so that arrow key navigation works.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 5 months ago (1 children)

KDE bigscreen looks perfect for me. I know I have heard of it before but I will need to look a bit more in depth at it.

All I want is Roku, but FOSS, without the ads and tracking.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Checkout big-launcher:

big-launcher is a work-in-progress HTPC application launcher. The design is loosely based on the Roku UI, consisting of a sidebar menu on the left, and selectable apps on the right. This project is intended to be the successor to my other HTPC project, Flex Launcher. Compared to Flex Launcher, big-launcher will be more graphically advanced, but less customizable. The program will be written in C++ and utilize SDL for graphics.

I just read about it from the Flex Launcher page, so no idea what it's like, just passing it on...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

That looks great! Thanks!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I have been on this hunt myself and am coming up short. Especially on the hardware at my disposal.

So far I've tried all the same stuff you've mentioned but am settling in to LibreELEC well enough with addons, including the emby next gen setup (got into emby before finding out about jellyfin)

what don't you dig about LibreELEC?

Plasma bigscreen sounds like it would be the best, but I never got it to work right ( granted I was very new to Linux back then)

Have you tried blissOS?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I tried Kodi in the past but switched over to Emby. Not 100% sure if there is an Emby plugin but the wife and kids are use to the Emby interface.

Plasma Bigscreen looks very cool but spent time trying to figure out why some of the widgets on the main screen loads up then freeze. Like the Mycroft widget, for example.

Also trying to figure out why apps like Kate appears twice under Applications.

I have not tried Bliss OS. Looks very interesting so I will take a look. Thank you for that one.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

Have you tried Jellyfin? It's a FOSS fork of emby, so pretty much a drop in replacement and it's been working very well for me.

Personally I use jellyfin as a backend, with the web interface and jellyfin app as frontend. Plus Kodi as an additional frontend for my beamer, with the Kodi Jellyfin plugin and Yatse remote to make it feel more like a TV.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

We've so much in common! I had a skin working that made Kodi look just like an emby app or webpage

There is an emby addon that uses your server to keep track of profiles and stuff. It's actually pretty sweet to get it set up.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What's your use case that OSMC and LibreELEC don't work? I think those are going to be common recommendations, so knowing why they don't suit you would be helpful.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

I used Kodi in the past as a standalone app but then switched over to Emby. I have Emby set to play my media and also setup to play stations on my custom IPTV server. Installing the Emby client on my mobile or or using the browser will have access to that media since I set that up on the Emby server. Wife and the kids are use to the interface too. Have to keep them happy.

Also I would like to install some Linux compatible games on it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I do not have an answer for you, but I'd also really like to know. Not super techy but willing to learn to do this!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Commenting to check back later.

I also do not have an answer but want to know.

I have used Flex launcher on a mini PC, it seemed like a good option but I got busy before I could even half set it up.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Plex used to have a distro that booted straight to Plex and that was it. You could control it using your tv remote if your tv supported HDMI-CEC. I'm not sure if it still exists. I guess it wouldn't be any better than openelec though. 🤷‍♂️

Could you be more objective about what you want and don't want feature wise? I don't know about other folks but I've never used android tv so I don't know what you mean when you say that's similar to what you want.

Edit: I'm pretty sure the Plex software I was talking about was based on this archived repo, so it likely isn't a modern option https://github.com/plexinc/plex-media-player

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

I don't know about a distro, but it looks like they are still maintaining an HTPC app for windows, mac and linux. The linux one looks like it was last updated about 2 weeks ago

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Also recommendations for a good remote to go with these?

I was so desperate I was thinking of reprogramming a wireless number pad cherry MX low profile or something.

It should have volume buttons, arrow keys, previous, next, pause, etc... Something a old person could understand.

Numbers and alphabet not required.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

Bit old, but I used a Windows Media Center remote, still see new ones for cheap. Then use lirc with an IR receiver.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Pepper Jobs Media Remote. Changed my living room media center for good.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Batocera

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

The rpi is severely underpowered for such a thing. 8 suggest going with a cheap anything else computer.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Kodi?

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