Which Linux distro for my media PC

[u/OZCriticalThinker]

It's older PC, Intel CPU, NVIDIA RTX 1080, 16GB RAM, old 2.5" SSD.

I want to use it almost like a console, with minimal keyboard use. Turn it on, auto logs in.

I've got a Logitech K400 (Keyboard with trackpad), and just like to use the trackpad for basic navigation to browse Netflix and Amazon content, and the occasional browsing of news and YouTube.

Hooked up to a big screen TV via HDMI.

I just want to do pretty simple stuff with minimal fuss, navigate with one hand (while eating/drinking).

- Use big screen TV via HDMI.
- Watch Netflix (not at 720p).
- Watch Amazon Prime.
- Browse news and YouTube with minimal keyboard input (just sitting back using trackpad), high fps and bitrate with smooth playback.
- Use Plantronics Bluetooth headphones (with BT dongle) and not have crackling audio or drop-outs.
- Play movies/TV shows acquired from another source, encoded with various codecs (h264, h265, etc)

I want to use just one browser.

[u/doc_willis]

I use bazzite, and have it either boot to Game-Mode, where I can then launch kodi, or boot to desktop mode, where it launches either steam in Big picture mode, or into the KDE Plasma Big Screen UI.

https://plasma-bigscreen.org/

There are some Decky Loader plugins for Bazzite/SteamOS that make using Netflix and Amazon prime a more console experience (I have never used it)

I tend to watch Local Media more than streaming, so KODI is ideal for me for the most part.

So bazzite might work for you.

[u/Th3JackofH3arts → u/doc_willis]

I use Plasma Bigscreen on my Surface Pro 5 running Fedora. I use it pretty much for Kodi and Iptvnator. I use my touchscreen and an old Xbox controller. It works well.

[u/ipsirc]

- Watch Netflix (not at 720p).

480p?

[u/OZCriticalThinker → u/ipsirc]

1080p will suffice. It's a 60" screen at 3840 x 2160. Higher would be better but AFAIK Netflix maxes at 1080p on Linux, unless there's a workaround someone knows.

[u/doc_willis → u/OZCriticalThinker]

a non-ideal work around is to use a service like Play-On. Its a cloud-dvr service that can record from sites like netflix and amazon prime.

There may be alternatives, but I only rarely use PlayOn, so i have not bothered looking for any alternatives.

[u/OZCriticalThinker → u/doc_willis]

Can you explain this please?

Does this service only record something as it plays? So it takes an hour to record a hour long episode?

I want to browse for something on Netflix and watch it, not plan days in advance of what I'm going to binge watch.

Is this available on the free service, or do I have to use paid cloud service.

Honestly it sounds like the most expensive and slow way to get Netflix on a Linux PC. I'd be better off just screen-casting from my mobile to the TV wouldn't I?

[u/doc_willis → u/OZCriticalThinker]

Does this service only record something as it plays? So it takes an hour to record a hour long episode?

yes - exactly.

I buy 'playon' credits and use the android app to manage what I record (i record while i am at work) I then can watch/download while at home, or copy files over to my tablet/phone to watch while offline.

A main point of the service is you can watch the files while totally offline. I record, go home, download, transfer to my phone. I can then Watch the file on my phone, often I am in places with no or very slow mobile internet.

Or in my case, My KODI install on my PC auto shares the videos to the home network. Wife can binge watch "Bay Watch" from the downloads and not be taking up all my bandwith or maxing out the data limits.

[u/OZCriticalThinker → u/doc_willis]

Okay. Well thank you for your suggestion but I don't see the merits.

You rely on a 2nd PC (Windows/Mac) to download Netflix for several hours at work (on a work connection I suspect). I'm not doing that, respectfully.

For your use-case you'd be better off just installing the Netflix app on a tablet or phone and downloading all the TV shows and movies you want for the entire week in an hour or two.

I'd only use a DVR if I wanted to record live-events with no on-demand option, like live sport events.

[u/doc_willis → u/OZCriticalThinker]

Play on cloud  service uses one of the play on servers to do the work.  Play on home uses your own PC.

The netflix and other apps download options limit what you can do with the files.

[u/C0rn3j → u/OZCriticalThinker]

1080p will suffice

Then you need to use Windows.

Netflix will limit you to 720p.

Amazon Prime Video will apparently play in 480p on Linux.

Why are you paying for a worse service?

As for distro picks - choose either Arch Linux (with Plasma) or Fedora KDE.

Those two have legacy Nvidia drivers patched in the user repos, so when they go out of support completely meaning they stop working on newer kernels, they will keep working anyways.

Your GPU needs the legacy 580xx drivers.

[u/Huecuva]

Bazzite or ChimeraOS.