# LinuxMCE > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/LinuxMCE > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/LinuxMCE.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinuxMCE > Source revision: 1334721588 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Linux distribution for home theater PCs This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines for products and services. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. 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Find sources: "LinuxMCE" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) LinuxMCE Release 2008; 18 years ago (2008) Stable release 1004 Final / February 23, 2013; 13 years ago (2013-02-23) Written in C, C++ Operating system Kubuntu Platform Linux Type Media center, home automation, telephony License Custom Website www.linuxmce.org **LinuxMCE** (Linux Media Center Edition) is a [free and open source software](/source/Free_and_open_source_software) platform with a [10-foot user interface](/source/10-foot_user_interface) designed to allow a computer to act as a [home theater PC](/source/Home_theater_PC) (HTPC) for the living-room TV, [personal video recorder](/source/Personal_video_recorder), and [home automation](/source/Home_automation) system. It allows control of everything in the home, from lighting and climate to surveillance cameras and home security.[1] It also includes a full-featured [VoIP](/source/Voice_over_Internet_Protocol)-compatible phone system with support for [video conferencing](/source/Video_conferencing). ## Levels of implementation LinuxMCE may be used as a standalone home theater PC (without any other home network connectivity), but it may also serve as a complete home [LAN](/source/Local_area_network) system in a server/[thin client](/source/Thin_client) configuration. In such a configuration, a central core server (a standard PC running [Kubuntu](/source/Kubuntu)) does most of the storage and processing functions, while peripheral PCs (and other devices) provide input and output services. Thin client PCs can [netboot](/source/Network_booting) over the LAN to serve as "Media Directors", which stream media content from the core to audiovisual devices which are connected to these thin clients. This [home automation](/source/Home_automation)/multimedia LAN can be expanded to include home automation systems, surveillance cameras, high-tech remote controllers (called "Orbiters"), and telephone PBX systems. The core server co-ordinates the functions of all the devices on the home LAN. The advanced networking capabilities of the Linux OS allow this high level of network co-ordination. ## History LinuxMCE was begun by Paul Webber as a fork of the PlutoHome home automation software project. It was adapted to run on top of a standard Linux distribution, [Kubuntu](/source/Kubuntu), as its base OS, rather than to exist as a custom [Linux distribution](/source/Linux_distribution). Most of the core components, including the Orbiter (remote control) user interface, have undergone significant improvements, and are licensed under the [GPL](/source/GPL). ## Architecture A LinuxMCE setup consists of two parts – one Core and one or more Media Directors. The Core is the central server and provides services throughout the home. It acts as the central media storage and catalog, it routes home automation messages and commands, and it provides net boot images for the Media Directors. Each Media Director is connected to a screen (TV, computer screen or projector) and optionally to other A/V equipment. All media are presented through a Media Director. If the Core is also a Media Director (connected to a TV), it is called a hybrid system. Media Directors can be booted over the network from the Core. That way, only the Core needs to be updated and backed up to keep the whole system up-to-date. Most of the CPU-intensive processing is done on the Core. Thus, the system requirements for a Media Director are relatively small. This makes it easier to build a Media Director that is small and silent, and that fits in a living room. The Core, on the other hand, can be placed anywhere in a house. Accordingly, it may be built with a focus on price and performance instead of silence and appearance. This modular architecture allows LinuxMCE to use and control any hardware connected to the Core and Media Directors and to control it in a coordinated way. For example, if a movie is started in the living room, LinuxMCE can dim the light in that room but also switch off radio playback on the Media Director in the office. If an IP phone rings, LinuxMCE can show the number on the screen and pause media playback while the call is answered. ## Software components The LinuxMCE package is installed on the [Kubuntu](/source/Kubuntu_(Linux_distribution)) OS, and utilizes [open source](/source/Open-source_software) applications such as [Asterisk](/source/Asterisk_(PBX)), [Xine](/source/Xine), [MythTV](/source/MythTV), [VDR](/source/Video_Disk_Recorder), [Firefox](/source/Firefox), [VideoLAN](/source/VideoLAN) and [SlimServer](/source/SlimServer). 64-bit versions of the LinuxMCE package are no longer under active development after 7.10. These programs have been given wrappers which allow them to communicate with each other, and with the [Ruby](/source/Ruby_(programming_language)) scripts that control the home automation components. This communication is co-ordinated using a DCE (Data, Commands, Events) protocol through a program called the DCE Router. This added communications layer allows [trigger-command](/source/Event-driven_programming) features such as pausing media playback when an important phone call arrives, dimming the lights while playing a movie, and allowing media playback to follow from computer to computer whenever a [Bluetooth](/source/Bluetooth) enabled remote is carried between rooms. The DCE communications protocol allows a single program to present a standardized [user interface](/source/User_interface), the Orbiter UI, to the various devices and applications used within the LinuxMCE system. Functionality Platform/software used Operating system Kubuntu Television/Personal video recorder MythTV/VDR Media playback Xine/MPlayer Telephony Asterisk ## User interface LinuxMCE user interface LinuxMCE allows the user interface to be displayed in several different resolutions, to accommodate the graphics capabilities of the different devices (PCs, mobile phones, webpads, PDAs) that can be used to display it. Context-sensitive menus allow a single remote control to control not only LinuxMCE menus, but also audiovisual device functions. ## See also - [List of free television software](/source/List_of_free_television_software) - [Free and open-source software portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Free_and_open-source_software) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["3 Advanced Open Source Projects for Home Security"](https://www.lifewire.com/advanced-open-source-projects-for-home-security-2532979) *Lifewire*. Retrieved 2024-04-17. - [Article on Automated Home after LinuxTag 2008](http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/linux/linuxmce-710-an-overview.html) ## External links - [Official website](http://www.linuxmce.org/) - [25 minute demo video of LinuxMCE 0704](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7JDX2R_uDc) v t e Media center applications, HTPC hardware, devices, and related articles Cross-platform Emby Jellyfin Kodi (formerly XBMC) Plex SageTV Serviio Universal Media Server Linux GeeXboX JRiver Media Center LibreELEC LinuxMCE MythTV Mythbuntu OpenELEC Tvheadend Video Disk Recorder macOS Front Row JRiver Media Center Windows Beyond TV DVBViewer DVB Dream JRiver Media Center MediaPortal NextPVR (formerly GB-PVR) Windows Media Center Set-top boxes / digital media players Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Boxee Box Chromecast Dreambox Google TV 2010–2014 2020–present Hauppauge MediaMVP HP MediaSmart Connect Kaleidescape Mediaroom MySDATV Netgear Digital Entertainer ReplayTV Roku TiVo TV Guide Plus Unibox WD TV Windows Media Center Extender Related hardware ATI Theater Cards DBox2 Dreambox EyeTV Hauppauge Computer Works WinTV PVR Cards HDHomeRun Mac Mini Monsoon HAVA Quiet PC Slingbox VBox Home TV Gateway Comparison of USB TV tuner sticks Firmware/software Android TV Google TV 2010–2014 2020–present Fire TV Firefox OS HarmonyOS Kodi Plasma Bigscreen Plex Roku OS Samsung Tizen OS Apple tvOS Ubuntu TV Vizio OS LG webOS Related articles 10-foot user interface Comparison of audio player software Comparison of video player software Comparison of streaming media software Digital Living Network Alliance Home cinema Hybrid IPTV Media player software Media server Smart TV Streaming television --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [LinuxMCE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinuxMCE) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinuxMCE?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.