Uncovering the Best OpenELEC Alternatives for Your Media Center
Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center (OpenELEC) has long been a go-to solution for transforming a computer into a dedicated media center. As a lightweight, Linux-based 'Just Enough Operating System' (JeOS) built from scratch, it streamlined the process of enjoying media. However, users often seek OpenELEC alternatives for various reasons, including broader platform support, specific feature sets, or a more active development community. This guide explores some of the top contenders that offer similar, and often enhanced, media center experiences across Linux, Raspberry Pi, Mac, Apple TV, Kodi, and more.
Top OpenELEC Alternatives
Whether you're a seasoned HTPC enthusiast or just starting your media center journey, these alternatives to OpenELEC provide robust and versatile solutions to manage and enjoy your digital content.
Plex
Plex offers a visually appealing user interface and instant access to your media library. It's an excellent OpenELEC alternative for those who prioritize seamless streaming, automatic metadata retrieval, and cross-platform compatibility. Plex is a freemium service available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, Apple TV, Kodi, and many more, featuring robust media transcoding, sharing, and remote access capabilities. It's a powerful solution for organizing and streaming your media, whether locally or remotely.
OSMC
OSMC (Open Source Media Center) is a free and open-source media player based on Linux and the Kodi project, making it a direct and highly capable OpenELEC alternative. It's designed for TVs and excels at playing media from local networks, attached storage, and the Internet. Available for Apple TV and Raspberry Pi, OSMC provides a feature-rich operating system with auto-identification of videos and a strong community backing.
LibreELEC
LibreELEC is a direct evolution of the OpenELEC project, making it an ideal OpenELEC alternative for users who want a familiar experience with continued development. It's a free and open-source Linux distribution specifically built to run Kodi on current media center hardware, focusing on being a 'Just enough OS'. It offers a streamlined experience for music playback and overall media management.
Daphile
Daphile is a free personal Linux-based software solution focused on high-quality digital music playback. It serves as an excellent OpenELEC alternative for audiophiles, providing optimized audio quality and plug & play support for USB DACs. It can easily set up a multi-zone system, making it perfect for dedicated music enthusiasts.
CoreELEC
CoreELEC is a free and open-source Linux distribution, forked from LibreELEC, specifically optimized for running Kodi on popular Amlogic hardware. If you're looking for an OpenELEC alternative tailored for Amlogic devices with a strong community focus, CoreELEC is an excellent choice. It provides a barebones operating system purpose-built for media consumption, including music and TV shows.
Fedberry
Fedberry offers a free and open-source way to easily install and use Fedora on Raspberry Pi 2/3. For users seeking an OpenELEC alternative that combines the flexibility of Fedora with Raspberry Pi support, Fedberry is a solid option. It uses custom kernels and the Raspberry Pi foundation's bootloader to provide a robust operating system for single-board computers.
VortexBox
VortexBox is a free, open-source (GPL v3) ISO that transforms an unused computer into a user-friendly music server/jukebox. As an OpenELEC alternative for dedicated music management, VortexBox automatically rips CDs to FLAC and MP3, tags files, and downloads cover art. It can then serve these files to network media players like Logitech Squeezebox, Sonos, or Linn, offering a comprehensive solution for digital music libraries on Linux.
GeeXboX
GeeXboX is a free and open-source Media-Center purposed Linux distribution for embedded devices and desktop computers. Unlike just an application, it's a full-featured OS that can boot as a LiveCD or from various storage devices. It's a lightweight OpenELEC alternative designed to turn your computer into an HTPC by embedding all major multimedia applications, running on x86, PowerPC, and ARM devices.
Enna
Enna is a free and open-source Media Center application based on the powerful Enlightenment Foundations Libraries (EFL) for its graphical user interface and GeeXboX libraries for multimedia playback. For those seeking an OpenELEC alternative with a focus on a simple, efficient user interface for Linux systems, Enna offers robust music player capabilities and information retrieval.
XBian
XBian is a small, fast, and lightweight media center distribution for Raspberry Pi, CuBox-i, Hummingboard, and other devices. Based on a minimal Debian, it provides significant freedom similar to Debian, making it a flexible OpenELEC alternative. XBian offers live updating, ensuring your media center stays current with the latest features and fixes on Linux and various single-board computers.
The landscape of media center software is rich with options, and while OpenELEC served its purpose well, these alternatives offer enhanced features, broader compatibility, and active development. Explore these choices to find the perfect fit for your home entertainment needs, whether you prioritize streaming, local playback, or a highly customized experience.