How to make Windows into a livingroom friendly experience?

[minervx]

I want to replace all of my consoles with a gaming PC but the biggest downside is that Windows 10 desktop launcher is not a good UI for living room use.  A bluetooth controller is viable, but can it be used to navigate through the screen instead of a mouse (for the purposes of launching games/netflix?  Is there a program on Windows that turns the screen into a console-like OS with larger icons, larger text and more minimalist setup overall.  (i.e. a central menu like "Game Library, Media Library, Netflix, Youtube, Twitch, etc."

[Guest]

Steam Big Picture Mode?

[Master Disaster]

Yes, it's called Kodi but it takes a lot of work to setup.

[minervx]

2 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

Steam Big Picture Mode?

Can it allow me, to add webpages to launcher (and add custom icons, i.e. Netflix icon that leads to the Netflix website)?  Does it allow the user to customize/sort the icons?  

[RonaldMcDank120]

3 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Yes, it's called Kodi but it takes a lot of work to setup.

Not at all, I got it setup in under 15-20 mins.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, minervx said:

Can it allow me, to add webpages to launcher (and add custom icons, i.e. Netflix icon that leads to the Netflix website)?  Does it allow the user to customize/sort the icons?  

you can navigate to the webpage then by default it shows you all the favorite site you saved, so it's really convenient

[minervx]

This is sort of the problem with PC gaming.  There's no organized infrastructure to where the user can have a good experience with the click of the button.  Of course, myself, I'm a nerd and I like figuring out how things work.  But many people have two jobs, a family to take care of, etc. and don't have time to talk to 50 different people and get 50 different answers.

[Cookybiscuit]

Binoculars.

[vanished]

I just set scaling to as high as it will go (175% on our TV) and it's good enough.  Also, if you have problems, create a scheduled task that reboots it every morning at like 5 am or some time you're not using it, that was good for me.  Before that I would often return to it to find Explorer.exe had crashed or suffered some other strange issue.

[LHJKO]

You could Make dedicated shortcut keys for things that you open the most

[minervx]

Am I able to navigate through desktop icons and move the cursor via controller with a certain program?

[vanished]

46 minutes ago, minervx said:

Am I able to navigate through desktop icons and move the cursor via controller with a certain program?

Yes, it's called a "mouse"  

Really, that's how I do it.  No colossal interface revamps or special programs, just a wireless mouse/trackpad, and your'e good to go  

[minervx]

So I need to have a keyboard, mouse and controller on my couch if I just want to game before bed?

[dalekphalm]

There are various "solutions", but nothing that will seamlessly replicate how goddamn easy it is to use a Console as a Home Theatre device.

 

You can't turn the computer on using a remote (well you can, but damn... you have to run through some hoops, usually surrounding adding a Pi or Micro controller to send a WOL command after receiving an IR signal, etc).

 

You can't easily with a remote switch back and forth between any of your Media Consumption programs (Eg: Move from Plex to Netflix to Steam Big Picture Mode back to Netflix over to YouTube back to Plex and finally open up Hulu).

 

You can configure Windows to load a specific program upon boot - eg: Plex or Kodi. But once you're there, getting to the other various Media Consumption applications is tedious at best.

 

Most people who create and use HTPC's regularly tend to break down and just get a compact HTPC Wireless Keyboard, like a Logitech K400. Not ideal.

 

This is actually the reason I swapped out my HTPC's for a Roku 4K and an XBOX One S (And we have  Chromecast on the last TV but I rarely use Chromecast).

[JusticeBeaver]

Honestly,  I've been through using laptops, gigbyte brix, and my roku is my fav. With plex it runs everything and I'm not a fan of kodi, its to slow.

[dalekphalm]

13 hours ago, JusticeBeaver said:

Honestly,  I've been through using laptops, gigbyte brix, and my roku is my fav. With plex it runs everything and I'm not a fan of kodi, its to slow.

Kodi's performance largely depends on the specs of the computer - an SSD makes all the difference, and having a decent processor helps too.

 

But I agree - Roku is one of my favourite streaming devices to use. I use Plex on it all the time. The only thing I don't like about the Roku is that while it can direct-play most Video Formats, it's a lot less capable when it comes to audio formats - which just means unnecessary audio transcoding. With that in mind? I hardly notice anymore because my Plex Server is way overkill and transcodes things very effectively and quickly.

[JusticeBeaver]

2 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

Kodi's performance largely depends on the specs of the computer - an SSD makes all the difference, and having a decent processor helps too.

 

But I agree - Roku is one of my favourite streaming devices to use. I use Plex on it all the time. The only thing I don't like about the Roku is that while it can direct-play most Video Formats, it's a lot less capable when it comes to audio formats - which just means unnecessary audio transcoding. With that in mind? I hardly notice anymore because my Plex Server is way overkill and transcodes things very effectively and quickly.

Yeah, my plex server is a dual xeon machine... I ran Kodi off my gaming PC and just didn't like it, don't want to violate any rules on the forum so I will keep it vague, but with the combination of usenet, plex, and a nas I have a pretty efficient set up.

[AshleyAshes]

Between Kodi and Steam Big Picture Mode I can control my HTPCs 95% with just an IR remote or gamepad, but even then, it's STILL Windows at the bottom of it all so if something goes wrong, drivers need updating or any real interaction with 'Windows' itself, I use a Logitech K400 keyboard.

[Zodiark1593]

25 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

Between Kodi and Steam Big Picture Mode I can control my HTPCs 95% with just an IR remote or gamepad, but even then, it's STILL Windows at the bottom of it all so if something goes wrong, drivers need updating or any real interaction with 'Windows' itself, I use a Logitech K400 keyboard.

Seems like everyone using their PC for watching stuff on a tv has a k400 keyboard, myself included.

 

Kodi on my Atom tablet still isn't slow, though that isn't on a platter drive either. I haven't used a Roku for Streaming, so no idea how easy that is in comparison. I've used a Samsung blu ray player for streaming, and a friend's Samsung smart tv, but those things are horrifically slow in the ui. I wonder if they just snagged the chip in the Nintendo 3DS, rendered the UI on the cpu, and called it a day.

[AshleyAshes]

Just now, Zodiark1593 said:

Seems like everyone using their PC for watching stuff on a tv has a k400 keyboard, myself included.

Either the K400 or the Microsoft 'All In One' are really the best options for a moderately sized keyboard and touchpad for light Windows usage.  I wouldn't game on it or write a thesis on it, but it's easier to type and navigate on than those smaller things like the RiiMini and not so large that you need a genuine storage space or to find a flat surface to operate the mouse on.

[dalekphalm]

26 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

Either the K400 or the Microsoft 'All In One' are really the best options for a moderately sized keyboard and touchpad for light Windows usage.  I wouldn't game on it or write a thesis on it, but it's easier to type and navigate on than those smaller things like the RiiMini and not so large that you need a genuine storage space or to find a flat surface to operate the mouse on.

I bought the Microsoft "K400 knockoff", and the K400 is a bit nicer. Slightly better touchpad (The mouse buttons in particular).

 

Either are very functional for an HTPC and way better than those micro keyboards.