{"slug": "osmc", "name": "OSMC", "category": "os", "category_name": "Operating systems and desktop", "description": "", "recommenders": 3, "commenters": 5, "warners": 0, "score": 3.144, "rising": 0.02, "first": "2025-11-21", "latest": "2026-10-14", "why": "they play everything, have wifi, HDMI-CEC, integrated RF remote, and work out of the box", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 4, "neutral": 2, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "they play everything, have wifi, HDMI-CEC, integrated RF remote, and work out of the box", "kind": "", "icon": true, "domain": "osmc.tv", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://osmc.tv/", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["OSMC"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 801334672, "item_id": 50083417, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50083417", "by": "timc3", "date": "2026-10-14", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "We use it everyday with OSMC Vero devices, across 4 different setups.", "excerpt": "We use it everyday with OSMC Vero devices, across 4 different setups.", "context": "", "use_case": "Media center playback", "switched_from": "", "story": "New Apple TV 4K"}, {"id": 778925440, "item_id": 48682840, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48682840", "by": "timc3", "date": "2026-06-25", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OSMC and a Vero V is a better solution for that.", "excerpt": "It\u2019s an alternative, but for the majority not a good alternative (unless you go the OSMC Vero route). I have tried doing this ever since it\u2019s been possible to play video back on a PC (and before that I used SGI\u2019s, and Macs with external video solutions) and continue to try it with many devices and hardware configurations. An Apple TV is easier to maintain and the quality of output is great. The only thing not so grea", "context": "works professionally in video workflow and pipeline solutions for 25+ years", "use_case": "local media playback", "switched_from": "", "story": "Apple announces significant price increases for MacBooks, iPads, more"}, {"id": 740476785, "item_id": 46279799, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46279799", "by": "BizarroLand", "date": "2025-12-15", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Throw OpenElec or OSMC on it for simple media setup", "excerpt": "A cheap used mini desktop with a linux install on it is also a good way to go. Throw in a wireless mouse and keyboard and you can do not only what an AppleTV or Android box does but also everything a cheap used mini pc can do. Even something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/127547167640 Would be a media powerhouse compared to almost any set top box you can buy. Throw OpenElec or OSMC on it for simple media setup o", "context": "", "use_case": "Media center OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft Copilot AI Comes to LG TVs, and Can't Be Deleted"}, {"id": 740069408, "item_id": 46254338, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46254338", "by": "_dan", "date": "2025-12-13", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it's absolutely worth the money to me to get everything in a tiny package and working perfectly from day one", "excerpt": "Yeah that OSMC box is just running Debian with their stuff coming from its own package repo. You can get a root shell. I realise I could have built something myself (and have in the past) but it's absolutely worth the money to me to get everything in a tiny package and working perfectly from day one. I wouldn't recommend Kodi for streaming, it kinda works but the experience isn't great. I use it exclusively for playi", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options"}, {"id": 740016432, "item_id": 46251027, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46251027", "by": "_dan", "date": "2025-12-12", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "they play everything, have wifi, HDMI-CEC, integrated RF remote, and work out of the box", "excerpt": "Yeah I have a couple of recent Samsung OLEDs and they're fine without an internet connection despite reports that they wouldn't be. If I press one of the annoying streaming service buttons on the remote it'll give me a setup popup which needs to be dismissed, otherwise they work fine, albeit without any built in streaming support. I'd read reports that Q-Symphony (audio from the TV speakers and soundbar simultaneousl", "context": "", "use_case": "Media player OS for TV", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [{"by": "timc3", "context": "works professionally in video workflow and pipeline solutions for 25+ years", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48682840", "date": "2026-06-25"}], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["media center playback", "serving movies at home", "local media playback", "media center os", "media player os for tv", "runs kodi"], "compared": [{"slug": "kodi", "name": "Kodi", "co": 4, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46243655", "title": "Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50071310", "title": "New Apple TV 4K", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48966769", "title": "The death and rebirth of my home server", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48672732", "title": "Apple announces significant price increases for MacBooks, iPads, more", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46268844", "title": "Microsoft Copilot AI Comes to LG TVs, and Can't Be Deleted", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46005349", "title": "XBMC 4.0 for the Original Xbox", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"neutral": 1}, "2025-12": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-07": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 1}}, "versions": [], "version_unnamed": 0, "family_ref": null, "runs_on": null, "lines": [], "quotes": [{"id": 801334672, "item_id": 50083417, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50083417", "by": "timc3", "date": "2026-10-14", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "We use it everyday with OSMC Vero devices, across 4 different setups.", "excerpt": "We use it everyday with OSMC Vero devices, across 4 different setups.", "context": "", "use_case": "Media center playback", "switched_from": "", "story": "New Apple TV 4K"}, {"id": 783578051, "item_id": 48973628, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48973628", "by": "rmunn", "date": "2026-07-19", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "the one that runs Kodi/OSMC to serve up movies", "excerpt": "Yes. https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/power-supply/ I have always bought the official power supply, yet of the two Pi 3s that I have connected to my TV at home, the one that runs Kodi/OSMC to serve up movies has never suffered any filesystem corruption, despite it suffering repeated power outages without warning (it's low enough to the ground that the toddler has often pulled the power cable out, and I haven't be", "context": "", "use_case": "serving movies at home", "switched_from": "", "story": "The death and rebirth of my home server"}, {"id": 778925440, "item_id": 48682840, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48682840", "by": "timc3", "date": "2026-06-25", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "OSMC and a Vero V is a better solution for that.", "excerpt": "It\u2019s an alternative, but for the majority not a good alternative (unless you go the OSMC Vero route). I have tried doing this ever since it\u2019s been possible to play video back on a PC (and before that I used SGI\u2019s, and Macs with external video solutions) and continue to try it with many devices and hardware configurations. An Apple TV is easier to maintain and the quality of output is great. The only thing not so grea", "context": "works professionally in video workflow and pipeline solutions for 25+ years", "use_case": "local media playback", "switched_from": "", "story": "Apple announces significant price increases for MacBooks, iPads, more"}, {"id": 740476785, "item_id": 46279799, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46279799", "by": "BizarroLand", "date": "2025-12-15", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Throw OpenElec or OSMC on it for simple media setup", "excerpt": "A cheap used mini desktop with a linux install on it is also a good way to go. Throw in a wireless mouse and keyboard and you can do not only what an AppleTV or Android box does but also everything a cheap used mini pc can do. Even something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/127547167640 Would be a media powerhouse compared to almost any set top box you can buy. Throw OpenElec or OSMC on it for simple media setup o", "context": "", "use_case": "Media center OS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Microsoft Copilot AI Comes to LG TVs, and Can't Be Deleted"}, {"id": 740069408, "item_id": 46254338, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46254338", "by": "_dan", "date": "2025-12-13", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it's absolutely worth the money to me to get everything in a tiny package and working perfectly from day one", "excerpt": "Yeah that OSMC box is just running Debian with their stuff coming from its own package repo. You can get a root shell. I realise I could have built something myself (and have in the past) but it's absolutely worth the money to me to get everything in a tiny package and working perfectly from day one. I wouldn't recommend Kodi for streaming, it kinda works but the experience isn't great. I use it exclusively for playi", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options"}, {"id": 740016432, "item_id": 46251027, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46251027", "by": "_dan", "date": "2025-12-12", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "they play everything, have wifi, HDMI-CEC, integrated RF remote, and work out of the box", "excerpt": "Yeah I have a couple of recent Samsung OLEDs and they're fine without an internet connection despite reports that they wouldn't be. If I press one of the annoying streaming service buttons on the remote it'll give me a setup popup which needs to be dismissed, otherwise they work fine, albeit without any built in streaming support. I'd read reports that Q-Symphony (audio from the TV speakers and soundbar simultaneousl", "context": "", "use_case": "Media player OS for TV", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options"}, {"id": 736154481, "item_id": 46009655, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46009655", "by": "kijiki", "date": "2025-11-21", "version": null, "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I run kodi via OSMC on a Vera V.", "excerpt": "I run kodi via OSMC on a Vera V. It comes with a dedicated remote (though it does support CEC), which solves #1, at the cost of having an extra remote. I mainly hit #2 when scrubbing, often (worse on some compression types than others), it'll just freeze frame for a minute before everything catches up. This may be because I'm serving the content via HTTP to the Vera V, I've been meaning to try NFS and/or SMB. Never h", "context": "", "use_case": "Runs Kodi", "switched_from": "", "story": "XBMC 4.0 for the Original Xbox"}]}