I have Kodi installed now, I will probably test OSMC later today, are there any other programs similar to them that I could test?
What I am mostly interested in:
- fullscreen mode (dark mode / theme preferably, even if I would have to make it manually somehow)
- option to navigate my drive or external drive
- xbox controller support
- subtitles support
What I want to accomplish is quite simple, every now and then I want to play a movie from my pc on my tv (connected via hdmi) and I don’t want to use mouse or keyboard while watching it to pause or turn the volume up a notch.
Kodi is kinda okay for all that but it feels a little wonky and pretty often makes a mess with my files, creating duplicates or ghost files on lists…
Thanks for any help!
I second the recommendation of using Jellyfin.
Additionally you can use something like the Unified Remote app to make your phone control your computer instead of a mouse. Want to turn up the volume just use the volume rocker on your phone. You can also turn your phone screen into a large trackpad. Very convenient for watching media. I think there is an open source version called KDE Connect but I haven’t used it yet myself.
I totally understand Jellyfin being recommended and praised so much. I guess if I will reconsider building a home server / media box etc. — this would be my first direction.
On the other hand, I know I am stubborn, being a minimalist is not helping in this situation. I just wish I could do as much as possible with simplest solutions on my PC and right now Jellyfin feels like an overkill, even Kodi does, if there would be a plugin for VLC to just let me go for play/pause vol up/down with xbox controller I would go for it and delete Kodi immediately.
Well then use VLC and a remote control program like Unified Remote or KDE Connect and use your phone as a remote control for volume and mouse.