I have been through the ringer more than a few times with crappy apps and programs that just dont’ live up to expectations. I have a few programs that I rely on every day to make sure my HTPC is running and working the way I want it to. Here is my list of Must-Have apps for your HTPC:

Video Players:

  • VLC Media Player: VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework that plays most multimedia files as well as DVD, Audio CD, VCD, and various streaming protocols. This app can do it all. I use this for everything! It supports every codec under the sun, and can even stream content over your network. My favorite stand alone video player by far.
     
  • XBMC Media Center: XBMC is an award-winning free and open source (GPL) software media player and entertainment hub for digital media. See my previous post for more info on XBMC. Lets just say I *HEART* XBMC! It’s the best!
     
  • Boxee: Probably the best way to watch TV shows from the Internet on your TV. Boxee does all the work searching site after site to see what episodes of what shows are posted online. Then, it puts a nice link right there in front of you so you can watch it. The interface was well thought out for viewing on a TV, and it has a boat load of free content to watch. If you don’t have it already, get it, then thank me in the comments. If you are keeping cable TV because you don’t want to give up your shows…This app could save you all that money.


Codec:

  • K-Lite Codec Pack: Really the only Codec Pack you will ever need. The only one I ever use, and I always use it. Tons and tons and tons and tons of Codecs and great flexibility with the setup and tweaking of things like fddshow & DirectShow. Just get it and don’t ask questions.


ISO Image/CD-DVD-BluRay Burning Software:

  • Imgburn: ImgBurn is a lightweight CD / DVD / HD DVD / Blu-ray burning application that everyone should have in their toolkit. It supports creating, burning, and converting. You can even check the quality of the burns your drive is producing. must have app for sure!
     
  • CDBurnerXP: CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. ImgBurn is great for working with ISOs, but this app has a great Drag-n-Drop interface that works great when you just need to burn a few files to Disk.
     
  • Magic ISO: MagicISO is a powerful CD/DVD image file creating/editing/extracting tool. It can open / create / edit /extract CD/DVD image files, and it can convert bin to iso and back.  as well as make ISO file from DVD/CD-ROM or hard disk, and handle bootable information at meanwhile. This does all the same stuff as ImgBurn, except this can also mount ISO files as virtual Drives in Windows, so no more burning that ISO to a disk, just mount it to a virtual drive and use as normal. To be honest that is the only feature of this app I use, but it is worth having just for that.


Media Center Operating Systems:

  • Element PC: Element is a free operating system for home theater PCs, media center computers, and set-top boxes. Element has an innovative “across the room” interface designed to be connected to your HDTV for a digital media and internet experience from within the comforts of your own living room or lounge. The OS is really deigned well. It is the best OS for tv only viewing I have seen. Element Comes loaded with tons of really useful apps such as the Firefox Web Browser, Pidgin Messenger, and XBMC Media Center, along with access to numerous on-line content services from Hulu, Cooliris, Boxee, Clicker, Amazon on Demand, Youtube XL, and more. This is a must-Check out app for sure.
     
  • GeeXboX: GeeXboX is a free and Open Source Media-Center purposed Linux distribution for embedded devices and desktop computers. GeeXboX is not an application, it’s a full-featured OS, that one can boot as a LiveCD, from a USB key, an SD/MMC card or install on its regular HDD. The GeeXboX distribution is lightweight and designed for one single goal: embed all major multimedia applications as to turn your computer into an HTPC.
     
  • LinuxMCE: Not my favorite, but worth a look. It lacks some of the finish and polish that the others have, but it does offer some nice features that the others don’t. Most notably access to home automation systems, and video surveillance integration. For me, this isn’t the answer, but it may be for you.
     

Utilities:

  • 7-Zip: 7-Zip is a free application for packing / unpacking archives(.Zip .RAR .ISO .TAR Etc.) It has a lot of nice features, and don’t bother you all the time with a “Please buy me” screen like WinRAR or winZIP does.
     
  • uTorrent: My Favorite Bit Torrent Client. Very fast, and I never have issues with it. “uTorrent is less than 400 KB (smaller than your Facebook pic!). It installs ultra-fast with a light footprint on your computer, and runs super-efficiently.” I couldn’t have said it better.
     
  • UltraVNC: Fast, effective VNC Server/Client. UltraVNC is an easy to use and free software that can display the screen of another computer (Your Media Server) on your screen. The program allows you to use your mouse and keyboard to control the other PC. Removing the need for a Monitor, Keyboard or a mouse.
     
  • VirtualDUB: VirtualDub is mainly geared toward processing AVI files, although it can read (not write) MPEG-1 and also handle sets of BMP images. It is very useful for taking AVI files and putting them together into 1 file. If you are like me and hate having part1 and part2 of a movie, use Virtual DUB to put them together and make 1 file containing both halfs. Like most of the apps in this list, it only have 1 main use for me, but it is an app I rely on a lot to perform that 1 task I need it to do.  
     

This is my list for now. This covers most of the every-day apps I find to be essential to making my HTCP work for me. Hopefully you can get some use out of them as well. As always, leave your comments below and be sure to let me know what apps you can’t live without in your setup.

Happy Viewing,
Nick

Nick Hill is a systems administrator with 10+ years of experience in the I.T. field. His hobby/passion is to fully integrate all the features and conveniences of a monthly TV service into a full featured and fully on-demand home viewing experience without an outrageous monthly fee!