Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

LibreELEC VS LinuxMCE

Compare LibreELEC VS LinuxMCE and see what are their differences

LibreELEC logo LibreELEC

LibreELEC is ‘Just enough OS’ for Kodi, a Linux distribution built to run Kodi on current and...

LinuxMCE logo LinuxMCE

Home Automation based on Linux combining the most powerful OpenSource Projects around.
  • LibreELEC Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-06
  • LinuxMCE Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-01-29

LibreELEC features and specs

  • Lightweight
    LibreELEC is a minimalistic, lightweight Linux-based operating system specifically built for running the Kodi media center, which means it is optimized for performance and consumes fewer system resources.
  • Easy Installation
    The installation process is straightforward and user-friendly, designed to get you up and running with minimal hassle.
  • Optimized for Kodi
    Since LibreELEC is designed expressly for Kodi, it offers better performance and stability for this media center compared to more general-purpose operating systems.
  • Wide Hardware Support
    LibreELEC supports a broad range of hardware platforms, including the Raspberry Pi, x86 PCs, and various ARM devices, providing flexibility in terms of device compatibility.
  • Automatic Updates
    The system includes automatic updates, ensuring that users always have the latest features and security patches without manual intervention.
  • Community Support
    LibreELEC has a vibrant community that provides support, plugins, and additional features, making it easier for users to customize their setup and solve any issues they might encounter.

Possible disadvantages of LibreELEC

  • Limited Functionality
    Being a specialized OS for Kodi, LibreELEC lacks the versatility of more general-purpose operating systems, meaning it is not suitable for tasks outside of media consumption.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Beginners
    Although installation is easy, new users might find it challenging to navigate and customize the system to their needs if they're unfamiliar with media center setups.
  • Limited Application Availability
    Because LibreELEC is specifically tailored for Kodi, there is a limited range of additional applications that can be installed compared to more general operating systems.
  • Dependency on Kodi
    The entire user experience is tied to Kodi. If Kodi encounters any bugs or issues, it can severely impact the usability of the whole system.
  • Less Frequent General Updates
    While LibreELEC includes automatic updates, major changes and new features in the underlying OS might not be as frequent as with more active, general-purpose Linux distributions.

LinuxMCE features and specs

  • Open Source
    LinuxMCE is an open-source platform, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. Users can customize the system to meet their specific needs without worrying about licensing fees.
  • Integrated Solution
    It offers an integrated smart home and media solution, combining home automation, media management, and security features into a single package, which simplifies installation and management.
  • Customization
    LinuxMCE allows a high degree of customization, enabling users to tailor the system's functionality and appearance to suit their preferences and specific requirements.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project, it benefits from an active community of users and developers who contribute to forums, wikis, and other support resources.
  • Compatibility
    LinuxMCE is compatible with a wide range of devices and technologies, meaning users can integrate different brands and types of hardware into their system.

Possible disadvantages of LinuxMCE

  • Complex Installation
    The installation and setup process for LinuxMCE can be quite complex, especially for non-technical users, as it may require more advanced knowledge of networking and Linux systems.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive feature set and customization potential, LinuxMCE can have a steep learning curve, requiring users to spend time learning how to effectively use and manage the system.
  • Limited Hardware Support
    While LinuxMCE supports many devices, some specific or newer hardware devices might not be compatible or require additional configuration to work properly.
  • Inconsistent User Experience
    As with many open-source projects, the user interface and experience can be inconsistent, with some parts of the system being less polished than others.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running LinuxMCE can be resource-intensive, requiring a dedicated machine with significant processing power and storage, which could be a con for those with limited hardware resources.

LibreELEC videos

LibreELEC Raspberry Pi 1 2 3 Or Zero Quick Look Kodi For Raspberry pi

More videos:

  • Review - Raspberry Pi 4B on LibreELEC 9.2 with Kodi 18.3
  • Review - Kodi Compendium [Part 3]: Raspberry Pi OS Selection, Comparison, Performance Test LibreELEC vs OSMC

LinuxMCE videos

LinuxMCE - Demonstration Video (2007-07-04)

More videos:

  • Review - LinuxMCE: Support for the SmartQ V7 MID as a Media Device
  • Review - LinuxMCE: Kitchen Squeezebox

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LibreELEC and LinuxMCE)
Video
87 87%
13% 13
Home
0 0%
100% 100
Media Player
100 100%
0% 0
Watch Movies Online
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare LibreELEC and LinuxMCE

LibreELEC Reviews

Top 10 Best Linux Media Server Software
LibreELEC also has special builds for single board computers like Raspberry Pi. You can install this special operating system on your Raspberry Pi and get a media center device ready in minutes.
Source: itsfoss.com

LinuxMCE Reviews

We have no reviews of LinuxMCE yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, LibreELEC seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 66 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

LibreELEC mentions (66)

  • Raspberry Pi 5
    - Two LibreELEC (https://libreelec.tv/) mediaplayers in house (yes, one is not enough in my big family). - One for hosting low usage applications at home network (Unifi controller and some more). - Octoprint (https://octoprint.org) connected to the 3d-printer. - One on my desk for hardware hacking – mostly as just a PC with GPIO. - Some Raspberry Pi Zeros as security cameras. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Plex to block all servers hosted at Hetzner
    You might be interested in the https://libreelec.tv/ project. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Looking for a distro to replace Roku Stick
    I'm aware of solutions such as LibreELEC but that (if I understand it) is just a Kodi thing. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Watch Jellyfin content on non-smart TV
    Kodi is a media client as it provides a UI for you to browse, search for and view media. I have it running on my Raspberry Pi as LibreELEC. It connects to the same media sources that Jellyfin uses via SFTP. They support the same scrappers and folder structures so they can share the same media sources. If you're not adamant about using Jellyfin on the Raspberry Pi, this could be an option. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Does anyone know why Kodi will not continuously run on a windows 11 machine?
    Thats not a Kodi issue... It is a Windows and hardware issue... If the only job of the pc is Kodi then use LibreELEC's Kodi... 1000 times better! https://libreelec.tv/. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

LinuxMCE mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of LinuxMCE yet. Tracking of LinuxMCE recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LibreELEC and LinuxMCE, you can also consider the following products

Kodi - Kodi is an award winning free and open source media player that got its start on the Xbox console.

FHEM - FHEM (TM) is a GPL'd perl server for house automation.

OSMC - OSMC is a free and open source media center built for the people, by the people.

Conrad Connect - Service for managing smart home devices

OpenELEC - OpenELEC, which stands for Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center, is a Linux operating system that makes the host computer a Kodi media center. The software was the winner of the Swiss Opensource Award in 2014.

LinHES - ChiliProject