I'm looking for a lightweight operating system that my HP EliteDesk 800 G2 with a Core i5 can run comfortably. I mainly want to play Blu-ray discs using my ASUS BW-16D1HT drive through VLC or similar software, and watch MKV and MP4 files stored on a USB flash drive. I've mostly used graphical interfaces so far, though I'm willing to learn some command-line basics if necessary. What setup would be practical for this use case?
3 Answers
LibreELEC is probably the most convenient option if this machine will mainly be a dedicated media center. It boots directly into Kodi, has a simple TV-friendly interface, and works well with a remote or game controller. Kodi can handle local video and streaming through add-ons, while the underlying system stays fairly lightweight. Keep in mind that commercial Blu-ray discs may require additional decryption support, so VLC or Kodi alone may not play every disc immediately.
If you want more than just playback, you could install a regular lightweight desktop Linux system and run Jellyfin or another media server. A web-based setup such as ZimaOS can make services like Jellyfin easier to configure, but it is more server-oriented than LibreELEC. For simply watching discs and files locally, Kodi or a lightweight desktop with VLC would be less complicated.
antiX is another good lightweight distribution and should run easily on that EliteDesk. It gives you a normal desktop, which may be more comfortable if you want to use VLC directly and occasionally do other tasks besides media playback. It is also a better fit if you want to learn Linux gradually rather than using an appliance-style system.
That sounds appealing for a dedicated setup. I’m fine with a media-center interface, as long as I can still access my USB files and use the optical drive.