Plasma Bigscreen – 10-foot interface for KDE plasma

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Input methods, remotes, and hardware setups

  • Many recommend using Bluetooth or RF remotes, especially “airmouse” remotes with gyroscope and built‑in keyboard for browsing and text entry.
  • TV remotes via HDMI‑CEC, game controllers, or keyboard/mouse are commonly cited as workable.
  • KDE Connect and phone-based remote apps (e.g., Unified Remote) are popular for HTPC control.
  • Typical hardware suggestion: small PCs/NUCs, thin clients, or modest desktops; users report Plasma running smoothly even on decade‑old hardware and low‑power ARM devices.

KDE Plasma vs GNOME and desktop UX

  • Several commenters praise modern KDE Plasma as flexible, polished, fast, and visually competitive with commercial desktops; many use it daily and are satisfied with defaults after minor tweaks.
  • Others criticize Plasma as over‑engineered and cluttered, with too many options surfacing in the UI; the screenshot tool (Spectacle) is a focal point of debate.
  • GNOME is described as opinionated, minimal, and better for users who don’t want to customize much, but also as overly stripped‑down and extension‑dependent by others.
  • There is disagreement over stability and resource use; some find Plasma solid and light, others encounter bugs and sluggishness.

Plasma Bigscreen’s scope, maturity, and alternatives

  • Bigscreen is described as a KDE Plasma shell optimized for 10‑foot/couch use, not a standalone OS or TV firmware replacement. It’s relatively old, recently revived, and not a core KDE focus.
  • Several say it’s “not quite there yet” compared to polished TV UIs, though regular Plasma on a TV is already usable.
  • Alternatives mentioned: Kodi/LibreELEC, Jellyfin + various clients (Infuse, Swiftfin, Android TV), and standard Android boxes. Some argue Plasma Bigscreen is more flexible than Kodi because it runs full desktop apps.

Streaming, DRM, and Android apps

  • DRM is a recurring concern: Netflix on Linux is often limited to 720p, though some report 1080p via Opera or user‑agent tricks; 4K is said to be rare.
  • Some argue DRM is fundamentally at odds with a free platform and suggest using other content sources.
  • Android TV app support is suggested via Waydroid combined with Bigscreen.

Privacy and “smart TV” replacements

  • A key appeal is avoiding surveillance-heavy smart TV platforms by treating the TV as a dumb display plus a Linux box.
  • Concern is raised that if many people stop connecting TVs to the internet, vendors may eventually require connectivity.