Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Plasma Bigscreen – 10-foot interface for KDE plasma

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Four dominant themes in the discussion

#	Theme	Key points & representative quotes
1	KDE Plasma vs. GNOME – UX & customization	• “KDE is the DE that made shed the bias again linux UIs as having that crummy look that set them apart from commercial desktops.” – prmph • “If your HTPC supports HDMI‑CEC, it will just pass‑through the inputs from the TV remote, no additional ones required.” – herzzolf (shows KDE’s built‑in remote support) • “I’m on Debian bookworm, and a screenshot is one Meta‑Shift‑S … I just highlight the region I want to capture, and I get a dialog prompting me to … copy to clipboard, save to file, or annotate.” – jasonjayr (illustrates KDE’s more complex screenshot workflow)
2	Remote‑control solutions for HTPC/TV	• “I use kde connect with my android for my htpc. Works nicely enough on stock kde.” – accurrent • “Unified Remote with my phone https://www.unifiedremote.com/” – haunter • “My suggestion would be an airmouse remote, possibly with an built‑in keyboard.” – drnick1 • “If your HTPC supports HDMI‑CEC, it will just pass‑through the inputs from the TV remote, no additional ones required.” – herzzolf
3	Streaming & DRM on Linux	• “I can get 1080p on Linux with Opera https://help.netflix.com/en/node/30081” – haunter • “This is just a DE for Linux, it does not solve the problem that DRM is incompatible with a free platform.” – drnick1 • “I have no issues on Firefox FWIW. I haven’t needed to spoof the user agent, though this is something I needed to back in the day when they literally blocked FF’s user agent.” – godelski
4	Plasma Bigscreen / TV‑UI viability	• “Plasma Bigscreen has been around for 6 years … it’s a UI optimized for using a PC from a couch.” – reedlaw • “I can use an airmouse remote for that.” – drnick1 (remote‑compatibility) • “I’m not being lazy … I have a mini‑PC that has an HDMI port and USB ports and plug that into your TV like you would an Apple TV.” – xrd (hardware setup) • “I have a lot of complaints about the UI, but it’s still a good starting point for a TV interface.” – wao0uuno

These four threads—KDE vs. GNOME, remote‑control options, DRM/streaming challenges, and the practicality of Plasma Bigscreen—capture the bulk of the conversation.

🚀 Project Ideas

RemoteKit

Summary

A cross‑platform remote‑control app that emulates keyboard, mouse, and media keys over Bluetooth or Wi‑Fi, with built‑in profiles for Android TV, set‑top boxes, and HDMI‑CEC‑enabled TVs.
Core value: eliminates the need for multiple remotes and simplifies HTPC control from a single device.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Linux HTPC users, Android TV owners, home theater enthusiasts
Core Feature	One‑click remote profiles, auto‑detection of device type, seamless KDE Connect integration
Tech Stack	Rust (backend), Flutter (UI), Bluetooth LE, WebSocket for Wi‑Fi, CMake for packaging
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Revenue‑ready: freemium with optional $4/month for advanced profiles

Notes

HN commenters like “I use KDE Connect with my Android for my HTPC” and “Unified Remote with my phone” would love a unified solution.
Practical utility: works on any Linux distro, supports remote‑control of Kodi, Jellyfin, and web browsers.

SnapShotPro

Summary

A lightweight screenshot tool that lets users choose a default action (copy to clipboard, save, annotate) and offers quick‑access shortcuts.
Core value: removes the annoying dialog and streamlines the screenshot workflow for power users.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Linux desktop users who take many screenshots (developers, designers, gamers)
Core Feature	One‑step screenshot with configurable default, optional annotation overlay, bulk‑save mode
Tech Stack	Python (UI), PyQt5, Pillow, GTK for clipboard integration
Difficulty	Low
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

“I often take dozens of screenshots per day” and “I copy to clipboard more than I save” highlight the pain point.
Discussion around “Spectacle” and “PrintScreen” shows demand for a better default experience.

KDE 10‑Foot

Summary

A lightweight 10‑foot UI layer for KDE Plasma that replaces nested menus with large, touch‑friendly tiles and removes unnecessary complexity.
Core value: makes KDE usable on a TV or large monitor without the steep learning curve.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Home theater users, kiosk operators, people using KDE on a TV
Core Feature	Full‑screen tile launcher, simplified settings panel, optional HDMI‑CEC passthrough
Tech Stack	Qt/QML, Wayland, CMake, KDE Frameworks 5
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Revenue‑ready: one‑time $9 license for commercial use

Notes

Comments like “KDE is over‑engineered” and “I want a simple launcher” show a clear need.
Potential for discussion: how to balance minimalism with KDE’s feature set.

StreamBox

Summary

A unified streaming client for Linux that aggregates Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and other services, with DRM support via Widevine and a remote‑friendly UI.
Core value: eliminates the need for multiple apps and solves the “Linux DRM” frustration.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Linux users who stream video on a TV or monitor
Core Feature	Single‑app DRM‑enabled playback, remote control via Bluetooth, auto‑profile for each service
Tech Stack	Electron (UI), Chromium Embedded Framework, Rust DRM wrapper, Bluetooth LE
Difficulty	High
Monetization	Revenue‑ready: $5/month subscription for premium features (e.g., 4K, multi‑profile)

Notes

“I can get 1080p on Linux with Opera” and “Netflix on Linux is hard” show the unmet need.
Practical utility: works on any Linux distro, supports remote control, and can run on a mini‑PC connected to a TV.