I have been looking around at media center w/ PVR solutions. I want to go with linux simply because I will have access to the source code, however, alot of really good hardware doesn't seem to want to work with anything linux has to offer as a solution. Also, the hardware comes with windows drivers and bundled software so I could be running from the get go.

I am still trying to give linux a chance. I have checked out:

MythTV (Looks very promising)
Freevo (Alot of ppl seem to like, but doesn't seem quite there yet to me)
NMM Multi-media Box (Very nice PDF explaining it all)
DaveDina Project (Interesting)
DVR ('Nuff said)

That is honestly about the only solutions I have found that seem to have any promise. So if you have used them or know of any others that aren't in planning/alpha stages then let me know!

Some important things to me are:
Easy ripping of audio/video
Easy encoding of audio/video
Easy burning of audio/video
PVR abilities to record/watch
Viewing of multiple types of audio/video/images
Ability to access media and administrate over a network

Hmm I know someone who made himself a divx player for tv based upon gentoo with most of the futures that you want, I'll look up what he used for it

MPlayer. It plays anything and everything video. DVD's, DivX, XVid, AVI, MPEG, heck, it even plays Real Media format! An absolute must for any linux based media machine.

Infinite

Its awesome, and beats downloading all those movie players, use to have it.