I am looking for what distro to put on my HTPC. What I plan to do on this machine is.
Watch Youtube, Twitch, Netflix, ect
Steam Streaming from main pc
Play less demanding games localy
Use tv tuner card
minimal maintenance time(this pc is at my tv not my desk)
Another consideration is a desktop environment that will be more usable from a couch.
Currently runs integrated graphics but later will have a 2gb 960 processor is a i3 4170
I personaly use Ubuntu 14.04 64bit for my htpc mostly because of the dock on the side it works really well when im sitting on the couch.
Maybe a lighteweight WM with ubuntu - like Ubuntu LXDE
You can give http://openelec.tv/ a shot.
I use it on my raspberry pi for my media.
works well but not sure if steam streaming will work.
haven't tried it to know.
I second Walter's recommendation,
Openelec or if you need a bit more out of your HTPC like web browsing use any distro with KODI and install TV addons as a plug in, its awesome
As long has you have and x86 or amd64 processor you will be able to do netflix. If you have a arm processor that you will never have any Flash support without serious mucking around striping out ChromeOS drivers for flash and put them into your distro.
I will probably run Ubuntu still have to decide on desktop. Will probably run KODI on top.
Question can I switch desktop environments without reinstalling.(without creating lingering problems later?)
Yea. You can install more then one desktop environment but I'm really quite sure on how stable that will be. Just before you log in there is or will be an option to choose your DE and then login with that DE.
Honestly I would choose a more lightweight DE and stick with that and you can run KODI on top.