ExtremeTech: Linux Media Jukebox
April 15, 2003 - 2:34pm — bmann
The full article has a nice run down of everything you need, including a components list and step by step instructions. This is for making that box that is connected to your TV and runs all your multimedia systems.
From the article, it sounds like the Freevo project has come a long way.
I still don't know that I'd want to run all my web-based, server-type items on the same box -- it's just such a pain versus e-smith. Speaking of which, I've got a server upgrade to v5.6 somewhen in my future.
Similar
Postings and comments are owned by their authors. What Boris says here doesn't necessarily apply anywhere else. You can subscribe by email if RSS isn't your bag, baby.
Comments
Definitely a tech article
I definitely found this a tech-focused article. I would never use the on-board video for a DVD/TV system -- although it would certainly be sufficient if you just wanted a menu to control/manage your MP3s, for instance.
One of the ATI RADEON All-in-Wonder series would probably still be my choice.
I kind of agree with the separate media storage. But you end up with all these bits of boxes scattered all over the house, or even more frustrating, gigs and gigs of unused space on different machines because you want to centralize all your collections of music and video. The viewing and music box attached to the TV/stereo makes sense, and the other place where I'd choose a Linux box is the gateway/server/storage. With the storage on a separate drive or drive(s). I still have to figure out what the right answer is for me.
I imagine they couldn't be bothered to figure out the difference between Linux and BSD. I try and use *NIX these days to encompass Linux, the BSDs, and the handful of remaining commercial UNIX variants.
If your stores went down...
All the networked devices in your connected home would be pissed.
You can make a robust, secure & expandable storage+streaming server relatively easily. It'd keep all your content accessible despite various things crashing occasionally.
the difference
is the quality of the network interfaces and the tcp stack. This has long been the case, why Cisco IOS was built on FreeBSD not Linux, why OpenBSD is being developed into a secure networking platform not Linux. If you were someone building a router not a server, one look at the source trees would tell.
Guide...
Is there good software to enable a PC to act like a TiVo with similar guide service? I mean, that's the best thing about TiVo in my opinion, the guide is by far the crown jewel, as it is with Digital Cable. I mean, I can easily mock up a simple PVR, but the guide with the right content for my local Rogers Cable channel selection is the missing piece. Help me and I'll build one... :) (I'm watching Field Of Dreams right now... :)
From IM conversation
If only we could blog from IM directly :P
Dave and I were talking about this. Only lack of funds has ever prevented me from building one of these. And, I had resigned myself to building a Windows-based one, mainly because of all the apps (and the remote) that come bundled with ATI All-in-Wonder products (that's a link to the 8500DV -- the AIW7500 is $100 cheaper, just doesn't have a Firewire port).
But, Dave was interested in guides. Gemstar is the one that owns all guides. This thread on a forum had some references, mainly that it only works with "straight cable" i.e. not digital cable. Which in turn referenced the RCA Secium DRS7000N (CNET Review) -- a DVD player + digital hard drive PVR that also happens to do JPEGS and MP3s. Apparently will be available at FutureShop at some point, for $899CDN.
The main gotcha seems, again, related to the "straight cable" issue -- the tuner in the Scenium maxes out at 125...
I don't understand...
Why author chose to build using parts which are barely sufficient to do the job vs parts which will do a good job. And he doesn't mention a key spec, ability for the vidcard to play back a DVD fullscreen at 32-bit true-color depth, which anything less than a GeForce2-equiv with 32MB will not be able to do at 1024x768, 64MB for 1280x1024. You can't use just any old vidcard.
If you were going to take up your valuable time and effort, why not get better & longer-lasting satisfaction? Build a HTPC for few hundred dollars more.
Also, I'd keep all media storage net-attached in a separate box, because for robustness you don't want a 'complex function' like PVR tied to your stores, plus we'd need terabytes. I'm already at half a tera.
A fair-size quibble: the 1st sentence reads "TiVo and broadband routers don't have a whole lot in common, except for the OS that powers them: Linux." I don't know of a garden variety broadband router that run any version of Linux, they're usually *BSD.