I'm getting interested in putting together a computer to handle all of my music for playing. I'm interested in a Linux system since we use UNIX systems at work and they are better in every way than Windoze. I'm more interested in music than video but video might be an option.

I'm thinking along the following lines: A micro-ATX or other small form factor computer with a DVD drive and a couple of large drives in a RAID 1 configuration. Using Ubuntu or some such Linux for the OS. Linux would let me do a lot with a lower powered and cheaper PC than Windoze. I'd add a wifi card to be on the home network.

It would reside close to my old analog stereo so it could connect via an AUX port to the amp.

Is there any software out there for such devices? I'd love to control it via a web interface from any house computer but I could use the TV. I'd love to have it able to play to the stereo as well as to any computer.

Is this possible or am I out to lunch? I have a tax refund coming so I'd like to see about assembling a system in the near future.

Steve

I think you can download Red Hat Fedora for free, and I think you also get the Gnome desktop with tools like Sound Juicer for ripping.

You've got lots of interesting software for your needs in Linux. My advise is that you try with Ubuntu for your first experience. As an alternative, use Suse, but not Fedora: it has lots of issues related to audio software, starting from the fact that they don support mp3 files.

Give it a try, you won't go back once you try it for a while and start feeling its own way...

Ubuntu is pretty cool; got one machine at home running v.7.10 and I like it very much. Unfortunately I don't know squat about music s/w for it... it will play music files and Youtube and such; that's as far as I've gotten with it (not a big priority for me).

Right now I'm trying to find out what will work before buying anything. Some sort of jukebox software would be what I'd need. I wonder if I'd have to go off to Ubuntu forum to get my answers.

Steve

I'd just Google... that's how I've found everything so far for my installation (although, as I said, I am not moving with much alacrity).

I'd just Google... that's how I've found everything so far for my installation (although, as I said, I am not moving with much alacrity).

Someone suggested XBMC http://xbmc.org/

There's a Ubuntu version.

Steve

Take a look at Squeececenter (http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_features.html). It will allow you to play your music on any computer and control it via the web.
I run it on Ubuntu server 8.10 without a problem.:music:

Take a look at Squeececenter (http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_features.html). It will allow you to play your music on any computer and control it via the web.
I run it on Ubuntu server 8.10 without a problem.:music:

Does your system run alone or does it need their squeeze box systems? I'm trying to do it on the cheap.

Steve

Sounds like you're just getting your feet wet in the Linux world. If you want the easiest to use system that comes pre-loaded with everything that you'd probably use for multimedia take a look at Linux Mint (www.linuxmint.com).

It's Ubuntu, but with all the extra media plugins and applications already pre-loaded and installed for you to help streamline things, as well as other customizations and improvements over Ubuntu. Plus you can use both the Ubuntu and Linux Mint forums for sources of information.

You'll want to look at two other things as well for your system: a quality sound card and network card that are both supported with Linux drivers. This is especially true for wireless cards. If at all possible I'd recommend one that uses either the Intel or an Atheros chipset as those are the most supported.

second on the Linux Mint....ditto to everything chazsheen said

Does your system run alone or does it need their squeeze box systems? I'm trying to do it on the cheap.

Steve

Squeezecenter can stream to localhost or to any other computer on the network or over the Internet (it is nice to have access to your own music collection at work:yes:). On the receiving end you only need an application capable of playing audiostreams (virtually any and all music/mediaplayers).
You don't need the squeezebox.

Can't comment much on Linux Mint since I haven't tried it, but it sure sounds like a good starting point.

There's an excellent article in the May '09 Maximum PC mag on building a TV/Movie computer.
Looks like a lot of good ideas there.
Low noise, small form-factor & quiet operation were the major requirements.

There's an excellent article in the May '09 Maximum PC mag on building a TV/Movie computer.
Looks like a lot of good ideas there.
Low noise, small form-factor & quiet operation were the major requirements.

I went to the online site and read the article. It did have some good ideas but was focused on building an XP system. I'd just have to make sure the hardware wasn't too new to make sure that drivers exist. Another reason to like Linux is that it performs so well compared to Windows. I can be a bit cheaper in the motherboard department. I've been checking out the Ubuntu/Mint Linux forums to see what hardware works.

Mint Linux looks like a pretty good site. I'll have to consider them vs. regular Ubuntu.

I'm planning a SATA Raid 1 with 2 1TB disks. I'd use a wifi interface to the network to avoid drilling more holes in walls. I'd have a graphics card. This would be a start. I'd probably end up with a TV card since this will probably quickly grow beyond an audio server. I have to be careful here since micro-ATXboards seem to have 2 PCI slots.

I'm not a total novice with Linux. I have an old Red Hat system at home and I've set up Debian units at work.

It is pretty amazing what Linux will do. I know a fellow who collects ancient laptops. I mean, old low powered ones that can't handle Win2K. He refurbs them and installs Linux with a basic set of email, browsing and IM software. They're then given to GI's so they can stay in touch with their families.

Steve

There's an excellent article in the May '09 Maximum PC mag on building a TV/Movie computer.
Looks like a lot of good ideas there.
Low noise, small form-factor & quiet operation were the major requirements.

Some interesting info here too:


Video Jukebox Part 2: Build Your Movie Server

http://revision3.com/systm/videojukbox2/

Regards

I went to the online site and read the article. It did have some good ideas but was focused on building an XP system. I'd just have to make sure the hardware wasn't too new to make sure that drivers exist. Another reason to like Linux is that it performs so well compared to Windows. I can be a bit cheaper in the motherboard department. I've been checking out the Ubuntu/Mint Linux forums to see what hardware works.

Mint Linux looks like a pretty good site. I'll have to consider them vs. regular Ubuntu.


I'm planning a SATA Raid 1 with 2 1TB disks. I'd use a wifi interface to the network to avoid drilling more holes in walls. I'd have a graphics card. This would be a start. I'd probably end up with a TV card since this will probably quickly grow beyond an audio server. I have to be careful here since micro-ATXboards seem to have 2 PCI slots.

I'm not a total novice with Linux. I have an old Red Hat system at home and I've set up Debian units at work.

It is pretty amazing what Linux will do. I know a fellow who collects ancient laptops. I mean, old low powered ones that can't handle Win2K. He refurbs them and installs Linux with a basic set of email, browsing and IM software. They're then given to GI's so they can stay in touch with their families.

Steve

The actual mag article has a page showing what services-Netflix, Hulu, CBS, ABC, etc-work with with 4 different platforms-Windows, Ubuntu, OS X, & AppleTV.

Linux Mint is a little better than Ubuntu. It's built on Ubuntu, but more polished and even a little easier to set up. You could use XBMC as a media center. There is also a Linux distro called Linux MCE that is specifically designed to be a media center, and it will do everything from allow you to view security cameras, to automatically dim your lighting when you play a movie!

I'd recommend using mpd. (Music Player Daemon)

http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki

Here is my setup: http://rednerd.com/2009/02/06/bit-perfect-audio-with-linux-and-mpd/

The only downside is that there isn't a really good client for OS X.

Check out these two applications.

http://amarok.kde.org/
http://www.mythtv.org/

Mythtv *can* be a pain to install, but if you pick the right Linux distro and hardware it can be pretty simple.

I thought I'd do an update since it is actually working. My main conclusion is that, unless you are a geek, buy ready to use. If I knew then - I'd probably have done a Squeezebox.

I didn't so I gradually assembled a system. I built it around a Shuttle P2 SP35 bare bone chassis. Newegg & Directron have them. It had room for 2 Seagate 1T drives so I could do a RAID-1. I added 4G of memory, a decent dual core and a Lite-On drive and it was ready. The barebones I got had HD Audio on the motherboard with digitial SPDIF outputs.

The Shuttle is a really cute little system and very quiet. I'd originally got it to be located with the stereo but I liked it so much it stayed in the office which is on the floor above the stereo.

It took awhile to get all the parts but they all worked after a lot of fooling around. I used Ubuntu 9.04 alternate Desktop since the regular desktop doesn't support RAID.

Then the fun started. The sound was awful. Only analog and nasty. I went through every possible configuration of the ALSA drivers. I was very close to going to XP when I realized 9.04 did not support this. Ubuntu really, really sucks at Intel chipsets. 9.10 is supposed to improve things. I installed OSS drivers and suddenly I had great sound and the digital worked fine.

I ran it to my stereo with an optical SPDIF and a Superpro DAC. The sound is really good.

I've used RhythymBox to import my CD's as FLAC's and I use Songbird for playback. I can control it from the desktop or VNC in from any computer in the house. I have over 29 days of music saved with more to come. It is fun to set it to a genre or artist and hit shuffle.

I also have the music area as a shared Windows drive so I can hook up to it from other computers. It did work fine but an upgrade has broken samba.

I'm happy with this but it was a learning project. I love Linux and Ubuntu has the critical mass right now but it is not yet ready for the masses. Things break and driver support can be a pain.

But in the end - it works & sounds great.

Steve

I've got a couple Linux laptops around. One is connected to my system for music and movies...

Yeah, it can be a pain, but I think you found out something from your very first post... it's DOESN'T do everything better than windoze.. Some things it does, other things close, other things not at all... It's hit or miss, but believe it or not.. in many ways I like it better than MS.. it doesn't take as much maintenance as windows does, but yeah, I hate fixing broken things when you install an update.. .

On a similar note, the fellow I work part time with talked to several of our manufacturers at the past CES and the general consensus was that, believe it or not, Vista has the best sounding audio system built into the OS, yes, even better than anything they tried from Linux and Mac....much better, too, than XP with it's kind of poor audio implementation...something about kernel and processor utilization calls, I think...

I really don't understand why it is so, but my boss and I had gotten into discussion about doing just what the OP was talking about a few months before, and me being a staunch PCLinuxOS user, started sticking up for Linux...but, the folks he was talking to were recording industry professionals and folks who make some of the really high end consumer digital gear...so I guess they know more than me...

But, yeah, I've used Linux since it's beginning and some of the distros that are out there today are simply amazing...

I've got a couple Linux laptops around. One is connected to my system for music and movies...

Yeah, it can be a pain, but I think you found out something from your very first post... it's DOESN'T do everything better than windoze.. Some things it does, other things close, other things not at all... It's hit or miss, but believe it or not.. in many ways I like it better than MS.. it doesn't take as much maintenance as windows does, but yeah, I hate fixing broken things when you install an update.. .

I don't know of any program in Windows that could be compared to gcdmaster (http://cdrdao.sourceforge.net/gcdmaster/index.html), which allows for direct insertion of tracking marks onto the single wav file that is going to be sent to the CD writer (very useful for opera, for example).

...but, the folks he was talking to were recording industry professionals and folks who make some of the really high end consumer digital gear...so I guess they know more than me...

But, yeah, I've used Linux since it's beginning and some of the distros that are out there today are simply amazing...

Are these people in the same industry all the other recording professionals are in? You know.. the ones the amp the hell out of the masters and stick them onto CD's and call it music? The ones that tout MP3 and ipods?

I am going to have to disagree that any one OS is better or worse for sound... The sound it self will rely on the hardware and the codecs. There are programs out there that have a much better codec than windows or Linux will ever consider building.

Right now I'm trying to find out what will work before buying anything. Some sort of jukebox software would be what I'd need. I wonder if I'd have to go off to Ubuntu forum to get my answers.

Steve
Hello Steve, I have Linux openSUSE 32 bit on DVD, came with a Linux magazine I bought, also have 64 bit DVD. The latest Buzz on Linux audio is Mint using Gnome Gloria MPD w/ Minion and EAC.audioasylum.com can help you further. I use an internal audio card Diamond XS, line-in to my Sony HT receiver. Linux recognized my card, it was simple plug an play, update the drivers when avaliable. Cheers! Alan

a quality sound card and network card that are both supported with Linux drivers.


This is going to be the hard part.

Linux offers several excellent music players, including (but not limited to) XMMS, Zinf, noatun, amaroK, Juk, Rhythmbox, and Kaffeine. Most of these can play streaming Internet audio, compact discs, and best of all, digital audio files. With music stored as digital audio files, you can enjoy your music wherever and whenever you want to.

Also check out
http://lau.linuxaudio.org/

http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20080622143124178/Audio.html

Kevin

Are these people in the same industry all the other recording professionals are in? You know.. the ones the amp the hell out of the masters and stick them onto CD's and call it music? The ones that tout MP3 and ipods?

I am going to have to disagree that any one OS is better or worse for sound... The sound it self will rely on the hardware and the codecs. There are programs out there that have a much better codec than windows or Linux will ever consider building.

Just saw your post, and no, these weren't those guys, but perfectionist audio types, I really don't want to mention their names as the evidence is only hearsay as it sits now...not the major players in mass market dreck....

It wasn't about the codecs, it was actually about something to do with kernal calls...and how XP is a lot worse on the audio signal than a lot of other OS's, and how even compared to MAC and Linux, Vista still came out sounding the best....

These guys WERE NOT the kind that proffer up garbage and MP3's as being worthwhile...if you had to classify themt hey would be the antithesis of that end of the audio spectrum...

But, what do I know? I'm just parroting something that was overheard in a conversation between these guys....

I just got a Ubuntu system running today.
XP Pro crapped out, and this machine's been sitting idle after I tried to fix it with no luck.
What could I use to play mp3's?
It has Rhythmbox on it by default.
I don't know if I need a codec, or what.

I just got a Ubuntu system running today.
XP Pro crapped out, and this machine's been sitting idle after I tried to fix it with no luck.
What could I use to play mp3's?
It has Rhythmbox on it by default.
I don't know if I need a codec, or what.

You do need a codec to play mp3s on Linux. MP3 isnt an open source codec, therefore its not natively supported under Linux. Google "Medibuntu repository", add it to your repository list, and search for the w32 codecs. That has all the codecs youll need to make your multimedia experience under Ubuntu match or exceed what you get on Windows.

Thanks, Badass!

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