streamline linux

[nfarzan]

Any sites out there for streamlining linux (getting rid of all the useless junk to make it boot/run faster)? Im trying to build a mp3 box...so i dont need all the extra stuff

Thanks,
Nfarzan

[Hoser]

No sites come to mind at the moment for your question, but I have some advice.

I've installed Linux (RedHat) enough times on various computers, so I have some idea of what I'm doing. Since you've said you are building an MP3 box, you need to decide exactly what you want to do with it. Are you going to just store that MP3s on the Linux box and share them out to other machines? Are the MP3s going to be both stored and played on the Linux box? Are you going to stream the MP3s from the Linux box to other machines (Windows or Linux)? The best thing is that the machine doesn't have to be cutting edge (I've used K62-450 and K62-500 machines as servers) to do what you need. You're not going to be bringing the machine to it's knees by using it for playing or serving MP3s.

No matter what method you choose, here's what you need to do when you load Linux. First, you'll be given a choice of server, workstation, or custom installations. Choose custom so that you can pick which packages get loaded. There's an option to install individual items in each package that also needs to be chosen. This lets you see exactly what items are being installed from each package.

If you're just going to share the MP3s to other machines, you'll need to install Networked Workstation and SMB (Samba) Server. SMB lets you share Linux files and directories to Windows machines, and also accesses Windows files and directories. This is handy because you could have your MP3s on several different machines (Windows or Linux) and have them all accessable from a central point on the Linux box. You have no need to install the X Windows System, Gnome, or KDE. If all you're doing is sharing files, you don't need a graphic interface.

If you're going to both store and play the MP3 files from the Linux box, install Networked Workstation, SMB Server, and Multimedia Support. This package has applications for playing and manipulating audio and video files. Unless you get a command line based MP3 player, you'll need to install the X Windows System, and Gnome or KDE.

If you're going to stream MP3s from the Linux box, install Networked Workstation, SMB Server, Multimedia Support, Web Server, and possibly SQL server. Two programs for streaming MP3s are Shoutcast (www.shoutcast.com) and Icecast (www.icecast.org). These programs stream MP3s over a network and can be listed to from a remote machine using Winamp (Windows) or XMMS (Linux).

I'm converting most of my CDs into MP3s now because I'm going to be doing the same thing. I've got a Diamond Rio Receiver that will be used to play my music from a server. I'll set up a Linux box and have a central directory that has links to other machines. I don't have a big enough drive to hold all my music, so this is the way to go. I'm also going to have a web based interface (I'll either find one, or build one) to choose what music to play, make playlists, etc.. The machine I'm using has video and SVHS outputs, so it'll connect to the TV. I'll also be using wireless connections between my Rio Receiver and the Stereo. I don't want to run wires all over the place.

I hope that some of this information has been helpful.

[nfarzan]

The machine needs to be able to rip,store, and play mp3s. I also need temp. lan support to transfer over my files. What packages can I definately get rid of?

[hapoo]

Originally posted by Hoser
I'm also going to have a web based interface (I'll either find one, or build one) to choose what music to play, make playlists, etc..

I tried using some of the web pages out there for doing the same thing but i didn't like any of them and most had no password protection so i made my own.

[Hoser]

I'm going to have to boot of the RedHat 7.2 Linux CD to see exactly what packages will have to be installed. In the meantime, here's some sites to give you some information to digest.

For ripping the CDs, you can use cdparanoia (http://www.xiph.org/paranoia/). For encoding the music to MP3s, you can use LAME (http://www.mp3dev.org/mp3/). For playing MP3s you can use XMMS (http://www.xmms.org/).

Here's a link that covers some of the programs available for Linux for ripping, creating and playing MP3s (http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialMP3.html). This is a link that shows you how to set up a MP3 audio streaming server (http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/Lin...Streaming.html).

You'll have to decide if you want to run Linux in text or graphic mode. All the programs listed in the second paragraph will run in text mode, but they also have graphic frontends. I think it would probably be easier to use graphic mode. You'd be able to use a web based interface like hapoo is doing.

If I have some time in the next couple days, I'll boot the RedHat 7.2 Linux CD and check out which programs are in which packages.