Re: [linux-audio-user] (no subject)

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] (no subject)
From: Dylan (audio_AT_dylan.me.uk)
Date: Sat Aug 14 2004 - 04:50:39 EEST


On Saturday 14 Aug 2004 02:03 am, Erik Steffl wrote:
> Dylan wrote:
<SNIP>
> > A - X is massively overkill for running a single app
>
> you don't run X on the server, just the X client (e.g. xmms), you
> have to have some x libraries but X is not running on server

OK, that's good - would I need a window manager too?

>
> > B - Remote X shenanegans would need to be danced for several users
> > and client machines
> > C - I don't know and have no need/desire to learn how to set up
> > secure remote X connectons
>
> it's not that complicated:
>
> ssh -X erik_AT_zasran.com xterm
>
> > D - I want to be able to use it from Windows, Linux and console
> > only clients
>
> X server for windows might not be a good idea (commercial ones are
> expensive, free ones don't seem to be very good), vnc might be a
> better solution but that still leaves console only systems out.
>
> >>>If I was intending to have this server stream to clients on the
> >>>network then, yes, configuring it to stream to itself would be
> >>>appropriate. But I'm not - that introduces all sorts of timing and
> >>>bandwidth issues.
> >>
> >> timing - possibly, might be important for full-duplex recording
> >>but for audio player???
> >
> > Two clients playing the same stream are not going to play in sync -
> > only slightly off but enough to be annoying. The house stereo can
> > pipe music to every room with no sync issues.
>
> there's some disconnect here - functionally there is no difference
> between local player and the player that uses stream. Regardless of
> whether you are using streaming or not you can pipe it to house
> stereo. Or perhaps I am misunderstanding what you are trying to do.

Slightly misunderstanding, I think - I want to be able to listen to the
music in any room in the house. The stereo already does this, so it
makes sense to use it. I could stream to the living room, kitchen,
study.... all of which have machines in them, but hearing music out of
sync from another room would be somewhat annoying to say the least.

>
> >> bandwidth - what bandwidth? it's on local box. no network
> >>involved.
> >
> > I meant that streaming in general has bandwidth issues, which is
> > why I'm not particularly interested in it. Of course it doesn't
> > matter a toss machine internal, but to the several clients around
> > the house it would take a toll on the performance. And would need
> > each machine to be powered on and logged in.
>
> I am not suggesting you add machines to your home and stream it to
> those machines. What I was suggesting is to use the streaming just
> like you would use the local client. The only difference is that
> instead of controlling the player directly (in one way or another,
> depending on player) the server only controls what is being streamed
> and the player essentially sits there and plays the stream (i.e. you
> never touch controls on the player), output goes to the home stereo.

At the moment, the livingroom machine is plugged into the stereo for
this - and the files are accessed through NFS temporarily - but a 3m
jack to phono lead is not ideal running around the room... I intend to
put the server into the same cupboard as the stereo.

>
> >>yes there is overhead which might be significant if you are
> >>using a really really low end machine, think calculator (but if
> >>you're already running web server and audio player it cannot be
> >> that low end)
> >
> > And PHP and MySQL, and...
> >
> >> maybe you could just try it and see if it works well enough, I
> >>have an impression that you simpy said "no streaming" and that's
> >> it.
> >
> > Not quite, I'd prefer not to stream mainly because it's unnecessary
> > in principle and I personally like things to be lean if possible.
>
> on a modern operating system there is already so much stuff that
> you don't neccessarily need that streaming or not streaming does not
> make much change (IMO). To get a really minimalistic solution you'd
> have to have a DOS box:-)

Well, I'll be rolling my own system as soon as I have a clear idea what
it requires so it will be lean in the sense of no unnecessary kernel
stuff and no unnecessary user or system tools.

>
> >>It might be better to specify functional requirements (like what
> >> you want it to do, what machine you have available for it etc.)
> >
> > I have just such a list, and the server is already functional.
>
> what is the list?

Play ogg files to sound card
Allow compilation of playlists (exact spec not yet defined)
Allow editing of tag info and user defined meta data
Record to ogg files
Transcode files and perform other manipulations (basically provide an
interface for sox)
Be remotely controllable by browser interface

> which server are you using?

None at the moment, haven't yet managed to get PHP ang MySQL to
interoperate, but only been trying that for a day... Have looked at the
ones suggested here, plus tunez, tuna, NetJuke and rimps. Unfortunately
they all fail with PHP or SQL errors, so I need to get that sorted out
before trying them in earnest...

Dylan

> I could try to
> remember the testing/evaluations I did and post something useful if I
> knew what exactly do you want to do...
>
> erik

-- 
"I see your Schwartz is as big as mine" 
                                  -Dark Helmet


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