Re: [LAU] Audio distros

On Mon, March 25, 2013 8:44 am, Stefan Stefanov wrote:
> Hi
>
> Can you suggest any console based distro optimized just for listening
> music? I don't need any sofisticated music maker software on it like
> synthesizer, filter and etc.
> May be just real-time support kernel, optimizer kernel IRQ and of
> course with JACK.
>
> I'm intending to use it as home FTP, HTTP server as well.

Just about any server is ok at streaming audio. It sounds like you are
looking at more of a server to begin with, so start with one of the
servers that come with the server apps already on it that you want. What I
don't know if where is this music coming from? Another computer? right off
the drive?

This is important, even with a lowlatency/rt kernel, if the application
you are using to listen to the music with doesn't ask for real time, there
is no need to go looking for it. Does it matter if the audio comes out of
the speakers 5 seconds later than it was played (MP3 streaming has about
this latency)? Then the OS is not important. The computer is not that
important either, anything faster than 500Mhz will probably do. For
listening (no mixing or recording), 16 bit at 48k is all you need, most
internal audio IFs will work just fine. (if it is an older ac97, don't use
44.1k)

And where is the sound going to? Speakers on the server? or are you
streaming through the network to various computers around the home?
Streaming is low cpu stuff (especially if the stream is coming from
somewhere else) , sound card may be slightly pickier.

I guess one should ask if this is more than two channels too.

The real question is what exactly are you doing with this audio wise?

-- 
Len Ovens
www.OvenWerks.net
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