"light" Media player

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing, lpugged
in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source with be an NFS
server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up
dynamic pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the
client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's
anything simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it.
MythTV looks to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

Xine does something "remote", as does mplayer.

Get your configs sorted out and...?

--
*=( http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/
*=( For all your UK news needs.

DaveG

2010-05-30 21:16:22 UTC

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing,
lpugged in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source with
be an NFS server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up
dynamic pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the
client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's
anything simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it.
MythTV looks to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

Xine does something "remote", as does mplayer.
Get your configs sorted out and...?

Yes Mike. But as you might have guessed, I am looking for something a
little less "lite" than mplayer from a command line. I'm happy running
mplayer like that using NFS shares, but I doubt my wife will be
interested in doing that.

pointy clicky is the order of the day.

--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.

Mike Jones

2010-05-30 22:42:33 UTC

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing,
lpugged in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source with
be an NFS server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up
dynamic pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the
client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's
anything simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it.
MythTV looks to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

Xine does something "remote", as does mplayer.
Get your configs sorted out and...?

Ah.

Post up when you get that sorted out then. It sounds interesting.

--
*=( http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/
*=( For all your UK news needs.

DaveG

2010-05-31 01:26:55 UTC

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing,
lpugged in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source
with be an NFS server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up
dynamic pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the
client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's
anything simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it.
MythTV looks to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

Xine does something "remote", as does mplayer.
Get your configs sorted out and...?

Ah.
Post up when you get that sorted out then. It sounds interesting.

Just installed FreeBSD 8.0, Xorg, XFCE and command line mplayer.

Having trouble getting the onboard sound to work but mplayer plays full
screen on a 4:3 monitor without drop-outs with a 1280x720 video. I need
to see if the gfx card can cope with a 16:9 1280x768 screen (the TV)

I've got a couple of PCI sound cards laying around if the on-board
refuses to play nice.

Them I'm going to have a closer look at FreeVo. I played with a couple
of live CDs of it and one had just the basics on the front end. None of
this PVR crap and stuff. Just video, music, pictures on the menu. Maybe
it's easy to edit the settings/config files.

I did have a play with a couple of Linux media centre type things,
including the FreeVo ones, but had problems getting the NFS shares
mounted. Dunno why and ICBA to find out. I already know how FreeBSD
does it so stuck with what I know.

--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.

DaveG

2010-05-31 22:19:11 UTC

Post by DaveG
Having trouble getting the onboard sound to work

D'oh!

The front panel audio header needs a couple of jumpers on it to to force
the sound out the back. Ther is no front panel audio lead on this box.
My Brother in law gave me this box. He must have pulled the jumpers at
some point. Oh well. Fixed now.

Test install was all from pre-built packages. It's currently churning
through a portupgrade -crRa, ie rebuilding all installed s/w from source
for the latest versions including FreeVo.

--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.

Mike Jones

2010-05-31 22:36:40 UTC

Post by DaveG
Having trouble getting the onboard sound to work

D'oh!
The front panel audio header needs a couple of jumpers on it to to force
the sound out the back. Ther is no front panel audio lead on this box.
My Brother in law gave me this box. He must have pulled the jumpers at
some point. Oh well. Fixed now.
Test install was all from pre-built packages. It's currently churning
through a portupgrade -crRa, ie rebuilding all installed s/w from source
for the latest versions including FreeVo.

Jumpers? How old is that thing?

--
*=( http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/
*=( For all your UK news needs.

DaveG

2010-06-01 23:34:40 UTC

Post by DaveG
Having trouble getting the onboard sound to work

D'oh!
The front panel audio header needs a couple of jumpers on it to to
force the sound out the back. Ther is no front panel audio lead on
this box. My Brother in law gave me this box. He must have pulled the
jumpers at some point. Oh well. Fixed now.
Test install was all from pre-built packages. It's currently churning
through a portupgrade -crRa, ie rebuilding all installed s/w from
source for the latest versions including FreeVo.

Jumpers? How old is that thing?

Not sure but it's got an AMD3000+ cpu and 2GB of RAM. Until fairly
recently, the f/p audio header would either have a fly lead going to f/p
audio sockets or a pai of jumpers to simulate the f/p fly lead.

--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.

SINNER

2010-06-01 20:56:38 UTC

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing,
lpugged in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source with
be an NFS server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up
dynamic pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the
client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's
anything simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it.
MythTV looks to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

Xine does something "remote", as does mplayer.
Get your configs sorted out and...?

Yes Mike. But as you might have guessed, I am looking for something a
little less "lite" than mplayer from a command line.

So use an mplayer GUI there are dozens...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mplayergui/

for example

--
David

DaveG

2010-06-01 23:39:10 UTC

with

Post by DaveG
be an NFS server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up
dynamic pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the
client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's
anything simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it.
MythTV looks to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

Xine does something "remote", as does mplayer.
Get your configs sorted out and...?

Yes Mike. But as you might have guessed, I am looking for something a
little less "lite" than mplayer from a command line.

So use an mplayer GUI there are dozens...
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mplayergui/
for example

I know, but I'm aiming for an appliance, not a desktop.

I might go back to my old PHP scripts, fronted by a web server to pretty
it up.

--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.

kagemusha

2010-06-13 16:16:13 UTC

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing, lpugged
in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source with be an NFS
server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up dynamic
pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's anything
simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it. MythTV looks
to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

MPD running on the server.
http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki

ncmpcpp as the console client.
http://unkart.ovh.org/ncmpcpp/

You shouldn't have any problems setting it up unless you're using
pulseaudio.

kagemusha

2010-06-13 16:19:31 UTC

Post by kagemusha

Post by DaveG
Anyone built a light media player?
Anything obvious already built in ready for download?
I'm looking at dedicating a specific PC for video/music playing, lpugged
in to the TV/HiFi. It will be only for this. The source with be an NFS
server elsewhere on the LAN.
There will be no need for YouTube/iPlayer/other access, no internet
access etc.
OS is not relevant although I'm more comfortable with FreeBSD than Linux.
I'm considering a light HTTP server on the main server serving up dynamic
pages of media files which can be played via mplayer on the client.
I'm confident I can build something from scratch, but if there's anything
simple and basic already out there I'd like to consider it. MythTV looks
to be a lot more than I need.
The TV has VGA input, 1280x768 native.

MPD running on the server.
http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki
ncmpcpp as the console client.
http://unkart.ovh.org/ncmpcpp/
You shouldn't have any problems setting it up unless you're using
pulseaudio.

Ah just noticed you want to play vids as well. Sorry matey.

kagemusha

2010-06-13 16:31:19 UTC

Post by kagemusha
Ah just noticed you want to play vids as well. Sorry matey.

Long night, and haven't been to bed yet, so please excuse the triple post.

Just had a quick look to see if XMBC is still going, unfortunately it
isn't (not since 2009) but you can still get the tar.gz from here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc/

IIRC it has problems rendering video with some intel graphics.

Might work for you if you haven't found a solution yet.

DaveG

2010-06-13 21:35:39 UTC

Post by kagemusha

Post by kagemusha
Ah just noticed you want to play vids as well. Sorry matey.

Long night, and haven't been to bed yet, so please excuse the triple post.
Just had a quick look to see if XMBC is still going, unfortunately it
http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc/
IIRC it has problems rendering video with some intel graphics.
Might work for you if you haven't found a solution yet.

Thanks for the suggestions. Well this second one anyway LOL

Currently have FreeVo installed and will play when I have time.

Also just found an old hard disk I previously used as a barebones media
player a few years ago. It has an apache install on it with PHP and some
scripts I wrote to build web pages from the media on the NFS mounted
server drives. It uses a basic X install, custom startx/.xinit to load a
browser. It worked back then so I could just tart that up. What I do
remember was spending ages writing a PHP script to recurse the directory
tree completely and successfully. I never really did get my head around
recursion :-)

--
You cannot simply assume someone is honest
just because they are not an MP.

Alex Potter

2010-06-13 22:17:55 UTC