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Component MP3/OGG Players?

Posted by Cliff on from the completing-the-home-theater dept.

RJV asks: "I currently have a rather large digital music collection. It is all in mp3 or ogg format and it is all from CDs that I personally own or have borrowed from friends. I have built a rather cheap mp3 server to store all of the music on and I listen to it on my machines rather easily. However, I'm looking for a better solution for accessing and playing from the archive in my living room. I currently have a linux box that uses the TV as a monitor. I can use it fine to play mp3/ogg files through the home theater, but mostly because I know where the buttons are in xmms. (640x480 isn't the best resolution for xmms). I've looked into multiple other projects, such as Aurian Music Manager and Freevo (the computer also has a TV in card) but have not been satisfied with their performance and/or ease of use, especially when trying to use my Universal Remote Control. So, I've decided that perhaps the best course of action for the living room is to purchase a stand-alone component that will integrate with my current system. What are my options and are there any experiences within the community with these products?"

"I'd like to find a product that has the following features (in order of importance).

  1. Ethernet Connectivity (NFS/SAMBA/something Linux can share out)
  2. Intuitive/Easy-to-Use Interface
  3. IR Remote Control (so I can use my Universal Remote)
  4. Ability to play mp3s and oggs
  5. TV display capabilities (may fall under Intuitive Interface)
  6. Digital Out
  7. CDR capabilities
1-4 are my must-haves. 5-7 would be nice."

5 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. New /. category? by dillon_rinker · · Score: 0, Insightful

    "Ask Slashdot How To Break the Law"

    It is all in mp3 or ogg format and it is all from CDs that I personally own or have borrowed from friends (emphasis added)

    Ummm...this is illegal, dude. There's no problem borrowing you're friend's CD to listen to it, but making a COPY is a violation of COPYright. If you want your own copy of the music, buy it. If you have a problem with the law, write to your local congress critter. If you want to commit civil disobedience, do so boldly and publicly and be prepared to go to jail. If you want to besmirch the reputation of slashdot, ask everyone to help you violate copyright law.

    I can guarantee that the RIAA will be keeping a hard copy of this thread for their files..."See, those Linux geeks talk about 'freedom' but really what they want is to break the law or destroy copyright." And in this case, the facts are on their side.

    Friends don't make friends accomplices.

    P.S. "Personal use" doesn't mean "me and my friends." It means "me only." Copies for personal use are for use only by you.

  2. Re:x10 + andromeda by KILNA · · Score: 2, Insightful

    A good web interface does not make for a good video / music player interface. Mousing using a remote is cumbersome and error-prone, especially if you have to select a bunch of small checkboxes to play the files you want. I get the impression the asker wants to know if there is something out there with an interface polished specifically for an AV component situation, which usually means navigating with button presses (and often without even a GUI for simple media functions like fast forward and pause).

    --
    Error: PANTS NOT FOUND. Press <F1> to continue.
  3. Got a PS2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You can use QCast Tuner software on your networked PS2 to get most of these features... Check it out here: http://www.broadq.com/qcast.html It will have .OGG and S/PDIF output shortly (next week or so, they claim.) The audio/video quality are amazing -- I'm a beta tester.

  4. Re:Disclaimer: I work for this company. by mlong · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The ogg vorbis codec (even with the new integer implementation) is so CPU intensive that it does not fit into anything smaller than a 75MHZ ARM processor, and even then it's a squeeze. This means that despite all the merits of this format, it is not currently possible for manufacturers of inexpensive playback devices to support the format.

    I don't know if it helps or not but there has been a lot of optimization since Tremor has been released. You may find it runs much faster now. You may want to review the list archives.

    --
    //m
  5. Here's a new take on things by Nathdot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...it is all from CDs that I personally own or have borrowed from friends

    I hear a whole bunch of people rushing to say insightful things such as "Uh dude, don't you know that's illegal?"

    So here's the counter point: Who gives a fuck!

    What are you all? His mother or something? Don't you have a sore ass from riding that moral high horse all day? The question wasn't whether or not he had your express permission to own certain mp3/ogg copies of the music.

    It was, paraphrased: "What's an easy stand alone solution for playing the music", probably asked for the benefit of visiting non-techy friends to allow them to cue and play some tunes in his lounge room, without first getting a degree or reading massive amounts of documentation.

    Haven't any of you ever owned a mix cassete tape recorded from the radio/a friends album? Did that stop you buying LPs?

    Sheesh