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Multimedia Home Entertainment System for Linux

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the toys-keep-getting-cooler dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A group at the University of Saarland in Germany has been busy developing a Linux-based networked multimedia home entertainment system. The project consists of two parts: the Network-Integrated Multimedia Middleware (NMM), to provide a common framework for audio and video playback using open source software, and the Multimedia-Box, a Linux box outfitted to be a TV receiver (digital and analog), video recorder, and a CD-, DVD-, and MP3- player using the NMM. Screen shots of the inside of the Multimedia-Box and the user interface are available, as well as videos and a detailed description (PDF) of the hardware and software used throughout. Can't wait to stick one of these on my network..."

9 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Screenshots of the inside? by chrisseaton · · Score: 5, Funny

    We call screenshots of real things "photographs".

  2. Legality of playback by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I noted with some interest that this thing will play DVDs under Linux. As sucky as it is :-( , this isn't legal; like Redhat with MP3, this is a high profile target that needs the same walking on eggshells approach. All existing DVD playing software for Linux uses the illegal DeCSS codec, and I need hardly mention that the Linux kernel itself is currently in violation of the DMCA w.r.t media systems, as it has no TCPA to prevent criminally stolen movies from being played.

    1. Re:Legality of playback by MoonFog · · Score: 5, Informative

      Where is DeCSS illegal ? DeCSS is perfectly legal when using it to play DVD's you own on your Linux box. At least here in Norway, as the trial against Jon Johansen stated a couple of months ago.

  3. Ugly hardware.. by MikeFM · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The hardware looks big and ugly. My media center Linux box is smaller and nicer looking than the one they are using. I mean really what does a media center need a floppy drive for?

    The software looks nice though. I'll have to see if I can try it. Their software looks nicer than mine. Will have to see how it stacks up as far as functionality.

    --
    At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
  4. ugly by Darth+Maul · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That user interface is ugly. Try mythTV for a great Linux Tivo/MP3/Ogg/Image/MAME media center. I'm putting one together in a Shuttle XPC box. Making it as pretty as possible increases the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor).

    --
    --- witty signature
    1. Re:ugly by brocktune · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sticking a toothpick in the fan blades made my computer super quiet.

  5. MythTV by MBCook · · Score: 4, Informative
    I've been using MythTV for a while now, and it's really quite far along. It's biggest problem is it's a bit hard to install the first time. But if you're looking for a free tivo or a entertainment hub, check 'em out.

    MythTV

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
  6. Mini-ITX/EPIA-M by MsGeek · · Score: 4, Informative
    (there are EPIA systems which I think would have enough power to do what this box does, and I believe there are 12v power supplies for them, too).

    To be excruciatingly exact, the EPIA you are thinking of is EPIA-M The M stands for "Media" and this iteration of the mini-board includes MPEG-2 decoding onboard (with a dedicated co-processor, no less) and 5.1 audio. There are a few Chinese companies who are actually looking to build EPIA-M based DVD players...the Chinese name for the VIA CPU is "Heart Of China" and there is a certain amount of national pride involved in the EPIA gaining acceptance. VIA might be based in Taiwan but its boards are manufactured on the Mainland.

    One drawback, if you look at it one way, is that the EPIA-M chipset is set up for DDR RAM, not the less expensive SDRAM that previous Eden Platform systems used. However, if you look at that another way, it means a faster bus speed and a little better performance. No, it won't turn this puppy into a gaming monster system, but it will make this a friendlier platform for a MAME box, for instance.

    VIA is trying to make a play for Linux support for their EPIA platform too...the article I referenced is basically a how-to about Linux on EPIA-M. They haven't been forthcoming to the point of providing all the little details on their stuff to open-source developers, but their binary drivers have been pretty good.

    I suspect that this version of the EPIA could handle MythTV, Freevo and the other TiVo-like projects. The same cannot be said about the earlier EPIA motherboard/CPU combos...those are best left to web servers, file servers, firewalls, and other similarly light-duty projects.

    --
    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
  7. Freevo! by k-s · · Score: 5, Informative

    Hello,
    There is Freevo http://freevo.sf.net that has a better UI! Also, you can run it under X or Framebuffer or anything else SDL supports (like DXR3!)
    As it uses the great MPlayer as the underlying player, it supports Mov, DivX, Mp3, Ogg, ... Almos every {video,music} format in the world. It also have a image browser and a cute TV Guide (now a Web version too!) and it plays Mame!
    The time shifting is in the work.
    Freevo: http://freevo.sf.net Mplayer: http://www.mplayerhq.hu