I've actually put a lot of thought into this problem. I have 400+ CDs, and
am tired of using them. I want to encode my entire collection to MP3s. I
figure I will need about 50 gigs or so, which I'm not too concerned with.
The problem I've been having is actually writing the front end. The back end
is simple enough -- you just create a directory structure with several
top-level mounting points, and come up with a scheme that you stick to. For
example, top-level -: Band Name -: Album name -: Disc name -:
songNumber_SongTitle.mp3. This works fine for most bands. Some, like
Orbital, have multiple albums with the same name, but the exceptions are
few.
The real heart of the matter is pure bandwidth. I've actually tried setting
up a solution that involved a web download -- which, not suprisingly, was
already mentioned -- but it still takes on the order of 5-20 seconds to
"download" the song from the file server to the local server. This is
unacceptable to me.
I want an interface that allows me to send an "open file" request to the OS
and lets the OS handle all the file processing. Why re-invent a pretty good
process? In order for this to happen, however, you need to write code that's
native to the machine you're programming on, and you get no value over say a
MusicMach Jukebox.
Either the bandwidth needs to be increased, or you need to write a
stand-alone app that can leverage the underlying OS code to handle
processing.
I'm not sure how www.myplay.com does it. Even on a redundant T3, a 5 MB file
is still slow to download, taking at least 5-10 seconds.
Rob
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Min Pae
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 2:59 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: MP3 "server"
I'm tinkering with the idea of having an old i486 SX/33 (which I'll probably
upgrade to Pentium 83 with an OverDrive processor) with linux be an MP3
"server", with a front end implemented under Win32. Basically the "server"
will play the MP3s through its own sound system, while grabbing files from a
file server, or perhaps having the "client" send the file(s) to the server
and have the server cache those files on its local hard drive. This is
quite an ambitious project for me, since I've done no programming in the
past other than for my classes (I'm a college sophomore majoring in CS).
The reason I'm writing to this list is because I thought I could perhaps get
some direction from more experienced developers. If anyone can help me get
started, it'd be greatly appreciated.
First thing I need is a short blurb on what the most basic/important parts
of the source code(s). In other words, what are the most basic components
that I need in order to get a freeamp derivative to play an mp3 in a linux
command line, and what parts of the source(s) should be modified to allow it
to function under a command line interface. Especially, which parts of the
code is for loading the file referenced, and which are for the decoding, and
which are for outputting, etc.
Second step will probably be for me to learn network programming via good
'ol tcp/ip. Does anyone know of a good reference for network programming
beginners? Preferably one that covers both Linux/Unix and Win32.
Third step will be to make the interface, and I'm thinking that I might want
to use freeamp, I'm guessing that it uses plug-ins to decode like winamp
does. I'm not a user of freeamp just yet, so I don't know for sure. But
assuming it does, some help in the way of an outline on how plug-ins exactly
work would be very helpful.
Thank you all for your time, and thank you in advance to anyone who helps
out.
Min Pae
"Life is pain, highness.
Anyone who says differently is selling something" - Wesley, Princess Bride.
_______________________________________________
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.freeamp.org/mailman/listinfo/freeamp-dev
_______________________________________________
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.freeamp.org/mailman/listinfo/freeamp-dev
