Can I do this?

English Applications
1

Not sure if this is the right forum…

I want to do this:

I have lots of mp3’s/photos etc on my laptop.

I want to get some kind of NAS box (or build my own server, not sure yet) and keep all my mp3’s/photos/important docs & stuff on it (some kind of raid/mirroring in there too)

I want to turn on my laptop at home, fire up amarok and play my mp3’s through my stereo’s speakers (laptop might be in the garden, and the headphone jack on it doesn’t work anyway, so cables are out). So I’d like it to connect to my mp3 collection over my wireless & play them from there.

Also, when I’m out & about (away from the network) I want to have my mp3’s, photos & docs with me so I can use them. When I get back home, I want my changes synced across to the NAS box.

Also, I might get another laptop for my fiance, and I want it to work the same way as mine. BUT, I also want if she puts a new photo/mp3 etc on the NAS, then it wil sync on to my laptop too so everything is up to date.

So, Do I need to keep separate copies of everything on both laptops & the NAS and (cleverly) use rsync, or can I have it so everything is on the NAS and I have some kind of ‘offline mode’ that keeps a local cache? And how might I go about making the sound come through my stereo rather than through the laptop?

I had up until last week a computer upstairs with mpd on it connected to my stereo and qmpdclient on the laptop, but I melted the processor :frowning: So I’m looking for a better way of doing it seeing as I’m starting from fresh.

Any ideas?

EDIT: I guess what I’m looking for is a good way of having a ‘home multimedia server’
I’m also looking at buying some new kit (DNLA stuff (telly), squeezebox, that sort of thing) once I’ve got some money - saving up to get married at the mo, so expensive stuff is out for at least a year.

2

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:36:01 GMT, weighty foe
<weighty_foe@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:

>
>Not sure if this is the right forum…
>
>I want to do this:
>
>I have lots of mp3’s/photos etc on my laptop.
>
>I want to get some kind of NAS box (or build my own server, not sure
>yet) and keep all my mp3’s/photos/important docs & stuff on it (some
>kind of raid/mirroring in there too)

Very doable. rsync (and derivatives) will become your fast friend.
>
>I want to turn on my laptop at home, fire up amarok and play my mp3’s
>through my stereo’s speakers (laptop might be in the garden, and the
>headphone jack on it doesn’t work anyway, so cables are out). So I’d
>like it to connect to my mp3 collection over my wireless & play them
>from there.

OK, this will require additional equipment or customizing the new
server to connect to the stereo.
>
>Also, when I’m out & about (away from the network) I want to have my
>mp3’s, photos & docs with me so I can use them. When I get back home, I
>want my changes synced across to the NAS box.

rsync
>
>Also, I might get another laptop for my fiance, and I want it to work
>the same way as mine. BUT, I also want if she puts a new photo/mp3 etc
>on the NAS, then it wil sync on to my laptop too so everything is up to
>date.

rsync
>
>So, Do I need to keep separate copies of everything on both laptops &
>the NAS and (cleverly) use rsync, or can I have it so everything is on
>the NAS and I have some kind of ‘offline mode’ that keeps a local cache?

That becomes an rsync setup issue, but should still be doable.

>And how might I go about making the sound come through my stereo rather
>than through the laptop?

Either make a custom server (non-trivial) or buy equipment that will
connect to your stereo. (about US$ 100 to 200, normally)
>
>I had up until last week a computer upstairs with mpd on it connected
>to my stereo and qmpdclient on the laptop, but I melted the processor :frowning:
>So I’m looking for a better way of doing it seeing as I’m starting from
>fresh.
>
>Any ideas?

3

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:36:01 +0000, weighty foe wrote:

> I have lots of mp3’s/photos etc on my laptop.
>
> I want to get some kind of NAS box (or build my own server, not sure
> yet) and keep all my mp3’s/photos/important docs & stuff on it (some
> kind of raid/mirroring in there too)
>
> I want to turn on my laptop at home, fire up amarok and play my mp3’s
> through my stereo’s speakers (laptop might be in the garden, and the
> headphone jack on it doesn’t work anyway, so cables are out). So I’d
> like it to connect to my mp3 collection over my wireless & play them
> from there.

Do you have to play the mp3s via Amarok? Because if that’s not a
requirement, there’s (IMHO) a better way.

Build your media server (could be a NAS, could be MythTV, could be
Twonky, etc.). Put your mp3 collection on the media server.

Then buy a receiver like the Denon 3808AV that can stream and play mp3
files from a media server. Build your system around the 3808.

To use it, you’d use your laptop to connect to the 3808’s web server.
Turn it on, select what you want it to play, and it starts playing it.
The 3808 will stream the mp3 from your media server, play it via your
speakers. The only thing your laptop does is control the 3808 remotely.

You could then swap the laptop for a Blackberry or similar device with a
web browser, and control it from there as well.

> Also, when I’m out & about (away from the network) I want to have my
> mp3’s, photos & docs with me so I can use them. When I get back home, I
> want my changes synced across to the NAS box.

rsync is your friend here.

> Also, I might get another laptop for my fiance, and I want it to work
> the same way as mine. BUT, I also want if she puts a new photo/mp3 etc
> on the NAS, then it wil sync on to my laptop too so everything is up to
> date.

rsync is your friend here as well.

–

David Gersic dgersic_@_niu.edu
Novell Knowledge Partner http://forums.novell.com

Please post questions in the newsgroups. No support provided via email.

4

Hi, thanks for the responses.

I don’t have to use amarok, no. I just like it (lyrics, cover art etc). I also like mpd (with qmpdclient frontend).

For syncing stuff, it looks like rsync is the way to go. That’s good, I’ve used it a fair bit so I think I understand how to do it. The only part I get confused about is syncing in both directions (so the server has been modified and so has the client - apply changes both ways & client wins on conflicts)

Instead of buying a whole new amp, I guess I could get something similar to a squeezebox and connect that to my existing amp, and connect the squeezebox wirelessly to the server. Might end up costing the same as buying a new amp of course…

My worry with a NAS box is that it has no audio out, so I wouldn’t be able to plug it into the amp (in the traditional way, from the soundcard into the back of the amp like I do currently). On the other hand, a nice compact NAS would be more power efficient & quieter than a whitebox server with fans, PSU & all.

I think I’ll get the syncing stuff working nicely with a small headless server, and use mpd (or X forwarding!) for the moment.

I can always upgrade later :slight_smile:

5

That Denon you mentioned looks fantastic. However, its like £600! (and Denon don’t seem to make it anymore, secondhand only).

Something to think about when I’m rich & famous (couple of years then…)

6

For what you want rsync isn’t going to be much use well rather convoluted. Here I would try unison looks like a better tool for the job. Now I have little knowledge of it in use but it should have a gui that seems to make it easy(Certainly in my little test it seems to but not so sure about the OSS packages).

The web site is a little too technical for my simple mind.

sudo zypper in unison

Web http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/