A home for Squeezebox Center

I think we all know by now what this section is for.
Post Reply
simon
Thermionic Monk Status
Posts: 5600
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 11:22 am
Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire

#1 A home for Squeezebox Center

Post by simon »

I think it's time for a new home for Squeezebox Center. My QNAP 109 has given sterling service but there's been steam coming out of the USB port ever since I upgraded to SqueezeCenter and the poor thing deserves a rest. So what to change to?

I could get another, more powerful QNAP but to be honest upgrading is a bit too techy for me, having to run tarballs which I might be lucky enough to find on the web. And then might be even more lucky if it works.

The Vortexbox looks like a nice product, but isn't really what I'm looking for. So, as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago I wonder about getting an Acer Aspire Revo 3700
http://www.ebuyer.com/283809-acer-aspir ... semec-037e
For £200 I get what looks like decent hardware and a wireless keyboard and mouse, and I can plug it in to my tv via HDMI to look at my photos, stream etc. Hey, even surf the net on the tv and really annoy the missus!

Sounds like I could install Ubuntu on it and run it as a server which would be cheaper than a suitable NAS drive and has the extra benefits of a PC. Never used Ubuntu though so I don't know how easy it is to install and use - I could always upgrade to Windows if it's a problem I guess.

But I'm not up with technology these days so what does the panel think - good way to go?
User avatar
pre65
Amstrad Tower of Power
Posts: 21373
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: North Essex/Suffolk border.

#2 Re: A home for Squeezebox Center

Post by pre65 »

simon wrote:
Sounds like I could install Ubuntu on it and run it as a server which would be cheaper than a suitable NAS drive and has the extra benefits of a PC. Never used Ubuntu though so I don't know how easy it is to install and use - I could always upgrade to Windows if it's a problem I guess.
I have Ubuntu on a CD rom, I downloaded it and burnt the disc, so it can't be that difficult. I keep it to hand in case windows blows up. You can run both and choose on boot up which one to use.

EDIT just remembered I had to use "ImgBurn" to burn the disc, but that was the only hassle. :wink:
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmund Burke

G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
simon
Thermionic Monk Status
Posts: 5600
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 11:22 am
Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire

#3

Post by simon »

I think Ubuntu might have moved on in the user friendly stakes Phil, I tried it about 3 years ago and it wasn't nice, never got it to install even. Maybe the laptop was just too old, but peeps seem to have little problem which is encouraging :-).

I wonder if setting the server edition up might be a different kettle of fish though?
User avatar
Nick
Site Admin
Posts: 15706
Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 10:20 am
Location: West Yorkshire

#4

Post by Nick »

Well, I suspect with a bit of messing you could install Vortexbox ripping software on Ubuntu. Thats all thy have in essence. A Linux distrib with all the bits you need to make a server/ripping machine.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
simon
Thermionic Monk Status
Posts: 5600
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 11:22 am
Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire

#5

Post by simon »

You mean install Vortexbox on top of Ubuntu desktop? I like the sound of that but wonder if it's going to be too complicated for me...
User avatar
Nick
Site Admin
Posts: 15706
Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 10:20 am
Location: West Yorkshire

#6

Post by Nick »

I can't see why not, I think the software is GPL.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
User avatar
Nick
Site Admin
Posts: 15706
Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 10:20 am
Location: West Yorkshire

#7

Post by Nick »

Having said that, they don't seem to be that good at releasing source. The last source release I can find (in a silly red hat format that makes sending fixes a problem) is way out of date.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
simon
Thermionic Monk Status
Posts: 5600
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 11:22 am
Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire

#8

Post by simon »

I understand enough of that to know I should leave well alone!
User avatar
Nick
Site Admin
Posts: 15706
Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 10:20 am
Location: West Yorkshire

#9

Post by Nick »

Internally its just a bunch of shell scripts on top of other packages.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
User avatar
pre65
Amstrad Tower of Power
Posts: 21373
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: North Essex/Suffolk border.

#10

Post by pre65 »

Nick wrote:Internally its just a bunch of shell scripts on top of other packages.
I thought "shell scripts" were some sort of posh pasta. :lol:
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmund Burke

G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Deco-Doctor
User
Posts: 177
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:58 am

#11

Post by Deco-Doctor »

removed
Last edited by Deco-Doctor on Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lee S
Old Hand
Posts: 664
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:39 am
Location: UK

#12

Post by Lee S »

No longer using WHS Martin?
©2020 Lee
Deco-Doctor
User
Posts: 177
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:58 am

#13

Post by Deco-Doctor »

removed
Last edited by Deco-Doctor on Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lee S
Old Hand
Posts: 664
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:39 am
Location: UK

#14

Post by Lee S »

Cool. I will have to look into this Vortexbox/Bliss mullarkey !! 8)

Cheers,
©2020 Lee
simon
Thermionic Monk Status
Posts: 5600
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 11:22 am
Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire

#15

Post by simon »

I went for an Aspire in the end, as much as because it gave me another pc. Dad gave me an unwanted monitor (flat screen fortunately) which was handy, so I have a nice computer in the project room :-).

The first thing I did was get rid of the supplied Linux (which was pretty ropey) and put the latest Ubuntu (11.04) on, which installed no problem. I'm still finding my way around Ubuntu, after more than 2 decades in a Windows world it's just a bit different. But I rather like the way it looks and feels.

So installing Squeezebox Server, this was my concern - how easy is it? Well, it took a little bit of doing, a degree of research (thank you Mr Google), and prompts from a friend who'd done this before.

Ubuntu installed it no problem, but I didn't realise at first that it automatically sets it up as a server, so there's no program to run as such, and it automatically "runs" it when the Aspire starts.

The main problem was sorting the music library. First I had to reaquaint myself with Unix-style directory system, then I had to suss out file permissions, something that Windows users aren't really aware of. This took me a little while to work out, fortunately the little Unix training I did 20 years ago was helpful.

I wanted to set up a share to the QNAP NAS drive to copy the music files over the the Aspire but I still haven't managed to do this successfully yet. I think it must be something to do with username and password login to the NAS which I haven't sussed yet as I can share the Public directory.

So I took the pragmatic way and copied the music from my USB backup drive and then used a recursive chmod to set read and execute permissions in one go.

And the best bit is it now takes about 3 and a half minutes to completely rescan the library when it took in excess of quarter of an hour before. Which means that the Duet and Controller (so far) work like a dream. I'm shocked by the speed of response which is almost instantaneous - the QNAP running 7.3.1 was very slow and more than a bit patchy. And the updated player firmware now plays the 24/96 files that wouldn't before :-).

So far, very happy.
Post Reply