Help for GeeXbox

[LoloMc]

Hi everyone ;)

www.geexbox.org

Do you know this fantastic player ?

GeeXboX is a full operating system, running under Linux and based on the excellent MPlayer. No need for a hard drive, you just have to put the GeeXboX bootable CD into the CD-Drive of any Pentium-class computer to boot it. Moreover, GeeXboX is free software, created as open-source software.

An old P2-400 with 64 MB of RAM will be quite powerful enough to let the magic play. Also, the GeeXboX ISO only takes about 8 MB on disc. And of course, the whole thing can be managed by a remote controller, thanks to its full OSD (On Screen Display) Menu.

After the boot, it can play (almost) every type of video/audio you want.

Developpers need help to increase the quality of this great software. If you know Linux or video and want to help, go there, read and help :)

Regards,

LoloMc

[Joe Fenton]

I have never had anything but problems from mplayer. It has more bugs than a swarm of locusts. :p I much prefer xine. xine is more stable and has more features. Even the people doing the XBox media player are moving away from mplayer and using more xine code in their player.

[LoloMc]

Xine needs a X-server. Mplayer don't :)That's the reason why Geexbox is able to boot in less than 20 seconds. That's also the reason why the Geexbox is only 8 Mb. That's also the reason why an old P2-400 Mhz is enough....

You had a lot of troubles with Mplayer... But did you try the Geexbox ?

It's so amazing that you should only try before to talk :)

Even the people doing the XBox media player are moving away from mplayer and using more xine code in their player.

I know and I'm sad of that. But hey man, you agree that they used Mplayer and not Xine to write XBMC ??? :lol:

Regards

[esby]

Mmm what is the point of geexbox?
Having a computer that can play video ?
But is it not exactly what any os can do actually?
And if you take the barbone example, you can install any os you want on it, and do the same.
After all, if you are a geek, you can do it (I mean configuring it and running either mplayer, xine or media player classic, depending of the OS...)

Now I understand the point when you have a machine that don't necessary have an hard-drive or that would boot on a rom or something like that (eg an xbox.).

Plus, does it includes samba or nfs share access :devil:

esby

[Joe Fenton]

Originally posted by LoloMc
Xine needs a X-server. Mplayer don't :)That's the reason why Geexbox is able to boot in less than 20 seconds. That's also the reason why the Geexbox is only 8 Mb. That's also the reason why an old P2-400 Mhz is enough....

You had a lot of troubles with Mplayer... But did you try the Geexbox ?

It's so amazing that you should only try before to talk :)

It uses mplayer and I've used mplayer on several systems and several different OSes. They all suck. Mplayer is just flat out buggy.


I know and I'm sad of that. But hey man, you agree that they used Mplayer and not Xine to write XBMC ??? :lol:

I'm the one laughing. They started with mplayer, but they're so dissatisfied with how it works that they're replacing it with xine. :p :D

Besides, xine works fine on a 400MHz P2. I used a P2-400 for years before getting an Athlon XP 1600+ which I've since replaced with an Opteron system. :cool:

[LoloMc]

I'm really disapointed. I felt posting in this section (developement...) I'll found, at least, people able to read a faq...

But anyway, I'll respond.

[i]Originally posted by esby
Mmm what is the point of geexbox?
Do you like those crappy divx/dvd player ? They can't play anything but divx 4 or 5 with mp3 sound...
Each time I tried an old 3.11 or ogg my Kiss was never be able to read it.... So I prefer a PC. But it's not very cool to let it under my TV.
As GeexBox can run with an old P2-400, there is no noise and no big cooling (to keep it cool and quiet, you'll have to use big fan) That's would be ugly under my TV

Originally posted by esby
Having a computer that can play video ?
But is it not exactly what any os can do actually?
Feel free to tell us witch operating system is able to boot in 20 sec (or less)
Feel free to tell us witch operating system is able to be installed in a 32 mb drive (SD or whatever your bios is able to boot on)

Originally posted by esby
And if you take the barbone example, you can install any os you want on it, and do the same.
Same answer as above.
It can also let you watch TV. And let you watch anything you want without installing anything (it's nice for my notebook - My boss don't want that I/we touch anything)

Originally posted by esby
After all, if you are a geek, you can do it (I mean configuring it and running either mplayer, xine or media player classic, depending of the OS...)
Configuring Mplayer (or whatever program you want) is, IMHO, easier than CREATING a SO small OS witch include Mplayer... Even if you use every sources you want !!!! Remember that GeexBox is 8 Mb including it OS !!!

Originally posted by esby
Now I understand the point when you have a machine that don't necessary have an hard-drive or that would boot on a rom or something like that (eg an xbox.).
Don't worry, the xbox is already able to play every media you want, using it (small) hdd. With the hard work of M$, you even not need to open the xbox !!!! You can install XBMC on it. It's very nice also.


Originally posted by esby
Plus, does it includes samba or nfs share access :devil:
Did you read the documentation ? Of course !

[LoloMc]

Originally posted by Joe Fenton
It uses mplayer and I've used mplayer on several systems and several different OSes. They all suck.
GeeXboX IS ALSO AN OS !!! So as I understand you never tried it....

Originally posted by Joe Fenton Mplayer is just flat out buggy.
Even if the GeexBox is heavily based on Mplayer. It's different...
But what can I tell you ? You talk about something you don't know. You already have The truth even if you never tried.
My mother learned me to listen and to try before talking about something...

Originally posted by Joe Fenton I'm the one laughing. They started with mplayer, but they're so dissatisfied with how it works that they're replacing it with xine. :p :D
Yes that's right. As I already told you, it's sad. But what they did with XBMC is great, right ?

Originally posted by Joe Fenton Besides, xine works fine on a 400MHz P2. I used a P2-400 for years before getting an Athlon XP 1600+ which I've since replaced with an Opteron system. :cool:
Feel free to tell us witch operating system is able to boot in 20 sec (or less)
Feel free to tell us witch operating system is able to be installed in a 32 mb drive (SD or whatever your bios is able to boot on)

[esby]

well I'm not really interested.

I was just curious, but just to reply to you...


Feel free to tell us witch operating system is able to boot in 20 sec (or less)
Feel free to tell us witch operating system is able to be installed in a 32 mb drive (SD or whatever your bios is able to boot on)


Well I don't shutdown my computer... so I'll still be faster than your boot time when it comes to move the mouse and power up the screens...


And, so far, it's not for geek, but for normal users who want to pretend being geek :)

And if this of course, support samba or nfs, you still need to have a server online on the other side.

esby

[[Toff]]

I think you guys are missing something here.
One of the big advantage of GeexBox is that you can make your movie CD bootable.
Imagine you want to make a CD with video of the family for your grandmother who doesn't know much about computers. Tell here to install this codec and this player and ......
With Geexbox you just put the CD in the computer, and switch it on and voila. And this way you can also watch your movie anywhere you go.

Now what? you don't care about that, then well use another player/OS.
In my opinion it's good to have this type of alternative.

[Joe Fenton]

When they make GeeXBox with xine, I'll try it. As long as it has ANY bit of mplayer code in it, I'm not going to bother. As I said, mplayer just can't hold a candle to xine in stability or features. If that means I have to use a full OS to use it as it is now, that's fine.

By the way, any number of linux distros work fine on 32MB P2 systems. Damn Small Linux (DSL) is one of the better distros in this category. If you keep the install trim, it doesn't take more than 30 sec to maybe a minute to boot depending on how much stuff you added onto it.

My grandmother doesn't even have a computer. If I want to watch videos on the go, I'll just use my laptop with a full install of Fedora Core 3 and xine. It even has hardware accelerated decoding.

[[Toff]]

Haha, I'm not going to say a spoon sucks just because what i need really is a fork :p
That's just nonsense.