The "introduce yourself" thread

[Black_Label_No7]

Thanks Ian

There are a few reasons I didn’t go with M$ home server. Cost (i.e. not free), stability, longevity (I heard that they are discontinuing it) and the all important geek factor.

I haven’t been a M$ server admin for that long, just under a year, and only got in the IT field in 2007 after I got out of the Marines. So I wouldn’t call myself a guru, still learning. Just glad the company I work for gave me this shot.

After I get the server to where I want it, I’ll probably set myself up a Ubuntu desktop on a Dell Precision 490 I have, and use it as my main computer. Will still have to keep around a Win7 machine for gaming for now. Be nice if Steam brings more games to the Linux side. I would have no problem dropping windows for good.

The guides have been working for me so far. I don’t anticipate any problems, but I’ll post if needed.

Been fun so far, thanks

Brian

[jachol]

Hi All,

Probably should have jumped in here first. Just wetting my feet in building a server, and outlined a problem elsewhere.

My experience dates back to the DOS days, though I'm sure that is very rusty now.

I feel a local server would be a very useful addition, and would help with a couple of desktops + a laptop and tablets etc.

Finding Ian's tutorial inspired me to make a start. Many thanks Ian. That' all for now folks. ... Jack

[Phil]

Hi

Just wanted to post a thank you to Ian. This was my winter project – my first Ubuntu Server although I've been using Ubuntu Desktop for a few years.

Server: HP Prolient NL40 Micro server (yes another one seduced by the £100 cash back deal)
Upgrades
Crucial 64GB M4 SSD
8GB RAM
3 x 2TB HD
Zotac GT 210 1GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.0

I'm using Ubuntu Server 12.10 VNC, Webmin, MythTV and Mythweb supported by plex server streaming to a Raspberry Pi Plex Client. I'm also using Virtual Box to run some old VMWare Virtual Machines that I have. I didn't bother with Torrents – I think they have had their day unless anyone can point me at legal content.

Well this led on to two other projects for friends – a Dell Dimension 8300 and a Dell Optiplex. The Dimension had not been booted for 5 years. As these are both 32bit machines and Ubuntu Server 12.10 did not support 32 bit machines I set them up with Mint 14 Cinamon. Both have VNC, Webmin, and Plex Media Server. I had a challenge getting the sound card to work with VNC set up as a cron job on the Dimension.

Ok a long post but 3 more servers built inspired by HTKH.

[Ian]

Nice one Phil

How are you getting on with MythTV and the RaspberryPI, is it up to the job? Been thinking about buying a few myself to use as clients.

Ian.

[Phil]

I found MythTV its' self quite difficult – I think the repository was broken when 12.10 was first released. I had several attempts trying to get either MythTV or TVHeadend to work. My problems might have been exasperated by using an old tuner (http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Haupp ... OVA-T-USB2). While this was going on I had a Windows Vista Machine running 4TheRecord producing .ts files with a newer tuner.

My current server is linked to the Raspberry Pi via 2 500mbps Powerline adaptors, a 100mbps router and a 100mbps hub. I use your script MythTV-rename-recordings to make the recordings available in my plex library although I probably need to look in more detail at this to see if I can automate transfer of the movies and tv shows to different folders.

A month ago I would have said that the Pi was not quite usable. I first tried Raspbmc http://www.raspbmc.com/. The menu responses where slow and I was unable to play back anything other than standard definition.

The recent release of Rasplex http://rasplex.com/. Has solved the menu responsiveness but I still use a PC to play 720p and 1080p files.

I aloso have a lot of windows media centre files that don't play and need to be converted at some point

[Ian]

Thanks Phil, that's very useful.

It seems the stuff I've read on the net is a little out of date, I was thinking I'd need something with a little more oomph.

Thanks again.

Ian.

[MrJk]

Hi all

Just wanted to thank you for an awesome guide.

[gwynhfar]

Hi Ian,

First: Thank you for showing/writing in detail how to build a linux (media) server!

I followed the steps on havetheknowhow website, did it on a desktop first, one day later, I took the steps again on a laptop dual core pentium (Satellite Pro with a smashed screen).
Now my network is: 1 desktop Linux Mint, 1 laptop Linux Studio, 1 broken screen laptop (the dual core) Linux server 12.04 LTS, and 1 Windows 7 desktop machine who was taking care of my webserver and subsonic server (still is running, but will be replaced by the linux server).

Now listening to the radio on my windows machine after installing Squeezebox on the linux (laptop) server.

My first contribution would be a link to the latest SoftSqueeze (software) wich emulates a real sqeezebox, so you can use the squeezebox installed on the linux server: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfile ... _id=629909

Again thank you, for your time and shared knowledge!!

[Ian]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your kind words and thanks too for your contribution. I'm just heading off to read it now

Ian.

[Neno]

Hello Ian and everyone, greetings from Croatia.

I can only join the eulogy. This blog is a real blessing for a Linux novice/noob like me, who is willing to learn and get the know-how.

Neno