[ILUG] Build your own MP3 player?

[John P. Looney]

On Tue, Nov 20, 2001 at 11:59:51AM -0000, Derek Hardiman mentioned:
> Okay, lets get away from talking about the case for a sec. Let's assume
> you've got a low spec PC (say, Pentium 100 with 32MB RAM, 8GB HD and a sound
> card of some sort) what would you need to get a prototype going?
> 
> I guess you'd install your favourite distro with the minimum of stuff but
> then you have to figure out a few things. Using the box as a PC to play
> MP3's is a piece of cake but what would you use if you wanted to have a very
> limited display, like an LCD and you do want to get to a stage of it being
> controlled by IR? I guess you've also got the problem of how to get the
> MP3's on there and once they're there how to pick what you want to play. A
> network connection isn't very practical if you plan on it being in your
> living room, unless of course you stick in an 802.11b card and access it
> remotely.

 Our S1000's boxen have Matrix Orbital LCD panels. Nice, cheap and good
linux support (as long as you don't want a cursor, isn't that right, glen
?). There are places around the net you can get circuits for IR recievers
for a PC, so you can pick up TV remotes. Not too shabby, and very cheap.

 The main problems are going to be insuring that all this can run without
a fan; you don't want a fan whizzing 24 hours a day. So, you need a low
power box; something like http://www.ibase-i.com.tw/i815e.htm with a cyrix
processor in it. 

 Anyone know if you can buy top loading DVD drives ?

Kate

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