Turn a Shared PC into a Jukebox...

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Kelemvor

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Is it possible to take an extra PC on my home network and turn it into a Jukebox Server? I want to take all my CDs and turn them into MP3. Then on a couple PCs have some sort of front end that would allow to play like a Juke Box and just pick a song and start it playing.

What software would you recommend for this? Both the ripping to MP3 and the client side front end? Any suggestions at all? Not sure if the standard Real Player or Music Match are best for this or something else.

Thanks.
 
M

MercenaryForHire

Lifer
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Is it possible to take an extra PC on my home network and turn it into a Jukebox Server? I want to take all my CDs and turn them into MP3. Then on a couple PCs have some sort of front end that would allow to play like a Juke Box and just pick a song and start it playing.

What software would you recommend for this? Both the ripping to MP3 and the client side front end? Any suggestions at all? Not sure if the standard Real Player or Music Match are best for this or something else.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

For convenience, I have bolded the reasons why you will be flamed out of existence.

You're welcome.

Frontend = Foobar
Ripper = EAC + LAME OGG

- M4H
 
H

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
0
Shoutcast + Winamp for serving/playing
Or just winamp and a shared directory if you don't want to stream and want to pick each song.
 
pray4mojo

pray4mojo

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2003
3,647
0
0
Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Is it possible to take an extra PC on my home network and turn it into a Jukebox Server? I want to take all my CDs and turn them into MP3. Then on a couple PCs have some sort of front end that would allow to play like a Juke Box and just pick a song and start it playing.

What software would you recommend for this? Both the ripping to MP3 and the client side front end? Any suggestions at all? Not sure if the standard Real Player or Music Match are best for this or something else.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Let me say that Real Player is never the best for anything. It should never be an option.
 
Kelemvor

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Originally posted by: pray4mojo
Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Is it possible to take an extra PC on my home network and turn it into a Jukebox Server? I want to take all my CDs and turn them into MP3. Then on a couple PCs have some sort of front end that would allow to play like a Juke Box and just pick a song and start it playing.

What software would you recommend for this? Both the ripping to MP3 and the client side front end? Any suggestions at all? Not sure if the standard Real Player or Music Match are best for this or something else.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Let me say that Real Player is never the best for anything. It should never be an option.
Click to expand...

Well I don't use either of those because I don't like them but I don't know of any other programs to do that so that's why I'm asking. :)
 
Y

y00ycdz

Golden Member
Jan 5, 2001
1,313
0
76
If I had my way, i'd uinstall Real Player from every computer on earth. I hate that thing. Worthless. Oh and what you want to do is very possible. M4H gave you some software suggestions, use them.
 
ElFenix

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,406
8,585
126
i just pull stuff off the one computer through a shared directory using winamp

now for parties and things you need to shoutcast the one computer and have them not buffer anything or else one will be behind the other... or something
 
C

Codewiz

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2002
5,758
0
76
The coolest piece of software I found recently is netjuke. It is a media server that supports all types of file formats.

http://netjuke.sourceforge.net/

It is nice because it uses a database to organize everything. You can create custom playlists. Awesome overall for setting up a streaming server. It is probably overkill for what you want to do but I like having access to all my mp3s from anywhere I go.
 
Kelemvor

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Is either the SHoutCast + WinAmp or the WinAmp stand alone more processor/memory intensive on the client PC? My extra PC just sits there so I'd rather have it do most of the work and let the client PC just have to play the music. Not sure if it matters...

 
H

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
0
Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Is either the SHoutCast + WinAmp or the WinAmp stand alone more processor/memory intensive on the client PC? My extra PC just sits there so I'd rather have it do most of the work and let the client PC just have to play the music. Not sure if it matters...
Click to expand...
The server will do all the disk i/o. Either way, all the client has to do is play the music. Unless your machines are old, you won't even notice, as music is pretty nonintensive.
 
Kelemvor

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Wife's PC is a P2 450 ish, "Extra" PC is a p3 733, My PC is a p4 1.8. I don't think we'll notice either way.

Can WinAmp rip the CD files into MP3s or is there a better program to do that with?
 
C

Codewiz

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2002
5,758
0
76
To rip and encode, use EAC + LAME.

My file server is only a 400mhz with 1gig of ram. It runs windows 2000.
 
H

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
0
Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Wife's PC is a P2 450 ish, "Extra" PC is a p3 733, My PC is a p4 1.8. I don't think we'll notice either way.

Can WinAmp rip the CD files into MP3s or is there a better program to do that with?
Click to expand...
I'd use either EAC or CDex. Either one will do a good job.
 
sygyzy

sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
14,001
4
76
The problem with shoutcast is it is like the radio, you cannot PICK what song it plays.
 
halik

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
windows file sharing/samba and load the palylist into whatever on the client pcs
 
N

nsafreak

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 2001
7,093
3
81
Originally posted by: Codewiz
The coolest piece of software I found recently is netjuke. It is a media server that supports all types of file formats.

http://netjuke.sourceforge.net/

It is nice because it uses a database to organize everything. You can create custom playlists. Awesome overall for setting up a streaming server. It is probably overkill for what you want to do but I like having access to all my mp3s from anywhere I go.
Click to expand...

Whoah......thanks for the link dude. I'd been using Edna ( http://edna.sourceforge.net ) for a while and while it did the job I was looking for something more. This DEFINITELY is that more so I'll definitely be loading it onto my jukebox server.
 
Cerb

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
ATi (USB RF, very few programmable buttons) or Creative (Serial IR, better, I believe, for what you want to do) remote control and Winamp.
Rip and encode as others have said, but might I also recommend going with ogg instead of MP3?
On networking...MP3s might use as much as 30KB/s. You're not going to have any trouble with playing over the network, even if it is bluetooth (not that I'd ever recommend such a thing!).
 
Kelemvor

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Originally posted by: sygyzy
The problem with shoutcast is it is like the radio, you cannot PICK what song it plays.
Click to expand...

Oh, didn't realize that. That definitely won't work.
 
D

dmurray14

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2003
1,780
0
0
Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
Originally posted by: sygyzy
The problem with shoutcast is it is like the radio, you cannot PICK what song it plays.
Click to expand...

Oh, didn't realize that. That definitely won't work.
Click to expand...

Well, you could use a Winamp Plugin like Snowcrash or BrowseAMP to control which song is playing, although it will take a second for the buffer to get to the new song when you change.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom