minimalist multimedia programs

[garyng]

Hi,

I am cutting the fat of the system and wanted to know what would be a minimalist options(programs to install) in order to do the following :

1. play VCD/DVD
2. play Audio CD as well as MP3 files
3. play WMA/Quick Time/Real audio files

If possible I don't want non-free stuff and I understand that may not be possible for (3).

There is so many programs floating around and I am confused. Can XINE do all of the above ?

thanks for any help in advance.

[Henk Poley]

I guess it can, but why don't you use something like Movix (http://movix.sourceforge.net/).

"Supported formats are all formats supported by the MPlayer, most noticeably DivX but more in general it can play DVDs, VCDs, AudioCDs and any avi, mpeg, quicktime, wmv, asf, fli and a few others. BTW, I compiled mplayer with mp3 & ogg/vorbis support so you can also use it to play music!"

[garyng]

Thanks for the suggestion but I am not looking for a distribution but want to build a distribution that is not limited to multi-media but other usage, multimedia is part of the functionality only. However, I want to install as little programs as possible but still meet the basic needs in this area, as outlined.

I understand that KNOPPIX can also do that but there is too much in it, that is why I want to cherry pick my own.

[rickenbacherus]

mplayer (http://www.MPlayerHQ.hu/homepage/design6/news.html)

[garyng]

thanks for the help, I would settle on mplayer for video and xmms for audio. I believe that should meet the basic everyday video/audo needs.

[rickenbacherus]

I think XMMS is quite excellent myself. (even if it IS a port). It does everything I need it to anyway. I don't use Mplayer but I might watch a DVD on my box once a year. For that I use VLC which might be of interest to you. It has network video capabilities.
Video LAN Client (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/)

I could see some good potential uses in the version of Knoppix you'd like to create.

[garyng]

Thanks, it seems that VLC is even better than mplayer based on the feature list and it can even play audio, so may be I can shoot two birds with one stone ?

As for my work-in-progress(very early stage) distribution, I am still aiming at the goal of multiple mini-cd(185M), with the basic one being feature to feature compatible with XP and additional ones holding office or server or something else. The idea of Morphix but do it in my way.

Of course, coming from a window background, I would make the HD installation window friendly(meaning no repartition required as that scares people, even me), similar to topologilinux(spelling?).

[Dave_Bechtel]

--Later versions of Knoppix 3.2 come with ' pia ' movie player, I haven't used it myself but you might want to look into it.


Thanks, it seems that VLC is even better than mplayer based on the feature list and it can even play audio, so may be I can shoot two birds with one stone ?

As for my work-in-progress(very early stage) distribution, I am still aiming at the goal of multiple mini-cd(185M), with the basic one being feature to feature compatible with XP and additional ones holding office or server or something else. The idea of Morphix but do it in my way.

Of course, coming from a window background, I would make the HD installation window friendly(meaning no repartition required as that scares people, even me), similar to topologilinux(spelling?).

[rickenbacherus]

--Later versions of Knoppix 3.2 come with ' pia ' movie player, I haven't used it myself but you might want to look into it.

Never heard of that one before. The man page tells me that it plays quicktime though. Anyone heard of a frontend for pia?