Turn your old computer into a multimedia player

Last edited by kahrn on Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:05 am; edited 1 time in total

This article explains how you can turn an old computer into a media platform using a set of tools, compiled as 'Movix', a linux build purely built for media that runs live and does not *need* a hard disk.

Movix will enable you to boot a cd/dvd that you have burned, and on that cd will contain:
- The Movix software
- The media files you put on it

This means that you can place whatever files you want on it, and then listen/watch them from the CD once movix is running, and you do not even need a hard drive!
To use Movix, I would say you need at least a pentium 233mhz cpu with 64mb ram and a 2mb gfx card (If you want to play sound only)
If you want to play video, then I would suggest using at least a 300mhz cpu with at least 96mb ram and an 8mb gfx card.
In theory you do not *need* a monitor, however I suggest using one for the first time you use movix.
If you can get used to the keyboard controls, you could get rid of the monitor, and make it really leet ;)

Please note that once the files you have chosen are on the CD, you cannot change them or add more.
However! in Movix and Movix 2, you can gain access to your network (If you have one!) and load files and such from there, or
if you have a spare hard drive you can fit the system you use for movix with a hard drive and put media on there!
The other possibility is that you could control the system remotely (I have not tried it, yet)

First of all, head over to http://movix.sourceforge.net/ to get a copy of movix, once you have it get Movix Iso Creator (http://www.movixisocreator.prv.pl/)
Movix ISO creator will help you create an ISO, it will load the movix files be defualt, and then ask you for the music files and codecs you want to use.

Once the ISO has been created, you can burn it to a CD/DVD, and use it in the system you want to use!