OS Setup

OS

Our current implentation is using Arch Linux. We highly recommend nVidia hardware.

Installation

Complete the normal install, set the password you want on root. No other user will be needed.

Packages

basic:

xorg x264 mkvtoolnix alsa-utils openssh wxgtk

mplayer git aur package:

ffmpeg libass libdvdnav libxxf86dga libmad cdparanoia libxinerama libmng libxss libgl smbclient aalib jack libcaca lirc-utils ttf-dejavu libxvmc libdca a52dec git mesa live-media

nvidia only:

libvdpau, vdpau-video, nvidia, nvidia-utils

SSH

Security is not really an issue. So enable SSH and allow root login. why SSH? Because it's easier to transfer file to the machine (aria2 and Metalink are use to get the file across the network)

X11

I've been testing some different implementation and I will publish it later. think I found a more stable one. add the following line to the /etc/inittab file:

 x:3:respawn:/bin/su root -l -c '/usr/bin/startx >/dev/null 2>&1'

Applications Settings

Alsa

This is tricky. There is SO MANY sound card out there I won't venture intro explaining everything.

Just use the following for the $HOME/.asoundrc and change it according to your hardware.

If you don't want to use the ldapcomp change the ao= line on the mplayer config file.

 pcm.ladcomp {
	type plug
	slave.pcm "ladcomp_compressor";
 }

 pcm.ladcomp_compressor {
	type ladspa
	slave.pcm "ladcomp_limiter";
	path "/usr/local/lib/ladspa";
	plugins [
	{
	label dysonCompress
	input {
		#peak limit, release time, fast ratio, ratio
		controls [0 1 0.5 0.99]
	}
	}
	]
 }

 pcm.ladcomp_limiter {
	type ladspa
	slave.pcm "plughw:0,0";
	path "/usr/local/lib/ladspa";
	plugins [
	{
		label fastLookaheadLimiter
		input {
			#InputGain(Db) -20 -> +20 ; Limit (db) -20 -> 0 ; Release time (s) 0.01 -> 2
			controls [ 20 0 0.8  ]
		}
	}
	]
 }

mplayer

Again, change it to fix your need.

Put that in $HOME/.mplayer/config (you might need to create the folder).

 [default]
 # Write your default config options here!
 # Set video driver.
 vo=vdpau,xv,

 zoom=1

 #Use vdpau, if not use default codecs
 vc=ffh264vdpau,ffmpeg12vdpau,ffvc1vdpau,

 # Set audio driver
 ao="alsa:device=ladcomp"

 # Use double-buffering.
 double=yes

 # Set language.
 slang=en,eng,fr,fra

 # Set subtitle file encoding.
 unicode=yes
 utf8=yes
 ass=yes

 #Helps decoding faster, if mplayer crashes try commenting this line out
 lavdopts=threads=2:skiploopfilter=nonkey

 # Find subtitle files. (1: load all subs containing movie name)
 sub-fuzziness=1

 #double buffering(recommended for subtitles)
 double="yes"

 #I'm on a widescreen laptop so keeps 4:3 content from stretching
 #monitoraspect="16:9"
 #aspect="16:9"

 # For slow machines
 framedrop="1"
 autoq=90

 # Force the player to be on top and fullscreen
 ontop="1"
 fs="yes"

 # Stop the screensaver (probably not working but anyway.
 stop-xscreensaver="yes"

 #Make sure hard frame drop is off but can turn on easily now
 hardframedrop="0"

If you use any specific font you will need to put them in /usr/share/fonts (we used Trajan Pro).

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