How-To: Build A Cheap Media Player In 20 Minutes
posted Apr 12th 2005 2:05PM
Like it or not, being a gadget geek implies certain responsibilities. Removing adware from your relatives' PCs, hooking your friends up with wireless access, creating robot life - you never seem to get a break. So when a buddy calls and invites you over for an impromptu bar-b-q, the thought of a Saturday afternoon doing nothing but eating free food and discussing the intricacies of the nice weather cannot be dismissed.
"Oh, I forgot to ask," your friend says. You begin to register that, yes, tasty burger happiness is going to come at a cost. "Is there a way we can watch the new Doctor Who over here?" You are compelled to respond, "sure thing, I'll figure something out," because deep down you know that yesterday you leeched the first two episodes off of your friend Jake, the file trading addict, torrent-master, hell's angel, network administrator. The fact that he is a dirty biker does not diminish your 'pay-it-forward' debt.
Huddling around a 15-inch laptop screen is definitely going to be a bummer, so you need to get these AVIs to display on a TV. What you need is a media player, and fast. You've got 20 minutes, an empty wallet, and nothing in your stomach. What do you do?
Overview
For today's how-to, we'll be building a quick and dirty media player that you can set up on a typical laptop or
mini-itx box. If you have a PC with S-Video or RCA composite output (as most laptops do nowdays), you can
download some free software that will turn it into a media center in no time flat. Mine is hiding on the bottom
left in the above image.
The 20 minute media player is for the occasional video viewer. This quick solution requires a minimal download,
piece-of-cake setup, and you don't have to devote your machine to media use. A full-fledged, dedicated PVR will
be the subject of a different article.
Ingredients
Here's what you should have on hand:
- a laptop with S-Video or RCA TV out, a mini-itx box, or other PC with video out
- RCA or S-Video cable
- mini stereo plug to RCA adapter
- ability to burn CDs
- something good to watch
Both of my laptop's cd-rom drives stopped working long ago, so I decided to try this out on my mini-itx machine. If you don't have one of these, you should consider getting one. You can buy a mini-itx box new for about $200 and it's a hacker's best friend with built-in ethernet, S-Video, and 5.1 digital audio out — all in a very tiny, low power, low noise package.
Software
I typically use my mini-itx box for other things, so I wanted to find a media player that wasn't invasive, didn't
require a hard drive reformat, and could be easily set up whenever I have the need to watch downloaded video on
TV. I ended up choosing GeeXboX for the media player
OS.
GeeXboX is a bootable Linux CD that contains everything necessary to play most types of video and audio
media. It has a dirt-simple, adorably dorky interface, is pre-configured to work with most vesa compatible video
cards, can easily be built to use the popular compression codecs, and it's a 7MB download. GeeXboX, you had me
at 'adorably dorky interface'.
Setup
First, you'll want to download the GeeXboX ISO
generator. This contains the pre-compiled GeeXboX binaries, CD directory structure, and Windows and Unix scripts
for turning it all into an ISO which you can then burn to a CD. The download is in tar.gz format. You can
decompress that with WinZip if you are a Windows user.
If you want to be able to play Windows Media 9 and RealMedia files, you'll need to download some
additional codecs. Just
extract these and place them in iso/GEEXBOX/codecs. You can also tweak the default settings by modifying
iso/GEEXBOX/etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf. I found the default settings to be reasonable, but you can read more about
the various options in the documentation.
Alternatively, you can just download the stock ISO, burn it to a CD and skip the next section. You won't be able
to install the extra codecs or adjust any settings, but this might be all you need.
Making the CD
Windows users just run generator.exe. Run generator.sh if you are a Linux user. It will output an ISO image
that you can then burn to a CD with your favorite CD authoring tool. It's really that simple.
If you are an OSX user, you'll need to install cdrtools and
zisofs-tools before generator.sh will run. Download
and untar both packages and then follow these quick steps (note: I just install the zisofs binaries to the cdrtools
directory):
- cd to the cdrtools directory
- # mv INSTALL INSTALL.txt
- # make install
- cd to the zisofs-tools directory
- # ./configure -prefix=/opt/schily/bin
- # make install
Then, go back to your geexbox directory and run:
- # export PATH=$PATH:/opt/schily/bin
- # . ./generator.sh
Movie Time!
Connect your computer's video and audio out to your TV, stick in the cdrom you just made, and start it
up. After a few seconds, you should be presented with the main menu.
You can now eject the boot cd and replace it with a cd containing your favorite video. Your new media player
will start playing the file(s) on the disk immediately, but you can get back to the menu by pressing the enter key at
any time. From here you can browse to select a file from the cdrom or hard disk. While a movie is playing,
use the left/right or up/down arrows to rewind/fast-forward slow or fast, respectively.
A Better Interface
For those of you that haven't seen this episode, the blue man above is about to be grilled to a crisp because of a
bad keyboard interface. The moral of the story is: ditch the bummer keyboard interface.
Somewhere down the line, you are going to want a remote. Thankfully, GeeXboX supports
LIRC compatible remotes, and it's pre-configured for use with the ATI Remote
Wonder.
If you aren't satisfied with the super-simple media player and you want to look at a more complete PVR-style media
solution, you should check out MythTV. With the addition of a tuner card,
and a dedicated machine, you'll be able to put together a full-fledged media center. We'll definately be
investigating this one in more detail for a future how-to.
Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy some hotdogs, burgers, and great British sci-fi with your friends.
Buy a Philips DVP-642. $69.99. Easy and quick, plays most DivX and XviD files. Plays MP3 files. Shows JPG files. What else do you need?
Sure we could do that...but is that cool?
HECK NO!!!
$200 for a mini-itx system with a case like the one in the picture? I'd like to know where i can get that. so far all my configurations cost more than $300
So this guide assumes you already have video-out (and doesn't bother to talk about adding it to a desktop or laptop that doesn't have it already) and doesn't offer any way to do this with a Mac?
Might as well be "How to make Legos" guide that assumes you have a plastic injection-molding setup.
get a xbox and put xbox media center into it..
I'm rather at a loss to understand how this is any more useful than simply launching Windows Media Player and playing it full screen via the S-video out? Wouldn't that take 30 seconds, and also cost nothing? You already have S-video out on the box right? (I know this only applies to Windows)
Number 4, it's easy on the mac. Use a powerbook with S-Video (most powerbooks do), and any program like VLC or Mplayer for OSX. Connect the s-video from the powerbook to the TV and press play.
Uh.... all that take more than 20 minutes.
@7 It's easier on an xbox than a mac. Used xbox = $120, mod = free if the xbox is the right version, xbmc = free. Xbmc will play EVERY file format and EVERY codec, as well as music and pictures.
Poster #1, the Philips owners manual says nothing about Xvid compatibility. It mentions Divx 4.x and 5.x, and then for MPEG4 it lists "all video codecs that comply with specifications of ISO-MPEG4." I'm hoping that means Xvid is in compliance. Or, were you able to upgrade the unit for Xvid compatibility through the firmware upgrade Philips has for it? Philips cut the direct link off their site for the machine...you have to do a search for the model number to find anything about it.
Number 7, it's easy on a PC too... 99% of PC laptops made in the past two or three years have S-video out as well... plug it in, play through the media player of your choice.
Sorry, had to point it out. I'm on an anti-mac-groupie kick recently. Note: I don't hate macs... in fact, I love them... I just hate the groupies who seem to think that macs are the be-all-end-all of computing, and all people's computer problems should be solved by "get a mac".
Also, VLC and mplayer are cross platform.
why isn't there a software that will interface with the IR hardware already built into most motherboards? Why does it have to be so difficult?
Ok I actually tried this last night to watch this movie about some sin in this city... and I was using VLC which plays fine on my laptop, but my s-video out would not work. If I had it plugged in when windows started it would show me the log-on screen, then I entered my password with an external keyboard and the screen dropped, this happened with the laptop closed from start or open. Does anyone know if there is another program out there to facilitate s-video out on laptops. FYI Dell D600 latitude XP-Pro SP2. Would it matter im using an s-video to composite converter? I will try plugging it in with S-Video next time but I happened to have a couple of those converters sitting around.
I agree with #6... why not just play the video full screen through the s-video out? Thats takes all of 30 seconds and you dont have to compile, install, download or install anything. Ive done it, and it cant be easier.
I must be missing something...
Dan(#10) to clarify my comment I only mentioned the Mac in response to Jared Goodwin's (#4) comment "...and doesn't offer any way to do this with a Mac?"
I am not a mac Junkie/groupy, My home is populated with macs, pcs, an xbox with xbmc and an old solaris. Thanks anyway for the preemptive apology though.
As for making a cheap media player, Jason Striegel illustrated HIS way of building one; the comments in this thread show that there are various ways. Personally, I think an Xbox with XBMC is the cheapest way to go as AceMilo pointed out earlier. (If there's an even cheaper alternative please post.)
aaaaaaaa.... u all r missing the point. this is engadget.com and they need something like to bring us readers in and argue about so that they can bring more advertisers in! what say u?
#6 & #13 you can't use a remote with Media player. Which is sorta nifty if you have that sort of thing around. Of course I don't.
You really should have prefaced this as "gee look at this neat app I found" because as many have pointed out, this is far from the best way to show a video file on a tv in under 20 minutes. I'm BAFFLED by the folks saying "just use a modded xbox" because while it does make a nice media center, it's certainly not something you could set up in 20 minutes. And getting around the limitations of the Xbox architecture just isn't worth the hassle when you could build a SFF PC for around $500.
If you're going with software on a PC, a better choice is the offshoot of the Xbox Media Center, MediaPortal which gives you all the funcionality of XBMC and adds PVR functions all while staying booted into Windows. You'll spend more time downloading the files than setting it up, and it works wonderfully for software that technically isn't even a full beta. Also it's free forever.
wow, thanks for all the thoughtful comments.
i basically see two main threads splitting right down the middle.
in one camp, we have folks saying (my paraphrase), "what, i need a computer with s-video to make this work? what good is that?"
in the other camp, everyone is saying, "i have an s-video out on my computer that i can send video to. what good is a media player, when i have realplayer, windows media player, quicktime, winamp and itunes on my computer already?"
i have an answer to all of your problems. everybody in the first camp, please invite those from the second camp over to watch some movies. everyone in the second camp, take your laptop or mini-itx box over and make friends. the both of you can then compare watching video through your standard os and via a lightweight media player interface.
i think what you'll find is that it's just a nicer experience popping in a cd, and having things just work. add a cheap remote and it makes it all that much better. i shouldn't even need to mention that video plays much better on slower hardware when you don't have the overhead of a standard desktop os setup on your cheapo machine.
remember folks, most of your laptops can play dvds to s-video too. why not just use that instead of buying a single purpose dvd player? i'd say it's because the interface is just superior.
so what do you folks like about a media player? what kind of features would you like to see in one and how important is price? if there's a good response, perhaps i can do a follow up post and try and touch on the issues that you think are most important.
this is a hack for people with spare pc parts and nothing to do with them, eg. i want a media centre but i haven't got the cash for a HDD or Win MCE, lying around my house i got an old motherboard and cpu, an old gfx card(geforce 2!)with tv out, and a cd drive(yeah i know i need a dvd, just conceptualize with me ;) ) chuck it in a box, load the distro, bobs ur uncle, and or cousin depending on which u prefer. If you got the cash, then this is just a waste of time and is in the "cool" but useless genre, but whose got the cash? Hacks like this are what i like to call "Student friendly"
no one seems to want to give an answer to this question:
2 others and myself are wondering the same thing:
I agree with #6... why not just play the video full screen through the s-video out? Thats takes all of 30 seconds and you dont have to compile, install, download or install anything. Ive done it, and it cant be easier.
I must be missing something...
what exactly is an ITX box?
I'm with 6 & 13. I had to buy the Svid->RCA cables to run it on my TV, but that was no problem. I don't really see a point in a remote really, and I don't have one laying around either.
It takes me more than 30 seconds, because I am on a 17" Widescreen laptop, and I have problems getting the whole screen showing. No big deal though.
Not to mention that to use this I have to reboot, with the normal windows deal I don't have to.
posted already but heres the real plus of this hack, for those of with older laptops with dvd's, use the distro, and run it on ur laptop, Dvd's without loading windows!!!(i know some laptops eg. apples have a similar feature already, well hacks are for those of us who haven't) i'm gonna test it when i get my dvd drive for my notebook, and post the results on my blog
http://www.russianspacestation.iwarp.com
#16, you absolutely CAN use a remote for Windows Media Player. I have been for a year now.
I dig the general idea, but like almost everyone else commenting, it seems a little complex.
I do pretty much the same thing, with an old Athlon 550Mhz machine with an s-video out, but I just use Power DVD (or whatever your fave media playing app is).
Power DVD plays DVDs, ripped vob files, VCD's and even just plain media files -- quick and simple.
My one fancy touch is using a Gyration gyroscopic mouse (about $80) as a wireless remote -- no flat surface needed. And, the next time you pick up a regular TV remote, you'll unconciously wave it around in the air like the gyroscopic mouse.
Funny thing about the subject and this particular Doctor Who episode (Season 1 x2, or Season 27 x 2, "The End of the World" - the best episode so far of the season). Using VLC Media Center, the episode hiccupped on a PC using an AthlonXP 2700 with 512 megs, and a 32 meg GeForce2 card...and could not run it full screen on a 17" monitor. The same episode runs smoothly on an AthlonXP 3200 with 512 megs and the same videocard...and full screen with VLC. It also runs smoothly using VLC on an eMac 1Ghz G4 processor and 768 megs, full screen...however when using Quicktime, it hiccupped.
I've been using this app for a while. my one gripe with it is... I've got an older Dell notebook (Inspiron 8000) and I most of the time just use the built in speakers. when i fire this up and put in a dvd i can't adjust the volume. i can't figure out the button to press for volume control. i'm sure it's extremely simple, but i can't seem to figure it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
#28: If I understand correctly, this thing uses MPlayer, so try using "(" and ")" for volume. Or the "/" and "*" on the num pad.
HTH...
I've been looking for a simple solution like this for awhile, as opposed to building a dedicated machine. But alas, my Inspiron 8500's video out is fubar. #28 I'd love to hear how you managed to get that to work.
#29
There seems to be a problem with the latest(stable) version 0.98.5 of geexbox
The previous versions didn't have this problem (video used to get screwed up though ;) but right now there's no option to change the volume :(
Err
I meant, right now you can't change the volume
(this is on an inspiron 9100)
I'd have to vote for the Xbox with XBMC as well. You don't need a chip, you can mod them with software alone. I don't know details as I always use chips because that's how I started with them, but apparently it's not too difficult.
Advantages: Low cost, support for a mind-numbing list of formats unrivalled by ANY of these wannabe media players, frequently updated, and, drumroll please... HDTV support. Everyone is talking about S-Video output from laptops... S-Video? Join me up here in the year 2005 for a moment will you? S-Video is old and busted. What you want is 720p or 1080i. The Xbox will upconvert your source, stretch it only when it can remain aspect-ratio correct, etc. It supports Dolby Digital and DTS. It does everything you want. Not wireless? So get a $50 Linksys WRT54G router, find some modified firmware to turn it into a much more badass little box, and use it to connect your xbox to your network. Too far from TV? Left remote on the coffee table and your at your PC wishing you could watch something else? XBMC has a web control interface. Wish you could check the weather and your RSS feeds on your TV? XBMC will do that. Wish you could stream movie trailers in Quicktime with surround sound from apple.com right to your TV? XBMC will do that.
It's seriously going to take some major revolutions in the industry for any device to rival a modded Xbox running XBMC.
jason striegel: Well, my list of features:
HDTV support. 720p, 1080i with upconversion.
Support for several hundred file formats.
Very frequently updated software. Once a week or more. (XBMC updates daily)
Skinnable
Streaming, both across local network from Samba shares and from the Internet
IMDB movie data lookup
Fully featured music player with visualizations that run in HDTV resolution
Wireless built-in would be a perk, but only if it is 802.11g, preferrably the 108mbps flavor.
Price: under $150.
Start looking ;)
Who's the hottie in the first screenshot?
Poster #35, that "hottie" is Billie Piper, who plays the character "Rose Tyler" on the updated scifi program by the BBC known as "Doctor Who."
The original program ran on the BBC for 26 years, making it the world's longest-running science fiction program ever.
Learn more at:
www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
or at the "Blair Witch Project" inspired website:
www.whoisdoctorwho.co.uk
You f&@%in' arsebags neglected the most important point! You didn't provide links to the torrent site so that I can go and download the episodes and try this myself!
Does making this device actually improve video performance compared to simply using the S-video out, straight into the TV?
(kinda off topic:)
The 2005 dr.who quit, saying he wants to do other things.
For $400 at most, I know where to get a media center pc that runs linux, has a dvd drive, 200gb hdd, and also plays xbox games. It is called an xbox with xbox media center. It will play ANYthing you can throw at it with ease (dvds that will not run on ANY of my dvd players INCLUDING my xbox, WILL run on XMC.) You can also put music, video and pics onto it FROM your linked pc. For some reason, my router broke, BUT I can still use it to transfer files from my pc to my xbox. I use my xbox everyday, and it is mostly because of XMC. I still do not know what the smb (or is it xmb) on it though. Can anyone help me with this? (is it a way to keep files on my pc and still be able to view them without them being on my xbox hdd?) please email me if you know how to use this feature. epd648@hotmail.com