Pre-install design

huskypenguin79 · n00b Joined: 27 Dec 2017 Posts: 3

Greetings!

I seek advice for designing my first Gentoo computer. I want to be able to do several things with the same computer, if possible. 1) I want to be able to make backups of media, both CD and DVD, which I already own, 2) be a file server for those backups, and be able to stream them to an AppleTV on demand, 3) be able to transfer copies of backed up music to wife's iPhone and 3) an iPod customized with RockBox. Later, I would love to 4) add a DAC and turn it into a high-quality listening station.

My hardware is currently limited to a Mac Mini, late 2009 model (3,1). She's sporting about 4GB RAM, and her original 120GB HDD. I have the Apple wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse, both of them are older models. It is attached via VGA to a flat screen TV. I also have a 2TB WD external drive that I'm pretty sure will work.

I've managed to get OpenSuSE temporarily working on it, but the GNOME environment was slow and the Mac ran quite hot, so I'm pretty sure I'll need a more minimalist UI. Recommendations?

Could you point me to information that would help me in my quest? My search-fu is failing me.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 9:48 pm Post subject:

huskypenguin79,

Welcome to Gentoo
Every Gentoo install starts with the Gentoo Handbook. That's common to all installs. There are differences in detail but that gets you from nothing to a system that can install more software but do little else.

For a desktop system you will want Xorg as all the GUIs depend on it except one and you won't want that one yet.

MATE is a fork of GNOME 2. If you liked GNOME 2, you won't have any bother with MATE.
Xfce is lighter weight also with GNOME leanings.
There are lots of other desktops documented on the Wiki, you can install as many as you have HDD space for.

That's a get-you-started.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

huskypenguin79 · n00b Joined: 27 Dec 2017 Posts: 3

I was wondering about MATE as a UI, thanks!

Keeping this multimedia related, can anyone recommend any programs so I can do what I listed? Again, I'd like to be able to rip and encode CDs and DVDs that I legally own to a computer and have them available to other devices in-house. Recommendations?

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 10:18 pm Post subject:

huskypenguin79,

I use mplayer to rip the .vobs of the main video from DVDs. I don't transcode the but I suppose I should to save space.

Grip is good for Audio CDs. It transcodes to to other formats if you want, fetches the titles and artwork from the net too.

For sharing, it depends on your sharing solution. I use Mediatomb with UPNP but its just been pronounced dead.
On Linux systems I use NFS and mount the media ro over the network, like a local HDD.

I don't suffer from Windows or Apple, so I'll let other users chip in.

All the media players you know and love work, mplayer, vlc Xine (its a bit long in the tooth) mpv, kodi, mythtv ... there are lots of others too.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

huskypenguin79 · n00b Joined: 27 Dec 2017 Posts: 3

Thank you so much, NeddySeagoon! I'll get right on it.