Recommendations for Vortexbox hardware

[signor_rossi]

I actually hadn't really thought of that possibility; that is, for me, of course the most convenient way... After reading up on Vortexbox I immediately got stuck on it being able to rip blurays... which could come in handy. Anyone that has any experience from ripping those with Vortexbox?

The only possibility to rip BDs under Linux I know of (and which worked for me) is MakeMKV (http://makemkv.com/). It is not free software, but you can get an official temporary license key on their homepage as long as it is in beta state.

[Mnyb]

Ime I've found that with headless linux any hardware with x86 cpu single core 1,2mHz 1GB ram is sufficient if you have say 3-6 squeezeboxes .

I've now using a 2*core N36 HP microserver ,wich is perfect for my needs

[ButC]

The only possibility to rip BDs under Linux I know of (and which worked for me) is MakeMKV (http://makemkv.com/). It is not free software, but you can get an official temporary license key on their homepage as long as it is in beta state.

Okey, when I read through it I just got the impression MakeMKV was bundled with Vortexbox. Then it's probably better to get an external bluray for my pc and do eventual ripping that way...

[ButC]

Ime I've found that with headless linux any hardware with x86 cpu single core 1,2mHz 1GB ram is sufficient if you have say 3-6 squeezeboxes .

I've now using a 2*core N36 HP microserver ,wich is perfect for my needs

That's good to hear, then one can focus on getting something with a low power consumption.

[ButC]

How about the adding of direct url radio stations in Vortexbox? This is probably what I'll be using the most.

[JJZolx]

I am currently planning to restructure my audio streaming infrastructure and in the process want to re-rip my CD collection...I used to rip CDs using EAC and encoding to high bitrate MP3s and later AACs and also changed my file naming scheme in the process. LMS runs on a QNAP NAS, clients are a Squeezebox Touch (->Denon 1912->Dynaudio Excite) and a Squeezebox Radio. Everything runs very smoothly, I would really like to rerip my CD collection to FLAC and in the process have a cleaner and more homogenous data source.

Keep using EAC for the rips. You can do the ripping and tagging from any PC on your network.

Having found the Vortexbox project, this seems like a good solution for me. I am now looking for hardware recommendations to realize a Vortexbox server for my music and was hoping that someone can give me some hints I do have a HP ProLiant Microserver as an unRAID which serves my video files, this would be a good candidate for Vortexbox imho, I would prefer a smaller solution though. Also, which DVD drives are good to use?

Why run two servers? I would just install LMS and on the MicroServer and be done. If you really want to keep them separate, continue to run LMS on the NAS. I can't see any good reason to use Vortexbox.

[garym]

Keep using EAC for the rips. You can do the ripping and tagging from any PC on your network.

Why run two servers? I would just install LMS and on the MicroServer and be done. If you really want to keep them separate, continue to run LMS on the NAS. I can't see any good reason to use Vortexbox.

Agree. I use dbpa for my rips, then copy over the network to my VBA. I prefer dbpa (or EAC) because they use AccurateRip. VB does not. This said, one can now check accuraterip in batch mode for thousands of albums (using either foorbar2000 verify integrity component or PerfectTunes (from the maker of dbpa).

And yes, VB is simply a computer (with no need for keyboard or monitor) running a version of linux (fedora) that is setup to already have installed things one uses (like LMS, etc.). I do like mine, but there is nothing magical about them.

[garym]

Okey, when I read through it I just got the impression MakeMKV was bundled with Vortexbox. Then it's probably better to get an external bluray for my pc and do eventual ripping that way...

MakeMKV is bundled as part of Vortexbox. That's what I use to rip DVDs with VB. I had a temporary license, but eventually bought a license for MakeMKV.

[garym]

I hope one could use an external bluray? How about attaching ones PS3 and using it for playing blueray discs? And one more question: does it work well to add direct url radio stations in Vortexbox?

I suppose one can connect an external drive. Not sure, never tried. Regarding attaching PS3 to VB. No, the VB is a computer acting as a SERVER. It is connected to your router via ethernet. Then the VB server STREAMS audio and video to network players (like squeezeboxes, boxeebox for video, and I suppose PS3 for video).

Yes, LMS is running in VB just like it runs on windows, etc. You simply save radio station direct URLs as favorites just as you do in LMS (as in fact you *are* using LMS).

[taalas]

Wow, thanks for the many replies. I was away for a couple of day and was blown away how crowded the thread has become ^^

To answer some:

The main reason I wanted to have a new box for the reripping progress is a matter of the rooms involved. Reripping all discs will take some time and I would like to put the new server next to the CDs to rip some whenever I have the time. I am completely aware that VB ist "just" a stripped down Fedora with a couple of software packages, but on the other hand that's the beauty of it _if_ it works as well as advertised.

The reason I am not using LMS on my HP is simple: it runs an unRAID and I want to keep that distribution as clean as possible, it currently is what it is: a fileserver only. All network services (LMS, sabnzbd, sickbeard, ...) run on another system.

Another HP looks like one of the best solutions for the price difference alone, I will never be able to build an ITX system with a good quality case for nowhere near the price of an N40. I could buy one of the HTPC barebones that currently are very popular (saw a very cheap arctic cooling one lately). These are a lot smaller but wouldn't accomodate a 3.5" HD. Still, what I would like the most is a small form factor ITX system with an optical drive, probably fanless, which I could just put into the living room for the time being to rip the CD collection and then take upstairs later to server the music.

About BD ripping: yes, VB simply includes MakeMKV and updates to the latest betas of this package...it's a good solution imho, since MakeMKV works very well. Nothing that can't be done on any other platform though...

[edwin2006]

Any suggestions for the cd/DVD part? Specific brand/model to use?

[d6jg]

Wow, thanks for the many replies. I was away for a couple of day and was blown away how crowded the thread has become ^^

To answer some:

The main reason I wanted to have a new box for the reripping progress is a matter of the rooms involved. Reripping all discs will take some time and I would like to put the new server next to the CDs to rip some whenever I have the time. I am completely aware that VB ist "just" a stripped down Fedora with a couple of software packages, but on the other hand that's the beauty of it _if_ it works as well as advertised.

The reason I am not using LMS on my HP is simple: it runs an unRAID and I want to keep that distribution as clean as possible, it currently is what it is: a fileserver only. All network services (LMS, sabnzbd, sickbeard, ...) run on another system.

Another HP looks like one of the best solutions for the price difference alone, I will never be able to build an ITX system with a good quality case for nowhere near the price of an N40. I could buy one of the HTPC barebones that currently are very popular (saw a very cheap arctic cooling one lately). These are a lot smaller but wouldn't accomodate a 3.5" HD. Still, what I would like the most is a small form factor ITX system with an optical drive, probably fanless, which I could just put into the living room for the time being to rip the CD collection and then take upstairs later to server the music.

About BD ripping: yes, VB simply includes MakeMKV and updates to the latest betas of this package...it's a good solution imho, since MakeMKV works very well. Nothing that can't be done on any other platform though...

Interesting discussion.
I used to use a VB2.3 box for LMS but I had hacked it so that CDs ripped on it are saved direct to my NAS and pointed LMS at the network mounted drives of my NAS (via NFS). I wrote a HowTo on the hacking bit that I know has been used by others to hack their VB2.3 installs in a similar way.
After Spotty came along I completely retired the VB as my LMS server - switched off LMS on boot - and switched to a dedicated Pi3 with pCp reading the files off my NAS (via NFS) but I still use the VB to rip CDs to the NAS.
However it is in my home office and like you some way away from my CD storage and not suitable for moving to my Living Room.
To get round this I have recommissioned an old MacMini in my Living Room (running headless) and configured XLD to start on boot. I just insert a CD and a few minutes later its on my NAS in the right place and in the right structure for the Pi based LMS to read (after library update). I control the Mac if needed via VNC.
Unfortunately the Mac is so old that it won't rip BluRays and the old VB only has a DVD drive but that will rip to my NAS as well - I use Plex on the VB for DVD streaming with various media players involved. LMS is configured for music only.
I discounted upgrading my VB to 2.4 as for my purpose it isn't needed.
My system will do almost everything you are looking for. I suspect a later MacMini could rip BluRays.

[edwin2006]

Interesting. Using the vortex box just for ripping was also my idea. Using a nas for storage and a pi for LMS. How did you hack the vortexbox?

[d6jg]

Interesting. Using the vortex box just for ripping was also my idea. Using a nas for storage and a pi for LMS. How did you hack the vortexbox?

https://www.js60och.co.uk/vortexboxqnap-nfs-project/

This is for VB2.3. The principle is the same for 2.4 but I believe the method of mounting the NFS is slightly different. I think you would do it in a post-startup script rather than via fstab. I have never needed to try my 2.3 works perfectly.

I also installed webmin on the VB which makes it dead easy to stop LMS from starting at boot etc

[d6jg]

https://www.js60och.co.uk/vortexboxqnap-nfs-project/

This is for VB2.3. The principle is the same for 2.4 but I believe the method of mounting the NFS is slightly different. I think you would do it in a post-startup script rather than via fstab. I have never needed to try my 2.3 works perfectly.

I also installed webmin on the VB which makes it dead easy to stop LMS from starting at boot etc

I think I also ended up renaming /storage to /storageold and creating a symlink named /storage to /mnt/NFS - this then made dvd ripping work