Mediatomb Server? Need advice

[Jonj1611]

Hi,

I have had a play with Freenas and fuppes and while it does do what I want its not really what I want lol. Plus fuppes isnt included with the latest freenas and doesnt seem to be updated anymore.

Anyway I am going around in circles here and need some serious advice, I really am on a strict budget so really only looking for opensource solutions.

Basically I have an old PC, I want to be able to turn it on in the morning, not remotely with the power switch and be able to turn it off when it doesnt need to be used anymore, it doesn't have a monitor/keyboard etc, its basically a system in the corner of the room.

I thought about ubuntu/mediatomb, but from what I understand when ubuntu starts you need to login, which kinda defeats all objectives as there is no monitor to the unit. Unless someone can tell me different of course.

So basically I am looking for something I can use as a headless system that will run mediatomb and I can turn it off from a web browser.

Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[Biscuit]

you can set ubuntu to automatically log on

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AutoLogin

[aidanjt]

Mediatomb runs in the background as a daemon, so you don't need to log in to make it work. Just install Ubuntu server, and install OpenSSH, acpid (so you can just tap the power button to shut it off again), and mediatomb. Job done.

[Jonj1611]

God, its funny the things you learn, I have used ubuntu on and off for the last few years and never knew of that feature. Obviously I didn't use it for very long lol.

Well thats the auto logon and operating system sorted, now the final task, how to turn the unit off from a browser?

Thanks again Biscuit by the way

[Jonj1611]

Thanks aidanjy, is there anyway to turn it off remotely? I do have my reasons, I am not being lazy, its the location of the server, its not easy to get to especially at night.

Regards

[aidanjt]

Thanks aidanjy, is there anyway to turn it off remotely? I do have my reasons, I am not being lazy, its the location of the server, its not easy to get to especially at night.

Regards

Yeah, that's why I suggested installing OpenSSH, that way you can just use any SSH client to start a shell session remotely, and you can issue the shutdown command. You could alternatively set a scheduled time to shut it off automatically using the system cron daemon.

[Jonj1611]

Ah right thanks mate, I am not too good with linux to be honest, and I can do all that from a Windows 7 machine?

Thanks

[Biscuit]

Putty has a windows client which can do that

[Jonj1611]

Ok ideal, well I will download all that, and try it get it running tonight/tomorrow and report back on how I get on.

Thanks for all your help, good to know people in the know

If that made sense lol

Cheers

[abaxas]

Thumbs up for mediatomb here.

Got a little linkstation (400mhz arm) spitting out files for my ps3 (over G wireless).

Works like a charm with everything the ps3 can play.

[Jonj1611]

Ideal, freenas and fuppes did work, had movies streaming over wireless N but it hasnt been updated in a while and mediatomb has some features that I really wanted. Being open source I am not losing out moving from one to another so might as well give it a go