Building My Media Server

Posted on May 26, 2012 by nomadmtb

Luckily, I have found a small project that will keep me fairly busy throughout this summer. As many of you have read in my previous post, I have been building a basic linux server. At first, I didn’t really know what I wanted to create with this extra machine. I was mainly just starting off and learning about how it works. Now that I have had more exposure to this whole idea, I have decided to create a basic media server. I have actually been working on this project for the last several days, and I am extremely happy with the results so far. To start off, I am creating a centralized place to store all of my digital movies. This has led to a lot of quality time running Handbrake, a small speed-bump in the long run though. I have decided to keep this server inaccessible to people outside of my private network, obviously, due to legal reasons. I am basically running an Apache webserver that allows access to all of my media. It took me a little while to understand how to properly set-up an Apache webserver, but I have it all buttoned down now. Apache is nice because it allows me to access the media on a variety of devices, it only requires a browser and quicktime capabilities to run, which pretty much all browsers support. So to access the media the user just needs to:

1. Open their browser.

2. Go to the internal ip-address of the media server.

3. Then select a movie from a list.

4. Sit back and relax; enjoy the movie.

There is one small thing that I was curious about though. How do I get this content on my AppleTV? I didn’t want to try some other services, due to the fact that the services break with ever new version of iTunes. Thankfully, when a user is able to send the video to the AppleTV via an iOS device. This pretty much makes the iOS device a remote that allows someone to select a movie via the browser, and watch it on the AppleTV. All from the Apache server.

The performance of the server has been more than I expected as well. When a single user watches a movie, the server runs at about 8-10%, which is pretty acceptable I might add. I have also tested scenarios where the server is sending out 4 movies at a time. The tests ran very well. RAM filled up fast, but flattened out at about 95% capacity, and the CPU load was right around 20%. I have read that Ubuntu is pretty aggressive when it comes to allocating memory, which is what I observed from the tests. I am looking into buying some more RAM and a larger hard drive soon, that will make things run a bit smoother in the future.

Just an update.

-Kyle

Interested in computers or web development?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by nomadmtb

Are you interested in web development? Programming? Well, what about computers in general? If yes, then you might be interested in setting up your own Linux server. Servers are pretty easy to set up, and completely free if you have a spare computer laying around, gathering dust. That old computer doesn’t need to be a Hal9000 to be a sturdy server either, any modern computer will do just fine. Personally, I am using an old Compaq with a 1.5ghz P4 and 768mb of RAM and it seems to work just fine. Mostly due to the fact that traditional Linux server doesn’t have any kind of GUI, it’s all command-line. It is possible to install the GUI on the server, but the GUI is mostly pointless since this is a server, not a traditional PC. Don’t be intimidated though, there are tons of resources available that will make your server building experience a positive one. With your own server you can do things like: create and host your own website, create a backup service for all of your computers, create a programming box, create a video streaming box, ect… If any of you are remotely interested, I recommend installing Ubuntu server on your old machine, and brush up on your basic Unix commands. You might want to look into port forwarding on your router and the SSH protocol, to make the process easier. Overall this has been a very rewarding experience for me personally, because it has given me an entire new understanding of computing in general. In addition, it’s always nice to impress your geek friends with the fact that you run your own server.

If you are interested, I have included a few links that I have found extremely useful.

1. Download Ubuntu Server: HERE

2. Learn about generating SSH keys: HERE

3. Learn about setting up an Apache web server: HERE

4. Apply some basic* security to your Apache web server: HERE

See I told you it wasn’t anything special…

Follow me on TWITTER

*If you want very secure authentication, look into applying HTTPS to Apache.

Don’t Be Stupid: Flashback Trojan

Posted on April 13, 2012 by nomadmtb

I am sure many, if not all of you have heard of the Flashback trojan that has infected hundreds of thousands of macs via a java vulnerability. It’s frustrating to see so many people infected with a virus that can easily be avoided. I don’t know how many times I have seen computer users, skip updating their software. It’s frustrating as an avid computer user to see this happen. Updating and patching your computer is the first line of defense when trying to avoid being infected. Software developers and computer companies are continuously patching vulnerabilities and making their software more secure.

Another thing that you can do to avoid the Flashback trojan is to be smart. By being smart, I mean: don’t install anything that you are not 100% positive that it’s safe. Don’t download software and updates from unknown sources, stick to official manufacturers’ sites and you will be fine. In addition, don’t visit sketchy websites, simple as that. Many of these sketchy websites are just waiting for you to allow them access to your information or machine.

And scan your machine on a weekly basis. Don’t be another victim. Be an informed and safe user.

Upcoming Cinemagram Project

Posted on April 9, 2012 by nomadmtb

Holy crap, it has been quite a long time since I have even logged into this blog. Surprisingly, my EightBitMe photoshop document is still getting a few daily hits, interesting. Well anyway, I am going to be starting a Cinemagram project pretty soon. Once my schoolwork decides to slow down, as relentless as it appears. Anyway, I am hoping to upload one everyday of the week (mon-sat). I really think Cinemagrams are fun because they give a real interesting feel to regular .gif images. To me, these images seem to capture the soul and overall feel of the moment. This is just a quick sample of what will be coming soon. Granted, I am still learning how do this, so don’t expect this one to be like totally amazing. If you do want to see some amazing ones check out cinemagraph.com.