In a post in the "Add-ons" area, somebody asked (perhaps rhetorically) "How many potential Linux emplode/empeg users could there be?"

Well, I had started to rip/encode mp3s from my CD collection in advance of the unit's arrival using RealJukeBox Plus, which seemed to work well, but seemed to be lacking from a strategic standpoint. What I desired was a networked mp3 store that would feed a few players/modes, a la:

MP3 STORE ----------------> Desktop
|
----------->Empeg (for home/boat)
|
---> Laptop (for travel/airplane)
|
---> Nomad (short trips)

I realized that with RJBP I was creating a bunch of mp3 files with spaces in the names (whoever dreamed that up in Redmond should be taken out back and ...), possibly limiting future flexibility and RJBP didn't to much to organize a file hierarchy that would cut-n-paste to Emplode.

Perhaps I missed some possible workarounds, but the tack I took was to buy a cheap 30GB IDE drive, and add it to an existing Linux box that I updated with a bunch of stuff (Helix and other general things). I then installed cdparanoia, lame, along with grip -- a rip/encode front end. Lastly, I installed MySQL and Digital DJ, a grip playlist add-on. This machine is set up as a Samba server for my Windows desktop and (work) laptop.

I haven't worked with DDJ much yet, but it does seem to work. Grip is set to generate .M3U files and creates a usable artist/album/song directory hierarchy that makes for a simple transfer to Empeg; it also creates (through an add-in, I think) ID3 tags. Functionally, I'm guessing I'll find room for improvements, but overall this is pretty good!

Negatives? Compared to RJBP for default 128Kbps CBR, encoding times in LAME are slow. I am using 112k minimum VBR, though, and am playing with quality settings to see if I can reduce times and file sizes (3.5MB versus 4.5MB matters a lot on that little Nomad). Speed-wise, this is a place where I might be tempted to throw a new 700Mhz P3 at the problem in place of the present 350Mhz K6. No idea how much that would help, though.

Other TO-DOs: get another 30GB drive and an Arco Duplidisk and mirror that music!

Anyhow, it's time to check out the command-line emplode and stay tuned for OpenEmplode; mp3 synchs will certainly go faster if they don't have to transit a Windows/Samba client on their way to the Empeg.

Jim