To the community at large looking for an inexpensive 'server' Anyone looking over this thread or searching on 'Xbox' for information on putting slimserver on the Xbox...
It works _great_ provided some considerations are addressed. I highly recommend visiting the xbox linux project home page: http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Main_Page and following the link to the "Step by Step Guide". This will guide you through the perils and pitfalls of converting the box to Linux-only status and gives all the basic (and detailed if necessary) requirements, hardware and skills to do the work. The project is a challenge and very educational. I will say that a trip to your local automotive parts store to get rear window defogger repair paint or a conductive trace repair pen is the ONLY missing hint on the site...it makes the conversion discussed SO much easier. That said, I considered the Xbox ideal because it is basically a (relatively) low power consumption, legacy x86 PC, with much more CPU power than the NAS slugs out there and can be attached to a TV for parties for visualization apps. Transcoding is a non-issue for this box in my experience so FLAC to MP3 on the fly is fine. You can swap out the hard drive and DVD for better units if you are so inclined, so storage becomes a non-issue. The greatest case is cost. A used laptop can run several hundred dollar to acquire. The Mini-itx solution with a MoBo, power supply, case and hard drive is several hundred dollars. However, the Xbox can be acquired used in North America for under US$125 currently. The cost of the conversion is about $10 for the conductive pen or paint plus your time. A 40 GB hard drive is under $85. The game and parts needed for the conversion total less than $50. You get a box that is quiet, reliable and can run 24/7 for less than 20 cents per day (in Canada anyway). I see this as a great solution. Since there exists a very small Damn Small Linux variant specifically designed and built for the Xbox, adding the slimserver pieces and some tools for management and file movement (e.g. ssh and samba), and you are all set. Nice project, something to consider. ----------------- Squiff A: You got a warface? B: Sir? A: Aaaaahhhh! That's a warface. B: Aaarggghhh! A: Work on it, you don't scare me. -- squiffy ------------------------------------------------------------------------ squiffy's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3173 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=18107 _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
