Oh, and if I'm allowed to make a suggestion or two about the actual topic, I'd say forget about which distro is best, or how to lighten it up at this time. What you really need to do first is learn how to use your system and figure out how to make it do what you want, then over time you can figure out how to strip it down. It won't hurt you if you're running some unnecessary stuff at first. Besides, nearly all Linux distros are lighter out of the box than any recent Windows OS anyway.

So I say, just install Ubuntu and learn how to use it as-is. Use the software it provides and/or is available in it's software repositories. Ubuntu uses gnome as it's desktop, and I don't, so I'm not sure what the standard gnome video editor is, but I'm sure you can find that out easily. You might start with avidemux, which is a pretty good all-around converter. Same goes for the disc burner. I believe gnomebaker and brasero are commonly used. K3b is a fine program, but it's made for kde, so it's not really best-suited for gnome (although you can use it if you want).

Wikipedia has a page that lists common gnome applications here.

Finally, qdvdauthor, in addition to also being a kde program, has been extremely unstable in my experience. Great features, but always full of bugs. I recommend dvdstyler for dvd authoring myself.

I am gonna stick with it, as i do intend to leave windows at some point, now XP is on it's way out i feel no love for windows anymore, so i figure i might aswell go the whole hog if im gonna do stuff different (i know its not quite the same but i adore XP, Hate Vista and am about as impressed with win7 as i was when my daughter took her firt dump [kind of notable but really wish it hadnt happened]

patience is not my greatest virtue, but fortunately im exremly stubborn so i reckon ill get ther eventually

I find Ubuntu very usable but i like to fiddle with and figure stuff out and, well.... i can't cos i don't understand a bloody thing.

I know what you mean about it being polished, I have had an intrest in linux for years (im nearly 30) and it is only cos of ubuntu being as simple and well made that it is that i attempted, before that nearly everything i read was mortifying, compared to my ability on XP.

Im just hoping i can get a bit of the stability and reliabilty without having to know/learn too much right now



Thanks sk33t

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EDIT: Just for refernce i didnt see your last post before posing this
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what you can do is install a command-line only version of linux. you wouldnt even need a keyboard, mouse or monitor (i've done this with red-hat - should be less than 300 mb).
you can then schedule it to run cdrecord when necessary.

Dude/Dudess that sounds like a dream, could you elaborate on it a bit more?

Maybe a link or two if i could be so cheeky as to ask?


I think i am perfectly capable of learning/remembering a few commands as i will be repeating the same action over and over.



Thanx Sk33t

^ i think you mentioned you are using ubuntu. this seems appropriate:
http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Minimal-Ubuntu-Linux
you mite need to sudo apt-get install cdrecord
-----
something similar for centos:
http://knol.google.com/k/juniper-hac...kuq3r2h459/25#
see if cdrecord is listed as one of the programs to be installed at boot.
else you would need to yum install cdrecord

Im gonna give that centos a crack, got some work to finish up tonight so ill be on it tomorow and ill let you know how it goes.


Nice one for your help mate it is much appreciated.


Sk33t

CentOS is a total clone of RedHat Enterprise Linux - it concentrates on excelling as a server, hence codecs and such aren't its main focus. Stick with Ubuntu - or as others have mentioned, Mint (since it has all the codecs pre-installed and configured).

You may be intending to build a headless "server" dedicated for media conversion, but stick with the "desktop" concept until you get more comfortable in Linux.

You say you're a Windows expert, but do you understand the computing concepts behind Windows? You say you're almost 30 - that means you probably didn't mess around much with DOS and the command line. Microsoft, in its efforts to bring computing to the masses, have "dumbed down" the interface, using the GUI for virtually everything. The command line tools are basically useless.

Linux, on the other hand, lets you do almost everything from the command line. I/O redirection and command pipelining are great concepts to learn if you want to do automatic media conversion. Do yourself a favor - buy a book on using Ubuntu, and lock yourself away for a weekend with it, a PC, and an Ubuntu LiveCD. Find the chapter on bash scripts (bash - the "Bourne" Again SHell - an enhanced bourne shell, as opposed to the old standard 'sh' shell, 'csh' (C-shell), etc. The Unix equivalent to the command shell (command.com from DOS/Windows) or cmd.exe (the command shell from OS/2 and NT/XP/Vista/7). And begin PLAYING!!!

Hi netarch, thanks for the input, however my plans have changed a bit from my OP, as per a few posts back;

I am now looking to just burn discs through linux, im gonna stick with the converting in windows for now, and i reckon i can get me head around a few commands to do a *simple*? task like that :|

As for the going for centos, i don't know why but i just like the look of it, from the little i read it seems like it will do the job, i think the fact ive already got ubutu is a moot point tbh cos i have learned nothing from it realy (apart from how to copy and paste stuff idont understand

like i said earlier i am gonna migrate eventually, and as it happens i have got an ubuntu e-book which i just cant get my head around it, i have played with ubuntu on and off for a while, but the only way ive been able to resolve issues is if i was lucky enough to find command to copy and paste.

Oh yeh i did say "somewhat of an expert in XP" I suppose expert is a strong word but power user doesnt really sit well with me tbh :\

I cant remember having an issue in windows i didnt know where to look, what to tweak, to check, etc to get it sorted

I have a little experience with DOS and used to use the command line a lot but i've gotten a bit lazy these last few years tbh

While Centos/RHEL itself does not concentrate on non open source things (like codecs) the 3rd party repos do. Since Fedora (which follows the same non open source procedure) dropped long term support, the el5 (Centos/RHEL generic term) community support repos have stepped up their game. Rpmforge, epel, and elrepo repos have the vast majority of the software one will need.

Actually, you can do everything you want with just a few cli tools. ffmpeg or mencoder for converting, dvdauthor for authoring dvds, and cdrecord for burning them. You can even set up scripts to make it easier.

dvdauthor is the trickiest of the three to use. It's fairly easy to create a simple disc that will play, but building complex menus requires writing a fairly complex xml file, as well has having all the individual graphics elements ready and their screen positions calculated. But it can be done.

Try linuxcommand.org for learning the basics of bash, the filesystem, and scripting. I've found it to be very clear and easy to work through.

I also suggest you stick with the gui for a while, until you get familiar with the system. Later on you can shut down the gui and boot straight to the command line.

I totally agree with David the H. You might also consider getting a Myka Ion when it goes on the market later this year. It runs on Linux Ubuntu, plays all your media on your TV. You can network it to your desktop so you can do all your video editing/converting there then transfer the finished product to the Myka.

I havn't abandoned this thread, im just havin a read and a play with a few bits 'n' bobs (centos minimal was a no go)

THanks to David H for the link to that linux command site, very ineresting and easy to follow.


Will post again when i have an inkling of where im going with this.


Thanks to all for the advice it has all been taken in and any more is welcome



Sk33t

Hola folks...

Well i gave up on trying to get a stripped out dedicated set-up, and am just using Ubuntu as-is to burn my discs using "Brasero"


And in the past 50-60 discs i have produced 1(one) coaster


I am a happy chappy indeed.



Hopefully ill gain enough knowledge to be able to create my dream set-up before too long, but till then ill make do with this.





Thanks Sk33t

[how do i mark the thread as "solved"???]

good luck, let us know when you need help.

to close select 'thread tools -> mark as solved' towards the top.

Great to hear it. I'm sure you'll soon be able to figure out how to set things up the way you want. Just give it time. Read up on the programs I mentioned before and you'll eventually be able to do it.

Look in the "thread tools" at the top of the post for the "solved" command.