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Re: [school-discuss] [Fwd: A solution for multimedia applicationsin LTSP or any Linux thin client platform]



Doug Loss wrote:

We just received this, and I thought it might be of interest.  I've
never heard of this program or organization before, and make no claims
of any sort for or against them.

Doug

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:     A solution for multimedia applications in LTSP or any Linux
thin client platform
Date:     Wed, 14 Apr 2004 21:02:04 +0800
From:     howie <howie@advancedthintech.com>
To:     <info@schoolforge.net>




I have see your website . It is a very good idea.
But as we know, there's no sound using Linux-based thin-client system.
That's not true.  I use LTSP and have sound running on the clients!

There must be some limitation for school to use, espeacially in E-learning.
We know that e-learning must use multimedia to attract children's
attention ,and to increase their interesting.
To solve this problem we proudly introduce our software - MuNAS, that
turns the X-terminal into a multimedia station.
Allow me to brief the architecture:



------------------------------------------------------------------------

The MuNAS solves the problem that the X Window system does not support
the transformation of audio data. It makes the thin-client/server
computing model in Linux be capable of executing /multimedia
applications/. The audio data generated by Open Sound System (OSS/Free )
compatible audio applications which are executed in the terminal server
can be transferred to X-terminals. The MuNAS is designed and developed
for the thin-client system. /With MuNAS installed, you can execute
multimedia applications in the terminal server and listen for the sound
from your X-terminal. Otherwise, these applications must be executed
mutely in the thin-client architecture of Unix./

* It is designed to work on multi-user operating systems: several
users can activate the network audio system by executing their own
audio applications in the same computer ( terminal server) and
their audio data can be forwarded to different computers
(X-terminals) simultaneously.
* Existing audio applications do not need to be modified or
recompiled, and no additional audio libraries are required.
* The program is not restricted to any special form of audio data
format or device type; i.e., the audio applications can
arbitrarily define their own audio data formats and device types
according to OSS/Free.
* The architecture of the MuNAS allows the audio mixing of audio
data from different processes of a user. The current version of
MuNAS does not provide this function. The MuNAS will support it in
the future version.
* The MuNAS performs well, as indicated by its ability to send
stereo, 16-bit, 44.1-kHz linear audio data to forty users in the
same Linux terminal server simultaneously.

The tested multimedia applications in Linux includes:

* aRts
It can work in MuNAS 1.0 and 1.1.
* mpg123
* xine
* gtv
* mplayer (standard media player in SuSE 8.2), gmplayer
* mplayerplug-in for Mozilla web browser
The video player plug-in for Quicktime and Windows Media Player
streams using mplayer.
* shockwave flash player plug-in for Mozilla web browser
* realplayer 8.0, 9.0
* alsaplayer
* record
It can work in MuNAS 1.0 and 1.1.
* gnome-volume-control in RedHat 9.0
With the gnome-volume-control or similar programs, the user can
have his X-terminal become a karaoke player.
* kmix
With the kmix, the user can have his X-terminal become a
karaoke player.
* xmms
* Esound
The Esound (http://www.tux.org/~ricdude/EsounD.html) /can only
serve a single user/. It is the limitation of Esound, not to the
MuNAS.
* X-Movie

Several manufactures of windows terminal had installed the MuNAS in
their X-terminals. You can find their products at the CeBIT 2004. See
the following MuNAS complied X-terminals:

1. The /*eBox*/ of Media Stream Technologies, Inc.
<http://www.compactpc.com.tw>
2. The /*Thinware AP-200*/ and */AP-533 series/* of Ace Plus
<http://www.thinware.com.tw>.
3. The */EPIA 5000/*
<http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=2#p2> or */EPIA 800/*
<http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=2#p3> with LTSP
<http://www.ltsp.org>.
4. The */EPIA 5000 <http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=2#p2>
/*or */EPIA 800/*
<http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=2#p3> with ThinDOM
<http://www.thinware.com.tw/products_thindom_buildinapp.htm>.

Related Links:

*
http://milkyway.bounceme.net/HOWTO/diskless-howto/Diskless-HOWTO-16.html

* http://hemmerling.free.fr/html/de/linux02.html
*
http://www.rz.informatik.uni-muenchen.de/doku/ldp/LDP/LDP/LG/issue95/lg_bytes.html

* http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue95/lg_bytes.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparsion between eSound, NAS, aRts, and MuNAS

(1) Multiuser: ALL

(2) Compatible software:
eSound: The applications which invoke the eSound library.
NAS: The applications which invoke the NAS library.
aRts: The applications which invoke the aRts library.
MuNAS: All the applications which follow the standard of OSS/Free to
send audio streams. This kind of applications use basic system calls which
include open, read, write, and ioctl on /dev/dsp, /dev/audio, and
/dev/mixer.

(3) For /dev/mixer: The /dev/mixer in OSS/Free is with many functions
include at least the follows:
(a) Control the volume of two speakers
(b) Adjust the balance of two speakers.
This is very important for karaoke applications.
(c) Activate the hardware audio mixer of
micro input. This is very important for karaoke applications.
(d) .......
The MuNAS supports full set operations of /dev/mixer. However, eSound,
NAS, and aRts cannot do this kind of operations at all.

(4) Software installation in the X-terminal:
For using eSound, NAS, and aRts, the X-terminal should install the
corresponding libraries in it.
However, for MuNAS-compatible X-terminal, only a program named "mrcvd"
which is only about 20 KB needs be installed in it.

If you are interested in our software, please be free to contact us for
more information.

Regards,

howie YU
Innovation Group
Advanced Thin-client Technology Inc.
Tel: +886-2-23581990
FAX: +886-2-23519453
E-mail: howie@advancedthintech.com <mailto:howie@advancedthintech.com>
ATtech http://www.advancedthintech.com

--
===========================================================
Richard K. Ingalls
Director of Information Technology
Glenwood R-8 School District
West Plains, MO

email..ringalls@glenwood.k12.mo.us
web....glenwood.k12.mo.us
ph.....417.256.4849
fax....417.257.2567

"Glenwood R-8: home of the mustangs!"
===========================================================