Re: Good Cheap PC to play MP3s and MP4 video? (Was: OT Mac M…

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Author: Bob Elzer
Date:  
To: Main PLUG discussion list
Subject: Re: Good Cheap PC to play MP3s and MP4 video? (Was: OT Mac Mini obsolescent?)
Hey Victor,

My main point was the google chrome cast, once that is hooked up you have
tons of ways of playing mp3s and videos to the device.

One of the latest VLC nightly builds just included casting, there are all
sorts of apps that cast

You can cast from Android, iOS, Windows and Linux, the chrome browser will
cast to it.

So if the main object is playing video and music through a projector, any
smartphone could accomplish this. Any cheap PC would too.


On Dec 6, 2017 5:11 PM, "Victor Odhner" <> wrote:

> Thanks, Bob.
>
> My wife has a chromebook. It saved us a few bucks and she’s OK with it,
> but it wasted a lot of my time working around it to get printing done: now
> if she wants to print something double-sided she prints it single and then
> sends me to Fedex Office to run copies double sided. I don’t like having
> exactly one way to do something, when I can have choices. And I see no need
> to ship my data offsite, over a link that just gives us one more component
> to fail, so that the data can come back.
> *:)*
>
> I know chromebook will grow up, but it’s not ready. I depend totally on
> Google Calendar, and a few years ago outgrew the stage where it kept losing
> data.
>
> So thanks for helping Google perfect their stuff. I’m just a dinosaur. I
> even have a little hobby of keeping my data away from Google when its
> benefits aren’t compelling. (Yeah, I know that’s futile, it’s just a game
> for me.)
> __________________
>
> On 20171206, at 16:39, Bob Elzer <> wrote:
>
> Why not just buy a google chromecast.
>
> Then you can send anything you want to it. You could get a chromebook
> (lots of cheap ones) or send it from most phones (Android phones are
> linux). You can even cast from a google home mini.
>
> Google Chromecast $35
> Google Home mini. $30 currently (requires internet)
> Chromebook $100-$400
>
> You could get all 3 for under $200
>
> Does the church have wifi? if not, you'd have to add that in.
>
>
>
> On Dec 6, 2017 10:46 AM, "Victor Odhner" <> wrote:
>
>> OK, I’ve decided on Linux. (No longer OT*!*)
>>
>> I need recommendations on an adequate PC to run stereo music and videos
>> (1920x1080 projector) for a church.
>>
>> I decided that Linux would be best to ensure that we can have good
>> performance and up-to-date software for this well-defined application. We
>> wouldn’t be at the mercy of Apple or Microsoft dragging us around a sharp
>> corner. My main backup guy has been using Linux (Mint, like me) for some
>> years, and the apps are basic enough that our other users would be
>> comfortable.
>>
>> I’d like to keep this as cheap as reasonable, concentrating on solid
>> quality (e.g. really adequate power supply) so that we wouldn’t have to
>> worry about it for 5 to 10 years. I’d want all parts to be brand new, or
>> almost.
>>
>> Is there still a Linux systems store in the Valley? Should I just put
>> together a box with parts from Fry’s or the Web?
>>
>> Hey, is there someone out there who would like to give me a quote for an
>> assembled box? (I have kb, monitor and mouse.)
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Victor
>> _________________
>>
>> On 20171130, at 14:55, Stephen Partington <> wrote:
>>
>> well if you are looking to maintain portability you can look at the Intel
>> NUC. but really this relies entirely on what your budget is.
>>
>> Looking at your existing application Digital Performer installs on
>> Windows or OSX, also you can look into the Hackintosh. there are some build
>> guides out there that run with a fully tested hardware configs to consider.
>>
>> But the Mac mini is a viable system even with the age of the device.
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 30, 2017 at 12:26 PM, Carruth, Rusty <
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> I’m not very happy with Micro$oft’s product, especially 10 (have you
>>> actually tried to install 10? I have. Goodness, talk about a step back
>>> into pre-history! It refused to install because there was a CHANCE that it
>>> wouldn’t boot – even though I had just proven that it WOULD boot in that
>>> configuration – and no way to override their ‘help’!)
>>>
>>> So, for me, its ‘buy the most powerful, RAM-loaded system I can manage
>>> (with SSD if possible), and install Linux Mint.
>>>
>>> But that’s just me ;-)
>>>
>>> *From:* PLUG-discuss [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.phxlinux.org] *On
>>> Behalf Of *David Schwartz
>>> *Sent:* Thursday, November 30, 2017 12:23 PM
>>> *To:* Main PLUG discussion list
>>> *Subject:* Re: OT: Mac Mini obsolescent? When next release?
>>>
>>> I’d be tempted to get an all-in-one Windows machine (most seem to have
>>> touch-screens now) or a small iMac.
>>>
>>> AIO Windows machines are well under $1k.
>>>
>>> Stick to the KISS principle here. :-)
>>>
>>> -David Schwartz
>>>
>>> On Nov 30, 2017, at 11:32 AM, Victor Odhner <> wrote:
>>>
>>> Spun off from the Genius discussion:
>>>
>>> The Apple CEO reportedly says Mini is still part of their product line,
>>> but he won’t say anything about the next release.
>>>
>>> I was another Mini shopper, for supportability and video resolution
>>> reasons. Our church music team needs to update a 2009 Mini. I want to get a
>>> *new* desktop (laptop wouldn’t fit our config): my goal is to give them
>>> hopefully 5+ years of reliable operation. Any comments would be welcome.
>>>
>>> Now looking at ditching the Mini, going to Windows or Linux to drive our
>>> video projector (MPV rocks) and an MP3 player. The Mini is where our
>>> Digital Performer lives (music synthesizer), but I’ve converted most of our
>>> library to MP3s and I can still use the old Mini if I need to get creative.
>>>
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