Linux Multimedia Hacks: Tips & Tools for Taming Images, Audio, and Video [Paperback]

Kyle Rankin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 24, 2005 | Series: Hacks

The fact that Linux has more multimedia application choices than Mac OS X and Windows combined may come as a surprise to many, but not to those who know Linux well. In Linux Multimedia Hacks, author Kyle Rankin showcases the best available multimedia tools so you can maximize the entertainment capabilities of your favorite OS. Included are tips and tricks for connecting to iPods, creating MP3s and Oggs, watching and making DVDs, turning your Linux box into a Tivo ala MythTV, and much more.

You don't have to be a Linux server guru to make use of this book. Linux Multimedia Hacks takes the best of Linux's multimedia tools and with step-by-step instructions shows even novice users how to do cool and useful things with images, audio, and video. It includes entry level hacks that nearly all Linux users will want, such as installing codecs for audio and video playback and managing thousands of photographs. Later, you'll find hacks that cover a variety of advanced projects, from ripping and organizing media files with metatags, to editing video and audio tracks, to creating your own DVDs. Basic or advanced, each hack stands on its own, so you can feel free to jump around to only the sections that interest you.

The book is divided into five easy-to-understand chapters:

• Images: tips range from basic image edits to automated image manipulation
• Audio: hacks include audio format conversion and tweaking metadata within audio files
• Video: learn how to covert between video formats, plus how to create your own VCDs and DVDs
• Broadcast Media: tips include how to access and create you own web broadcasts as well as watch and record TV
• Web: learn how to make your multimedia creations available to the world

As one of the most powerful multimedia platforms around, Linux has far more capabilities and features than meets the eye. This latest Hacks book gives you the technical chops to enjoy them all.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Overall this is an interesting book that brings together useful information about the topics covered, and thus makes a useful reference." - Roger Whittaker, news@UK, June 2006

About the Author

Kyle Rankin is a system administrator for The Green Sheet, Inc., the current president of the North Bay Linux Users Group, and the author of "Knoppix Hacks" and "Knoppix Pocket Reference". Kyle has been using Linux in one form or another since early 1998. In his free time he does pretty much the same thing he does at work--works with Linux.

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (November 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596100760
• ISBN-13: 978-0596100766
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #784,438 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Music > MP3

More About the Author

I am currently a systems architect for QuinStreet Inc., and the president of the North Bay Linux Users' Group (http://nblug.org). I started using Linux in 1998 with Redhat 5.1 and continue to use Linux as my primary desktop and server platform (although these days I use Ubuntu, Debian and Red Hat).

In my free time I do much of what I do at work--play with Linux and computers in general, although these days a good deal of my free time might also be spent writing. When I get a chance I also like going to the local skate park.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb collection of easy-to-use media tricks, December 11, 2005

By 

Robert L. Cochran (Greenbelt, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Linux Multimedia Hacks: Tips & Tools for Taming Images, Audio, and Video (Paperback)

I've spent the last few days going over this book and experimenting with the different hacks on my Fedora Core 4 workstation. I use Fedora Core 4 almost 100% of the time at home, and I've felt the need to manipulate and use multimedia objects for a long time now, but didn't have the practical knowledge at my fingertips to do so. For example, how do I take a screenshot? This book answers this and other questions.

Now I understand how to use ImageMagick, take screenshots, and work with mplayer. I've implemented some hacks with gratifying results and experimented with bits and pieces of other hacks. For example I installed mplayer and the software bits needed to import video from a camcorder with a Firewire (1394) port. Mplayer is now running smoothly, and I'm waiting for a convenient camcorder to come my way so I can plug it into my 1394 port and let it rip. These hacks really seem to work, and they are quickly implemented. The authors of the various hacks give brief explanations that help build multimedia skills. Each hack is written with great clarity.

This book will gently introduce you to the power of scripting in Linux. Simple 1- or 2-line scripts pepper the book, and by using them you can quickly get the effects you want without having to spend long periods of time learning how to do the same thing on a GUI interface. Now, I can dump all 300+ photos from my 1 Gb flash card into a new folder and then use a script to resize them to a size small enough for a web page and for sharing with other folks. Try doing that to hundreds of photos on a GUI interface! With the suggested scripts, you can let the computer do the work, not you, and you can congratulate yourself on your smarts. Each script is carefully explained in plain language. I especially like Rankin's discussion of how to set up a digital camera and download all the photos from it automagically.

Today the Linux desktop is every more GUI-friendly. It is very easy to use; some of my friends have used it without realizing they were on Linux. I can see thumbnails of all my imported photos on Gnome -- it just works. I can expand the thumbnails into new windows with the actual photo. I can plug a compact flash card into my card reader and Gnome will recognize that, too, and offer to download the photos in the card. I can and often do edit photos with the Gimp and email them to my relatives. This books discusses all these things except possibly the emailing bit.

I began to realize that my hard drive is way too small for all the media I hope to work with. I recently ordered a 400 Gb drive to solve this problem.

This book shows you how to work with your media at no cost to you. It rolls up a lot of useful knowledge right at your fingertips. I can't think of another source of well-thought out media hacks either on the internet or in the documentation that comes with your Linux distribution. Every person wanting to work with media on Linux ought to have this book. Rankin and the other hack contributors have done a superb job.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Into multimedia? Into Linux? This is the book you need., September 5, 2006

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Linux Multimedia Hacks: Tips & Tools for Taming Images, Audio, and Video (Paperback)

Most versions of Linux have minimal multimedia abilities without the installation of additional software. Of course there is a lot of Linux software out there that can be used to change your Linux installation into a powerful multimedia computer with amazing capabilities. And, since it is Linux, it can be done at minimal or no cost for the software. Author Kyle Rankin details how to install and configure these products in this book. To keep the information organized he breaks it up into chapters on Images, Audio, Video, Broadcast Media, and Web. Working through the hacks you soon discover everything from how to rip a CD, convert file types, and edit a sound file to how to build a MythTV system where you can record television, watch videos, listen to music, and play arcade games from one system. There's even a tip for automatically removing commercials from digitally recorded television shows. When you are trying to figure out how to get your Linux system to do something special in the area of multimedia this is the first book you will want to turn to for answers. Linux Multimedia Hacks is highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have if you are serious about multimedia, even if you are not a heavy Linux user., March 31, 2007

By 

Little Cube (Silocon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux Multimedia Hacks: Tips & Tools for Taming Images, Audio, and Video (Paperback)

I got this book at a local Linux talk given by the author about a week ago. This book really opens my eyes to see how much resource there is for multimedia on the Linux platform. It's a must-have if you are serious about multimedia, even if you are not a heavy Linux user. As you see, a software dies on Windows PC when the software company (or Microsoft) stops supporting it (or the software company goes under), because you only have the binary code. But the Linux software lives on because you can always pick up the source code from the open source (that is if it's an open source project, of course. Fortunately, most of the Linux software are). Bottom line: this book does what it says ! I am very happy with it !