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Linux Multimedia Hacks

reviewed by Robert Pritchett

Author: Kyle Rankin; http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/catalog/view/au/1849

Booksite: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/linuxmmhks/index.html

$30 USD,  $42 CND, £21 GBP, €26 EU

Published: November 2005.

Pages: 330

ISBN: 0596100760

Requirements: Linux.

Strengths: Shows which multimedia apps work within Linux.

Weaknesses: None found.

Linux Multimedia Hacks by Lyle Rankin and 15 other contributors shows how to use no-cost apps to work with Linux to do multimedia on a system that uses Linux. It breaks these up into 100 hacks.

Now if you were brought up in the Mac environment, you kind of go, ‘What EVER!” when looking at these hacks for Linux. Remember, sometimes it can take a day or two to get Linux up and running to a level that makes a machine productive. If your time is not too valuable, than all the effort that goes into making a Linux system work well, is essentially free. (If you get paid as a consultant by the hour, than the free part changes considerably.)

Linux is the last true shade-tree mechanic OS left in the world. It offers ubergeeks a way to strut their stuff and there is a whole lotta struttin’ goin’ on within the pages of this book.

There still isn’t an equivalent Tivo-like MythTV for Macs - yet. But don’t let that stop you from learning, because much of what can be discovered here can be transferable to the Mac environment, if you are not dissuaded by the Unix-side of the Mac. (Personally, I think Mac OS X out Linux’s Linux, but that is just my opinion.)

The main difference is that with the Linux environment, you can tweak ‘til the cows come home – and tweak some more.  And when all is said and done, you can say, “I did it” and mean it.

The book is divided into 5 chapters covering image manipulation, audio format conversions and metadata tweaks, video, broadcast media for webcasting and TV and Interneting multimedia productions.

Everything is all step-by-step “how-to”. Like as in most O’Reilly Hack-books, the author didn’t do this all on his own, he had help from 14 other cool contributors.

If you like to experiment, this is a fun place to start. And after reading the book and scripting is still a challenge, you didn’t let Linux get under your fingernails.

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