X-Git-Url: http://git.tuebingen.mpg.de/?p=paraslash.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=README;h=0a0aae881bf6a766d449550c5ddc51152a4800bc;hp=b311307d1e54177adec3b43a05c777028ca95b57;hb=4d9d588c5df359c3c5f279fbfd4ea51d3a2afc87;hpb=09ca53c1a6409d5a4f8a78763f2c4fb1fd4c4f6d;ds=sidebyside diff --git a/README b/README index b311307d..0a0aae88 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -1,250 +1,14 @@ -README -====== +The paraslash package contains server and client software for network +audio streaming and stand-alone utilities for decoding and playing +audio files. See the user manual for details. ----- -Paraslash is an acronym for +Distribution of paraslash is covered by the GNU GPL, version 2 unless +otherwise stated. See file COPYING. -_Play, archive, rate and stream large audio sets happily_ +Web page: http://people.tuebingen.mpg.de/maan/paraslash/ +Alternative web page: http://paraslash.systemlinux.org/ +Gitweb: http://git.tuebingen.mpg.de/paraslash.git/ +Git URL: git://git.tuebingen.mpg.de/paraslash.git +Email: Andre Noll -It contains the following programs: - ------------------------ -para_server (obligatory) ------------------------ - -para_server streams binary audio data (mp3/oggvorbis/m4a files) -over local and/or remote networks. It listens on a tcp port and -accepts commands such as play, stop, pause, next from authenticated -clients. However, there are many more commands. - -It supports three builtin network streaming methods (senders): http, dccp, -or rtp. - - * The http sender is recommended for public streams that can be played - by any player like mpg123, xmms, itunes, winamp... - - * The dccp sender is experimental and requires kernel support for the - rather new datagram congestion control protocol. - - * The ortp sender is recommended for multicast LAN streaming - -It is possible to activate more than one sender simultaneously. - -para_server needs an audio file selector to work, mainly to determine -which audio file to stream next. The following three selectors are -built in: - - * The random selector chooses audio files out of a given directory - by random - - * The playlist selector chooses files from a specified playlist - - * The (optional) mysql selector is more involved. It connects - to a mysql server which holds information on your audio files - and maintains statistics on the available audio files. Audio - file selection works by sending a user-defined sql-query - to the mysql server. This allows rather sophisticated - configurations and is explained in detail in README.mysql. - -It is possible to switch between all supported selectors at any time. - -Despite of all these features, paraslash is lightweight. The -stripped binary of para_server with all its features compiled in -(mysql/random/playlist selector, mp3/ogg/aac support, http/dccp/ortp -support) is about 120K on i386 under Linux. para_audiod (see below) -is even smaller. - ------------------------- -para_client (obligatory) ------------------------- - -The client program to connect to para_server. paraslash commands -are sent to para_server and the response is dumped to stdout. This -can be used by any scripting language to produce user interfaces with -little programming effort. - -All connections between para_server and para_client are encrypted by -default. For each user of paraslash you must create a public/secret -key pair for authentication. The (authenticated) connection is crypted -with a symmetric rc4 session key. - --------------------- -para_recv (optional) --------------------- - -A command line http/dccp/rtp stream grabber. The http mode of this tool -can be used to receive date from any http streaming source. - ----------------------- -para_filter (optional) ----------------------- - -A filter program that converts from stdin and writes to stdout. It -is completely independent from the rest of paraslash, so it might be -useful also for different purposes. - -para_filter combines several decoders (mp3, oggvorbis, aac) and a -volume normalzer. New filters can be added easily due to the modular -design. If more than one filter is specified, the given filters -are 'piped' together in-memory, i.e. without calling any of the -read(2)/write(2)/select(2) etc. functions. - ------------------------ -para_write (obligatory) ------------------------ - -A modular audio stream writer. It supports a simple file writer -output plugin and optional wav/raw players for alsa (linux-only, -Debian package: libasound2-dev) and Mac OS. para_write can also be -used as a stand-alone wav or raw audio player. - ---------------------------------------- -para_audiod (optional, but recommended) ---------------------------------------- - -The local daemon that collects information from para_server. - -It runs on the client side and connects to para_server. The audio stream is -read from the network and sent through any of paraslash's filters (decoder, -volume normalizer). The resulting stream is written to an output plugin -(writer), e.g. the alsa writer on linux systems. It is possible to capture the -stream at any position in the filter chain. - -para_audiod starts an appropriate receiver, filter and player as soon as -para_server announces the availability (and the type) of an audio stream. -Moreover, it listens on a local socket and sends status information about -para_server and para_audiod to local clients on request. - --------------------------------------- -para_audioc (optional, but recommended) --------------------------------------- - -The client program which talks with para_audiod. Used to control -para_audiod, to receive status info, or to grab the stream at any -point in the filter chain. - -para_audioc (hence para_audiod) is needed by para_gui, para_sdl_gui -and para_krell, see below. - -------------------- -para_gui (optional) -------------------- - -Themable ncurses-based gui. It calls para_audioc and presents -the obtained information in an ncurses window. para_gui provides -key-bindings for the most common commands and new key-bindings can -be added easily. - ------------------------ -para_sdl_gui (optional) ------------------------ - -SDL-based gui. Similar to para_gui but presents its output in an X -window (fullscreen mode is also available) and can display jpg images -on a per song basis. para_sdl_gui provides an input prompt to enter -arbitrary commands. However, it can also be used non-interactively -(e.g. as a screen saver) via the -i switch. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -para_krell (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql selector) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -A plugin for gkrellm which shows small pictures of the current song. It -allows you to launch 27 different commands by clicking in different -areas of its picture (9 small squares x 3 mouse buttons). - --------------------- -para_fade (optional) --------------------- - -A (Linux-only) alarm clock and volume-fader. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -para_dbadm (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql selector) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -Very simple curses-based frontend which uses libmenu. Useful for -quickly changing the attributes of the current song (e.g. from para_gui -as an external command). - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -para_slider (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql selector) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -A small X application which shows a scrollbar for each attribute -defined in the mysql database. It creates a stream definition from -the values of the scrollbars. This allows to smoothly change the mood -of the given stream without any file editing. - --------------------------- -bash_completion (optional) --------------------------- - -A small bash script for inclusion in ~/.bashrc. It gives you command -line completion for some paraslash commands. - ------------- -Requirements ------------- - -In any case you need - - - gcc, the gnu compiler collection (shipped with distro): gcc-3.3 - or newer is required. - - openssl (needed by server, client): usually shipped with - distro, but you might have to install the "development package" - (called libssl-dev on debian systems) as well: - http://www.openssl.org/ - - software mixing, e.g. ALSA and the direct mixing plugin (dmix) - -If you want to use the mysql-based audio file selector, you also need - - - mysql-server - - mysql-client - - libmysqlclient - -These are usually shipped with the distro but probably not installed -by default. - -The mp3 decoder of para_filter is based on libmad: If you prefer to -use the libmad package provided by your distributor, make sure to -install the corresponding development package as well. Otherwise, -just download libmad from http://www.underbit.com/products/mad/ - -For ogg vorbis streams you'll need libogg, libvorbis, libvorbisfile, -The corresponding Debian packages are called libogg-dev libvorbis-dev, -other distributors chose similar names. All of these are also -available at http://www.xiph.org/downloads/ - -For aac files (m4a) you'll need libfaad. Get it at -http://www.audiocoding.com/modules/wiki/?page=AAC - -If you intend to use the optional ortp streamer, you'll need libortp: -http://www.linphone.org/ortp/ - -For the optional SDL-based gui, the following packages must be installed: - - - X (usually shipped with distro): http://www.x.org/ - - libSDL (usually shipped with distro): http://www.libsdl.org/index.php - - SDL_image: http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL_image/ - -For para_slider, the zero memory widget library is neccessary: -http://www710.univ-lyon1.fr/~exco/ZMW/ - -Finally, para_krell needs - - - gtk2: http://www.gtk.org/ - - gkrellm2: http://members.dslextreme.com/users/billw/gkrellm/gkrellm.html - -------- -LICENSE -------- - -Distribution of paraslash is covered by the GNU GPL. See file COPYING. - ----------- -THE AUTHOR ----------- - -Andre Noll Comments and bug reports are welcome.