Another Linux Thread

[Dave Marshall]

I just unearthed an old thread by Adam Boggs that sorted out my Spotter Network issues while running linux. This leaves me with only two issues that are preventing me from moving to Ubuntu on my screenless 'server' laptop.

The laptop has no screen due to an unfortunate mishap, so its going to live under a seat in the truck and handle some of the mindless tasks to take the load off my primary laptop. SpotterNetwork location reporting, video streaming, and the GRLevel3 screenshot publishing feature, as well as handling my 3G connection and GPS data distrobution to the other computers on the network.

Adobe FME has a linux client, but I haven't tinkered with it really extensively yet. I'm hoping some of the linux gurus on the forum might be able to clue me in here though. What I'd like to do is set FME up so that it automatically connects to ChaserTV and starts my stream in a 'paused' state when ever the laptop starts. I'll be interfacing with this laptop via VNC, so this will make the process of actually broadcasting the video very quick, a single button click. Has anyone messed with the linux FME client?

My other issue is the EasyCap card itself. EasyCap is famous for its terrible driver support. It seems I've coaxed my GPS to talk to linux via ndiswrapper and the windows driver. Anyone care to guess how likely this is to succeed, or maybe somebody has found a functional driver for linux?

 

[Ben Holcomb]

You will not get that easycap working in Linux, I can almost guarantee it (but if you prove me wrong, let me know what you did)

As far as FME, I haven't dealt with it. I know some people just use ffmpeg to send flash streams. I don't know how to do that off hand.

 

[Dave Marshall]

That's what a feared Ben. I did find a couple of pages that showed how to use the windows easycap driver to get it working in linux, but it apparently is a royal pain in the arse, and it doesn't work especially well to boot. Any suggestions on a linux friendly option? I would just go firewire, but I want a fairly long cable, and firewire cables are seriously bulky and expensive. They also don't get longer than 10' from what I can see.

I suppose I could use a 15' USB extension cable and my USB PCMCIA card adapter/Firewire card trick if I really wanted to get fancy, but that probably would be nearly as much of a pain as making the easycap work.