9780764525087

* Christopher Negus is the bestselling author of Red Hat Linux 8 Bible (0-7645-4968-5) and earlier versions, with more than 125,000 copies sold * Readers learn to build sixteen fun and useful devices for home and office, using spare parts and free software * Projects include transforming an answering machine into an e-mail converter, building an MP3 music jukebox, building a car entertainment center, and creating a TV video recorder/player * Projects work with any version of Linux * Companion Web site includes specialized hardware drivers and software interfaces, plus music and game software

Christopher Negus is the author of all editions of the bestselling Red Hat Linux Bible as well as several other computer books. A Linux aficionado, Chris recently wired his house with coax and Cat 5e wiring so he could build more toys. <p> Wolber is an experienced Linux system administrator, programmer, and founder of Quantum Linux Laboratories. He's president of the Tacoma Linux Users Group and a devout hardware tinkerer.

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xv
The Basics
Exploring Linux Toys	p. 3
Taking the First Step	p. 3
Has your computer got what it takes?	p. 4
Have you got what it takes?	p. 4
Checking Out the Projects	p. 6
Costs of building Linux Toys	p. 7
Finding hardware	p. 7
Getting Started with Linux Toys	p. 8
The PC	p. 8
The operating system: Red Hat Linux	p. 9
The Linux Toys CD-ROM	p. 11
Odd pieces of hardware	p. 11
Using Open Source Software	p. 12
Understanding GPL and other licences	p. 13
Building projects with open source	p. 13
Connecting with Linux User Groups	p. 14
Visiting LinuxToys.net	p. 14
Going Forward	p. 15
Finding Hardware and Software	p. 17
Will This Old PC Work for Linux Toys?	p. 17
Does the PC work?	p. 18
Does the PC have what I need?	p. 19
How Do I Choose	p. 23
... the case?	p. 23
... a CPU?	p. 25
... a hard disk?	p. 25
... RAM?	p. 26
... a video card?	p. 27
... a sound card?	p. 28
... other hardware?	p. 28
Using Kernel Hardware Information	p. 28
Shopping for a Used PC	p. 30
Questions to consider	p. 30
Where to buy?	p. 30
Finding Open Source Software	p. 32
Where open source people gather	p. 32
Where open source projects live	p. 33
Entertainment Projects
Making a Music Jukebox	p. 37
About the Linux Toys Jukebox	p. 37
Configuring the Linux Toys Jukebox	p. 39
Gather your hardware	p. 39
Install and set up Red Hat Linux	p. 42
Install the Linux Toys software	p. 44
Add the CD database	p. 44
Start the Linux Toys Jukebox	p. 45
Load the music	p. 47
Playing with Your Jukebox	p. 48
Starting and stopping the jukebox	p. 48
Making your own playlists	p. 49
Playing songs manually	p. 50
Playing from other computers in your home	p. 51
Modifying Your Jukebox	p. 52
To be (a CDDB) or not to be?	p. 52
Adding CD information to the CDDB	p. 54
Changing ripping options	p. 57
Troubleshooting Your Jukebox	p. 58
The jukebox spits out your CD	p. 58
Temp files left behind	p. 59
Errant processes	p. 59
Removing music you hate	p. 60
Checking the CDDB log	p. 60
Enhancing the Jukebox	p. 60
Understanding the Jukebox	p. 61
Jukebox files and directories	p. 61
The player (musicd)	p. 62
The ripper (ltautorip)	p. 63
The database server daemon (cddbd)	p. 63
Building a Digital Home Video Archive	p. 65
What's in the Home Video Archive?	p. 66
Gather the hardware	p. 67
Install Red Hat Linux	p. 70
Install Linux Toys software	p. 70
Install a video card	p. 71
Install a TV capture card and video equipment	p. 73
Configure the TV player with xawtv	p. 73
Prepare to record	p. 75
Recording Your Videos	p. 76
Playing Your Videos	p. 78
Burning Videos to CD or DVD	p. 79
Burning Videos to VCD	p. 82
Building a Television Recorder/Player	p. 85
What's in the TV Recorder/Player	p. 86
Setting Up the TV Recorder/Player	p. 87
Gather hardware	p. 87
Install Red Hat Linux and Linux Toys software	p. 89
Configure TV viewing (xawtv)	p. 90
Configure TV listings (XmlTV)	p. 91
Add channel listings	p. 93
Configure TV recording (WebVCRplus)	p. 95
Recording Your Shows	p. 99
Starting to record	p. 99
Searching for shows to record	p. 101
Playing Back Your Shows	p. 101
Troubleshooting Video	p. 102
Creating an Arcade Game Player	p. 105
About MAME Console Gaming	p. 106
Configuring an Arcade Game Player	p. 107
Gather hardware	p. 107
Install Linux and arcade software	p. 108
Set up the joystick	p. 108
Getting Game ROMs	p. 109
Owning games	p. 109
Installing game ROMs	p. 111
Tuning Up the Arcade	p. 111
Starting up gRustibus	p. 111
Setting gRustibus preferences	p. 113
Setting Up the Games	p. 114
Playing the Games	p. 116
Running Xmame as Arcade Games	p. 118
Building an Arcade Game Cabinet	p. 119
Projects for the Home
Creating a Home Network	p. 123
Putting Together the Hardware	p. 124
Gather the hardware	p. 124
Connect it all	p. 127
Configuring the Home Network Server	p. 128
Install and configure Red Hat Linux	p. 130
Create network interfaces (server)	p. 130
Configure DHCP	p. 134
Create network interfaces (clients)	p. 136
Set up the firewall	p. 136
Set up routing	p. 139
Set up Samba file and print sharing	p. 140
Making Your Network Toy-Ready	p. 142
Making a Home Broadcast Center	p. 147
What's in the Home Broadcast Center?	p. 148
Gather the hardware	p. 148
Install Red Hat Linux	p. 151
Install Linux Toys software	p. 151
Install video card	p. 151
Install a TV capture card and video equipment	p. 152
Check your setup	p. 152
Setting up the Broadcast Server	p. 153
Tips for Using Your Home Broadcast Center	p. 157
Improving the streaming video server (ffserver/ffmpeg)	p. 157
Improving the streaming video client (mplayer)	p. 158
Building a Temperature Monitor	p. 159
Starting Up Your Temperature Monitor	p. 160
Gather the hardware	p. 160
Install Red Hat Linux	p. 162
Install Linux Toys software	p. 162
Attach DigiTemp hardware	p. 162
Try the DigiTemp software	p. 163
Logging Temperatures Continuously	p. 165
Adding Temperatures to a Web Page	p. 166
Adding Temperature to Mail Signatures	p. 168
More to Do with DigiTemp?	p. 169
Setting Up a Digital Receptionist	p. 171
Creating the Digital Receptionist	p. 172
Gather the hardware	p. 173
Install and configure Red Hat Linux	p. 174
Connect the voice modem	p. 174
Install Linux Toys packages	p. 176
Configure vgetty to listen for calls	p. 176
Configure modem compression	p. 178
Set general compression and e-mail settings	p. 179
Plan your voicemail system	p. 181
Record your new voicemail messages	p. 184
Check that your voicemail is working	p. 185
Retrieve voicemail messages (from your e-mail)	p. 185
Troubleshooting VOCP	p. 186
Small Business Opportunities
Be a Mini ISP	p. 191
About the Mini ISP	p. 192
Configuring the Mini ISP	p. 193
Gather computer hardware	p. 193
Install Red Hat Linux	p. 195
Install Linux Toys software	p. 196
Configure the network	p. 196
Configure the domain	p. 201
Configure the Web server	p. 204
Configure the FTP server	p. 205
Configure the mail server	p. 205
Add user accounts	p. 206
Open the firewall	p. 206
Supporting Users and Maintaining the Mini ISP	p. 207
Prepare user account information	p. 207
Perform administrative tasks	p. 208
Using Your Mini ISP	p. 208
Be a Web-Hosting Service	p. 211
Planning Your Web-Hosting Service	p. 212
What comes with each Web site?	p. 213
What resources can each Web site use?	p. 213
What content types will you allow?	p. 214
What should your service provide?	p. 215
What do you need from a service provider?	p. 215
What do you need to tell your clients?	p. 215
Configuring Web Hosting	p. 216
Set up the server	p. 216
Add user accounts	p. 217
Configure the FTP server	p. 218
Configure the mail server	p. 219
Configure the Web server	p. 219
Set up disk quotas	p. 223
Create the firewall	p. 225
Monitoring Your Server	p. 225
Watching log files	p. 225
Watching Web site activity	p. 226
Adding Web Server Content	p. 227
Just for Fun
Linux on a Floppy and BSD Games	p. 231
Configuring DogHouse Linux	p. 233
Gather the hardware	p. 233
Create the DogHouse Linux floppy	p. 233
Running DogHouse Linux	p. 234
Using DogHouse Linux	p. 234
Playing games on DogHouse Linux	p. 236
Running BSD-Games	p. 239
Trying Other Bootable Linuxes	p. 241
Controlling Toy Cars	p. 243
About Controlling Toy Cars	p. 244
Configuring the Toy Car Controller	p. 244
Gather hardware	p. 244
Install Red Hat Linux and toy car software	p. 248
Wire up the controllers	p. 249
Test your car	p. 251
Operating the Car Manually	p. 252
Operating Your Car in Patterns	p. 253
Controlling Races Over the Internet	p. 254
Controlling Blimps, Planes, and other RC Toys	p. 255
Creating a Digital Picture Frame	p. 257
Building the Digital Picture Frame	p. 258
Gather the hardware	p. 258
Install and configure Red Hat Linux	p. 262
Install ltpicframe	p. 262
Get the images	p. 262
Configure the picture frame software	p. 265
Tune your laptop	p. 266
Adapt the laptop to the picture frame	p. 266
Using Your Digital Picture Frame	p. 274
Getting the Software	p. 275
ABCs of Using Linux	p. 281
Basics of Red Hat Linux Installation	p. 305
Index	p. 321
GNU General Public License	p. 331
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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