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[mx4789]

I'm curious as to what type of Linux the people who own MC use.

For example:
I'm running Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
I use MC exclusively in Theater View for playback of music, shows and TV viewing.
I'm also using MC 31 at the moment.

I've had about a 97% success rate with MC on Mint.  A couple of bugs here & there, but since it's not officially supported on Mint I'm not complaining.
Anyway, I love to hear what others are doing.

[Awesome Donkey]

Ubuntu, and I use MC to listen to music.

[MikeO3]

Ubuntu LTS and Audiolinux lxqt

[bob]

Mostly Debian. Some Ubuntu.
My IdNUC is my media server.
Works great with my Samsung TV for watching movies, multiple IdPi's as music renderers, a Sonos Play:3 and JRemote iOS.

[mwillems]

An even mix of Debian for family facing systems and Arch Linux for personal use.  I use MC in a client/server configuration for music, video, and images.  I mostly use JRiver itself for playback sometime sin theater view with an IR remote, sometimes in standard view with a keyboard and mouse.  Occasionally I listen to music through panel, gizmo, or jremote on my phone.

[geier22]

I use Debian Testing Xfce.
MC has been working for years without any problems.

I've been using the program since MC 8. First with Windows.
With the release of MC for Linux I was finally able to switch to Linux.

The main use is music (100,000 files, mostly flac).
Pipewire works, but in MC I use alsa direct because I have a lot of files with more than 48 kHz. Downsampling is not an option for me.

[mwillems]

I use Debian Testing Xfce.
MC has been working for years without any problems.

I've been using the program since MC 8. First with Windows.
With the release of MC for Linux I was finally able to switch to Linux.

The main use is music (100,000 files, mostly flac).
Pipewire works, but in MC I use alsa direct because I have a lot of files with more than 48 kHz. Downsampling is not an option for me.

Just so you know, pipewire can be configured to automatically switch sample rates, and I can confirm that it works (my hardware has an lcd screen showing current sample rate so it's easy for me to test).  All I needed to do was add/replace lines like these to the context.properties block in /etc/pipewire.conf and then restart the computer:

Code: [Select]

## Properties for the DSP configuration.
    default.clock.rate          = 44100
    default.clock.allowed-rates = [ 44100 48000 88200 96000 192000 ]

Per the pipewire devs this won't do any resampling if the source sample rate matches the one of the allowed rates.  If I set JRiver to use the pipewire sink, my DAC gets set to the correct sample rate for the source material every time.  Pulseaudio used to have a similar function, but then it broke on an update and was never fixed, which is why I switched to pipewire 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just so you know, pipewire can be configured to automatically switch sample rates, and I can confirm that it works (my hardware has an lcd screen showing current sample rate so it's easy for me to test).  All I needed to do was add/replace lines like these to the context.properties block in /etc/pipewire.conf and then restart the computer:

Code: [Select]

## Properties for the DSP configuration.
    default.clock.rate          = 44100
    default.clock.allowed-rates = [ 44100 48000 88200 96000 192000 ]

Per the pipewire devs this won't do any resampling if the source sample rate matches the one of the allowed rates.  If I set JRiver to use the pipewire sink, my DAC gets set to the correct sample rate for the source material every time.  Pulseaudio used to have a similar function, but then it broke on an update and was never fixed, which is why I switched to pipewire 

Hi mwillems, thanks for this bit of info. I'm trying to setup pipewire so I could use MC to output to a virtual loopback and have HangLoose Convolver input that loopback audio.

Do you have any clue how to do this? I've been struggling and close sometimes, then it all comes crashing down :~)

[mwillems]

Hi mwillems, thanks for this bit of info. I'm trying to setup pipewire so I could use MC to output to a virtual loopback and have HangLoose Convolver input that loopback audio.

Do you have any clue how to do this? I've been struggling and close sometimes, then it all comes crashing down :~)

Have you installed a graphical pipewire session manager like qpwgraph or helvum and tried doing the routing that way?  I find the configuration and routing to be a little easier if I can see how the patchbay looks as I'm tinkering.

Past there, I don't know anything about HangLoose Convolver, and it looks like it requires a license so I can't tinker with it/do trial and error on my end.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Have you installed a graphical pipewire session manager like qpwgraph or helvum and tried doing the routing that way?  I find the configuration and routing to be a little easier if I can see how the patchbay looks as I'm tinkering.

Past there, I don't know anything about HangLoose Convolver, and it looks like it requires a license so I can't tinker with it/do trial and error on my end.

Yeah, I spent the last couple days trying to get it working with qpwgraph and via command line. My big issue is that virtual interfaces I create don't show up as interfaces seen by MC, and Pipewire automatically connects to my USB DAC, exclusively locking that interface.

I won't sidetrack this discussion any more :~)

[scttgrd]

I am running Linux Mint on a media server. Have the ipad app and use that as a remote. Windows finally went that one step too far for me so now everything is Linux. Will keep buying that master license as long as you offer it. Almost 20 years now.

[antenna]

If I may pop in here, yes, I have a concern about the about the video-rendering ability of MC on Linux-based hardware.  My video needs are minimal, 1080-HD at best.

But then, I also have a concern about how well a Linux distribution will support other aspects of what I need in the MC client residing in the entertainment center.

I fully know, and do understand, that this aspect is not something that MC is charged with supporting.

I only ask because of the knowledge that is here on this forum.

OK, all that said...

The current MC client in my entertainment center is on Windows 10.

When Windows 10 expires, I'd like to move over to a Linux distribution.

Note my experience level, I've been running OpenBSD and FreeBSD servers from the command line for a couple of decades.  I first used Linux in the late 1990's.

Again, that aside...

A couple of my main concerns are:

1) I currently plug an IR receiver into the USB port of the MC client, and my universal remote is able to navigate and control MC (mostly in Theater mode).  Will I  be able to have that same level of functionality in a Linux distribution? (for the record, here's what I use: ( https://flirc.tv/ )  iI not, what is the alternative?

2) I currently use a LogiTech wireless keyboard for the more mundane functions of MC. (wanderings into Options, for example).  Will that wireless keyboard work on Linux?  I don't see any Linux support on the LogiTech website.  Is there an alternative?

So far, my current explorations indicate that the answers to the questions I ask are: no and no.

So, through no fault of JR at all, I may not be able to move to a Linux box as my main MC client.  Only because Linux does not seem to support the devices I need/want to use on the main MC client here.

[bob]

If I may pop in here, yes, I have a concern about the about the video-rendering ability of MC on Linux-based hardware.  My video needs are minimal, 1080-HD at best.

But then, I also have a concern about how well a Linux distribution will support other aspects of what I need in the MC client residing in the entertainment center.

I fully know, and do understand, that this aspect is not something that MC is charged with supporting.

I only ask because of the knowledge that is here on this forum.

OK, all that said...

The current MC client in my entertainment center is on Windows 10.

When Windows 10 expires, I'd like to move over to a Linux distribution.

Note my experience level, I've been running OpenBSD and FreeBSD servers from the command line for a couple of decades.  I first used Linux in the late 1990's.

Again, that aside...

A couple of my main concerns are:

1) I currently plug an IR receiver into the USB port of the MC client, and my universal remote is able to navigate and control MC (mostly in Theater mode).  Will I  be able to have that same level of functionality in a Linux distribution? (for the record, here's what I use: ( https://flirc.tv/ )  iI not, what is the alternative?

2) I currently use a LogiTech wireless keyboard for the more mundane functions of MC. (wanderings into Options, for example).  Will that wireless keyboard work on Linux?  I don't see any Linux support on the LogiTech website.  Is there an alternative?

So far, my current explorations indicate that the answers to the questions I ask are: no and no.

So, through no fault of JR at all, I may not be able to move to a Linux box as my main MC client.  Only because Linux does not seem to support the devices I need/want to use on the main MC client here.

For video, I'd avoid NVidia. In my experience you need to use the proprietary drivers for those to work properly with MC.
1080 should be no big issue on any recent hardware.
I use logitech wireless keyboards with linux all the time. The ones with the universal usb dongle.
The IR remote is likely to be the biggest stumbling block. MC on linux supports the basic remote commands through low level X calls but it appears some desktop managers intercept and don't pass along those codes.
You will likely have more success with one of the phone remotes. JRemote has a nice remote control.

[geier22]

hello mwillems, thanks for the tip, but unfortunately that doesn't work for me.
I created /etc/pipewire.conf (didn't exist).
The following is present in /etc:

Code: [Select]

~# find /etc -name "*pipewire*"
/etc/alsa/conf.d/99-pipewire-default.conf
/etc/alsa/conf.d/50-pipewire.conf
/etc/pipewire.conf
/etc/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants/pipewire.socket
/etc/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants/pipewire-pulse.socket
/etc/systemd/user/pipewire.service.wants
/etc/systemd/user/default.target.wants/pipewire.service
/etc/systemd/user/default.target.wants/pipewire-pulse.service
After a restart, I had these options in MC:
"default [ALSA] Default ALSA Output (Currently Pipewire Media Server)"
or
"pipewire [ALSA]Pipewire Sound Server"
But no matter what I choose:
MC says in the audio path, that the track will be played without conversion (see picture).
But in reality it is played at 48 kHz. No matter what song I select (even 192 kHz)
Both the display on my TEAC and the terminal show 48 kHz.

Terminal with Pipewire:

Code: [Select]

~$ cat /proc/asound/card2/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
access: MMAP_INTERLEAVED
format: S24_3LE
subformat: STD
channels: 2
rate: 48000 (48000/1)
period_size: 512
buffer_size: 32768
The same piece:
terminal with my default setting (hw:Card=Device,DEV=0 TEAC USB AUDIO DEVICE, USB AUDIO Direct hardware device without any conversions):

Code: [Select]

~$ cat /proc/asound/card2/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
access: RW_INTERLEAVED
format: S24_3LE
subformat: STD
channels: 2
rate: 88200 (88200/1)
period_size: 8820
buffer_size: 44100

[switch6343]

I just installed AlmaLinux 9.3, a sibling of RHEL 9.3 and successor of CentOS. I tried the version downloadable from Bryan Roesslers github site https://github.com/cryobry/installjrmc using the unofficial Linux repository (Fedora/CentOS), however to no avail.

I would be pleased to hear if there is a solution for this Linux distro AlmaLinux 9.3, which is an LTS (Long Term Service) version.

[mwillems]

hello mwillems, thanks for the tip, but unfortunately that doesn't work for me.
I created /etc/pipewire.conf (didn't exist).
The following is present in /etc:

Code: [Select]

~# find /etc -name "*pipewire*"
/etc/alsa/conf.d/99-pipewire-default.conf
/etc/alsa/conf.d/50-pipewire.conf
/etc/pipewire.conf
/etc/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants/pipewire.socket
/etc/systemd/user/sockets.target.wants/pipewire-pulse.socket
/etc/systemd/user/pipewire.service.wants
/etc/systemd/user/default.target.wants/pipewire.service
/etc/systemd/user/default.target.wants/pipewire-pulse.service
After a restart, I had these options in MC:
"default [ALSA] Default ALSA Output (Currently Pipewire Media Server)"
or
"pipewire [ALSA]Pipewire Sound Server"
But no matter what I choose:
MC says in the audio path, that the track will be played without conversion (see picture).
But in reality it is played at 48 kHz. No matter what song I select (even 192 kHz)
Both the display on my TEAC and the terminal show 48 kHz.

Terminal with Pipewire:

Code: [Select]

~$ cat /proc/asound/card2/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
access: MMAP_INTERLEAVED
format: S24_3LE
subformat: STD
channels: 2
rate: 48000 (48000/1)
period_size: 512
buffer_size: 32768
The same piece:
terminal with my default setting (hw:Card=Device,DEV=0 TEAC USB AUDIO DEVICE, USB AUDIO Direct hardware device without any conversions):

Code: [Select]

~$ cat /proc/asound/card2/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
access: RW_INTERLEAVED
format: S24_3LE
subformat: STD
channels: 2
rate: 88200 (88200/1)
period_size: 8820
buffer_size: 44100

So you might want to start another thread and post everything you included in your pipewire.conf.  In case it wasn't clear, you can't just drop the lines I included in an empty file and expect it to work you need the rest of the pipewire.conf configuration file.  If you need a default conf file you can copy the default conf from /usr/share/pipewire/pipewire.conf to /etc/pipewire.conf and then tailor the new /etc/pipewire.conf file.  It should already have lines similar to the ones in my post, but with different values so you just need to edit those lines (they're in the context.properties block).

[warchild]

After years of running Debian nearly a year ago I switched to Arch Linux and Gentoo. I prefer Arch Linux by a large margin.
I only use MC for Audio and as I have a few overpriced DAC's I've had few mystifying issues (but when I do get them they're doozies!)
Using either AUR or dpkg I can easily install MC. At times there are some dependency issues (mainly things being in the wrong place) but all the dependencies are in the Video section. I've little interest in that end but in tests the video, while it plays, it can be loaded with artifacts. I've causually searched and feel comfortable that MC is the best tool for playing and cataloging my music collection by a huge margin.

[antenna]

I use logitech wireless keyboards with linux all the time. The ones with the universal usb dongle.
The IR remote is likely to be the biggest stumbling block. MC on linux supports the basic remote commands through low level X calls but it appears some desktop managers intercept and don't pass along those codes.
You will likely have more success with one of the phone remotes. JRemote has a nice remote control.

Thanks for the comment about the LogiTech wireless keyboards.  I will need to dig deeper in that area.

But, yeah, the IR remote, more specifically, the IR universal remote, that I use seems to be a big issue.

I do understand that JR provides a phone remote, but that's not how I enjoy media here.  Indeed, my fondleslab is a distant memory whilst I enjoy my media.

And I also say, quite strongly, that the lack of IR universal remote support is not an issue that JR needs to solve.

I will now turn my queries towards the current providers of said capabilities in the Windows environment, and gently ask why they do not support Debian Linux distributions.

Wish me luck.

 

 
(fwiw, the IR remote software I currently use on Windows 10 is flirc.: https://flirc.tv/ )

 

[mwillems]

Thanks for the comment about the LogiTech wireless keyboards.  I will need to dig deeper in that area.

But, yeah, the IR remote, more specifically, the IR universal remote, that I use seems to be a big issue.

I do understand that JR provides a phone remote, but that's not how I enjoy media here.  Indeed, my fondleslab is a distant memory whilst I enjoy my media.

And I also say, quite strongly, that the lack of IR universal remote support is not an issue that JR needs to solve.

I will now turn my queries towards the current providers of said capabilities in the Windows environment, and gently ask why they do not support Debian Linux distributions.

Wish me luck.

 

 
(fwiw, the IR remote software I currently use on Windows 10 is flirc.: https://flirc.tv/ )

So just to be clear, if you run on Debian Linux with a lightweight desktop environment like XFCE, there's a good chance that your remote might work perfectly.  Many IR remotes already have hardware support in Linux.

The main issue is with desktop environments like Gnome or KDE that consume media key presses.  Programs that want to see those presses have to get them from the desktop environment via the MPRIS API.  For now at least JRiver is looking to see the actual keypresses rather than interacting with the MPRIS API, so the remote codes never get to MC in those desktop environments. 

But if you don't mind avoiding Gnome or KDE and using something like XFCE, your remote might just work out of the box (mine does with XFCE).

[drmimosa]

I landed in an environment very similar to the one mwillems describes above, and use MC for Music and Video (1080p playback on a TV via Theater View).

I use an Ubunutu spin (Lubuntu I think) and installed a minimal XFCE desktop environment on top of the LXQT default. I was using LXQT because openbox has such easy keyboard shortcuts and I wanted to make a lot of custom commands, but I discovered that some of the On Screen Display stuff wasn't working properly in Video playback, so I switched to XFCE. Turns out keyboard shortcuts work just as well in XFCE.

1) I currently plug an IR receiver into the USB port of the MC client, and my universal remote is able to navigate and control MC (mostly in Theater mode).  Will I  be able to have that same level of functionality in a Linux distribution? (for the record, here's what I use: ( https://flirc.tv/ )  iI not, what is the alternative?

I have a Flirc USB receiver, it works flawlessly. I remember some challenges at some point installing the Flirc software, but can't remember what they were. If you have any trouble let me know, I'll use my system to help troubleshoot.

The nice thing about using Flirc is that you can point any command from any IR remote to any keyboard shortcut. The flirc is recognized as a usb keyboard in linux, so you can launch scripts and stuff if you want to get really fancy. But a simple setup of arrow keys and enter will work with Theater View really well.

[Jason-V]

XFCE Garuda Linux (Arch Based)

MC 32 Linux - Use it for all my Music ripped from all my CD's over the years.
                     - Use it for Movies ripped with MakeMkV

MC seems to randomly close here and there for me while using it, I'm running Arch based distro so might be why.

Jason V

[mx4789]

I have to say that the variations people have posted are much more varied that I thought they'd be. I was really expecting to get 5 "super user" responses (versions I've never heard of, doing things ordinary people don't do) and about 10 Mint/Ubuntu responses.  This thread has been interesting so far.

In addition, I'm using this remote (see pic, I don't remember the brand but it's on Amazon) and as far as I can remember it was plug & play for the most part. Meaning, I didn't have to fiddle with it, just plug in the USB IR. The downside is that only the middle section works, which is good enough.  The big gray circular button is the mouse pad with right-left buttons on either side. The up, down, right, left arrows work as well as the OK button.  The "back" button also works.  The stop, play, rec, etc. buttons do not.  Since I use Theaterview exclusively I never really have any need to use any of the other functions or buttons (like the numbers), even on Windows.  The mouse is functional, but slow and clunky for navigating but it's ok for stopping playback of a recorded show, etc.

[Kenny Dave]

Mint, music only for now.

[David Sydney]

I am using latest version of Manjaro Linux with Plasma desktop with latest MC since version ~22 I think. I also use Windows version since Manjaro is running several Windows versions & MacOS VM guests I have setup with KVM/QEMU.
.
I use Audio (~55,000 tracks) that about 50% lossless now - slowly replacing the mp3/m4a files. I use Photos, TV, Streaming, DLNA (network) functions. Not really movies/video. I have a generic Windows Remote/RC6 receiver that you can get on ebay that gives basic navigation/volume incl. the Green orb to start Theatre view.

Apparently there is a compatability issues b/w Plasma/X-term used in MC or something (off top of head) but the net effct is typiing in a search term hides the previous search items behind the main window (Only see the right most edge of drop down) which is a little annoying and requires double entry often of the search text.

[Awesome Donkey]

Just did a clean install of newly released Ubuntu 24.04 LTS on my new PC, works great. Was going to check Bazzite (based on Fedora 40) out too, but honestly I might just stay as-is with Ubuntu.

[David Sydney]

Somwehat related tho this topic for some perhaps... in Linux if you find Quickemu package & Quickgui the front end - you can try before you buy many different OS versions inc MacOS by auto building VMs with just a couple of clicks. I am trying out Mint lately...

[antenna]

Currently, I'm running MC on...

PRETTY_NAME="LMDE 6 (faye)"
NAME="LMDE"
VERSION_ID="6"
VERSION="6 (faye)"
VERSION_CODENAME=faye
ID=linuxmint
HOME_URL="https://www.linuxmint.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://forums.linuxmint.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://linuxmint-troubleshooting-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.linuxmint.com/"
ID_LIKE=debian
DEBIAN_CODENAME=bookworm
 
 
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:   Linuxmint
Description:   LMDE 6 (faye)
Release:   6
Codename:   faye

I use this install on my laptop mostly for queries to the MC database residing on the MC server (a Windows desktop).

I am using this install of MC on Linux to get a feel of how it works because I may be replacing the Windows PC in my entertainment center with a Linux PC due to the ridiculously onerous Windows 11 hardware requirements.

One question I do have...

I've no qualms abut running plain ole Debian on that entertainment center PC.  But Debian supports many window managers.  Is one preferred over the other?  My requirements are that that PC runs MC well.  No other needs for that PC.

Is there a recommended or preferred windows manager under Debian?


 



 

[bob]

Currently, I'm running MC on...
I use this install on my laptop mostly for queries to the MC database residing on the MC server (a Windows desktop).

I am using this install of MC on Linux to get a feel of how it works because I may be replacing the Windows PC in my entertainment center with a Linux PC due to the ridiculously onerous Windows 11 hardware requirements.

One question I do have...

I've no qualms abut running plain ole Debian on that entertainment center PC.  But Debian supports many window managers.  Is one preferred over the other?  My requirements are that that PC runs MC well.  No other needs for that PC.

Is there a recommended or preferred windows manager under Debian?

I develop on XFCE. IMHO it's the least complicated but still competent.