PMS on Ubuntu Server 9.10 64bit

[mjohns930]

I know there are other Ubuntu 9.10 threads and I was going to add my thoughts to those but I figured my approach is different enough to warrant a new thread. As a basis, I don't like compiling software from source. Yes you can get the latest and best, but I like automatic updates. So I use the software from the repos. I have had no problems streaming and transcoding pretty much anything I have tried to include 1080p mkv's. I have done this on varying hardware but the two main ones I have used are an Intel Atom 330/GMA950 dual core motherboard with 2gb ram and an AMD Athlon II x2 250 machine with 4gb ram. Both machines were able to handle anything. I have used this method on several installs of 9.10 server 64 and also 9.04 server 64.

I did all this SSHed in from my Ubuntu laptop so when I download the PMS file from the web I am downloading it to the laptop and then copying it to the server. I am going to assume you know how to SSH and get files between the two computers.

Starting with a fresh install here are the steps I followed to get my desired result:

First install mplayer, mencoder, ffmpeg and java

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$ sudo apt-get install mplayer mencoder ffmpeg sun-java6-jre

Next get the PMS file from here http://ps3mediaserver.googlecode.com/fi ... 1.10.5.tgz

Extract that and copy it over SSH to your server. I chose to put it in my home folder so there is no need to sudo to run it.

Start by making PMS.sh executable.

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$ cd /path/to/PMS.sh
$ chmod +x PMS.sh

Then do the same for tsmuxer

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$ cd /path/to/tsmuxer/in/pmsfolder
$ chmod +x tsmuxer

Now edit the PMS.conf file to add these options. I have found this to be all I need. Here is what mine looks like:

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$ cd /path/to/PMS.sh
$ nano PMS.conf

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thumbnails = true
mencoder_ass = true
hidevideosettings = true
hide_extensions = true
hide_enginenames = true
audiochannels = 2
folders = \/path\/to\/videos,\/path\/to\/pictures,\/path\/to\/music

Next save it and just for good measure I reboot. Its probably not needed but I do it anyways.

Now once your machine has rebooted cd to the directory PMS.sh is in and then run it.

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$ cd /path/to/PMS.sh
$ ./PMS.sh

It should give you a whole bunch of stuff in the terminal window and then should show up on the PS3 XMB. Now stop it by hitting ctrl c.

Next we will make it run on boot. I have tried the init.d script floating around here but I can't get it to work at all for me. So I wrote this little one that is not exactly proper but it works. It doesn't give any start or stop options but for me it works right now. If I ever get the one on here to work I will post what I needed to do.

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$ cd /etc/init.d
$ sudo nano startpms

Paste this in there changing the path to PMS.sh to wherever it is on your system.

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#!/bin/bash
cd /path/to/PMS.sh
nohup ./PMS.sh &
exit

Save the file and make it executable.

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$ sudo chmod +x startpms

Then make it run on boot.

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$ sudo update-rc.d startpms defaults

Now restart your server and then watch it appear on the XMB with no help from you.

If this does not help I am sorry I have wasted your time. I am no linux guru but I spent lots of time trying to get this to work and this was the outcome to make it work for me. I have pieced this all together from memory and guides on the internet. If I am using some info and you posted it elsewhere, then credit goes to you, I am not trying to steal, simply trying to make this easier for some.

Thanks for taking the time to read and possibly try my method.

[undead1512]

mjohns930, a big thanks for your post.
For linux-dummies like me your installation method was just the thing that I was looking for. Quick and simple, and the most important thing.. It works !