Gaming So i have finaly

[CrimzonEyed]

Decided to partition my HD and install a Linux distribution. (and after a while maybe delete the windows partition) Problem is I can't decide on what distribution I should install. I have used Linux quite a lot before since we had Linux class in school for four months, but we only used Ubuntu and Debian. So I do know how to use the terminal and all that stuff (for the most part) and it felt nice to use when I used it in class. So I'm asking you Linux users what distributions you use and why?

Also I watch a lot of fan subbed anime, and most of you probably know about a codec hell with windows to get the subs showing, to be able to hear the sound, rendering problems and so on.

How will it be on Linux? Does it need all that codec stuff like windows does or any special players?

Also, what apps you think is "must have apps".

Thanks in advance!

/cast Vanish

 

[Scorpei]

offtopic: make a proper topic

aside from that: good for you. Personally use linux mint for my server, opensuse for my laptop and PC linux OS for the box in the kitchen. Also played around with legacy-OS a bit for super old hardware next to geexbox (but that latter is purely for mp3 playback in the shower

).

 

[Pyrmon]

Since you are familiar with Ubuntu, I would suggest you work with that. Otherwise, Gentoo and ArchLinux are very nice distros, but you need to get a lot of work done to install them. The upside is that you have complete control of what's on your machine.

 

[Rydian]

If you wait a bit the new editions of Ubuntu will be out at the end of the month.

No codec hell if you just use VLC (assuming the anime wasn't encoded by somebody that had no fucking clue what they were doing).

 

[KDH]

I like ArchLinux and Slackware. Arch for the bleeding edge software on my desktop machine, Slackware for stability on my home server, and so I don't have to waste time updating my laptops every time I turn them on. And neither distro applies needless patches to the software they offer.

As for soft-subbed anime, it shouldn't be a problem for MPlayer (or MPlayer2), and by extension MPlayer GUIs, on any distro. You might have to install libass to get Advanced Substation Alpha subs to show up/use the embedded font (depending on how they built MPlayer for your distro) but that's about it. MPlayer can play pretty much anything that isn't encumbered by DRM. Though if you do end up going with Debian you'll need to use the debian-multimedia.org repository, because the MPlayer packages in the official repo are compiled without support for closed codecs (mp3, wmv, ac3, etc.).

 

[twiztidsinz]

If you wait a bit the new editions of Ubuntu will be out at the end of the month.

No codec hell if you just use VLC (assuming the anime wasn't encoded by somebody that had no fucking clue what they were doing).

http://blog.bakabt.com/2010/07/16/vlc-is-a-piece-of-crap/

And for those who don't want to read the blog:
[youtube]IHhUcabwkuw[/youtube]

 

[Scorpei]

Although agreed in part, it's a choice. Mplayer HC pushes a lot of codecs too nowadays but works perfectly fine. VLC works fine for people who have that intended use. A boombox works fine for people, whereas I am an audiophile and have studio monitors as I can't stand the sound of music over crappy speakers.

 

[Rydian]

Well then, suggest an alternative.

 

[twiztidsinz]

Well then, suggest an alternative.

Windows + CCCP + ZoomPlayer
It's one of the major things that keeps me on Windows.


Barring that, Mplayer and I think KMPlayer?
I actually came across another player called Daum Potplayer in a blog article I read that was based off KMPplayer, but it lacks decent subtitle support much like VLC.

I thought KMPlayer was for Linux or KDE.