Stand Alone Digital Media Player Help

acresm22 · « **Reply #20 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 06:16 pm »

Quote from: srb on 28 Sep 2011, 05:14 pm

As it doesn't have a display, how would you choose songs or playlists without either a TV on or an iPone/iPod/iPad?

Steve

Yes, I'll be using a 13" LCD TV as the display.

skunark · « **Reply #21 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 08:35 pm »

Another option i suppose would be an iPod Touch or an iPad using a dock like the Wadia 171i Transport (dock) which will provide a digital output. You would have all your internet radio stations plus services like mog, spotify, pandora, along with 32 or 64 GB of music and WiFi.

You can even download the McIntosh Media player for their famous meters.. it's a little buggy and cheesy though..

I will say with a large library you will want a remote that provides the ability provide index and search features. I would say you at least would want an iPod Touch or similar device to control it.

Perhaps another option is Sooloos, but very pricey and a bit proprietary on backups.

srb · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 08:58 pm »

Quote from: skunark on 28 Sep 2011, 08:35 pm

Another option i suppose would be an iPod Touch or an iPad using a dock like the Wadia 171i Transport (dock) which will provide a digital output. You would have all your internet radio stations plus services like mog, spotify, pandora, along with 32 or 64 GB of music and WiFi.

In reply #8 Davey said that 160GB was not enough.

Steve

skunark · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 09:41 pm »

Quote from: srb on 28 Sep 2011, 08:58 pm

In reply #8 Davey said that 160GB was not enough.

Steve

Soon you will have the cloud

..

srb · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 10:20 pm »

Quote from: skunark on 28 Sep 2011, 09:41 pm

Soon you will have the cloud ..

Yes, The Times They Are A-Changin'.

Steve

briang · « **Reply #25 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 11:46 pm »

Quote from: lcrim on 27 Sep 2011, 09:08 pm

There are normally several laptops and another laptop being used as a music server running 24/7, in my condo along w/ other networked devices and none cause the issues you describe.
No, there's something else at work.
I'm not trolling for an argument just trying to figure out why so many object to leaving a computer running.

I am definitely off topic though.
Larry

I might be able to offer another view. I sell software for a living and have spent the last 20 years of my working life in front of a computer. I also use the computer for things like this board, to pay bills, gather news...etc When it is time to relax, I want to be as far away as possible from anything that even smells like a computer (even if it is in disguise).

audioseduction · « **Reply #26 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 12:02 am »

Quote from: lcrim on 28 Sep 2011, 06:02 pm

There is no noise in the listening environment from the laptops, laptops are very quiet. The music server is in a combined bathroom/laundry along with the HDD’s that contain the music as well as a printer(all annoying noise has been isolated.) Yes, the music server is running 24/7.

Both of my systems have a SqueezeBox Touch running, the music files are stored elsewhere as I stated. The continued tendency to think that sound sources must be in the “rack” is somewhat short sighted.
Both my TVs are connected to the internet to get Netflix online as well as directv. I don’t care for internet radio though I can receive it, its way too compressed and the bit rates are too low for anything like quality sound. I could as easily run one of the Alix devices instead of the Touches, because I have my digital music saved and backed up for years now in flac format.
All entertainment and sports either are or will be delivered online and a decent understanding of home networking has become essential, at least to me. All home appliances and HVAC can be controlled right now, remotely, over the internet. Embrace the technology.
Sorry for the rant.
Larry

Larry, so far I just setup a music server using my Toshiba laptop and a Exteranl DAC "HRT Music Streamer II " connect via USB. Laptop makes ZEREO noise and it sounds very good so far!

Toshiba Laptop/Vista OS
Player is foobar2000
External DAC is the HRT Music Streamer II USB
MOTOROLA XOOM Android Tablet
Realvnc server on laptop and client on the tablet
A pair of Vampire RCA I had laying around for years.

HAL · « **Reply #27 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 12:58 am »

There are dedicated Windows PC Music Servers that are very small, quiet and have internal and external hard drives. These are the 2.5" variety drives, so small and very quiet. The main unit draws 24 watts of power, so leaving it on is easy to do. I built them for friends at this point with 500GB to 1TB external 2.5" drives tied via eSATA. Drive is about 2.5 watts of power. Size is about 5" d x 8"w x 2"h for the PC. The internal boot drive is a 64GB SSD and silent.

No need for a keyboard, just mouse and display. I use my Droid X2 phone as a remote via WiFi.

catastrofe · « **Reply #28 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 02:50 am »

Check out the Sonore servers at Sonore.us.

lcrim · « **Reply #29 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 03:48 am »

One can spend a tidy sum on putting together a quiet, compact music server that lives in the "rack." To contain costs and still provide quality playback, I made the choice, years ago, to put the networked storage remote and have the player only in the "rack."
There are any number of methods that conform to this model. The Squeezebox, the Sonos, Linn ( at a stratospheric price level), the Alix devices that occupy a long and terrific thread in this Circle are further examples.
My personal recommendation would be a couple of terabyte HDD's (one active, one backup) attached via USB to an atom based net book running Win7 and SqueezeBox Server in a closet or some such connected via a hardwired ethernet network to the player. The price of DACs is in free fall and the results both in terms of quality and convenience made CD players, obsolete years ago.
Larry

DaveyW · « **Reply #30 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 06:28 pm »

OK YOU GUYS CONVINCED ME

Am experimenting with a basic streaming approach before I commit to a potenital purchase I may regret

After a little more research I've loaded Zumocast onto my Iphone and PC.
It's still in the process of synching so a little clunky, but it's giving me a flavour of what streaming can deliver.

Certainly passable for back ground music through the Iphone and it's pretty convenient.

Lets see where this leads?

Thanks to all for your advice - Much appreciated.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #31 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 07:34 pm »

I'm with lcrim on this one.

For over 6 years now I have exclusively run PC based music in my big rig.

PC lives in a cabinet (with TB of FLAC via usb) at the other end of the basement, and ethernet runs to the Bolder modded SB3 at the listening end.

This past month I picked up a cheap Mac mini (way smaller than my small form factor PC) and will use that as the music center going forward.

charmerci · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 07:41 pm »

Since you have your music on an external HDD, it seems the cheapest and simplest way would be to get an Atom based notebook and then hook up the USB digital out to your DAC.

skunark · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 08:37 pm »

Quote from: DaveyW on 29 Sep 2011, 06:28 pm

OK YOU GUYS CONVINCED ME

Am experimenting with a basic streaming approach before I commit to a potenital purchase I may regret

After a little more research I've loaded Zumocast onto my Iphone and PC.
It's still in the process of synching so a little clunky, but it's giving me a flavour of what streaming can deliver.

Certainly passable for back ground music through the Iphone and it's pretty convenient.

Lets see where this leads?

Thanks to all for your advice - Much appreciated.

If you are going to stream then, consider the ATV GEN2 for $99, it does work without a monitor and has an optical output. You can stream all the content from your PC either wirelessly or wired, plus there's a healthy collection of internet radio stations. Also check out sonos and squeezebox solutions, they will be a little more but I think they offer more streaming services and all can be controlled via your iPhone.

Since you have an iPhone, I would seriously reconsider the Bryston BDP or the AURALITI PK100 as they both are essentially a PC with the focus on playing back the audio. Remember with just the addition of USB HDD, you now have a NAS if you can provide a wired Ethernet connection.

WC · « **Reply #34 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 09:15 pm »

With an apple TV you could control itunes with the remote app on the iPhone. iTunes is free on a PC.

Many different options.

DaveyW · « **Reply #35 on:** 30 Sep 2011, 10:13 pm »

Quote from: WC on 29 Sep 2011, 09:15 pm

Many different options.

I think that's the problem I was having

Quick update.

I had to go out last night (well dragged out to the local for a couple of scoops by a mate

).
After about another hour tonight the Iphone finally completed the track list sync with the PC - all is now working perfectly

So I am currently sitting in front of my main rig on the lap top typing this, listening to Jeff Beck's Truth being streamed via Zumocast

Also tried using the main PC while the music was playing and it doesn't appear to have slowed it down too much at all (I was a little concerned about this).

Will be interesting to see how this affects my home listening pattern, which is currently 90% vinyl - Digital media listening, to date, mostly confined to the motor.
If I find myself spending a reasonable amount of my music playing time this way, I'll probably invest in a Squeezebox.

Thanks again all. I know it's probably not a method anyone would actually recommend on this forum, but it works OK for me (as most of my digital music is 192kbps MP3's) and I'd never have got here without considering the responses to my original post.

Cheers

Dave

chip · « **Reply #36 on:** 30 Sep 2011, 11:23 pm »

Not to throw you off even more but have you thought about Vortexbox - http://vortexbox.org/

I use this with my squeezebox and really like it.

DaveyW · « **Reply #37 on:** 1 Oct 2011, 11:02 am »

Quote from: chip on 30 Sep 2011, 11:23 pm

Not to throw you off even more but have you thought about Vortexbox - http://vortexbox.org/

I use this with my squeezebox and really like it.

Thanks Chip,
Do you know what advantages this would offer over plugging my external HDD into the Squeezebox via the USB?

chip · « **Reply #38 on:** 1 Oct 2011, 02:02 pm »

For me it can rip cds/dvds/blu rays. I can stream video files from it as well not just music. It runs the squeezebox software that I can control from my Nook with an app.

lcrim · « **Reply #39 on:** 1 Oct 2011, 02:26 pm »

Quote from: chip on 1 Oct 2011, 02:02 pm

For me it can rip cds/dvds/blu rays. I can stream video files from it as well not just music. It runs the squeezebox software that I can control from my Nook with an app.

Vortexbox is a software program and a hardware device. The software is freeware the hardware is not.
It can automate CD ripping and indexing and does have an instance of SqueezeBox Server running. Support for DVD ripping and Bluray ripping is experimental and DVD ripping would require a DVD drive to be added as well as the ripping software. The same would be true of Bluray capture, a BD drive and the software would have to be added.
The VortexBox is, first and foremost, a storage device, a NAS but with some additional features including its own sound playback program. It runs a linux OS and some knowledge of linux would be very helpful. There is online support. More info available here http://vortexbox.org/
Larry