[firedog]

See: http://www.pacificvalve.us/PVMedia.html

I read the page and watched the videos. Essentially, they are selling a media streamer that is a simple computer optimized for media. However, they basically come out and say that PC's, Hard Drives, USB, and wireless can't give low jitter results. I think it is deceptive salesmanship.

Note: I wrote the company and noted that there were audiophile solutions on the market using HD, USB, and wireless. Their response:

"Unless you are running Linux or some other Unix kernel, it would be very hard to optimize a MAC/PC solution as a music streamer.  The socket I/O, that would be needed to make a reasonable uninterpretable stream, just cannot be modified / changed (or buffer cache optimized for those PCs) . PC /MACs are really block i/o devices.

USB, unless you optimize the kernel and write your own driver, is hopelessly inadequate for a variety of reasons. It cannot give high end results.  Even the Absolute Sound in its latest issue supports this. "

Comments?

[audioengr]

See: http://www.pacificvalve.us/PVMedia.html

I read the page and watched the videos. Essentially, they are selling a media streamer that is a simple computer optimized for media. However, they basically come out and say that PC's, Hard Drives, USB, and wireless can't give low jitter results. I think it is deceptive salesmanship.

Note: I wrote the company and noted that there were audiophile solutions on the market using HD, USB, and wireless. Their response:

"Unless you are running Linux or some other Unix kernel, it would be very hard to optimize a MAC/PC solution as a music streamer.  The socket I/O, that would be needed to make a reasonable uninterpretable stream, just cannot be modified / changed (or buffer cache optimized for those PCs) . PC /MACs are really block i/o devices.

USB, unless you optimize the kernel and write your own driver, is hopelessly inadequate for a variety of reasons. It cannot give high end results.  Even the Absolute Sound in its latest issue supports this. "

Comments?

Seems to me that Soundblade and Amarra have done it.

Steve N.

[KingStyles]

Is there anything like soundblade or amarra for pc?

[audioengr]

Is there anything like soundblade or amarra for pc?

Good question.

I think the right player software with WASAPI on Vista might come very close, particularly with 24-bit data files.  Maybe XXhighend or Cplay?

I have not had time to experiment with this yet.

Steve N.