[Srajan Ebaen]

Thanks for those replies, Neal.

You said "The Music Vault does not require an ethernet connection for playback from its hard drive, it only requires the connection to rip CDs because it must go out on the internet to access Freedb which is the same database EAC uses to get the CDs Meta Data."

I understand the need for an Internet connection to rip and ID CDs but why does this require a hard-wired connection and why it can't happen wirelessly? Are you saying that if I have a wireless router and want to locate the Vault outside the music room because of the fan noise, I must run an Ethernet cable for the ripping process? I guess the fact that the Vault can communicate wirelessly with the Slim products but apparently not with the Internet access router confuses this non-PC savvy dude 

I'm just trying to understand the practical ramifications in actual use...

[kbuzz3]

here is another question. One which i hope does not sound inane.  Many of us use a cable router to a wireless router.  In my case both routers have only one ethernet jack.  How would a vault hook up in this situation

[BradJudy]

I understand the need for an Internet connection to rip and ID CDs but why does this require a hard-wired connection and why it can't happen wirelessly?

It sounds like the built-in MusicVault wireless is configured either like an access point or peer-to-peer, so it can't talk to your home wireless.  In short, the wireless is configured to have SB's talk to it, not for the MusicVault to talk to the internet. 

[Sound Science]

Hi Brad,

We can implement a Wep key for you before shipping it out.  This will require you to use it to talk to the Logitech player which is still a very easy procedure.

I would like to get some replys from all who are reading these posts, there is no cost to implement the wep key to you or us.

Please let me know how many of you see this as a desireable feature.

[Sound Science]

Hi Srajan,

The Music Vault is really intended to be a Network Adressable Storage device with the extras of letting you automatically rip your cds and talk to the Logitech family of servers.  To get on a wireless network means you need a keyboard, Mouse and monitor and then configure the Music Vault to talk to your Router.

Again if your goal is a quiet rip, you can do it from your quiet PC and set the destination folder to be the Music Vault.

Another solution would be to get a network specialist to set up a second router for you that the Music Vault would plug into.

I don't mean to be elusive on this but it makes everything much more complicated for a simple system and it stops being simple.

[BradJudy]

We can implement a Wep key for you before shipping it out.  This will require you to use it to talk to the Logitech player which is still a very easy procedure.

Is WPA a possibility?  WEP is considered the level of security to keep out people who know little about computers.  It's considered marginally better than no security for those who know much about wireless. 

[BradJudy]

The Music Vault is really intended to be a Network Adressable Storage device with the extras of letting you automatically rip your cds and talk to the Logitech family of servers. 

Since there are NAS options that can talk to Squeezeboxes, the MediaVault only adds the ability to rip locally.  As you mentioned, one can easily rip from a computer with a NAS as the target, so the product is directly competing with the likes of the ReadyNAS.  The ReadyNAS is a bit more expensive and can't directly rip CDs, but has a variety of other capabilities like expansion, RAID, compatibility with uPNP AV devices, backup software, etc. 

In short, from my perspective it isn't a motivating product. 

[Sound Science]

The Music Vault is not designed for DIY Computer folks or people who have a great deal of computer expertise.

For the average SqueezeBox or Transporter Customer that wants instant ignition and doesn't have your facility with computers the Music Vault presents a superb value at a great price.

[Srajan Ebaen]

"I don't mean to be elusive but..."

As you know, your product will feature in an upcoming review and I want to accurately describe what the Vault can and cannot do. Hence my questions and hope for non-elusive answers.

Just for example, Alan Kafton forwarded this link to a competing device for $500: http://www.drobo.com/products_drobo_specifications.aspx

[kbuzz3]

Sarjan

i took a quick look at the drobo this am.  I am a cpu novice but it may be an "apples to oranges" comparison. If i am not mistaken, the music vault seems to be a plug in play with the squeeze box.  You would not need a cpu to operate you music player.

In contrast, the drobo seems to be a auto back up storage type device. This may mean, you will still need another box/cpu to rip cds-along with the usual software issues of EAC>Flac etc.  Secondly, as such i think you will need a cpu to operate it. Finally, it appears you may also need to add the drobo wireless network unit unless you are using a desktop to attach it wirelessly.

This is not to criticize one unit or another. Just a novice cpu user trying to figure it all out....

Anyway, if sound science does post further, please let us know how the vault is ethernet connected when one has a cable modem>wireless router for their network. Particularly when i believe that most cable modems only have one ethernet out-which goes to the wireless router.  In my case an apple extreme which also only has one ethernet input.

anayway. im real glad this thread has become active and glad the audiophile has options....My two cents using cpu >I tunes and a usb dac for a few months in my 2nd system is that there is something holistically different in music from the cpu as opposed to a physical transport. I have neither the verbal or engineering skills to explain it. I do however believe the cpu music sounds less digital and that is a step forward not backward. 

[sts9fan]

I looked at the Drobo the last time I was upgrading my storage.  The price is just not right.  The $500 gets you zero storage.  You can by a bare bones pc for $300 and ad a TB for $200.  I know we pay high prices in this hobby but you need to still be reasonable.  The Drobo is only storage so you still need a pc. The only advantage is that the drives are hot swappable but how often do you plan to do that?  The Drobo does very little that a pc alone can't do.  All of these music severs do very little that a pc cannot do.     

[BradJudy]

The Music Vault is not designed for DIY Computer folks or people who have a great deal of computer expertise.

For the average SqueezeBox or Transporter Customer that wants instant ignition and doesn't have your facility with computers the Music Vault presents a superb value at a great price.

The ReadyNAS isn't a DIY computer thing - it's out-of-the-box appliance with SlimServer built in. 

The MusicVault does allow for ripping without a computer, although homes that have $1k to drop on a music server are unlikely to not already have at least one computer. 

I'm sure you'll find some customers, but it's not for me.  I'll leave this thread to others who might be more interested.

[Sound Science]

Hi,
I'm a novice at the Audio Circle and couldn't figure out how to reply to your earlier post, I'm glad this opportunity arrose.

In the case of no free ports in the storm or your cable or DSL modem the answer is an inexpensive ethernet switch.

I picked up a D-Link DES 1105 at Home Office for $19 with aa $10 mail in rebate that I never got around to mailing in.

Essentially a switch adds ethernet ports without requiring software intervention.

You would take the output of your router into a port on the back of the switch, depending on the size of the switch you would now have 3 or more free ports to plug other things into like a shiny new Music Vault.

Take a peak here, http://www.dlink.com/products/category.asp?cid=5&sec=0
Many companies make these.

Regards,

Neal Van Berg
Owner Sound Science.