[gkinberg]

I’m not sure if this is in the right place but here goes. My thread deals with getting my computer audio up and running. Currently, I have music on my computer and use J. River media center to play the music. My computer usually sits on the coffee table that is between my listening position (couch) and my audio equipment console. I open J. river then use my sony playstation3 to access my music on my computer wirelessly. However, I get dropout frequently. The music stops for a moment, then resumes a second later or so, anoying. Sometimes I use my Maudio to play directly from my computer using a usb cable to go from the computer to the Maudio then RCA from Maudio to Receiver. However that entails rca cables running along the floor which is not a good long term solution.

I have considered getting a squeezbox touch but I don't know exactly how they work or how it would get the music off of my computer without a cable or wire running along the floor. My goal is to use my computer/digital files as my primary listening method and to be able to control my music and listening from my couch. I don't mind spending a bit of green if it can get me good audio quality.

Currently I play CD's from my PS3 via blue jean HDMI cable to my Onkyo 3007 receiver to Mcintosh MC7106 via Morrow MA1.1 interconnects to Salk Sontowers via Morrow Sp1 speaker cables. I was going to get a preamp but then realized that the PS3 doesn't have analog outs. so I think it makes sense to get some sort of DAc such as a sqeezebox touch before a pre.

Help and advice will be appreciated. Thanks, Garth

[wilsynet]

Get a wireless access point, a Wifi dongle for your computer, and a Squeezebox Touch and you're in business.

[gkinberg]

Thanks for the quick response. I have a wireless router and my laptop acepts a wireless signal. I'm not sure what you mean by an access point and not sure why I would need a dongle if my laptop has wirless. Could you please explain in a little more detail.

Thanks, garth

[Tyson]

I disagree with wilsynet - I have tried to stream music wirelessly and I always get dropouts.  I suspect it is network interference from my neighbors. 

My solution was to build a CAPS v2 computer audio server and connect it directly to external hard drives which contain my music files.  I also connect it directly to my USB-SPDIF converter, and that goes to my DAC and the rest of my system.  I use TeamViewer to control the CAPS v2 server remotely.  This works great - my music is not wireless, so I never get drop outs, but TeamView allows me to control the CAPS server from any of my other devices, such as my laptop or my iPad.

Also, sound quality is substantially better with CAPS v2 than I could ever get using my laptop or any other (non-dedicated) devices.  I highly recommend building one.

[Vincent Kars]

Dropouts can be because the PC is high on latency or because of the Wi-Fi.
PC can be tested using a tool like http://www.thesycon.com/deu/latency_check.shtml

Replace the Wi-FI connection by  a CAT5 cable to test if the Wi-Fi is the problem.

[gkinberg]

Dropouts can be because the PC is high on latency or because of the Wi-Fi.
PC can be tested using a tool like http://www.thesycon.com/deu/latency_check.shtml

Replace the Wi-FI connection by  a CAT5 cable to test if the Wi-Fi is the problem.

Vincent, Thanks for the suggestion. Latency checker showed an average latency of around 110 us with a maximum of 622 us. I am 99% sure that it is wifi as I don't get drops when playing music directly on the computer or when I am play computer audio through my system through RCA cables. Only drops when when play music wirelessly.

Thanks, Garth

[gkinberg]

My solution was to build a CAPS v2 computer audio server and connect it directly to external hard drives which contain my music files.  I also connect it directly to my USB-SPDIF converter, and that goes to my DAC and the rest of my system.  I use TeamViewer to control the CAPS v2 server remotely.  This works great - my music is not wireless, so I never get drop outs, but TeamView allows me to control the CAPS server from any of my other devices, such as my laptop or my iPad.

Ok, now I think we are getting somewhere. I have my computer backed up on an external hard drive. I like the idea of connecting this hard drive to a music server. I am not familar with the specific hardware and software that you mentioned Tyson but I think I get the gist. Apparently, the CAPS v2 server accepts a wireless signal and that is how you are able to control it remotely? Also, while I'd like to build myself a server, I think that is not going to happen. I am not handy in that sense and would probably end up inadvertenly destroying it

Does the CAPS, or other servers typically have a DAC or does it output a digital signal? Are there other servers out there that people recommend that are already built? Also, could I use this same sceanario using a SB Touch and attach my hardrive to it?

Thanks, Garth

[charmerci]

Since your receiver already has a USB digital input. How about just getting a small notebook, connecting the external HD with JRiver and plug it right in to the receiver?

[Tyson]

Sure, you can run your SB Touch in wired mode instead of wireless.  That would certainly be the easiest and simplest solution!  That's what the Cat5 plug on the back is for (the one that looks like an oversized phone jack).  Just plug your computer to the SB Touch using a CAT5 cable and you are set.  I do think you have to tell the SB Touch to use the wired signal though, but I forgot the details of doing that. 

If you want to give the CAPS a try, there's a guy on this board called JDUBS that builds CAPS servers - that's where I got mine.  He might be able to help if you want to go that route.  But you will need a DAC capable of accepting a USB digital signal.  Or a USB-SPDIF converter if you have a DAC that only accepts RCA input and not USB input.  I like the CAPS because it sounds great, it's quiet because it has no fan, and it's small so I can just stick it in the back of my rack, out of sight.

Or, you could get a Mac Mini and use it as a server too.  Nice thing is that you don't have to worry about putting anything together or downloading operating systems, and it sounds quite good as well.  Puts out both USB and optical digital too.  Easy to control remotely with an ipad if you have one of those.  And it looks cool too, so you can display it a bit more

[mcgsxr]

I bought a used Mac Mini ($200), and a USB-SPDIF converter ($30 for the one I picked), and use an iTouch (already had that, bought it used for $60) to control it with Touchpad ($5 app).

I used to use a much better front end (Bolder Cables modified Logitech SB3), but recently sold off most of my high end audio gear.

Still using the ~800GB of lossless tunes though!

[gkinberg]

I feel like a doof. Apparently, I didn't put enough thought into purchasing my external hard drive in that it only has one connection and it looks like knotched USB connection that is labeled SS; no ethernet jack or Cat5 plug, too bad. "SS" on Seagate hard drive side to a USB connection that plugs into my computer.

For what it is worth, I'd just assume that my "server" can use my exsisting hard drive and has both digital and analog output so that I don't have to purchase a DAC right away. I want to space out my cost expenditures to get better components. suggestions that fit these criteria are welcome.

Thanks, Garth

[Vincent Kars]

Looks like the Wi-FI indeed.
If you have a smartphone you can try connecting the PC straight to the audio and use  JRIver’s WebGizmo on the phone: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/WebGizmo

[wilsynet]

I run a Mac Mini into a USB capable DAC myself and prefer the computer to DAC solution.  But there's no getting around that the Squeezebox Touch solutions are good too.

If your Wifi is a problem, you may want to look into fixing it.  Where is the wireless router relative to your computer and PS3?  What does signal strength look like for your computer and for the PS3?

[gkinberg]

If your Wifi is a problem, you may want to look into fixing it.  Where is the wireless router relative to your computer and PS3?  What does signal strength look like for your computer and for the PS3?

My router is in the office which is an adjacent room to the living room. I have thought about running an ethernet cable through the walls but that is probably near last resort.

I looked into a SB touch to see if it would allow me to connect my external hard drive through a usb connection and play music that way but couldn't tell is that was feasible from the product description. All things being equal I'd like to stay away from Mac stuff. It just seems so Mac centric and akward to get to use with other platforms. obviously, I'm more of a PC guy.

[wilsynet]

You cannot hook up a USB drive to a SB Touch in the way that you want.  The SB Touch needs a computer (PC, Mac or Linux) to host the music over a network.

[srb]

The Squeezebox Touch has an internal version of Squeezebox Server software that allows you to play music from an external USB drive without the use of a computer.

However because of the limited processing power some users have reported problems with playing files (particularly 24/96) and it apparently can be excruciatingly slow to scan a drive with a large library of songs.

Steve

[wilsynet]

The Squeezebox Touch has an internal version of Squeezebox Server software that allows you to play music from an external USB drive without the use of a computer.

I didn't know that.  That's really neat.

However because of the limited processing power some users have reported problems with playing files (particularly 24/96) and it apparently can be excruciatingly slow to scan a drive with a large library of songs.

Not too surprising I guess.

Thanks for setting the record straight.

[gkinberg]

So apparently, one has to have a computer in the mix when using a SB touch. Does the same hold true for the Logitech Transporter? Could I attach the transporter to my external hard drive and play music files off of it? In fact, I could still include the transporter in my home wifi network but just not play the music through the wifi connection. Is that feasible?

Otherwise, it appears that my options are to build a music server or run ethernet cable from my office to my audio rack.

[pansixt]

Looks like the Wi-FI indeed.
If you have a smartphone you can try connecting the PC straight to the audio and use  JRIver’s WebGizmo on the phone: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/WebGizmo

Wired is always the best way to go, but in my case an ethernet cable would be a difficult run. I use wireless without any drops, but my wireless network is solid.

There is an application for any Android device (phone or tablet) or iPhone or iPad called WiFi Analyzer. It is a good tool to check your wireless signal throughout your home, as well as determining which wireless channel to use on your router rather than using the Auto setting.
James

[wilsynet]

So apparently, one has to have a computer in the mix when using a SB touch.

According to srb (earlier post), the SB Touch does let you attach a USB drive as a music source, although it does not perform flawlessly.

Unless they've revised the Transporter, I do not believe the Transporter does this at all.

Otherwise, it appears that my options are to build a music server or run ethernet cable from my office to my audio rack.

I have a rock solid Wifi/802.11 connection, but what I couldn't manage to do was to stream U-Verse television services over 802.11.  Even the fastest Wifi routers have trouble keeping up with a full speed, real time 1080i video stream.  And I didn't want to lay ethernet cable between the rooms or in the walls.

What I ended up doing was getting one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Livewire-Powerline-Network/dp/B003VWY0VY/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=172282&s=electronics

It works surprisingly well, and while clearly not as good as a straight up wired ethernet connection, it is certainly more reliable for a high bit rate real time stream than Wifi.  I imagine this would work quite well for you.

Plug one into your router and plug the SB Touch into the other one, and you're in business.