[gkinberg]

My wireless router is a D-Link N+300 model DIR-655. I thought the problem was an under powered replacement power adapter. However, I fixed the power adapter that my dog had chewed and my dropouts continue. According to WiFi Analyzer, my signal at my PS3 is roughly -70 dBm which is right around the middle of the displayed meter scale. I really don't know if that is good or bad but it suggests to me that I should go wired rather than wifi.

My thoughts regarding a solution to my problem is as follows. Get a small computer (mac mini) or a server like AC'er HAL sells and hard wire it to my wirelss router to make it part of my network. Attach an external hard drive containing my music files to it. Place that on or near my audio consol and run the "server" to my as of yet unpurchased DAC or Preamp. presumably control the server from laptop, ipad or phone. Sounds reasonable and doable to me. Thoughts?

[toddbagwell]

your proposed plan sounds good.

I have a pc with an eSata external drive connected to my router/network with ethernet and connected to my DAC with toslink.

I control the playback with my iPad using either apple's remote program or a Remote desktop connection to the computer.

When I first got started with computer audio, i tried streaming over wifi. it would work, but was unreliable and quickly became frustrating. since moving to ethernet / wired I've never thought of going back.

todd

[Vincent Kars]

control the server from laptop, ipad or phone

If you plan to go the Mac mini way (OSX) and you maintain your collection in Win, you might hit some problems.
Are all your file formats (e.g. FLAC) supported by OSX?
Do you have custom tags?
Can you login remote into OSX from Win?

An option is to run Win on the audio PC and install JRiver on it too.
You can control the audio PC using Remote Desktop, VNC or using JRiver on the laptop

[JDUBS]

Been on vacation, but if you need a CAPS 2.0 server, shoot me a note.  Tyson got a one-off from me, but I might be tempted into building more.  I do like putting computers together and the CAPS 2.0 is great at audio.

-Jim

[pansixt]

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.

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.

While the Powerline Inverter can be a viable alternative, there is a question of introducing an unwanted amount of noise into your data stream.

I have measured, on occasion,  the BER (Bit Error Rate) of 1.0e-9 which is acceptable, to as much as 4.8e-6 with such an inverter. That is an unacceptable amount of data loss and will not afford an accurate reproduction of signal, be it music or what have you.

Moral of the story, find a way to hard wire your shit to your router.

James

[pansixt]

Duh. Duplicate.
Too Many Cocktails.

[JDUBS]

If you decide to go the MPD route, I think using an Apple TV provides a pretty intriguing solution for the price (<$100).

Seems like it works fine with 32/384 material:

http://exd-audio.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

I have any email into the exD guy to see if it can stream DSD, too.  Apparently MPD has that capability, now:

http://slimnet.home.xs4all.nl/mytek/

You can replicate the Auraliti, pretty easily, too, if you want to spend some more $$.

-Jim

[JDUBS]

To do an Auraliti on the cheap(er):

1x of these, upgraded to 4gb of RAM 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-DN2800MT-Atom-N2800-Marshalltown-Mini-ITX-PC-w-PCI-E-Expansion-2GB-M350-/400282494139?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item5d32b224bb#ht_7520wt_896

Add in a tX-USB PCIe version when available (sounds like soon); will work with PCIe.  Prob (hopefully) around $300?

Add in a SATA Filter for $65.

Add in an SSD for like $40?  Don't really even need this with MPD, but what the heck.

Op System is free with MPD and this will stream everything up through and including 32/384 and DSD.

Actually, probably doesn't save you much...but super easy and "fun" to put together!

-Jim

[gkinberg]

If you plan to go the Mac mini way (OSX) and you maintain your collection in Win, you might hit some problems.
Are all your file formats (e.g. FLAC) supported by OSX?
Do you have custom tags?
Can you login remote into OSX from Win?

An option is to run Win on the audio PC and install JRiver on it too.
You can control the audio PC using Remote Desktop, VNC or using JRiver on the laptop

You bring up a good point of MAC and PC possibly not playing nice with eachother. I have some flac but could rerip to aiff. To be honest, I don't know if I have custom tags or not. I add album art to my ripped CD's through dbpoweramp. I would just assume stay away from mac if possible. I like the idea of an audio PC and am looking into that. Roughly, how much should one spend on an audio PC. I will have to buy one or have one made from me as I don't know how to do it myself. Thanks, Garth

[gkinberg]

Hey Jim, you have a PM from me.

[Vincent Kars]

Have a look here: http://www.genesisloudspeakers.com/newsletter/Newsletter_10th_Anniv.pdf

[JDUBS]

If you decide to go the MPD route, I think using an Apple TV provides a pretty intriguing solution for the price (<$100).

Seems like it works fine with 32/384 material:

http://exd-audio.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

I have any email into the exD guy to see if it can stream DSD, too.  Apparently MPD has that capability, now:

http://slimnet.home.xs4all.nl/mytek/

You can replicate the Auraliti, pretty easily, too, if you want to spend some more $$.

-Jim

Guys, heard back from Albert at exD and he said that, yes, the 1st generation Apple TV (Intel processor) will stream DSD with MPD.  Awesome!

-Jim

[JDUBS]

To do an Auraliti on the cheap(er):

1x of these, upgraded to 4gb of RAM 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-DN2800MT-Atom-N2800-Marshalltown-Mini-ITX-PC-w-PCI-E-Expansion-2GB-M350-/400282494139?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item5d32b224bb#ht_7520wt_896

Add in a tX-USB PCIe version when available (sounds like soon); will work with PCIe.  Prob (hopefully) around $300?

Add in a SATA Filter for $65.

Add in an SSD for like $40?  Don't really even need this with MPD, but what the heck.

Op System is free with MPD and this will stream everything up through and including 32/384 and DSD.

Actually, probably doesn't save you much...but super easy and "fun" to put together!

-Jim

One thing nice about this setup is that it will run on on a DC power supply, supplying 8-19v of power.  This setup doesn't use much in terms of wattage, so its very versatile.  I.e., a 12v battery or nice linear would work great.

-Jim

[gkinberg]

In anticipation of moving this project along, I want to get started on running wire from my office router to my living room audio consol. I guess that 50 ft of Ethernet cable will do the trick. Any suggestions on what brand I should buy and where I should buy it?

Thanks, Garth

[MaxCast]

In anticipation of moving this project along, I want to get started on running wire from my office router to my living room audio consol. I guess that 50 ft of Ethernet cable will do the trick. Any suggestions on what brand I should buy and where I should buy it?

Thanks, Garth

monoprice.com

[JDUBS]

Agree on Monoprice.  Would try to get CAT6, too, so as to be "future ready."

-Jim

[gkinberg]

I didn't realize how many different types of ethernet cable was out there. When I ordered interconnects, I found that unshielded versions created a hum in my system where as shielded was fine. Will it be important to get shielded ethernet cable as it will be going throught the walls and the attic and possible interacting with other cables up there? In addition there are twisted vs untwiested pairs and solid vs stranded wire. Are these details significant or is the standard stuff sufficient? Sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks, Garth

[JDUBS]

I didn't realize how many different types of ethernet cable was out there. When I ordered interconnects, I found that unshielded versions created a hum in my system where as shielded was fine. Will it be important to get shielded ethernet cable as it will be going throught the walls and the attic and possible interacting with other cables up there? In addition there are twisted vs untwiested pairs and solid vs stranded wire. Are these details significant or is the standard stuff sufficient? Sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks, Garth

Here you go:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=cat6+50&x=0&y=0

Can't beat the price ($7.33) and multiple color choices.  I'd go with the "regular"  Cat6 Straight Cables.

-Jim

[totoro]

I've used lan over power before. It worked great for me. You need to make sure that the two endpoints are on the same circuit or it won't work though. I've used squeezeboxes for years, and love them.

Just to throw something else in the mix, you might consider getting a sonos. With a sonos bridge, a hard drive plugged into your router, and a sonos receiver plugged into your stereo, you can have a solution that runs without an extra computer. The sonos stuff makes its own mesh network, and will often work in places where regular wireless won't.

My boss wanted some kind of wireless system, I steered him towards this, and he loves it (and he's the CTO of a tech company, so he's not technophobic ).

I love iPeng though (a remote control for squeezebox server), so wouldn't want to get a sonos myself.

[HAL]

Another type of Ethernet cable that has improved shielding is CAT6 with SSTP shielding.  This is each pair shielded with an overall shield.  It is sometimes referred to as CAT6a.  The patch style cable is stranded copper and easier to flex than the plenum style which is solid copper. 

Alot of the newer high speed cables use FEP insulation that is a variant of Teflon.  Reduces losses with longer cables.