[Pacio]

Hello everybody!
I'm from Italy and I've just ordered my modded SB3 from Wayne at Bolder cable.
I would like to understand more about networking and the SB3 because even if I surfed alot, I couldn't find the right answer to my doubt (maybe it's my fault, if so, sorry for my redundancy!).
The question is: I would like to run my complete CD library on an external device like a NAS (I recently read about a good D-Link) or even a LaCie Big Disk (pretty the same, external HD with ethernet access), but I still haven't caught if I can run these devices as alone, or should I need always a pc linked to them, where to run the SlimServer.
My dream would be to let the NAS be linked to my SB3, without the need of having a PC always connected to them. Once I make the setup for the NAS and the SB3, do I need the PC everytime in order to run Slimserver?
I hope my questions are clear enough, please help me understand something more!
Thank you for your feedback.

Cheers,
Marco

[DSK]

Hi Marco,

There is mention of NAS here ...  http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=33403.0

Also, I think there may be more info on www.slimdevices.com  Check out the forums on that site too.

[Jampot]

In particular this one-

http://forums.slimdevices.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

IIRC Flipflip is a neighbour of yours - I think he is in Switzerland!

Quite a few possibilities for using a NAS device as you desire but of course it must have a chip and built in memory sufficient to run Slimserer on linux...

Jim

[Pacio]

Thank you all! I know I can always rely on AC guys here!!
Yes, indeed Switzerland is one hour drive from where I live!
Thank you for your insights guys, I have to read a lot of docs before my SB3 arrives!..

Cheers,
Marco

[BradJudy]

IIRC, only the Infrant NAS, which is very nice, but quite expensive, has a built-in SlimServer component.  You can't run an SB directly from either of the two NAS devices you mentioned. 

[jermmd]

I think a PC is always going to be needed to run slimserver. The music files can be stored on a seperate NAS device but a PC is always needed. The PC does not need to be very powerful or advanced for networking and Slimserver.

[woodsyi]

Infrant ReadyNas has an imbedded OS that will run slimserver without a PC.  It is a little slow in song and album retrieval.  Once the album or song is chosen, the data (music) streams just fine.  Something to consider if you load your NAS with 1200 CDs.  There are other NAS with OS that people have sucessfully "hacked" Slimservers in. 

[richidoo]

I have the Infrant. It works well, reliable, very safe storage with RAID 5. Very high storage capacity with 4 drive bays. Runs slimserver locally. Fast data in/out, for playing movies or hi res audio, etc. It runs all the time, so server is always ready.

It is loud from fan noise, so it can't be in same room as system. It is sometimes a little slow to respond when browsing on the SB, this is not too bad though. Processor is not powerful enough to convert flac to WAV on the server.

An old used PC running Linux and a couple big drives is ideal and cheap.
Rich

[jkelly]

It seems that the QNAP 109 NAS is "fitted" with SS 6.5.3 installed.

(from the slimdevices 3rd party hardware forum)

The latest software versions that are fitted to the TS-109 are:
Twonky: 4.3 version
SlimSever: 6.5.3 (it is the latest),

Regards,

Richard Somerset
Sales Manager
Ultimate Storage Ltd
ASMEC Centre
The Ring
Bracknell
Berks
RG12 1HB
Tel: 0870 766 4950
Fax: 0870 766 4951
www.ultimatestorage.co.uk

[jermmd]

Infrant ReadyNas has an imbedded OS that will run slimserver without a PC.  It is a little slow in song and album retrieval.  Once the album or song is chosen, the data (music) streams just fine.  Something to consider if you load your NAS with 1200 CDs.  There are other NAS with OS that people have sucessfully "hacked" Slimservers in. 

I stand corrected. I didn't know these devices could be used without a PC. Do they have mouse and keyboard inputs and can you surf the web with the ReadyNAS? I guess they must have this ability if you can download and use slimserver with them. ReadyNAS sounds like a very nice solution for a music server.

[richidoo]

Nope, they are just a NAS, you need a PC on the network to configure it and administer it remotely. Think of it as a harddrive with just enough brains to show itself on the network. ReadyNAS has a little more smarts to handle a few more features. It has a built in webserver to host slim GUI and it uses a remote control software called RADAR to administer the NAS, but of these are executed remotely on a PC. So in essence your first post was right You do still need a PC to setup slimserver. But once slimserver is running on the NAS, you don't need a PC again - except, of course, for ripping CDs, buying music, upgrading NAS and Slim, etc. The nice thing is having the NAS running when you wanna play music, not have to wait for the PC to boot up. Uses less power than a PC and gives you benefits of big RAID5 storage with none of the RAID5 hassle if using it on a PC. The Infrant proprietary "RAID5" is idiot proof, which is good for me

I'm interested in experimenting with the Inguz plug-in for room correction. This is not possible when running slimserver on NAS, the plug in requires more processor than NAS can provide. I just run slim on the PC for that.
Rich

[EchiDna]

Infrant ReadyNas has an imbedded OS that will run slimserver without a PC.  It is a little slow in song and album retrieval.  Once the album or song is chosen, the data (music) streams just fine.  Something to consider if you load your NAS with 1200 CDs.  There are other NAS with OS that people have sucessfully "hacked" Slimservers in. 

I stand corrected. I didn't know these devices could be used without a PC. Do they have mouse and keyboard inputs and can you surf the web with the ReadyNAS? I guess they must have this ability if you can download and use slimserver with them. ReadyNAS sounds like a very nice solution for a music server.

the NAS box doesn't quite function as a PC, it has an OS, but no keyboard or monitor connectors, just USB, ethernet and that's about it... you connect your pc to it and send the files, so it looks like a hard drive full of music to your computer with fail safe backup drives built in. To your squeezebox/es it is a computer running slimserver. take a look here: http://www.infrant.com/download/ReadyNAS_NV+.pdf

it's the best of the best for out of the box compatability and features (IMHO), especially for squeezebox users... but... NOT cheap

[Pacio]

Well, guys, I appreciate your comments very much!
What I understood from your posts is that the easiest and shortest way for me to play music with SB3 is to have a pc (no matter what pc/mac) with an external/internal HD where the music is stored.
If I want to go more "sofisticated" and "PC free" I better get one of the NAS with the ability of running Slimserver on it. This might be the best solution to me, not the quickest, since I might probably encounter troubles in changing the version of slimserver (Wayne suggest the older 6.5.1) on the NAS and I'm not sure about the time I can spare with all this. Let alone the firmware 15 to be put on the SB..from which slimserver this could be done? From the NAS directly? From another slimserver running on the PC?
I wish it was more immediate.. For sure - after some more time (you know, the learning curve..) - I will be able to set up my own NAS!
Please, do not stop your comments, they are so useful to me.
Thank you, again.

Cheers,
Marco

[Jampot]

Download Slimserver now - you can run 'softsqueeze' (it comes with slimserver) on your PC to get used to the interface and multitude of optional settings before the SB3 arrives.

You will find version 6.5.1 on the Slimdevices download page, and if you want to use firmware 15 you can - by putting it in the right folder for slimserver to find it. Only if there are other versions in the folder will you need Mgalusha's firmware selector. It is in this thread

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=26453.0

There are links in the thread for downloading the firmware as well.

If you use 6.2.1 you may need to download and install plugins seperately. For instance the latest versions seem to include Alien BBC and the Nokia 770 skin, which 6.2.1 doesn't (I use both).

Try not to get bogged down. It may sound daunting but the internet (AC and the Slim Devices forums in particular) will have the answers - usually by  virtue of a little diligent searching, but if something crops up that you can't find just ask again!

Jim

[Pacio]

Thank you Jim, much appreciated.
I will try to play this weekend..it's good to know I can always rely on good guys like you for my audio troubles..
You know what? I'm probably the only italian guy to have the whole setup purchased in the US (obviously the gear is from manufacturers on AC!!). No listening tests, everything blind..but it just worked fine!
Now I miss the SB3 only to complete my US purchases. I just sold my North Star combo  but I know this is the right move!

Cheers,
Marco