[jtsnead]

Just ordered a SB Touch and want to know what program I should use
to download (free) and stream 24/96 music.

Should I just Itunes which I already have

It seems FLAC is the way to go, correct?

[Wayne1]

dBpoweramp CD Ripper is one ot the better programs available for transferring your CDs to computer storage. It is not free, but it does have a free trail period. I feel it is well worth the small amount of money. I do rip everything into FLAC files.

For 24/96 material, I would suggest you look through HD Tracks. There may be some free 24/96 material out there, but most of it you will have to download.

The SB Touch needs to use the SB Server running on your computer to play music. If you want to stream 24/96 with the minimum of problems, I suggest you run an Ethernet cable from your computer to the Touch.

[jtsnead]

Thanks Wayne,
Yes I just noticed the db program on another thread, I imagine
it works better on my HP windows laptop compared to just
using Itunes to rip.

I did download a free song from HDTracks but it did not show
up in Itunes, a little confusing, I am just starting out using
a computer for Hi Rez

So streaming from pc to SB does not work good though my
home network I quess? Hooking up a ethernet cable would
not be to big of a problem even though my laptop is in another
room.

I thought I saw a post the Bolder offers a anolog mod?

Jerry

[BPT]

The latest SB Server version 7.6 seems to do a good job with 24/96 files over WiFi.
 
I think (not a Mac user) HDTRacks will not show up in iTunes if they are flac files--must be wav, aiff or alac.

[jtsnead]

anybody using this program

http://http://vortexbox.org/

[firedog]

The SB Touch needs to use the SB Server running on your computer to play music. If you want to stream 24/96 with the minimum of problems, I suggest you run an Ethernet cable from your computer to the Touch.

NO, it can run as standalone player, with internal SB server. But better performance if you have a real computer as server with SBS loaded

[firedog]

anybody using this program

http://http://vortexbox.org/

I don't personally use it , but if you search around you'll find that lots of people are very happy with it. Good for dedicated music server. Uses Linux, so even an old computer with not a lot of RAM will be fine.

[jtsnead]

Thanks Firedog,
I might try it instead of buying another program just to start out

[whanafi]

It looks like you are confusing ripping software with the streaming server that comes with the Touch.  dbPoweramp is excellent for ripping to FLAC.  But you need a streaming server to use with the Touch if you want to access music files across a network.  Just download Squeezebox Server (which is free), and that allows your Touch to work with your music files stored on a networked computer.

Vortexbox is excellent as well (and my music server is using it), but it is not a program, it is a package of Linux, software, and a GUI for managing a dedicated music server.  It is simple and easy to install, but be aware that it takes over the computer it is installed on.  It uses Squeezebox Server, btw, so it supports the Touch and other Slimdevices products.

[firedog]

Clarification:

Vortexbox includes ripping capability. That's part of the point: you insert disc in your vortexbox PC, and it rips it to SB Server software.

from vortexbox.org site:

Once VortexBox has been loaded on an unused PC, it will automatically rip CDs to FLAC and MP3 files, ID3 tag the files , and download the cover art. Vortexbox will then serve the files to network  media players such as Logitech Squeezebox, Sonos, or Linn.

[etcarroll]

I just re-purposed an old, retired PC for use as a server running Vortexbox, so far very impressed with it as a server.

[lcrim]

Is there a way to set Replay Gain when using the Vortex Box software package?
Presently I use Foobar to accomplish this.  Is there a browser built into the Vortex Box environment
to allow downloads of this and things like hirez music files or can you map to shares on the Vortex Box machine?

[jtsnead]

Ok I did download Vortexbox but had trouble unzipping it and installing it.
So I did download Exact Copy, I want to make sure that I get the beat
quality rips.

DO I have to have SB server? I thought the SB would access my laptop
through my home network w/o any server software.

I bought a Seagate 500G portable drive to attach to my HP laptop,
reading the posts over at the SB forum they say the Seagate will
work if you want to hook it up directly to the SB Touch also.

I also want to download the 24/96 music from HD tracks and others
Should I use Foobar or another program. PLEASE understand even
though I have used a computer for 15 years I do not understand what
is the best way to use it simply. I have Itunes because I have an ipod,
I am going to get a ipod touch to use as a controller for the SB. SO from
what I have read FLAC is the best way to rip and store music which you
can not store in itunes, but cant you store it somewhere else and use itunes
as the controller? Looking at the online installation manual of the SB touch
yhey show a seperate check box saying itunes. I just got the touch yesterday
and have not opened ot up. I want my laptop to be set up and ready first.

Dazed and COnfused 

Jerry

[etcarroll]

Larry -

Not sure about the gain, but the rest is a yes, Vortexbox is built on top of Fedora, so lot's of UNIX hacks are available, plus it presents the SB server ui.

EDIT: Looks like there is an adjustment for gain in the player settings panel.

Jerry -

The download is an image file, or .ISO, that you need to burn to a cd, then install from that. Not sure what you're trying to unzip, as nothing is zipped to begin with.

[mfsoa]

In the little experimentation I did (only a little was required) I thought that rips from dbpoweramp sounded much better than those from EAC (analog out from stock Touch)

If the disc is damaged or won't rip well on db, then EAC works better (will give you a good rip in less time) but please before committing hours and hours of time to ripping, it's worth the hour to compare the quality of the resulting rips from whatever programs you are considering using.


-Mike

[jtsnead]

Mike,
Thanks for the heads up, I will get dbpoweramp and compare

[whanafi]

Ok I did download Vortexbox but had trouble unzipping it and installing it.
So I did download Exact Copy, I want to make sure that I get the beat
quality rips.

DO I have to have SB server? I thought the SB would access my laptop
through my home network w/o any server software.

I bought a Seagate 500G portable drive to attach to my HP laptop,
reading the posts over at the SB forum they say the Seagate will
work if you want to hook it up directly to the SB Touch also.


Dazed and COnfused 

Jerry

The SB Touch includes a copy of the Squeezebox Server lite, and will support disks directly attached through the USB port on the device. 

If you want to stream music files from another source or across your network, then a computer running Squeezebox Server is required.