[adydula]

I have a laptop with Flacs on it. Have used Winamp and JRiver.

First ouput is USB out to a USB Dac to a Preamp to headphone amp or main 2 ch amp.
(This method uses DAC in externalUSB DAC)

Second output is ethenet via trancoding and Asset + DLNA to Oppo BD83SE to pre to amps. (This method uses the DACs in the Oppo).

HDMI from the laptop to a 58" Plasma allows me to see my stuff from my listening positioning well.

Looking to replace the laptop entirely.

I noticed this item:

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-1080p-Media-Player/dp/B003MVZ60I/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1314455354&sr=1-3


The cost is $89 on Amazon. It has SPIDF output for audio and you can attach a USB drive to it...wouldnt be good for my USB dac unless i get a spidf to usb convertor or just buy a spidf dac etc...it looks very interesting for the entry price.

There is also internet connectivity and video streaming but I am only interested in the adudio part and its replacing the TV.

If you used a solid state USB drive this would be totally silent...

Anyone look at this 'toy'?

Alex

[neekomax]

If you're planning on getting rid of the laptop, how do you plan on browsing your media? Is there a display that appears on the tv with this thing?

[HAL]

According to the website it has HDMI, composite and component out for video.  The remote runs it from the HDTV.   

[neekomax]

According to the website it has HDMI, composite and component out for video.  The remote runs it from the HDTV.

Ahh, I see it comes with its own media server software. Would have to have your tv on to play music. But if your goal is to eliminate a computer from the equation on the cheap, seems like a plausible solution.

From the reviews, it sounds like a lot of people are complaining of bugs requiring reboots, etc.

[HAL]

From reading the WD website it looks like it does.   

You will need an external DAC to play music via TOSLINK connection if you are not using an AVR.  Looks like the USB is input only.

[adydula]

The tv would be your display..the digital out from the unit should be there...sitting across the room the TV is actually nice display...

HDMI to the TV for their WD menus...

The video part is not what I want only the audio part...and this is less problematic...and over time we will see low cost solutions like this. (I Hope).

This unit with a SSD USB drive attached and the spidf output to a Bitfrost Dac is not that too pricey for a nice digital solution....

Alex

Note: I have a USB dac and I was looking for a device like this that was USB only for $100...u can build one from an ALIX board etc...some of the solutions out there are doing this now etc...

[Bob in St. Louis]

Check into "VortexBox". 

[HAL]

I already built an ultraquiet PC for a music server and very happy with it.  Win7 is great for music replay with my USB DIY DAC.  Use an SSD as well for boot.

[Phil A]

I had the generation immediately preceding the link.  Was very disappointed.  I got it since it said it was WMA compatible.  I had a Zune at the time and I figured I could also have lossless audio into the DAC.  No so.  They give you conversion software and while the MP3s are 320bps, it would only output 128bps.  Sounded horrible.  I gave it to a friend so he could sample music and decide what to buy as in my opinion that or low ambient playback levels as background music is all it was good for.

[Scott F.]

I looked at the Western Digital and settled on the Logitech Revue. It's a bit more money but so far it's been a solid performer. The HDMI video feed is fairly decent. It's not BD quality but its pretty darned good even with Netflix. I just watched The Dirty Dozen last night via Netflix on a 63" plasma and it was awesome

I haven't messed with the local network feed of my library of FL AC files since I use one of Wayne's modified SBs but the Revue has that capability. It also allows you to surf the net via Google chrome. It is a fully functional browser though the keyboard is a bit weird. You get used to it quickly.

If I remember correctly you can connect a USB drive to it and stream music, video and pics.

Might be worth considering since you are still in the research stage.

[adydula]

I looked at Vortexbox software, but thats still a pc running etc.

Looking for a simple, low cost solution that would allow us to play flacs from a drive..via a menu..hdmi for the display to the large TV/LCD/Plasma...

With Spidf AND USB (preferrable to me) digital output.

The second generation seems better than the first piece of 'garabage' and its  $90 experiment.

I have lots of drives, solid state etc that I can use with a external USB enclosure (sata to usb) and its totally silent and very fast access.

The streamers out there are up in cost, not that they arent any good...

Just might break down and get an ALIX board and do it myself...lots of folks have done this,,

But seeing this potential $90 solution and being lazy well...

Alex

Note: I had a squeezebox touch...the small screen across the room was too difficult to see, and no video to the large plasma...sold it. I also dont want to have to buy a Ipad or a $300-$600 device to act as a controller.

[Bob in St. Louis]

I *think* the VortexBox can be a stand-alone machine that won't require a PC.

Bob

[adydula]

Ok i built a Vortexbox over the weekend and have it working with my ext HRT usb dac...just getting used t othe interface....having a issue getting the dac to see 44.1khz, setting to 48khz for some reason,,,not a linux guy but should be able to figure this one out.

Alex

[Bob in St. Louis]

Cool, keep us posted Alex! 

[adydula]

ok got the 48000 to set to 44,100 hz...there is a alsa.conf file that has to be modified.

So you can log into the VB system via a web browser and play flacs songs etc via the integrated music player...

You can see the flac files on other systems both enet and wireless and point your music players to see the files on the remote VB system...easy to copy my ripped flacs to the VB server.

Had to muck with the VB player to get the VB server to output to the USB dac...works ok fine...

I will play with it for a few days and do some sound quality comparison...and see how not using my big plasma for a display works for me.

Alex