New to streaming, please help.

[Mikeandvan]

What did you rip your CDs to?
Which format?
Apple stuff could be AIFF, which is uncompressed PCM, or ALAC (Apple Lossless).
iTunes can also rip to MP3, which is not Apple stuff, and it probably also does AAC, which is again not Apple stuff.

I didn't rip my cds, got a cdp to play them. Just like I got a TT to play my few vinyls, gonna keep the hardware just in case the internet breaks down, you never know.......

[Stratmangler]

I didn't rip my cds......

So you're playing stuff you downloaded from the iTunes store?

[Mikeandvan]

So you're playing stuff you downloaded from the iTunes store?

Yes, well, just listen to iTunes live. Whats the difference between downloading and just pressing play? (please be patient!).

[struth]

Streaming is usually classed as where the music is stored on their servers. Downloads come from your hdd

[Mikeandvan]

Streaming is usually classed as where the music is stored on their servers. Downloads come from your hdd

I see, hard drive, on a computer? (please be patient).

[Stratmangler]

Yes, well, just listen to iTunes live. Whats the difference between downloading and just pressing play? (please be patient!).

In theory there shouldn't be any difference in quality - both are AAC at 256kbps.
The live play thing does depend on the quality of your internet connection, so you might suffer from occasional buffering during playback.

[Mikeandvan]

In theory there shouldn't be any difference in quality - both are AAC at 256kbps.
The live play thing does depend on the quality of your internet connection, so you might suffer from occasional buffering during playback.

Thanks, bit bewildering having all this choice of music, don't know where to start. Today played a few tracks I'd not heard in ages, there's other stuff I'd like to hear, but can't remember what they're called!

[struth]

I see, hard drive, on a computer? (please be patient).

Well a local one so most likely. You then are using local wifi within house rather than the internet
Most streaming services gave ability to download, usually on portable devices so you can play when you've no internet like on your phone. It's encrypted so folk can't nick it tho and would have to be played via the service. Like Spotify for instance.

Hard to tell why the volume wasn't working Might be the way it's being connected and played I.e. What's got the control at the vc stage. Might be the unit and thus only adjustable via that. Or there might be a setting to lock volume at a particular level

[Mikeandvan]

Well a local one so most likely. You then are using local wifi within house rather than the internet
Most streaming services gave ability to download, usually on portable devices so you can play when you've no internet like on your phone. It's encrypted so folk can't nick it tho and would have to be played via the service. Like Spotify for instance.

Hard to tell why the volume wasn't working Might be the way it's being connected and played I.e. What's got the control at the vc stage. Might be the unit and thus only adjustable via that. Or there might be a setting to lock volume at a particular level

Thanks, its becoming clearer, steep learning curve and all that. Gotta get a usb cable and a chromecast so I can try out other things......

[Mikeandvan]

Another luddite question. Yesterday finally got a usb - a to b - cable and connected laptop to usb input on Pioneer, tried playing tracks from YouTube but the sound was all wrong, barely making a sound, just like a muffled sound.