Hmnn..didn't think I'd ever be asking this.....?

[Gazjam]

Setting up an HTPC in the lounge in the new year, the Plasma does DNLA for streamed movies/TV shows, Facebook, Youtube etc but has problems with some formats.
All that's done is made me miss the versatility of a full blown PC :)

But heres whats REALLY got me thinking...

Currently using modded SB Touch into modded Caiman Dac...fantastic playback of music in Flac format - happy chocolate button.
Getting an HTPC means I have the POTENTIAL for using the PC as a source instead of the Touch?

Must admit, would be good to browse my music on the plasma, have screensavers/album art kicking in, all that good stuff.

Audio quality wise though.....?
bitperfect via Foobar into my Caiman.....
Well, can you guess what I'm wondering? :)

[Ali Tait]

Depending on how your pc is set up, might well be better than the Touch.

[Gazjam]

thats the question...though need to look into best setups etc!

thinking pc spdif>hiface(or whatever)>dac?
this is a whole new ballgame, need to look into it.:)

[Ali Tait]

John's yer man!

[Alex_UK]

thats the question...though need to look into best setups etc!

thinking pc spdif>hiface(or whatever)>dac usbc into usb?

Assuming no SPDIF out on the PC, then either USB direct into Caiman, or:

PC -> Hiface (usb port on PC) -> SPDIF -> Coax -> Caiman

Which will give you asynchronous output to the Caiman.

[Gazjam]

John's yer man!


John Who!?? :)

[Gazjam]

Assuming no SPDIF out on the PC, then either USB direct into Caiman, or:

PC -> Hiface (usb port on PC) -> SPDIF -> Coax -> Caiman

Which will give you asynchronous output to the Caiman.


ta Alex,

is it worth going the Hiface route over the direct link into the Caiman USB?
Didnlt know the Caiman USB DID asyncronous...interesting!

[Reid Malenfant]

Didnlt know the Caiman USB DID asyncronous...interesting!
It doesn't.

[Ali Tait]

John Who!?? :)

Welder. :)

[Gazjam]

Ah! :)

thanks Ali..
Can see me pestering John in the new Year!

[brian2957]

Hi Gary , I'm using a Laptop > USB cable > V-Link > coaxial cable > Caiman . V-Link is still

settling in but is beginning to sing . I was planning to drop you a text

in the next few days .

Brian.

[Gazjam]

yup, sounds like your gonna be a good "go-to" guy for PC audio too Brian! :)

[brian2957]

Fraid not mate . Just got into this 6 months ago . I think I'll be learning from

you and the other computer audio guys on this forum for a while yet .

Brian.

[Alex_UK]

ta Alex,

is it worth going the Hiface route over the direct link into the Caiman USB?
Didnlt know the Caiman USB DID asyncronous...interesting!

As Mark said - the Caiman doesn't do async natively (or hi-res) over usb - which is where the hiface (or v-link II) etc. comes in - I've been using the usb direct route for 2 years, but plan on going hiface in the New Year - the usb direct is still a great sound, but can be potentially improved converting to SPDIF. :)

[brian2957]

I had been using laptop to Caiman via USB cable with excellent results.

Since purchasing the V-Link last week there is no doubt in my mind

that this has provided a significant upgrade in sound .I don't know

why this should be , I can only tell what I hear.

Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Brian, so your PC output is still USB, but connected to the V-Link & then squirted out to the Caiman via S/PDIF coaxial cable?

Is that right? ;)

[brian2957]

Correct mate . Laptop > QED USB cable > V-Link > Mark Grant G1000HD

coaxial cable > Caiman.

Brian.

[Alex_UK]

I don't know why this should be, I can only tell what I hear.

If it is a V-Link II - then I believe that adds async output, which would probably go some way to explaining the improvement.

[Reid Malenfant]

Well you'd expect that more electronics in the way would mess things up, wouldn't you ;) The only difference is that the V-Link makes things Asynchronous....

In other words as far as I'm aware it's the V-Link that is calling the shots, rather than the PC just squirting it out :)

[brian2957]

Yes I believe that the V-Link takes over clocking duties from the computer.

The interesting thing is that these are not hi res files , they are basic

red book files (WAV) played through media player. My hearing isn't the

best , but I'm convinced that there is a significant improvement.

Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

Funnily enough I found the same thing with CDs in the laptop drive with the Hiface, on MP3 media stored on my HDD it was much more difficult to differentiate.

I don't think the media was good enough to show the difference ;)

[brian2957]

There is certainly a discernable difference with the V-Link Mark . If you

like I still have the box and can post it down to you so you can have a

listen. Might take a bit of time due to time of year.

Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

:rfl: Don't even consider it ;) I thought I'd try asynchronous out on what I had on my HDD, but it's only MP3 - or Spotify. I'm not going to switch from physical media any time soon, so I guess I'd get the same results.

MP3 would sound the same as my cheap as chips USB to S/PDIF convertor...

It appears that the higher the resolution of the file or whatever is being put through the thing, the better it sounds ;)


No point as all discs get spun on my Krell transport. It was an interesting experiment though :)

Cheers :cool:

[brian2957]

Not a problem mate if you change your mind the offer is still open . Please

bear in mind that I was using the same USB - SPDIF converter ( Fanmusic) as

you which was an improvement over USB. The V-Link improved upon the

Fanmusic converter.

Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

Yeah, I remember kind of recommending it (the Fanmusic converter).

Honestly, I don't do enough or quality enough downloads on my PC. It's more of a getting to know you system than a serious listening one ;)

Thanks for the offer though - much appreciated, but it'd be wasted on this "getting to know you system" :eyebrows: Even though I squirt it out to dCS upsampler & DAC ;)

The money is going on the more serious setup ;)

By the way, merry xmas & a happy new year :)

[dave2010]

Setting up an HTPC in the lounge in the new year, the Plasma does DNLA for streamed movies/TV shows, Facebook, Youtube etc but has problems with some formats.
All that's done is made me miss the versatility of a full blown PC :)

But heres whats REALLY got me thinking...

Currently using modded SB Touch into modded Caiman Dac...fantastic playback of music in Flac format - happy chocolate button.
Getting an HTPC means I have the POTENTIAL for using the PC as a source instead of the Touch?

Must admit, would be good to browse my music on the plasma, have screensavers/album art kicking in, all that good stuff.

Audio quality wise though.....?
bitperfect via Foobar into my Caiman.....
Well, can you guess what I'm wondering? :)My plans for the not too distant future are to buy a Mac mini and use that as a transport on my LAN. However, it occurred to me that there's a niche market for a dedicated music machine, which could probably be built for £2-300 and give similar or better performance. Anyone else thinking along these lines?

My criteria are:

1. Has to sound good (when hooked up appropriately).
2. Should be neat, small, not use much power, be capable of low power standby, not generate much heat. Could be left on permanently.
3. Either have a large amount of storage built in, or expansion possible with external drives.
4. Reasonable cost - should be less than Mac mini.

[Gazjam]

Kinda similar starting point as myself Dave,
I'm introducing a PC (just like your Mac Mini) to the listening room and wondering what the best setup etc would be for max audio quality.

From hearing Alex et all, its defo a case (I think!) of a USB>SPDIF converter like the V-Link-II into the Dac, but then theres the question of whats the best playback software etc.

i DONT want to get into an OCD pattern here :), where I fret about jitter and all that jazz, just looking for tried and tested "best practice" to enjoy the tunes from more experienced folks who have been down this road before.

I prefer the AOS friendly way rather than some other forum ways of dealing with "noob" questions :)

No time for that nonsense. :rolleyes:


thanks.

[brian2957]

Yeah, I remember kind of recommending it (the Fanmusic converter).

Honestly, I don't do enough or quality enough downloads on my PC. It's more of a getting to know you system than a serious listening one ;)

Thanks for the offer though - much appreciated, but it'd be wasted on this "getting to know you system" :eyebrows: Even though I squirt it out to dCS upsampler & DAC ;)

The money is going on the more serious setup ;)

By the way, merry xmas & a happy new year :)
Same to you mate . I'm really quite new to all this computer audio , however

my ears are telling me that CDs ripped to WAV are way better than listening

to my mid range CD player . Well worth the effort . I'm afraid I know very

little about the kit which you use Mark . Whatever 'sails your boat ' .

No problem offering the V-Link as I was going to ask to borrow your OPPO

95 for a couple of years in return:D . Seriously though it sounds like some

piece of kit. Sound like you are getting maximum enjoyment from it too.

Best Regards,

Brian.

[Alex_UK]

My plans for the not too distant future are to buy a Mac mini and use that as a transport on my LAN. However, it occurred to me that there's a niche market for a dedicated music machine, which could probably be built for £2-300 and give similar or better performance. Anyone else thinking along these lines?

My criteria are:

1. Has to sound good (when hooked up appropriately).
2. Should be neat, small, not use much power, be capable of low power standby, not generate much heat. Could be left on permanently.
3. Either have a large amount of storage built in, or expansion possible with external drives.
4. Reasonable cost - should be less than Mac mini.

I'm going to get hold of a Raspberry Pi when they're released - If the processor can cope with it, I reckon hooked up to a suitable external DAC and usb HDD it has the criteria to be great as an audio "player" running Linux. Too early to tell, but could be an interesting experiment, and would meet all of your criteria, I think. (Low power/heat - silent - tiny - very cheap!) More info/links from this thread I started earlier:

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14866

[brian2957]

Kinda similar starting point as myself Dave,
I'm introducing a PC (just like your Mac Mini) to the listening room and wondering what the best setup etc would be for max audio quality.

From hearing Alex et all, its defo a case (I think!) of a USB>SPDIF converter like the V-Link-II into the Dac, but then theres the question of whats the best playback software etc.

i DONT want to get into an OCD pattern here :), where I fret about jitter and all that jazz, just looking for tried and tested "best practice" to enjoy the tunes from more experienced folks who have been down this road before.

I prefer the AOS friendly way rather than some other forum ways of dealing with "noob" questions :)

No time for that nonsense. :rolleyes:


thanks.
I know nothing about computers mate , wouldn't know jitter if it fell out

the sky and hit me on the head. My ears are ok though and I know what

sounds good (to me).

Brian.

[bobbasrah]

Gary, have you got a purchase in mind for htpc, or is it still at the formative stage? The reason I ask is that a commercial build is always a compromise, and with skinny being the current rage, there are trade-offs. A little netbook CAN do the job, but there are imposed limitations too.

There is a wealth of information and experience to help on what you are thinking, both here and on the internet. Vincent Kars site has good well laid out explanation to give you almost all the info you need from the audio side on software setup. Add in the the knowledge and experience on this forum, and you will be well sorted out relatively quickly/painlessly.
Ok, there are umpteen arguments and conflicting opinions over OSs and usb v spdif on the audio side, before getting into the various player aspects, PC v Laptop, etc., so it can get a bit silly with entrenched opinion. Whatever the route, it is well worth it in the end.
My virtually silent full size HTPC (big low speed fans run silent) running Win7 on a 4 core processor, plenty of memory, and a total of 6 drives is sitting opposite under the amp. Overkill maybe for htpc, but I use it for other things too.
The equivalent Laptop or skinny htpc with this sort of power might be available, but with at least double the pricetag I would think, and nowhere near the capability to customise or modify internally. Even with two big chrome rack handles on the front, that matt black aluminium Lian-Li case is just perfect for a fully functional PC and htpc.
The wireless keyboard and mouse allows me to sit currently opposite the plasma typing this, while MediPortal plays 24 bit Sir's Vale Band - Love For Sale flawlessly in the background via the usb DAC to the amp. If I pop over to watch a you-tube funny, it pipes the video audio through hdmi to the plasma (but I have to pause or mute the music to hear it). Win 7 is a huge step forward in divorcing the various audio processes.
I now use optical discs once to rip/convert, then they go into storage.
I can still use the main optical players (still not got the TT running), but it all seems so old fashioned, with no audio advantages other than the ritualistic physicality of it all.
If I want to play a film from hdd, MediaPortal stops the dedicated audio process via usb, and fires up VLC player, reverting audio to spdif to another input on the amp. The onboard graphics struggle a bit with 1080, but I can add a full size graphics card if it ever really gets to me.
Would I go back? No way Jose, or Hose B.

[morris_minor]

I may be missing something here, Gary, but you could always use your Touch in conjunction with a PC by running a little programme called Moose (http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/), which is designed as an alternative front end to the web interface of Squeezeserver.

http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/moose060c.png

http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/moose060b.png

http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/moose060d.png

http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/nowplaying069.png

BTW the colourscheme is customisable :)

For me, though, the iPeng app (http://penguinlovesmusic.de/) on the iPad is the ultimate Squeezebox remote .. ..

Cheers,
Bob

[Gazjam]

Gary, have you got a purchase in mind for htpc, or is it still at the formative stage? The reason I ask is that a commercial build is always a compromise, and with skinny being the current rage, there are trade-offs. A little netbook CAN do the job, but there are imposed limitations too.

There is a wealth of information and experience to help on what you are thinking, both here and on the internet. Vincent Kars site has good well laid out explanation to give you almost all the info you need from the audio side on software setup. Add in the the knowledge and experience on this forum, and you will be well sorted out relatively quickly/painlessly.
Ok, there are umpteen arguments and conflicting opinions over OSs and usb v spdif on the audio side, before getting into the various player aspects, PC v Laptop, etc., so it can get a bit silly with entrenched opinion. Whatever the route, it is well worth it in the end.
My virtually silent full size HTPC (big low speed fans run silent) running Win7 on a 4 core processor, plenty of memory, and a total of 6 drives is sitting opposite under the amp. Overkill maybe for htpc, but I use it for other things too.
The equivalent Laptop or skinny htpc with this sort of power might be available, but with at least double the pricetag I would think, and nowhere near the capability to customise or modify internally. Even with two big chrome rack handles on the front, that matt black aluminium Lian-Li case is just perfect for a fully functional PC and htpc.
The wireless keyboard and mouse allows me to sit currently opposite the plasma typing this, while MediPortal plays 24 bit Sir's Vale Band - Love For Sale flawlessly in the background via the usb DAC to the amp. If I pop over to watch a you-tube funny, it pipes the video audio through hdmi to the plasma (but I have to pause or mute the music to hear it). Win 7 is a huge step forward in divorcing the various audio processes.
I now use optical discs once to rip/convert, then they go into storage.
I can still use the main optical players (still not got the TT running), but it all seems so old fashioned, with no audio advantages other than the ritualistic physicality of it all.
If I want to play a film from hdd, MediaPortal stops the dedicated audio process via usb, and fires up VLC player, reverting audio to spdif to another input on the amp. The onboard graphics struggle a bit with 1080, but I can add a full size graphics card if it ever really gets to me.
Would I go back? No way Jose, or Hose B.

Great Info Bob, thanks. :)
The HTPC will pretty much be the same as yours actually, full size quad core system, Win 7 with lots of ram, but with an SSD and just the one storage drive.
I'll be sticking a graphics card in there too for 1080p gaming.
Upgraded my work PC and bought an HTPC case, want to build the lounge PC from the old components.
Cracking looking case too, blends in well with the hifi :)
http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/silverstone-lc17-htpc-case-front.JPG

Basically I'm just trying to make the most of my new plasma and bring the Internet and other PC stuff to the livingroom.
If I can get top quality audio at least as good as the squeezebox Touch (but with added features and convenience by using a PC) then fantastic.

Your setup sounds great Bob, very much like how I see mine.
Want to try XBox Media Centre http://xbmc.org/skins/ as a front end for video, just need to do some swatting to find the best audio front end. :)
I use IPENG on my Ipod Touch and its great....just need an Ipad!

Is this Vincent Kars site?
http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Intro/Playback.htm

*EDIT*
Just been browsing Computer Audiophile site..they recommend J-River Media Centre for audio?
Good site lots of info. :)

[Gazjam]

I may be missing something here, Gary, but you could always use your Touch in conjunction with a PC by running a little programme called Moose (http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/), which is designed as an alternative front end to the web interface of Squeezeserver.

[clip]

BTW the colourscheme is customisable :)

For me, though, the iPeng app (http://penguinlovesmusic.de/) on the iPad is the ultimate Squeezebox remote .. ..

Cheers,
Bob

I didn't know about that Bob, be good to try that too.
Cheers!

[icehockeyboy]

Gaz, Can U check your inbox please!!

Ta!!

Craig

[Gazjam]

Gaz, Can U check your inbox please!!

Ta!!

Craig

Checked..and replied.
ya thread crapper... ;) :)

[keiths]

http://www.rusticrhino.com/drlovegrove/moose060c.png


Are those covers grouped by colour - or do you only like albums with orange covers? ;)

[morris_minor]

Yeh. Orange rules in my house :lol:

These are actually screenshots nicked from the Moose website. One of the ways of ordering the display is by cover colour. So if you know the music you want came with a reddish cover, you can sort on this. Personally I sort by album title, being Mr Boring . . .

You can also have the display move the covers around in very disturbing way - like trying to pick one out when you're pissed! :lolsign:

[Krisbee]

Basically I'm just trying to make the most of my new plasma and bring the Internet and other PC stuff to the livingroom.
If I can get top quality audio at least as good as the squeezebox Touch (but with added features and convenience by using a PC) then fantastic.


HTPC v. touch, that's hours of blood sweat and tears swapping cables, USB to S/PDIF converters, and OS tweakery.

Actually, I've been happy just to connect my PC via plain old USB to my 7520 DAC. I've even dumped my old cheap Envy24 s/card after upgrading my m/board recently. The onboard S/PDIF out provided by HDA SB/ALC892 is just as good.

You never know, you may just be surprised how good it can sound with a simple set up. If you're disappointed you can always try putting a convertor in the audio chain.

The v-link has been mentioned a few times already. There are now three models floating around. The original v-link is a 24bit/96KHz async converter, the newer v-link ii added a fancy case, then the v-link 192 (about twice the price) adds 24/192 capability and balanced outputs along with COAX and full galvanic isolation. But there's more of these converters on the market now than you can shake a stick at, with prices that range from the sublime to the ridiculous.

As to OS and playback software choices, I won't even start on that. Besides, I remain committed to Linux.

Now, I'd better update my sig info.

[Canetoad]

Sorry guys, what exactly is an HTPC? :scratch:

[Reid Malenfant]

According to google it's a Home Theatre PC :) I don't know either so I thought I'd look :eyebrows:

[bobbasrah]

Yep that is the sort of thing I meant, and yes that is Vincent's site I was referring to. Very helpful info..
The Silverstone cases are well thought out (even if slightly expensive at the time), but this end it was a Lian-Li 34 type case, that I had to import from the UK. The only negatives are the two small fans (quiet but audible) on the back of the case, and the wireless remote I never fully utilised, but it took a full sized Gigabyte board with ease (apart from a tight squeeze on the sata plugs). A huge Noctua blower on the CPU is inaudible, and the 2 front blowers were also boosted to large diameter low speed fans. Well quietened machine, and the plasma is the louder albeit quiet source.
This MB has dual Sata and dual Usb controllers, which offers quite a degree of flexibility. The dedication of one usb controller for the Dac I found a perfect solution. The video card is the only thing I might still upgrade.... I discovered too late that the AMD cpu has a limit on memory speed, but had committed to faster memory. Fast enough, but under-utilised.
The rest of it is down to choices of OS and media controller. Plenty of choices and experienced users out there.
The advantage for me of MediaPortal is the plugin for audio which gives asio control, but the new version has not yet developed a wasapi equivalent. Complete automatic switchability between video's audio and music audio is a big plus, but that is more down to Win7.
It will be an interesting adventure for you I am sure, and you will be well chuffed whatever way you go.

PS - Do you already have the SSD or is that a planned purchase? The reason for asking is the relative performance and storage levels over standard sata drives - ie performance per pound. SSD's are certainly fast, but beyond loading and running the OS, they offer little advantage as yet, and modern drives are pretty quiet.....

[Ali Tait]

What does the panel think of this?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20088826-1/revo-in-review-acer-innovates-the-home-theater-pc/

[bobbasrah]

What does the panel think of this?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20088826-1/revo-in-review-acer-innovates-the-home-theater-pc/

Restrictive capability to be honest Ali, but little info in the review, which only salient point is that the playstation offers largely the same media functionality at 60% of the price, albeit at the cost of internet access. Another similarity is that the playstation would be superceded pretty soon also. Packing a whopping :doh: 750Gb drive..... I guess that that is not free storage either. My music library would fit on the drive, just.
Slimline, like B&O, looks pretty. Probably allows Acer to get rid of a lot of redundant, slow-shifting or cheap kit.
It will sell nevertheless....:scratch:

[Ali Tait]

All I'd need it to do is stream FLAC to my system. Not bothered about the video side. I already have a Drobo.

[bobbasrah]

All I'd need it to do is stream FLAC to my system. Not bothered about the video side. I already have a Drobo.

Sorry Ali, thought you were raising it generally.
To be honest, if you do not need keyboard etc or internet access and it is only for media, a WD, Tvix or other media player would probably do what you need at a fraction of the cost and size. The Tvix 4500 my daughter inherited just recently got a new 2Tb drive after 5 years dutifull service, and she loves the simplicity, with the ability to watch HD films.

[Ali Tait]

Well what I'd like to do is explore using different media players to see how to get the best sound. I'm using a Touch at the moment and I have to plug the HD into my laptop every time I want to listen to music at the moment, as my collection is too large for TinySC now (I don't have a home pc). I'd like to try streaming directly from a pc to a dac, as good as the Touch is, I'm sure it can be bettered, and it's getting a pain in the arse having to connect up to the laptop all the time. I know building your own stripped down machine is probably the way to go, but my time is limited as I work away from home, and I'd like something that can be left on 24/7 so I can just press play when I get home.

[bobbasrah]

In that case, it is a PC (as in computer not PC, the latest version of class etc..) you need, so take your pick.
Loads out there, and probably a good market in the Fife and Lothians areas for a custom build if you are daunted by it. If you can mess around with trannies and valves, building a PC is frankly a doddle. You can determine what you need soundwise (and vision) and set it up from there. You can experiment with every daft idea that comes to mind.
I have no doubts myself that this silent brick I built has paid for itself in terms of pure enjoyment many times over despite being nagged by audio "experts" that it can't.
24/7 is perhaps too silly if you are away from home.. Less than a minute from ON whould be quite sufficient I should think...
Up to you mate..... PC or not PC? You're a fly Fifer after all...

[Ali Tait]

PC or not PC? You've lost me there! :lol:

[Tim]

PS - Do you already have the SSD or is that a planned purchase? The reason for asking is the relative performance and storage levels over standard sata drives - ie performance per pound. SSD's are certainly fast, but beyond loading and running the OS, they offer little advantage as yet, and modern drives are pretty quiet.....
+1

Just to expand a little, when I first built my music server I put an SSD in for the operating system together with a 2TB drive for the music library. I couldn't detect any benefit sound or performance wise, so after a period of trial I removed it and just partitioned the 2TB drive with the O/S on a 40GB partition and the music is on the rest. The 2TB drive was chosen specifically for it's silent running (http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_Hard_Drives) and the server is totally fanless, so there is no discernible noise coming from the case - it's totally silent unless you clamp your ear to the case and then the drive is still barely audible, even during reads. I have never once heard any noise whatsoever coming from the server whilst playing music.

So in my experience the SSD didn't add any benefit to the build, apart from the shorter boot time when used purely as a music server. It boots very quickly anyway, as there is nothing on there apart from Foobar, Spotify and the cut-down/modified O/S. Of course if it was a dual purpose build this may differ?

[Ali Tait]

What's your server Tim?

[bobbasrah]

+1

Just to expand a little, when I first built my music server I put an SSD in for the operating system together with a 2TB drive for the music library. I couldn't detect any benefit sound or performance wise, so after a period of trial I removed it and just partitioned the 2TB drive with the O/S on a 40GB partition and the music is on the rest. The 2TB drive was chosen specifically for it's silent running (http://www.silentpcreview.com/Recommended_Hard_Drives) and the server is totally fanless, so there is no discernible noise coming from the case - it's totally silent unless you clamp your ear to the case and then the drive is still barely audible, even during reads. I have never once heard any noise whatsoever coming from the server whilst playing music.

So in my experience the SSD didn't add any benefit to the build, apart from the shorter boot time when used purely as a music server. It boots very quickly anyway, as there is nothing on there apart from Foobar, Spotify and the cut-down/modified O/S. Of course if it was a dual purpose build this may differ?

+1 For the power user, it is "cost effective", to the rest of mankind who can wait 15 secs, a wasteful expense.

[Tim]

What's your server Tim?
It's a self build Ali, based on an Intel Atom D525 processor (passively cooled) with 4GB RAM, 2TB Western Digital WD20EADS drive, 64bit Win7 in a Lian Li case powered by an external fanless PSU. Totally silent and operated remotely so the only connections to it are a network cable and USB going to the Rega DAC. Cost me around £300 or so to build and sounds none too shabby ;)

[dave2010]

It's a self build Ali, based on an Intel Atom D525 processor (passively cooled) with 4GB RAM, 2TB Western Digital WD20EADS drive, 64bit Win7 in a Lian Li case powered by an external fanless PSU. Totally silent and operated remotely so the only connections to it are a network cable and USB going to the Rega DAC. Cost me around £300 or so to build and sounds none too shabby ;)How do you control this? [particularly, but not exclusively, the software interface]

I currently use a Squeezebox fed from my LAN, and output to a Caiman->Bantam Gold. My source is an iMac onto which I'm gradually putting my music collection. I expect the final collection to be somewhere between 2-4 Tbytes, though I'm surprised at how much of it I have already on some 750 Gbyte drives.

I'm interested in how others control their playing. I use various methods, depending where I am.
1. Direct from the computer via iTunes.
2. Using one or other Squeezebox controller. The small one (for use with a Boom model) is useless for searches. These are only IR controllers, so not as flexible as using the iPad (see 3,4).
3. Using iPeng
4. Using Squeezepad

Sometimes I also set up playlists in advance in order to make it easier to control remotely, but that requires extra time sitting in front of a keyboard.

iPeng and Squeezepad are good, but not perfect. There are still many things they can't do well as far as I can see. One is that it doesn't seem to be possible to play the whole of a CD album once one track has been found using a search. This is easy in iTunes.

One possible longer term solution for me is to use a Mac Mini situated close to the DAC and amp, and to connect to it/control it via the network if I need to.

[Tim]

How do you control this?The server is controlled using Radmin Server software from either my desktop PC (normal method), or from my Netbook if I want control from the sofa. I have tried Windows Remote Desktop, but for me Radmin betters it in just about every way possible.

I'm looking forward to Windows 8, as I should be able to do it all via some sort of touchscreen :)

http://www.radmin.com/products/radmin/

[brainz2000]

From a iPeng search on the iPhone, you can play the whole album by pressing and holding the track name to get the track details, scrolling down to the album details and tapping ... This takes you to the album screen where you can add or play all tracks ....
Hope this helps
Tim

[bobbasrah]

I'm interested in how others control their playing. I use various methods, depending where I am.
1. Direct from the computer via iTunes.
2. Using one or other Squeezebox controller. The small one (for use with a Boom model) is useless for searches. These are only IR controllers, so not as flexible as using the iPad (see 3,4).
3. Using iPeng
4. Using Squeezepad
.

Wireless keyboard and mouse for the computer via MediaPortal (and a wireless remote if I ever get round to installing and using it properly). The plasma display has to be on to navigate, which is the only disadvantage. Ultimately the second system at the workdesk will map to the main computer's drives over the network.

[Alex_UK]

I use Monkey Mote remote for iPod Touch/iPhone to control Foobar and Remoteless for Spotify on the same device, but much prefer to use my main laptop to control my music laptop. I actually like Windows Remote Desktop, though I also use Team Viewer and Tight VNC if I use non-pro versions of Windows which don't allow hosting of RDC. I also tried Log Me In but could never work out how to leave the sound on the host computer - it would always transfer to the client machine - which is of course great if you want to access your music away from home I guess, though not sure what the quality would be like.

[brian2957]

Could we please talk English :lol:

[Tim]

Could we please talk English :lol:
"Och aye the noo Jimmy" ;)

[brian2957]

LOL . Asked for that one !

[bobbasrah]

The Life of Brian, Part deux...?

[brian2957]

Merry Christmai guys huv a guid day. :cool: