Thinking of buying a music server? Read this!

[walpurgis]

Here's a link to an eBay review/opinion of music servers and their pitfalls.

May be worth thinking about.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Audio-ReQuest-and-IMerge-type-Music-Servers-on-ebay-/10000000175665621/g.html

[Stratmangler]

A far better option is to use a NAS such as this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zyxel-Media-Server-NSA310-Single-Bay-/121742165534?hash=item1c5866061e and fit a decent size HDD.
Mine has not missed a beat in all the time I've been running it.
It can run LMS (for Squeezeboxes - how I run it), can run as an iTunes server, and also has facility to be a DLNA server.

You'd need a client to access the music files, so you could be looking at a RasPi, or a Squeezebox, or even just use a laptop or a Green PC loaded with your preferred media player.

[dougmon]

I'm using a Vortexbox setup on an average low-powered computer. I've had to hook up a keyboard and monitor to it perhaps twice in 5 or so years. It's easy to back up and can be easily accessed via a Squeezebox or a Sonos.

I think the lesson to be learned here is "don't buy a proprietary music server."

[WAD62]

A far better option is to use a NAS such as this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zyxel-Media-Server-NSA310-Single-Bay-/121742165534?hash=item1c5866061e and fit a decent size HDD.
Mine has not missed a beat in all the time I've been running it.
It can run LMS (for Squeezeboxes - how I run it), can run as an iTunes server, and also has facility to be a DLNA server.

You'd need a client to access the music files, so you could be looking at a RasPi, or a Squeezebox, or even just use a laptop or a Green PC loaded with your preferred media player.

+1 again Chris :)

Plus you have the benefits of RAID (Q-RAID in the case of my QNAP) mirroring for DR, my HD failed after 5 years, I swapped in the mirror and was back up within 10 minutes, no data loss or rebuild necessary...:D

This facility will also enable me to expand to a larger HD with about the same effort as and when I need to

The other advantages are very low power consumption, and as it's a proper server, one gets a configurable power schedule, so everything stays nice and responsive...:cool: along with physically decoupling the server and clients :cool::cool:

[vegman1973]

I'm using Vortexbox dougmon. But have had issues with it? I switch it of though do you leave yours constantly running?
I'm not that savvy when it comes to computers and the like. My mate had to sort it last time and did say to leave it on but the wife complained about the blue light at night as my listening room is in attic where we sleep doh
Having recently bought new Dac would like to incorporate the Vortexbox back in my rig.

[dougmon]

I'm using Vortexbox dougmon. But have had issues with it? I switch it of though do you leave yours constantly running?
I'm not that savvy when it comes to computers and the like. My mate had to sort it last time and did say to leave it on but the wife complained about the blue light at night as my listening room is in attic where we sleep doh
Having recently bought new Dac would like to incorporate the Vortexbox back in my rig.

I have my Vortexbox computer in another room; I just run a CAT5 cable from there to a Squeezebox Touch. It's not neat, but then I don't have to listen to the computer fan or look at the bright blue light.

I don't leave my Vortexbox on constantly, but most of the time. Did you have a problem with turning it off and turning it back on again? I'd be happy to answer questions if I can; just PM me.