Meehan Mydog wrote:
Okay, thanks everyone.

I think what I had in mind was something along the lines of the Arcam,
although I think that 400GB is a little bit mean when you consider that
160GB iPods have been around for a while. Surely if something is that
much physically bigger than an iPod it could be made with much more
storage space.

The Sooloos thing looks a good system, but I wouldn't be happy to invest
in a machine that didn't let me import my own CDs. (Am I reading that
right... you have to buy tailored 'packages' of music from them?) I
would want it to be rip-enabled.

I must admit, I really thought that the type of machine I'm thinking of
would be far more common in the world of hi-fi, especially in the light
of the iPod phenomenon. Surely it can't be too difficult to design a
hi-fi sized box with a CD reader, at least 1TB of storage space, and
some sort of operating system similar to an iPod... can it? How come the
major players aren't churning them out at a rate of knots?

Regards,
Meehan

Cambrdige do a music server with CD riping, and there's this:

http://www.3ga.org.uk/shop/

For me it was always a case of difficulty accessing music via the tiny
displays, and I have a growing number of videos, so I use a Mac Mini
connected to the TV and hifi. I find the software fine, although the
alternatives mentioned also look good. The Mini just about perfect
*except* for HD space (same with Brennan) - I can just about squeeze
everything on to a recently installed 250GB (laptop) drive - I can but
would prefer not to daisy chain USB drives. I'll face that hurdle when I
come to it but I'm sold on the Mac thing so that'll limit my options. A
mac Mini with a 1TB external HD would do you (if you can connect it to a
display) and cost £500.

On the PC route a problem is noise. We've just has Dell Optiplexs
installed at work and they seem very quiet, and can be had for not much
more than a Mac Mini and have the advanatge of taking full size drives.

I suspect the Arcam stuff would meet your needs if they'd fit a larger
HD, and Linn could certainly kit you out. I think hifi branded kit of
this kind carries a bonkers price premium.

Rob