BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

The BBC have started broadcasting Radio on the internet using AAC. AIUI
these streams are encapsulated with Flash, and whilst this may benefit the
iPlayer where does this leave internet radios?

Will the BBC start broadcasting an unencapsulated stream, do they expect
internet radios to adapt or continue to use the existing WMA stream?


--
Michael Chare

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Michael Chare
wrote:
The BBC have started broadcasting Radio on the internet using AAC. AIUI
these streams are encapsulated with Flash, and whilst this may benefit
the iPlayer where does this leave internet radios?

Will the BBC start broadcasting an unencapsulated stream, do they
expect internet radios to adapt or continue to use the existing WMA
stream?

I don't know the current position, so what I say next may be out of date!
But I had a conversation with 'sources' at the BBC about it some time ago.
AIUI Their view at that point was that they had not satisfied themselves
that there was (yet) an established standard for AAC streaming and at that
point and they preferred to focus on ACC for the iPlayer whilst continuing
to provide the existing (non AAC) streams for 'legacy' systems like net
radio boxes. But I was told they will keep this in mind, so it may change
at some point.

That said, my impression is also that they prefer the iPlayer as it gives
them a bit more control over access from the copyright POV. They didn't say
this to me, though. Just my suspicion.

Personally, having compared using a computer for the iPlayer with a 'net
radio' I'd say I found using the computer far easier as well as giving
better results. Given that DVB-T (Freeview) also gives decent results I
can't say that the lack of AAC for net radios bothers me much. And the net
radio I've been trying can't cope with AAC anyway, despite being a current
model. The makers told me they had no plans to upgrade it.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:09:47 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Personally, having compared using a computer for the iPlayer with a 'net
radio' I'd say I found using the computer far easier as well as giving
better results.

I find a bedside net radio easier to use (and more acceptable to my
better half) than a bedside computer. (She did complain that the Pure
Avanti Flow I use is rather large - and I must agree with her on that
point.)

Out of interest, which net radio(s) did you try?

The main advantage of a net radio for me is the availability of
foreign stations (like BR Klassik and France Musique) at reasonable
quality. (For the UK, DAB suffices - with satellite and a computer
with an outboard USB sound module for serious listening.)


Chris.

--
Chris Isbell
Southampton, UK

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"Michael Chare" wrote in message
...
The BBC have started broadcasting Radio on the internet using AAC.
AIUI these streams are encapsulated with Flash, and whilst this may
benefit the iPlayer where does this leave internet radios?

Will the BBC start broadcasting an unencapsulated stream, do they
expect internet radios to adapt or continue to use the existing WMA
stream?


I was told that they intend to deliver non-Flash AAC streams in
future, but they also said that that might be some time away from
happening, and the person who said it has since left the BBC, so I've
no idea whether they will end up delivering them or not.


--
Steve - www.savefm.org - stop the BBC bullies switching off FM

www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - digital radio news & info

"It is the sheer volume of online audio content available via
internet-connected devices which terrifies the UK radio industry. I
believe that broadband-delivered radio will explode in the years to
come, offering very local, unregulated content, as well as opening a
window to the radio stations of the world." - from the Myers Report

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Chris Isbell
wrote:
On Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:09:47 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Personally, having compared using a computer for the iPlayer with a
'net radio' I'd say I found using the computer far easier as well as
giving better results.

I find a bedside net radio easier to use (and more acceptable to my
better half) than a bedside computer. (She did complain that the Pure
Avanti Flow I use is rather large - and I must agree with her on that
point.)

Out of interest, which net radio(s) did you try?

At present I am having a play with a Roberts - big black box but I've
forgotten the model number at present!

The main advantage of a net radio for me is the availability of foreign
stations (like BR Klassik and France Musique) at reasonable quality.

Are they not available as net streams you can pick up with your computer? I
know the AVRO stations and various other European Classical ones are as I
do listen to them occasionally.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:55:33 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

The main advantage of a net radio for me is the availability of foreign
stations (like BR Klassik and France Musique) at reasonable quality.

Are they not available as net streams you can pick up with your computer? I
know the AVRO stations and various other European Classical ones are as I
do listen to them occasionally.

Yes, I believe they are. However, it is likely that the satellite feed
will be of a better quality. (BR Klassik, for example, is 320kbps
MP2.) I take the digital output from the satellite receiver (its
onboard circuitry is audibly poor) through an external DAC, an
amplifier and Quad electrostatics ('57s).

Overall it is not at all bad - and I get to improve my German and
French listening skills to boot! (Swiss radio is best for this because
the announcers alternate between French and German.)

--
Chris Isbell
Southampton, UK

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Chris Isbell
wrote:
On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:55:33 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

The main advantage of a net radio for me is the availability of
foreign stations (like BR Klassik and France Musique) at reasonable
quality.

Are they not available as net streams you can pick up with your
computer? I know the AVRO stations and various other European Classical
ones are as I do listen to them occasionally.

Yes, I believe they are. However, it is likely that the satellite feed
will be of a better quality. (BR Klassik, for example, is 320kbps MP2.)
I take the digital output from the satellite receiver (its onboard
circuitry is audibly poor) through an external DAC, an amplifier and
Quad electrostatics ('57s).

Right. However I was asking about your comment re using net radio. I was
assuming from the context you were saying that BRK and France Musique were
an advantage for using a net radio device as the rx over using a computer,
etc.

Overall it is not at all bad - and I get to improve my German and French
listening skills to boot! (Swiss radio is best for this because the
announcers alternate between French and German.)

I've found all kinds of music on net stations with the announcements not in
English. Fortunately for me, the streams often have an accompanying set of
tags that label the content for when I don't recognise it! :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"DAB sounds worse than FM" wrote in message
...
"Michael Chare" wrote in message
...
The BBC have started broadcasting Radio on the internet using AAC. AIUI
these streams are encapsulated with Flash, and whilst this may benefit
the iPlayer where does this leave internet radios?

Will the BBC start broadcasting an unencapsulated stream, do they expect
internet radios to adapt or continue to use the existing WMA stream?


I was told that they intend to deliver non-Flash AAC streams in future,
but they also said that that might be some time away from happening, and
the person who said it has since left the BBC, so I've no idea whether
they will end up delivering them or not.


--
Steve - www.savefm.org - stop the BBC bullies switching off FM

www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - digital radio news & info

"It is the sheer volume of online audio content available via
internet-connected devices which terrifies the UK radio industry. I
believe that broadband-delivered radio will explode in the years to
come, offering very local, unregulated content, as well as opening a
window to the radio stations of the world." - from the Myers Report


Thanks for the replies. I suppose that one advantage of the internet is
that new formats can be introduced without bandwidth having to be allocated.

--
Michael Chare

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:12:42 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Right. However I was asking about your comment re using net radio. I was
assuming from the context you were saying that BRK and France Musique were
an advantage for using a net radio device as the rx over using a computer,
etc.

For me, the main advantages of a net radio are that it is silent (no
fans or hard disks), it starts up faster and it is in a different room
from my computer.

The main downside of the one I use is no digital output to feed
external equipment.

've found all kinds of music on net stations with the announcements not in
English. Fortunately for me, the streams often have an accompanying set of
tags that label the content for when I don't recognise it! :-)

Parles-tu français ? Sprichst du Deutsch? :-)

--
Chris Isbell
Southampton, UK

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Chris Isbell
wrote:
On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:12:42 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Right. However I was asking about your comment re using net radio. I
was assuming from the context you were saying that BRK and France
Musique were an advantage for using a net radio device as the rx over
using a computer, etc.

For me, the main advantages of a net radio are that it is silent (no
fans or hard disks), it starts up faster and it is in a different room
from my computer.

This has been a concern for me. However it is possible to get computers
which make little or no noises. Albeit with a cost and some searching
around, etc. The Shuttle 'PC' I use has its fan disconnected, uses a
fanless brick PSU, and I have a SSD instead of a conventional HD. So it
makes no 'noises off' when I am using it to play audio, iPlayer, etc. Using
Ubuntu helps as it is quite happy with a 60GB SSD and only occupies a GB or
two.

I now also have a new laptop with a fanless PSU brick and a 60GB SSD. This
does have a fan, but it almost never comes on when I am simply listening to
the radio iPlayer or LPCM soundfiles. Does come on when using the 'TV#
iPlayer, though.

The main downside of the one I use is no digital output to feed external
equipment.

With the Shuttle I've ended up feeding digital via USB to a DACMagic, and I
then run an optical spdif from that to my Meridian 563 to break any ground
loops and get reclocking. Bit OTT but sounds good. :-)

With the Laptop I feed out its optical spdif to Pioneer CD recorder that I
also use as a player in the room where I tend to sit and use computers.
Meaning to try out a cheaper USB device, but as yet lack the round tuits...

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has an
optical output?

've found all kinds of music on net stations with the announcements not
in English. Fortunately for me, the streams often have an accompanying
set of tags that label the content for when I don't recognise it! :-)

Parles-tu français ? Sprichst du Deutsch? :-)

A few words. :-) Many years ago I used to travel a lot when I worked in
mm-wave astronomy. Made kit for 90 - 400 GHz receiver systems and took it
to telescopes, etc. So did pick up 'FrangleDeutch' which was a guddle of
various European languages. But I've only ever been able to do that on the
basis of 'hear and learn'. Enough for some purposes, but hardly general
fluency! Found *English* hard enough to pick up! :-)

FWIW Many decades ago I was working in Tolouse for months. Project to use
Concorde 001 to fly along the track of a total eclipse to get prolonged
shadow for mm-wave measurements of the solar atmosphere. This mean I did
pick up some of the local dialect French. Mainly words for tools like
screwdrivers, equipment like transformers, etc, and how to order food and
drink.

With me was an academic who'd learned 'good' French at school. The problem
for him was that came across as a 'posh accent' to the locals. So they used
to pretend they could not understand what he said and turned to me to
explain as I spoke with the accent I'd picked up from them. :-)

But I can't now recall more than a few words.

Later on, most of the visits to telescopes were to Hawai'i. Less of a
language problem, but found people kept assuming I was Australian. ;-

Fun whilst it lasted. I love the views from c14,000ft up a mountain. And
despite being very unfit I never had problems with the lack of atomsphere.

Was one of the reasons I later got my old research group into making
mm-wave radars etc for volcanology. So they could boldly go up volcanoes
and have fun with big boots on around the world. :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

Jim Lesurf wrote:

[snip]

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has an
optical output?

No, I have not found the need, so far, for any external DAC to go with my
Mac mini, the analogue output sounds most satisfactory to me. A snaglet with
the Mac is the the analogue and optical outputs both emanate from the same
3.5mm plug'ole so both cannot be connected simultaneously, unless someone
knows otherwise.

Would an external DAC get around a PC's inherent resampling.

Googling found this from a well known supplier :-

http://www.russandrews.com/product-F...B-DAC-4626.htm

[snip]


--
David Pitt
Snow Leopard - MessengerPro

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"Jim Lesurf" wrote

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has an
optical output?

There is a little USB DAC from Maplin which looks to me to be very similar
to the "Firestone" except that it only costs a fraction of the price. I've
used the Maplin DAC for some time and have been very pleased with it.

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

David Looser said...

There is a little USB DAC from Maplin which looks to me to be very similar
to the "Firestone" except that it only costs a fraction of the price. I've
used the Maplin DAC for some time and have been very pleased with it.

Is it this one?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=34128

I've been looking at that as a cheap way of getting toslink output from
my laptop to a Minidisc, have you tried it in that mode?

--
Ken O'Meara
http://www.btinternet.com/~unsteadyken/

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , David Pitt
wrote:
Jim Lesurf wrote:

[snip]

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has
an optical output?

No, I have not found the need, so far, for any external DAC to go with
my Mac mini, the analogue output sounds most satisfactory to me. A
snaglet with the Mac is the the analogue and optical outputs both
emanate from the same 3.5mm plug'ole so both cannot be connected
simultaneously, unless someone knows otherwise.

Same is true with my new laptop, but that doesn't bother me as I
just use an external DAC as I assume that will be better than the
analogue parts of the laptop!


Would an external DAC get around a PC's inherent resampling.

I've been able to get output from the standard soundcards that is without
resampling. But in each case only with the 'default' sample rate. I've now
tried three totally different 'PC' machines (with Ubuntu/Xubuntu) and
every case the default insists on playing all digital output with the same
sample rate, regardless of the rate of the source material.

Using the DACMagic solved that problem, but at the cost of having to use an
external add-on USB DAC of course! Plus I think that then limits me to 16
bits per sample, although I can't say that currently bothers me much!

Googling found this from a well known supplier :-

http://www.russandrews.com/product-F...B-DAC-4626.htm

Ahem Yes, I had known about that as was thinking of contacting Russ about
one. :-) But I was wondering if I was going to be 'first into the field'
again wrt using one with Linux.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , David Looser
wrote:
"Jim Lesurf" wrote

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has
an optical output?

There is a little USB DAC from Maplin which looks to me to be very
similar to the "Firestone" except that it only costs a fraction of the
price. I've used the Maplin DAC for some time and have been very
pleased with it.

Ah! Thanks. I was wondering if they did one. I just got a 'preview'
catalogue from them and had looked though it for that sort of thing with no
success.

Can you recall the part number? If not I'll just see if I can find it.

And does it automatically follow the source sampling rate?

And how does it indentify itself to the 'PC'? The DACMagic reports itself
as a specific 'USB Headphone Set' as that comes from the USB chip they use.

....and do you know if it works with Linux? :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"UnsteadyKen" wrote in message
m...
David Looser said...

There is a little USB DAC from Maplin which looks to me to be very
similar
to the "Firestone" except that it only costs a fraction of the price.
I've
used the Maplin DAC for some time and have been very pleased with it.

Is it this one?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=34128

That's the one.

I've been looking at that as a cheap way of getting toslink output from
my laptop to a Minidisc, have you tried it in that mode?

I haven't tried to connect to a Minidisc, but I see no reason why it
shouldn't work. I've mainly used it to feed audio from a laptop to an
optical input of a Denon surround-sound amplifier. Though I've also used
with a stand-alone DAC and also succesfully fed the optical output into the
optical input of a sound-card on another PC as an experiment.

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...
In article , David Looser
wrote:
"Jim Lesurf" wrote

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has
an optical output?

There is a little USB DAC from Maplin which looks to me to be very
similar to the "Firestone" except that it only costs a fraction of the
price. I've used the Maplin DAC for some time and have been very
pleased with it.

Ah! Thanks. I was wondering if they did one. I just got a 'preview'
catalogue from them and had looked though it for that sort of thing with
no
success.

Can you recall the part number? If not I'll just see if I can find it.

"Unsteady Ken" has posted the link.

And does it automatically follow the source sampling rate?

I understand that it does.

And how does it indentify itself to the 'PC'? The DACMagic reports itself
as a specific 'USB Headphone Set' as that comes from the USB chip they
use.

It identifies itself as "USB Audio Device"

...and do you know if it works with Linux? :-)

'Fraid not!

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:21:19 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

In article , David Looser
wrote:
"Jim Lesurf" wrote

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has
an optical output?

There is a little USB DAC from Maplin which looks to me to be very
similar to the "Firestone" except that it only costs a fraction of the
price. I've used the Maplin DAC for some time and have been very
pleased with it.

Ah! Thanks. I was wondering if they did one. I just got a 'preview'
catalogue from them and had looked though it for that sort of thing with no
success.

Can you recall the part number? If not I'll just see if I can find it.

And does it automatically follow the source sampling rate?

And how does it indentify itself to the 'PC'? The DACMagic reports itself
as a specific 'USB Headphone Set' as that comes from the USB chip they use.

...and do you know if it works with Linux? :-)

Slainte,

Jim

According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

d

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"Don Pearce" wrote


According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

As it is my clear understanding that it doesn't resample, I've just looked
at the FAQ. I cannot find anything there about it resampling. I will check
again just to make sure.

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:39:58 +0100, "David Looser"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote


According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

As it is my clear understanding that it doesn't resample, I've just looked
at the FAQ. I cannot find anything there about it resampling. I will check
again just to make sure.

David.


The Maplin one, yes? Very first question in the FAQ.

d

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Don Pearce" wrote


According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

As it is my clear understanding that it doesn't resample, I've just looked
at the FAQ. I cannot find anything there about it resampling.

Sorry, it is there I clearly didn't look hard enough before.

I will check
again just to make sure.

I'm still not sure that the FAQ is correct. So I will check.

The other Maplin product that I use, a PCI sound card with optical I/O
*definitely* does not resample.

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:45:52 +0100, "David Looser"
wrote:

"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Don Pearce" wrote


According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

As it is my clear understanding that it doesn't resample, I've just looked
at the FAQ. I cannot find anything there about it resampling.

Sorry, it is there I clearly didn't look hard enough before.

I will check
again just to make sure.

I'm still not sure that the FAQ is correct. So I will check.

The other Maplin product that I use, a PCI sound card with optical I/O
*definitely* does not resample.

David.




I think in general I would skip these ultra-cheap ones, they all seem
pretty limited. I would be looking at the M-Audio Transit, which comes
in at about £50. Excellent pedigree.

d

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , David Looser
wrote:
"David Looser" wrote in message
...
"Don Pearce" wrote


According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

As it is my clear understanding that it doesn't resample, I've just
looked at the FAQ. I cannot find anything there about it resampling.

Sorry, it is there I clearly didn't look hard enough before.

Well, I also just looked. At first I used NetSurf on a RO box and found no
sign in ther FAQs of the reply that it resampled.

I then used FifeFox on a Xubuntu box, and saw it as the first answer. Yet I
am quite sure that Q and A were *not* displayed on the first occasion. So I
wonder if the page isn't always choosing the same list of Q and As to
display.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Don Pearce
wrote:
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:39:58 +0100, "David Looser"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote


According to the FAQs, it resamples. It only supports 48kHz.

As it is my clear understanding that it doesn't resample, I've just
looked at the FAQ. I cannot find anything there about it resampling.
I will check again just to make sure.

David.


The Maplin one, yes? Very first question in the FAQ.

I am wondering if the answer is actually correct TBH. It does seem weird to
me that a USB-to-optical spdif should enforce resampling. But then I have
increasingly formed the impression that the people who build computer gear
are bonkers and haven't a clue about audio.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Don Pearce
wrote:


I think in general I would skip these ultra-cheap ones, they all seem
pretty limited. I would be looking at the M-Audio Transit, which comes
in at about £50. Excellent pedigree.

Again, do you know if that provides both analogue and optical outputs
*without* resampling, and works with Linux?

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"Jim Lesurf" wrote

I then used FifeFox on a Xubuntu box, and saw it as the first answer. Yet
I
am quite sure that Q and A were *not* displayed on the first occasion. So
I
wonder if the page isn't always choosing the same list of Q and As to
display.

Maybe. I had a pretty good look first time and did not see it. And when I
*did* see it the second time I visited that page, it was *not* the first
answer, about third I think.

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

"Don Pearce" wrote


I think in general I would skip these ultra-cheap ones, they all seem
pretty limited. I would be looking at the M-Audio Transit, which comes
in at about £50. Excellent pedigree.


My experience of this "ultra-cheap" one is that it works exceedingly well.
IMO it beats more expensive offerings hands down, simply because it is so
"limited". It converts USB audio to SPDIF (I ignore the analogue output). -
that's it. No fancy bells and whistles. If that's what you want to do I fail
to see what you would get with a more expensive offering that you don't get
with this.

David.

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:02:00 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has an
optical output?

I have an Edirol UA-25, which works under Ubuntu without any problems.
This has been superceded by the 'new and improved' UA-25EX. See, for
example.:
http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardwa...terface--56571

The only problem I have had with the UA-25 was a earth loop when using
the unbalanced analogue output. (The EX model apparently has a ground
lift to help overcome this.)

The analogue output and input seems to have very few undesirable
artifacts from the simple testing I have done. It is switchable
between 44.1, 48 and 96 ksps.

There are a number of similar products from other manufacturers, also
targeted at the pro and semi-pro recording market.

--
Chris Isbell
Southampton, UK

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:45:10 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

In article , Don Pearce
wrote:


I think in general I would skip these ultra-cheap ones, they all seem
pretty limited. I would be looking at the M-Audio Transit, which comes
in at about £50. Excellent pedigree.

Again, do you know if that provides both analogue and optical outputs
*without* resampling, and works with Linux?

Slainte,

Jim

Yes to the first two (M-Audio is a serious professional audio
company), and sort of for the last. There are web sites out there with
details of how to bolt it onto a Linux machine, but M-Audio don't
write drivers for it.

d

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , David Looser
wrote:
"Jim Lesurf" wrote

I then used FifeFox on a Xubuntu box, and saw it as the first answer.
Yet I am quite sure that Q and A were *not* displayed on the first
occasion. So I wonder if the page isn't always choosing the same list
of Q and As to display.

Maybe. I had a pretty good look first time and did not see it. And when
I *did* see it the second time I visited that page, it was *not* the
first answer, about third I think.

It was certainly first when I saw it with FireFox. So I guess the list is
generated on the fly each time, so the items included might vary for some
unknown (to us) reasons.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Don Pearce
wrote:
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:45:10 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Again, do you know if that provides both analogue and optical outputs
*without* resampling, and works with Linux?


Yes to the first two (M-Audio is a serious professional audio company),
and sort of for the last. There are web sites out there with details of
how to bolt it onto a Linux machine, but M-Audio don't write drivers for
it.

sigh yes, discovered that with a bit of googling. So looks possible if I
am willing to furtle about. Not really ideal for 50 quid. But the inputs
and 96ksample/sec are tempting.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

BBC Radio using AAC and internet radios
 

In article , Chris Isbell
wrote:
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:02:00 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

Has anyone reading this tried, say, the 'Firestone' USB dac that has an
optical output?

I have an Edirol UA-25, which works under Ubuntu without any problems.
This has been superceded by the 'new and improved' UA-25EX. See, for
example.:
http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardwa...terface--56571

The only problem I have had with the UA-25 was a earth loop when using
the unbalanced analogue output. (The EX model apparently has a ground
lift to help overcome this.)

The analogue output and input seems to have very few undesirable
artifacts from the simple testing I have done. It is switchable between
44.1, 48 and 96 ksps.

The above is certainly interesting. But I was really looking at this point
just for a USB DAC with optical o/p that copes properly with 44/48 spdif.
i.e. for playing out sounds, not recording.

Having inputs and an ADC would be useful at a later point if they can can
cope with 96ks/s and 24 bit.

However once the price is well north of 100 quid I'd really like to know in
advance exactly what it *will* do with Xubuntu. Otherwise I'd probably end
up with the 'safe' option of another DACMagic.

There are a number of similar products from other manufacturers, also
targeted at the pro and semi-pro recording market.

I should spend time looking at the various sites, I guess.

Thanks for the info.

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html