On 06/04/2010 09:18, Jim Lesurf wrote:
In , housetrained
wrote:

Thanks to all you good people for the advice and maybe someone will make
an external HDD with display and programme to make my wishes come true.


The have made it. But they generally call it "a computer" running relevant
software. :-)


This was the sort of thing I had in mind:

http://www.tradestead.com/wholesale-...side_p247.html

or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ib-mp302-b-M...49668&sr =1-3

I think they run variations of Linux - as I say, it was all too clunky
for me, and digital audio out doesn't seem to be supported.

In article , Rob
wrote:
On 06/04/2010 09:18, Jim Lesurf wrote:
In , housetrained
wrote:

Thanks to all you good people for the advice and maybe someone will
make an external HDD with display and programme to make my wishes
come true.


The have made it. But they generally call it "a computer" running
relevant software. :-)


This was the sort of thing I had in mind:

http://www.tradestead.com/wholesale-...side_p247.html

I'd be put off by the mention of a fan. I don't want any mechanical 'play
along' noises from the unit I'd use!

or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ib-mp302-b-M...49668&sr =1-3

I think they run variations of Linux - as I say, it was all too clunky
for me, and digital audio out doesn't seem to be supported.

I'd also be wary of finding that a 'packaged' system became obsolete when
people started using a new file format, etc.

That said, if the system runs Linux and has enough resources you could
probably alter it later on.

So far as I can see, almost any old computer can easily be used for a
'server' these days and with Linux you can get light OS/software
combinations that will run on old kit. If the machine doesn't have its own
digital output then they should work with something like a DACMagic or one
of the cheaper USB-SPDIF boxes.

Main problem from my POV is mechanical noises. However if someone is
serious about this but doesn't to pay out for a fanless SSD machine I guess
they could shove the old 'server' in a sideboard and network control to it
from something like a netbook sitting beside them. The point about this
approach is that it is flexible and updatable. The snag is that you have to
spend time sorting it out, of course. Alternative is to pay dosh to someone
else to supply a system that might end up not being quite what you want
later on...

As with traditional audio, some will 'DIY', others will throw cash at
'experts', etc.

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

On 06/04/2010 12:42, Jim Lesurf wrote:
In , Rob
wrote:
On 06/04/2010 09:18, Jim Lesurf wrote:
In , housetrained
wrote:

Thanks to all you good people for the advice and maybe someone will
make an external HDD with display and programme to make my wishes
come true.


The have made it. But they generally call it "a computer" running
relevant software. :-)


This was the sort of thing I had in mind:

http://www.tradestead.com/wholesale-...side_p247.html

I'd be put off by the mention of a fan. I don't want any mechanical 'play
along' noises from the unit I'd use!


Quite so - I had one and it had a fan 1cm dia I think, and made a right
racket. In fact, disconnecting it didn't raise temperatures too much -
it hardly did anything.

or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ib-mp302-b-M...49668&sr =1-3

I think they run variations of Linux - as I say, it was all too clunky
for me, and digital audio out doesn't seem to be supported.

I'd also be wary of finding that a 'packaged' system became obsolete when
people started using a new file format, etc.


I think they use FAT variants so they can attach to a Windows machine.

That said, if the system runs Linux and has enough resources you could
probably alter it later on.

So far as I can see, almost any old computer can easily be used for a
'server' these days and with Linux you can get light OS/software
combinations that will run on old kit. If the machine doesn't have its own
digital output then they should work with something like a DACMagic or one
of the cheaper USB-SPDIF boxes.


Quite so. But bulky, power hungry, and as you say, noisy . . .

Main problem from my POV is mechanical noises. However if someone is
serious about this but doesn't to pay out for a fanless SSD machine I guess
they could shove the old 'server' in a sideboard and network control to it
from something like a netbook sitting beside them. The point about this
approach is that it is flexible and updatable. The snag is that you have to
spend time sorting it out, of course. Alternative is to pay dosh to someone
else to supply a system that might end up not being quite what you want
later on...

As with traditional audio, some will 'DIY', others will throw cash at
'experts', etc.


It does seem to be something that's difficult to get right, different
needs maybe. Naim and Linn have some interesting variations, but at a price.

In article , Rob
wrote:
On 06/04/2010 12:42, Jim Lesurf wrote:
In , Rob
wrote:
On 06/04/2010 09:18, Jim Lesurf wrote:
In , housetrained


I'd also be wary of finding that a 'packaged' system became obsolete
when people started using a new file format, etc.


I think they use FAT variants so they can attach to a Windows machine.

Sorry, I meant encoding formats - mp3, AAC, FLAC, etc. With your own
computer you can easily install these. But with a packaged device you might
run into problems, depending on how flexible the design may be.


As with traditional audio, some will 'DIY', others will throw cash at
'experts', etc.


It does seem to be something that's difficult to get right, different
needs maybe. Naim and Linn have some interesting variations, but at a
price.

I have the feeling that a lot of the problem is that many computer hardware
makers and vendors are a mix of clueless and unconcerned about audio. The
attitude is that "You can hear something, so it works!" This exposes buyers
to the situation where to get something that works *correctly* as a package
you get presented with Sooloos, Naim, etc, etc. i.e. expensive badged
packages you are expected to throw your money at.

No doubt they work very nicely. But given that playing a soundfile only
demands a trivial load in modern CPU terms this should be something almost
any old computer can do with ease without any fans whirring. Alas people
have been 'educated' sic to go, "X GHz, whoo! that's fast!" and "3 GB
RAM. Massive!", without thinking that a *silent* *low power* slower and
simpler setup would actually do such tasks with less fuss and cost.

That said, people perhaps have bypassed this to some extent without being
aware of it when they use ARM variants, etc, in other mobile devices. :-)

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