Media player
 

I'd like an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system. 1TB storage on or physically attached to the media
player - no network storage.

Any suggestions?
--
Cheers, Rob

Media player
 

On 27/08/2013 10:52, RJH wrote:
I'd like an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system. 1TB storage on or physically attached to the media
player - no network storage.

Any suggestions?

Consensus (not from here, obviously!) seems to be a PC/Mac. I have come
across:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/.../camb-np30-blk


Any views?

--
Cheers, Rob

Media player
 

On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 19:48:58 +0100, RJH wrote:

On 27/08/2013 10:52, RJH wrote:
I'd like an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system.

Can't comment on anything to do with iPad or iPhone ...

1TB storage on or physically attached to the media
player - no network storage.

There is none for the unit below, which, considering the exorbitant
price, is a serious shortcoming.

Any suggestions?

As above, the i- requirements prevented me posting before.

Consensus (not from here, obviously!) seems to be a PC/Mac. I have come
across:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/.../camb-np30-blk

Seems incompletely spec'ed and therefore grossly over-priced to me.

You need to draw up a list of specs that you require and then see what
fits those, rather than being led astray by whatever your eyes happen
to fall upon.

For example, mine would be for a streamer that would handle both audio
& video, so:

*.APE, *.FLAC, *.MP?, *.OGG, *.WAV playback.
RCA Stereo out
Optical Out

All common SD and HD video formats supported: *.TS, *.MPG, *.AVI, ...
HDMI 1.3x out
Component (not to be confused with composite) video out.

*.BMP, *.GIF, *.JPG, *.PNG, *.TIF still image display.

Internal SATA II Hard drive bay

For ease of control, maintenance, compatibility, and connectivity:
Linux-based
Gigabit ethernet
USB Master
USB Slave
SAMBA
NFS
FTP

There are some models of ACRyan and Popcorn Hour boxes that fulfil all
these specs, but beware, a change in just one digit or letter in the
model can mean a significant difference in specs, for example the
difference of having a hard-drive bay or not, or Gigabit Ethernet or
not. Until I can find one at the right sort of price on eBay, second
hand or new, my new laptop, a Dell Inspiron, is fulfilling this role
very adequately. It's plugged into my hifi now and playing
Filarfolket, a wonderful Swedish band of the 80s. I wonder if it will
ever succeed in replacing this older, slower laptop as my work
machine, as originally intended!
--
================================================== =======
Please always reply to ng as the email in this post's
header does not exist. Or use a contact address at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

Media player
 

On 29/08/2013 21:17, Java Jive wrote:
On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 19:48:58 +0100, RJH wrote:

On 27/08/2013 10:52, RJH wrote:
I'd like an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system.

Can't comment on anything to do with iPad or iPhone ...


It is a good method of controlling this type of thing. I gather
Android-based devices are too. But noted . . .

1TB storage on or physically attached to the media
player - no network storage.

There is none for the unit below, which, considering the exorbitant
price, is a serious shortcoming.


I think storage *can* be physically attached? And as TB HDs are quite
cheap nowadays, not a problem.

Any suggestions?

As above, the i- requirements prevented me posting before.

Consensus (not from here, obviously!) seems to be a PC/Mac. I have come
across:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/.../camb-np30-blk

Seems incompletely spec'ed and therefore grossly over-priced to me.

You need to draw up a list of specs that you require and then see what
fits those, rather than being led astray by whatever your eyes happen
to fall upon.


OK - an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system.

My eyes didn't fall upon it - it was mentioned to me elsewhere. £300
isn't exorbitant to me - if it does what I want.

For example, mine would be for a streamer that would handle both audio
& video, so:

*.APE, *.FLAC, *.MP?, *.OGG, *.WAV playback.
RCA Stereo out
Optical Out

All common SD and HD video formats supported: *.TS, *.MPG, *.AVI, ...
HDMI 1.3x out
Component (not to be confused with composite) video out.

*.BMP, *.GIF, *.JPG, *.PNG, *.TIF still image display.

Internal SATA II Hard drive bay

For ease of control, maintenance, compatibility, and connectivity:
Linux-based
Gigabit ethernet
USB Master
USB Slave
SAMBA
NFS
FTP

There are some models of ACRyan and Popcorn Hour boxes that fulfil all
these specs, but beware, a change in just one digit or letter in the
model can mean a significant difference in specs, for example the
difference of having a hard-drive bay or not, or Gigabit Ethernet or
not. Until I can find one at the right sort of price on eBay, second
hand or new, my new laptop, a Dell Inspiron, is fulfilling this role
very adequately. It's plugged into my hifi now and playing
Filarfolket, a wonderful Swedish band of the 80s. I wonder if it will
ever succeed in replacing this older, slower laptop as my work
machine, as originally intended!


Very good, but I don't need any of that. I have a NAS and PC-based
server that performs very well in one location. My request here is for a
different set of requirements - an audio only media player capable of
playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system.

Incidentally, I have a Sumvision media streamer that covers most of your
requirements - not sure about Linux. Marvellous little thing, about £20
plus HD IIRC. But for the lack of remote controllability (no wifi) and
inability to play Apple Lossless, it would have done me. But I am liking
the idea of a CD-like player with a display. Whether I'm liking it
enough to shell out £300 . . .

--
Cheers, Rob

“Pessimism of the spirit; optimism of the will” Antonio Gramsci

Media player
 

On Fri, 30 Aug 2013 08:12:05 +0100, RJH wrote:

I think storage *can* be physically attached? And as TB HDs are quite
cheap nowadays, not a problem.

But it's more expensive - you have to buy the USB or eSata enclosure
- slightly more expensive to run - you have to power the enclosure
as well - a damn sight less convenient, and will probably be
noisier, which is something of a problem during quiet passages of
music.

OK - an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system.

My eyes didn't fall upon it - it was mentioned to me elsewhere. £300
isn't exorbitant to me - if it does what I want.

Well, it's your decision of course, but it seems expensive to me, when
for £100 more you could get a perfectly decent new ACRyan or Popcorn
media player that will house an internal hard disk, and do all the
video as well, while for £100 - £200 less you could get ditto second
hand, if you're patient enough to wait for the right one to come up on
eBay.

And, incidentally, most of these boxes have their own remote, so the
need to control it from an i- device seems an unnecessary difficulty
to add, IMO.

Incidentally, I have a Sumvision media streamer that covers most of your
requirements - not sure about Linux. Marvellous little thing, about £20
plus HD IIRC. But for the lack of remote controllability (no wifi) and
inability to play Apple Lossless, it would have done me.

Seen those, can't remember which spec it doesn't have, component video
out or gigabit networking are the two most common fail points. IIRC,
it's at least the former, I think it only has composite video (CV)
out? Yecch!

But I am liking
the idea of a CD-like player with a display. Whether I'm liking it
enough to shell out £300 . . .

Well, the one you linked is not even a CD player and is that sort of
price ...

I've more or less decided that I won't bother with disk players any
more. I can play any disk by backing it up to a hard drive and
playing it from there, so the need to keep pace with the various CD,
DVD, DVD-HD, Blu-Ray, etc formats as they come and go, by changing all
the players around the house, is thus avoided, you just change one
drive in a PC to copy the latest format, and instantly everything else
in the house can play it.
--
================================================== =======
Please always reply to ng as the email in this post's
header does not exist. Or use a contact address at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

Media player
 

On 30/08/2013 11:55, Java Jive wrote:
On Fri, 30 Aug 2013 08:12:05 +0100, RJH wrote:

I think storage *can* be physically attached? And as TB HDs are quite
cheap nowadays, not a problem.

But it's more expensive - you have to buy the USB or eSata enclosure
- slightly more expensive to run - you have to power the enclosure
as well - a damn sight less convenient, and will probably be
noisier, which is something of a problem during quiet passages of
music.


I've got a few 2.5" HDs/enclosures anyway, I find their noise acceptable
(3.5" not), power point taken, and on convenience, the external drive
would actually be a bonus for backup/updating. This is for a second
system that I'll use as a backup too.

Just about the only thing I'd miss if it all went up in smoke is the
music. So having the backup in a separate physical location where it's
actually used is useful.

OK - an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system.

My eyes didn't fall upon it - it was mentioned to me elsewhere. £300
isn't exorbitant to me - if it does what I want.

Well, it's your decision of course, but it seems expensive to me, when
for £100 more you could get a perfectly decent new ACRyan or Popcorn
media player that will house an internal hard disk, and do all the
video as well, while for £100 - £200 less you could get ditto second
hand, if you're patient enough to wait for the right one to come up on
eBay.


It is expensive, agreed. My original post was for an option that 'ticked
boxes', and the NP30 seems to be the best so far, apart from an
HTPC-type affair (which I'm using at the moment, and cost about £100).

And, incidentally, most of these boxes have their own remote, so the
need to control it from an i- device seems an unnecessary difficulty
to add, IMO.


I'm quite sold on smartphones as remotes. I'm surprised they don't have
IR senders.

Incidentally, I have a Sumvision media streamer that covers most of your
requirements - not sure about Linux. Marvellous little thing, about £20
plus HD IIRC. But for the lack of remote controllability (no wifi) and
inability to play Apple Lossless, it would have done me.

Seen those, can't remember which spec it doesn't have, component video
out or gigabit networking are the two most common fail points. IIRC,
it's at least the former, I think it only has composite video (CV)
out? Yecch!


Yes, it's only HDMI on the one I have. The poor interface means browsing
is a chore - but in a sense it makes watching/listening so much easier,
removing the temptation to flip between films.tracks etc.

But I am liking
the idea of a CD-like player with a display. Whether I'm liking it
enough to shell out £300 . . .

Well, the one you linked is not even a CD player and is that sort of
price ...


I don't want a CD player. I've given away all of my 1000-odd CDs and DVDs.

I've more or less decided that I won't bother with disk players any
more. I can play any disk by backing it up to a hard drive and
playing it from there, so the need to keep pace with the various CD,
DVD, DVD-HD, Blu-Ray, etc formats as they come and go, by changing all
the players around the house, is thus avoided, you just change one
drive in a PC to copy the latest format, and instantly everything else
in the house can play it.


Same here. Except this particular post is for an audio-only use.


--
Cheers, Rob

Media player
 

On 14/09/2013 12:25, Bob Latham wrote:
In article ,
RJH wrote:
I'd like an audio only media player capable of playing Apple lossless
files, that I can control with an iphone, and plug into the back of a
mini hifi system. 1TB storage on or physically attached to the media
player - no network storage.

Any suggestions?

May I ask why Apple lossless? It is not proprietary? Surely it is better
to go for something with a completely open standard ie. flac.


Agreed, had it not been for the fact I was using a Mac at the time I
started digitising my music. 3rd party plugins are available, but it can
end in tears, or at least loss of album art etc.

Don't get me wrong, Apple do make some nice products but their attitude to
some things like flash, flac etc, really $%^&$ me off.


Yep, although IIUI Apple lossless is open source. And in fairness
Microsoft is not much better.

Will not tie my music to a particular computer company, flac for me and
besides, don't you hate the idea that iTunes is now the music source for
the great unwashed and sales there now replace the top 20 for kids?. Then
of course they've also taught a generation that all you need for Hi-Fi is
an iPod and a boom box to plug it into.


Very rarely use iTunes, and dislike it when I do. It really is a mess.

Sorry rant over, of course YMMV.

Carry on :-)

Cheers, Rob