[[email protected]]

I have a 1000 CD collection. Ideally, what I'd like to do is to store
it all on a digital music server, plug it into my receiver, and DONE.
However, I notice the price of digital music servers are quite high.
That's fine (I guess), but the problem I have is that these digital
audio servers offer all these features I DON'T want, such as wireless
connections, having music in five different zones in my house, etc.
What I basically want is to have all my music on one device, and have
it wired into one receiver.

This being said, is the digital music server the way to go? Am I
paying a lot for features that I'll never use? Or...the main question
is...is there another device/method besides the digital music server
that would better fit my needs?

Thanks for any input.

[eric]

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:29:41 -0800, wrote:

This being said, is the digital music server the way to go? Am I
paying a lot for features that I'll never use? Or...the main question
is...is there another device/method besides the digital music server
that would better fit my needs?

A PC and a Squeezebox are what I use.

[DaveW]

With a bit of work and knowledge you could certainly set up a standard
current PC with large harddrives, along with a MUCH less expensive, but
excellent audio quality web/hifi server device and a common Linksys or such
router. I use the Slim Devices, Inc. 'SqueezeBox' to insert my computer's
music into my high-end audio system in another room. The SqueezeBox, which
has won many editorial awards from audio and PC critics, sells for $299 for
the wired and wireless version.
http:\\www.slimdevices.com
And I am strictly a consumer and do not work for Slim Devices.

--
DaveW

----------------
wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a 1000 CD collection. Ideally, what I'd like to do is to store
it all on a digital music server, plug it into my receiver, and DONE.
However, I notice the price of digital music servers are quite high.
That's fine (I guess), but the problem I have is that these digital
audio servers offer all these features I DON'T want, such as wireless
connections, having music in five different zones in my house, etc.
What I basically want is to have all my music on one device, and have
it wired into one receiver.

This being said, is the digital music server the way to go? Am I
paying a lot for features that I'll never use? Or...the main question
is...is there another device/method besides the digital music server
that would better fit my needs?

Thanks for any input.

[thomas]

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:55:08 -0500, eric wrote:


A PC and a Squeezebox are what I use.

And with an inexpensive NAS[1] device like NSLU2[2] and slimserver you
don't even have to have your PC turned on.

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network-attached_storage
[2]http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/Applications/SlimServer

[jcon]

On Jan 29, 7:29 pm, " wrote:
I have a 1000 CD collection. Ideally, what I'd like to do is to store
it all on a digital music server, plug it into my receiver, and DONE.
However, I notice the price of digital music servers are quite high.
That's fine (I guess), but the problem I have is that these digital
audio servers offer all these features I DON'T want, such as wireless
connections, having music in five different zones in my house, etc.
What I basically want is to have all my music on one device, and have
it wired into one receiver.

This being said, is the digital music server the way to go? Am I
paying a lot for features that I'll never use? Or...the main question
is...is there another device/method besides the digital music server
that would better fit my needs?

Thanks for any input.

I got a Netgear MP101 a couple years ago. It was buggy as hell, but
when I *finally* got it to work, it worked quite well. I used it for
about a month and haven't used it since.

The thing I found most annoying was the limited interface. The MP101,
the Roku soundbridge, and the Squeezebox only give
you two or three lines of text, so it can be very cumbersome to
scroll through a large music collection (and I only have 300 CD's),
particularly if you're in "Hmmm.. what do I feel like listening to?"
mode. I found myself working entirely from playlists,
and since my computer is on a different floor
and often being used by my kids, this was
not really practical. Of course, on the upside,
they do give you internet radio, which can be
kind of entertaining. I think there are
systems with more elaborate displays that go on a TV, but
they're kind of expensive.

If your computer is at all close to your stereo, I'd recommend
getting a decent sound card, and going straight from
your computer. This will give you infinite flexibility in the
interface you want for your music and be much cheaper
than a Squeezebox or Soundbridge.

Personally, in the end I just loaded everything
onto an iPod and plug that in wherever I happen
to be. This solved my home, workshop, car,
and dogwalking music problems all in
one shot. The 80 Gig would hold your
entire CD collection.

I suspect it will only be a few of years before
standard receivers will become little computers
with internet connections and hard drives to
allow much more flexibility for this sort
of thing.

-jc

[Bill & Debbie]

"jcon" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jan 29, 7:29 pm, " wrote:
I have a 1000 CD collection. Ideally, what I'd like to do is to store
it all on a digital music server, plug it into my receiver, and DONE.
However, I notice the price of digital music servers are quite high.
That's fine (I guess), but the problem I have is that these digital
audio servers offer all these features I DON'T want, such as wireless
connections, having music in five different zones in my house, etc.
What I basically want is to have all my music on one device, and have
it wired into one receiver.

This being said, is the digital music server the way to go? Am I
paying a lot for features that I'll never use? Or...the main question
is...is there another device/method besides the digital music server
that would better fit my needs?

Thanks for any input.

I got a Netgear MP101 a couple years ago. It was buggy as hell, but
when I *finally* got it to work, it worked quite well. I used it for
about a month and haven't used it since.

The thing I found most annoying was the limited interface. The MP101,
the Roku soundbridge, and the Squeezebox only give
you two or three lines of text, so it can be very cumbersome to
scroll through a large music collection (and I only have 300 CD's),
particularly if you're in "Hmmm.. what do I feel like listening to?"
mode. I found myself working entirely from playlists,
and since my computer is on a different floor
and often being used by my kids, this was
not really practical. Of course, on the upside,
they do give you internet radio, which can be
kind of entertaining. I think there are
systems with more elaborate displays that go on a TV, but
they're kind of expensive.

If your computer is at all close to your stereo, I'd recommend
getting a decent sound card, and going straight from
your computer. This will give you infinite flexibility in the
interface you want for your music and be much cheaper
than a Squeezebox or Soundbridge.

Personally, in the end I just loaded everything
onto an iPod and plug that in wherever I happen
to be. This solved my home, workshop, car,
and dogwalking music problems all in
one shot. The 80 Gig would hold your
entire CD collection.

I suspect it will only be a few of years before
standard receivers will become little computers
with internet connections and hard drives to
allow much more flexibility for this sort
of thing.

-jc

I'm not all that familar with music severs. I'm putting all my music on an
external drive (pretty cheap: at buy.com for $140 for 500GB). Choices a
soundcard and direct connect to sound system or wireless connection to sound
system. I chose the wireless connection and I am very happy with the
results. I'm still putting my LPs into the system. Finished with the CDs
(about 400).

Anyway, good luck,
Bill