[Wigster]

Hi,

I am trying to figure out how I can finally put my physical CD
collection to rest and use a computer as a storage device for music. I
am not sure what kind of hardware I should be looking at, so would
appreciate some pointers as to the technology. I am not interested in
video, just music.

I imagine that it should be possible to set up something like the
following:

* I'm targetting a computer network of laptops only with some sort of
central storage server, but not a desktop. There are various screenless
server solutions like the D-Link DNS-323 which one can control over a
web browser

* I would record all CDs onto the server in a lossless format

* The server should be able to act as an Itunes/Media Player server for
any computer attached to the network, so I can play music through my
laptop should I wish to

The above I think are easy. Here is the bit I am not sure how to do:

* I would like a device to sit on top of my hifi which would allow me to
play music directly off the server (i.e. connected to the network)
without my having to boot a computer. It should have an optical or, I
guess, an S/PDIF output, so I can plug it into the DAC on my hifi. I.e.
I'd like something that converts compressed music formats into something
a DAC can understand, but doesn't actually to the DACing itself.

* I can imagine that, without a large screen, browsing a large library
can be a nightmare. It would therefore be good if one could control the
above device from any laptop attached to the network, through a web
browser or some such. I guess the logistics of it would require for some
piece of software to be installed on the server itself.

* I don't have a TV, so anything that's controlled through one is no-go.

Does anything like this exist and give a reasonable sound quality? I
don't expect anything amazing, just ok. My hifi is a mid-range separable
system by Denon.

Thanks!

[Jean-Louis Matrat]

en ce 30/04/2007 15:17, Wigster nous disait:
Does anything like this exist and give a reasonable sound quality?

Squeezebox.
www.slimdevices.com

JLM