MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Like this: http://www.richersounds.com/product/mini-hi-fi/brennan/jb7-500gb-ex-repair-refurbished/brenn-jb7-es
I don't want or need a wireless multi-room streaming server, I don't want something that means I have to start up the computer or laptop everytime I want music, I don't want to have a server/NAS running constantly.
I just want something I can store music on, or plug in a USB and/or SD card and play music through my active speakers...
I also don't want to pay £400+ for it!
So, is my best option a tablet with sd/usb inputs?
Well, iPod docks seem to be by far the most common option for this kind of thing.
That's what I use at the moment, but I have more music than can fit on an iPod.
Chuffin eck 😯
Surely everyone does! 😉
Some wireless routers support plugging in a USB harddrive or othe USB device, and then you would be able to see that storage with a device like a phone or tablet, and play from there, either through a dock or bluetooth device.
FiiO X1 + large SD card?
Not sure why you won't just have a little NAS drive sitting next your router, doesn't use much power, 1 or 2 TB ready to go. Access via phone and play.
[i]little NAS drive[/i]
Sounds expensive..
So if I have a load of mp3s on a NAS and a phone, how do I get it to play through my hifi?
That would be using a streaming thing like [url= http://www.richersounds.com/product/streaming-hi-fi-and-network-audio-players/qed/uplay-stream/qed-u-play-stream ]this[/url], so don't go confusing matters. I don't need to stream!
If all your music is in iTunes, you can share your library with home sharing. Then buy an Airport express (with a 3.5mm stereo out on it) for £70 and use airplay to send it from your phone or computer to the airport.
To make an MP3 smaller, you need to re-encode it at a lower bit rate. The bit rate can be set by going to Preferences > Import Settings, and choosing a lower bit rate from the Custom menu.
Do this - fit more on you iPod
If all your music is in iTunes, you can share your library with home sharing.
Which means switching the computer on...
[i]Do this - fit more on you iPod[/i]
No.
Buy a second iPod?
No bloody pleasing some people.
Buy an iPod for each album and then insert them into the dock depending on what you want to listen to.
Or get spotify.
TBF Spotify Premium would be a good idea with very low initial outlay.
Spotify? So, I have a large music collection and I should pay a monthly fee to listen to it?? Bizarre!
But it saves you having to buy something else, you'll probably have all your music and much more beside and you can just run it all from your phone or tablet.
If you delete the U2 album, will you have enough space on your iPod then?
Yeah, I see the point, but I've tried Spotify, I think I'm still too old school for that.
The new U2 never made it onto my iPod!
If a tablet has enough storage for you (or an SD slot and you don't need more than an SD card can hold) that may be your best bet. If you need more storage maybe still the tablet but see if you can plug a hard drive/USB stick into it using an OTG cable or TurnerGuy's suggestion of looking at your router to see whether you can simply plug a hard drive/USB stick into that.
Other options may give you problems with searching and selecting music, playlists, etc. I'm assuming you only need a 3.5mm stereo analogue out and your active speakers aren't some fancy digital input devices with their own DAC.
[i] I'm assuming you only need a 3.5mm stereo analogue out[/i]
Correct.
[i]still the tablet but see if you can plug a hard drive/USB stick into it using an OTG cable[/i]
Yes, thanks - if I can find a tablet with that funtionality.
That may be OK to store the music. What are you going to use to play the music? I'd also be checking how other users have got on with that NAS as it mentions having it's own iPhone app and their ease of use can vary greatly.
and maybe give us a clue as to how much storage you need?
Need? Well, I've almost filled a 1TB drive. I don't expect my collection to get [i]smaller[/i]!
That Seagate thing says "Wirelessly stream media to games consoles, media players ..." ..iPhone or Xperia?
Yes, thanks - if I can find a tablet with that funtionality.
the nexus 10 can do that - although when trying to play a movie across the OTG cable I find it electrically noisy through the headphone socket so I end up copying the whole movie onto the laptop.
I think the Seagate NAS i linked to could be the thing. Bit more research needed...
powered external hard drive and a phone that can act as a USB host ?
[url= http://www.xda-developers.com/android/determine-your-phones-usb-host-capabilities-with-usb-host-diagnostics/ ]see here for guff that I don't really understand[/url]
Nas dnla and what you want at the other end to stream to ps3, raspberry pi, sonos, dnla avreciever.....
That's what I use at the moment, but I have more music than can fit on an iPod.
Chuffin eck
Surely everyone does!
Well, anyone who appreciates music and actually [i]listens[/i] to it, instead of just having aural wallpaper, thus having several Coldplay/Dire Straits/Now That's What I Call Whatever albums for the occasional dinner party.
If you've been collecting CD's since the early 80's, and downloads as well, it's dead easy to fill a 160Gb iPod Classic; I filled mine up ages ago, but I'm nowhere near Dez, probably around 200-250Gb, I haven't checked lately.
johndoh - Member
To make an MP3 smaller, you need to re-encode it at a lower bit rate. The bit rate can be set by going to Preferences > Import Settings, and choosing a lower bit rate from the Custom menu.Do this - fit more on you iPod
Christ no! That's just like JPEGing photos, the higher the compression, the more artefacts you get. The whole point is to [i]improve[/i] the quality, not make it worse!
You may as well go back to using cheap ferric cassettes!
Or shitty 1980's recycled vinyl. And believe me, 1980's vinyl was utter rubbish! Bits of paper from the old labels embedded in the plastic, and so thin you could hold them up to the light and see through them, as well as being able to bend them so the opposite sides touched.
The minimum bitrate for decent playback is 320Kb, Lossless is preferable.
Christ no! That's just like JPEGing photos, the higher the compression, the more artefacts you get. The whole point is to improve the quality, not make it worse!
I know, was not being serious.
That NAS will do the storage but you still need a player and compatibility can be a problem so scour the internet for reviews. People may suggest a Raspberry PI as it can do what you want well but may not be the simple switch it on and play you want. Sonos is pricey and I think you will have too many files/folders for it to cope with (believe it or not Sonos can't cope with massive music collections)
The player you linked to in your first post may at first appear like what you want but go in the shop and give it a try, you may find the navigation is a right pain in the arse.
I don't know what to suggest that holds over 1TB of music and works reliably and doesn't cost a small fortune.
I feel a visit to PC World on the horizon..
Taken the plunge and ordered a Synology NAS. Not an expensive one, but seems to be recommended and I like the look of the music streaming app. Leave my spare Android phone connected to the speakers and use that as the player, is the plan.
DLNA-compatible NAS
cheap android phone off ebay (£20) running a DLNA player, something like BubbleUPnP (free)
DLNA-compatible NAScheap android phone off ebay (£20) running a DLNA player
Er, yeah, precisely what I said, the post above your one, like. 🙂
I've got the cheaper one of these with a 1TB drive. It's OK and was much cheaper and less faff than anything else I looked at. (eg Sonos with NAS)
http://www.cocktailaudio.co.uk/
You can stream from it as well if you can be arsed.
The more expensive one is supposed to be a bit more HiFi. Perhaps you could "audition" it 🙂
Yeah, looked at those, probably would've been perfect, but I didn't like the price.
Er, yeah, precisely what I said, the post above your one, like.
Yeah, I somehow missed your post. Still, great minds and all that 🙂
Keep meaning to get round to buying a Zyxel NAS. This one:
Annoyingly, they were doing it a couple of weeks ago with a free 1Tb WD Red drive. Should have got it then.
Always seems to be something else more important that needs buying though.....
How about something like a Roku or a WDTV live they'll take a Big USB drive full of music and you control them over wifi. You don't have to use the video-out- but it might be be handy so you can flick the TV on to browse your collection.
I should thank cbmotorsport for his suggestion what I went wiv.
Synology NAS. Not an expensive one
They don't do cheap though do they. A solid choice I think but how is it working out in practice?
All of this is a bit greek to me but sounds like a good solution. Am I right in thinking that you connect said Synology/other NAS unit to your modem and that would beam it to your 'spare android phone'?