DIY slimdevice?

[kaspro]

I wonder whether anyone has experience with these things (looks promising, but how's the quality...). Also, I wonder what the best solution would be to build something like this yourself?!
I don't want to have my PC sitting where I am listening to my music (which I have right now, using jinzora).
Is there any project without an expensive LCD, just a network interface (okok, mabye another interface?), and a good analog output to catch streamed mp3?
I don't know whether I want to spend $300 for something that looks good and works, but only sounds intermediate...
Thanks for any suggestions,
Chris

[I_Forgot]

You are not the first to ask these questions. Everyone who has bought an SB has gone through the same thought process.

The SB3 sounds great. You can't put together anything yourself that sounds as good and has as good a user interface for $300.

I_F

[peufeu]

Above post is right, DIY isn't about saving money...

You could try using this dev board which Atmel just released : super powerful, runs Linux, Ethernet, I2S output...

http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/to...p?tool_id=4102

[dangus]

Omnifi DMS1 Those are available on eBay for reasonable prices. They've got Linux inside, and a user community has developed alternative software for them.

I've got the car version; it looks like all I'd need would be a DIT4096 to add S/PDIF out. The home version (DMS1) should be similar, if it doesn't already have S/PDIF out.

[kaspro]

Thanks for these interesting links...
I don't need a user interface, volume control or similar- as I said, I'm using jinzora, and stream my mp3's over the net (shoutcast right now). I control the music over an older wlan enabled pda. So almost all in all, I'm quite happy with my setup
But for the receiving device, I want to have something that is silent, and has a good quality. Regarding to price- I could probably use my old PC and spend another 150 bucks to get it really silent... but I dont see the sense in 100watts standing there doing nothing, and I'm not sure about the soundcard either...
I thought about something like this:
http://www.digi.com/products/embedde...twiemspecs.jsp
http://www.digi.com/products/embedde...twimespecs.jsp
130bucks sound more like it- but: how the heck do I get sound out of that is there a spi->s/pdif idea or similar floating around?
I guess (guess, didn't look further), that a shoutcast client shouldn't be hard to migrate to that os... what do you think?

[janneman]

Originally posted by kaspro
I wonder whether anyone has experience with these things (looks promising, but how's the quality...). Also, I wonder what the best solution would be to build something like this yourself?!
I don't want to have my PC sitting where I am listening to my music (which I have right now, using jinzora).
Is there any project without an expensive LCD, just a network interface (okok, mabye another interface?), and a good analog output to catch streamed mp3?
I don't know whether I want to spend $300 for something that looks good and works, but only sounds intermediate...
Thanks for any suggestions,
Chris

I am working on this as well. I run my music stuff on my main pc which is always on anyway (using iTunes with lossless compression) streaming to a wireless music bridge from Linksys (WMG54G). The bridge has analog, toslink and s/pdif outputs, going into my music system.

I want to control the system from my listening position; my preference would be to use a wireless pda running Remote Desktop to control the main computer.

But I'm still researching how that main pc remote desktop will look on the pda. If I have a full VGA pda, do I see the whole desktop or do I have to scroll?

Jan Didden

[kaspro]

Have a look at jinzora.org, u get a small list with all albums in it... I've also seen a winamp plugin for pda's... You can run jinzora aside of iTunes I reckon.
Of course the interfaces aren't as flash as a 22" screen with your album covers etc... But at least u have it in ur hand

[anbello]

An interesting link for the subject of this thread:
http://wiki.openwrt.org/UsbAudioHowto

ciao
andrea

[I_Forgot]

Slimserver has several web interfaces available including a couple for touch screen PDAs/PCs such as the Nokia N700/800. I use a Fujitsu ST3500 tablet PC (8" touch screen) as the remote control for my server with the touchscreen interface. It controls slimserver via the wireless network from anywhere in my house and even outside it. The screen displays cover art as well as the usual titles, artists, etc.

I looked at using a PC for a player and ultimately decided that the whole slimserver thing was so complete and well though-out that the few pennies I would have saved would not have been worth the lack of functionality and smoothness of the user inteface I would have had to deal with.

There is a complete description of my system including photos of the touchscreen interface here:

http://mark.rehorst.com/Audio_System/index.htm

I_F

[kaspro]

hmm, I guess I think about it again. Maybe I stick with my old PC, make it more quiet and add a good soundcard... then at least I have an audio AND video device 'for cheap'...
Thanks a lot for your posts and interesting links!

Cheers,
Chris