What's in the realm of possible?

mark3141 · 16th February 2013, 04:43 PM

Hi,

I tried searching around and couldn't come up with much so I thought I'd ask. What's possible for a cheap network audio player? I'm envisioning something like a Raspberry Pi but with a digital audio out (no HDMI/TV type input wanted) that connects to my DAC and controlled by a tablet.

I've considered something like XMBC, but I can't see how I can avoid spending less than about $200 for a computer to run it. Since I'm really wanting something that can accurately move the bits from the ethernet cable to my DAC and can be controlled externally, I wouldn't expect this to be too much, right? (Is my understanding of what I want even correct?)

Thanks!

Tjj226 · 17th February 2013, 09:16 PM

You can find a junk PC for dirt cheap. Format it, strip it down to bare components, and use it as a wireless server. However, I know of nothing that will do audio processing before sending it to your device.

counter culture · 18th February 2013, 12:32 AM

Try an Android stick.

Simple, low cost, HiFi network music streaming device

abraxalito · 18th February 2013, 02:36 AM

Its quite possible to pick a relatively simple MCU and write the software yourself but it'll be very time consuming. An LPC1768 ought to cut it, there are cheap dev boards for such.

DF96 · 18th February 2013, 10:13 AM

See this thread. It seems there are snags with the R-Pi at present, althoigh there is some hope that better software drivers may improve things.

16th February 2013, 04:43 PM	#1
mark3141 diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2013	What's in the realm of possible? Hi, I tried searching around and couldn't come up with much so I thought I'd ask. What's possible for a cheap network audio player? I'm envisioning something like a Raspberry Pi but with a digital audio out (no HDMI/TV type input wanted) that connects to my DAC and controlled by a tablet. I've considered something like XMBC, but I can't see how I can avoid spending less than about $200 for a computer to run it. Since I'm really wanting something that can accurately move the bits from the ethernet cable to my DAC and can be controlled externally, I wouldn't expect this to be too much, right? (Is my understanding of what I want even correct?) Thanks!

18th February 2013, 02:36 AM	#4
abraxalito diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Hangzhou - Marco Polo's 'most beautiful city'. 700yrs is a long time though... Blog Entries: 62	Its quite possible to pick a relatively simple MCU and write the software yourself but it'll be very time consuming. An LPC1768 ought to cut it, there are cheap dev boards for such. __________________ When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure. C.A.E. Goodhart

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17th February 2013, 09:16 PM	#2
Tjj226 diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2012	You can find a junk PC for dirt cheap. Format it, strip it down to bare components, and use it as a wireless server. However, I know of nothing that will do audio processing before sending it to your device.

18th February 2013, 12:32 AM	#3
counter culture diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2011	Try an Android stick. Simple, low cost, HiFi network music streaming device

18th February 2013, 10:13 AM	#5
DF96 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007	See this thread. It seems there are snags with the R-Pi at present, althoigh there is some hope that better software drivers may improve things.