external HDD player, with touchscreen and digital out - Page 2

anm · 2nd August 2009, 01:47 AM

Thanks.
I think I am ready to walk the path to setup my own comp, for music only. Need help with

1. which mother board/ processor - I think for music purpose I do not need fancy mobo with hdmi etc. Will a dual core be better than single?

2. sound card - asus xonar essence stx. Are linux drivers for it working?

3. OS/distro - which distro to use, and trimming it down

4. power supply/ casing etc

5. hdd - internal or external?

star882 · 2nd August 2009, 02:22 AM

Just get any cheap motherboard that has 24 bit S/PDIF output. All you're using the sound card for is a special high speed serial port. And you don't need very much CPU at all. One of those mini-ITX boards will work fine.

If you're using a mini-ITX board, build your own power supply using a cheap laptop wall wart and some buck converters. With the low power usage, a normal ATX supply might not even start up. (That problem actually happened to a friend of mine.) Here's a good one to start with: http://www.frys.com/product/5845773?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG You can even run a small digital amplifier from it at the same time.

Use a CF card for the firmware.

I'm not sure about the software, but something like Linux from Scratch or the x86 port of OpenWRT might be the best to start with. Mount everything read only and start up a media browser by default.

anm · 2nd August 2009, 04:13 AM

but I want to use the asus sound card - instead of an outboard dac!
Will it fit into a mini itx board?
Can you please suggest a mini itx board? I live in India and 90% probability is that I will buy it across the counter, where I would have to explain the last detail to get something.

regards

star882 · 2nd August 2009, 05:45 AM

The digital output does not use the DAC. It is merely a very special high speed serial port.

But you can use a separate sound card if you wanted to.

anm · 2nd August 2009, 09:43 AM

no I meant I do not have digital input on my amp. So if I use digital out of the comp, I would need to feed it into a DAC that I would need to purchase separately. My stereo HK 6550 amp takes only analog inputs.

Are you suggesting atom kit?

regards

paul_peraic · 21st October 2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anm

Hi,
For my home stereo system, I want a player like iPod touch, but with digital out and expandable memory - by attaching an external 500GB type of hard disk.
Should be able to play at least WAV format, but better if flac etc.
I think squeezebox touch can be one such product - but it is not beyond rumor as of now.
Can you guys suggest something? Or maybe I can do some DIY to mod the ipod touch, or assemble some other kit?
One good alternative I see is http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-DVD-Stereo...03154001r25178

However, not sure about the quality. I think it should not be too bad if it can read from hard disk and send music over digital output?

I know building a computer is a very flexible and great idea, but I just don't want to do it.

PopcornHour C200 has its own LCD screen where you can navigate through the HDD and can run up to a 2TB hard drive @ $300 U.S.

anm · 21st October 2010, 08:41 AM

thanks Paul. I have recently purchased the apple tv 160gb model, and tested the ipod remote with it. It works really well that way. Waiting for an ipod touch to come my way.

Limitations - no usb or flac without playing with the fw. Not sure if remote app will work after I try some of the hacks.

2nd August 2009, 02:22 AM	#12
star882 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	Just get any cheap motherboard that has 24 bit S/PDIF output. All you're using the sound card for is a special high speed serial port. And you don't need very much CPU at all. One of those mini-ITX boards will work fine. If you're using a mini-ITX board, build your own power supply using a cheap laptop wall wart and some buck converters. With the low power usage, a normal ATX supply might not even start up. (That problem actually happened to a friend of mine.) Here's a good one to start with: http://www.frys.com/product/5845773?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG You can even run a small digital amplifier from it at the same time. Use a CF card for the firmware. I'm not sure about the software, but something like Linux from Scratch or the x86 port of OpenWRT might be the best to start with. Mount everything read only and start up a media browser by default. __________________ "Fully on MOSFET = closed switch, Fully off MOSFET = open switch, Half on MOSFET = poor imitation of Tiffany Yep." - also applies to IGBTs!

2nd August 2009, 05:45 AM	#14
star882 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	The digital output does not use the DAC. It is merely a very special high speed serial port. But you can use a separate sound card if you wanted to. __________________ "Fully on MOSFET = closed switch, Fully off MOSFET = open switch, Half on MOSFET = poor imitation of Tiffany Yep." - also applies to IGBTs!

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2nd August 2009, 01:47 AM	#11
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	Thanks. I think I am ready to walk the path to setup my own comp, for music only. Need help with 1. which mother board/ processor - I think for music purpose I do not need fancy mobo with hdmi etc. Will a dual core be better than single? 2. sound card - asus xonar essence stx. Are linux drivers for it working? 3. OS/distro - which distro to use, and trimming it down 4. power supply/ casing etc 5. hdd - internal or external?

2nd August 2009, 04:13 AM	#13
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	but I want to use the asus sound card - instead of an outboard dac! Will it fit into a mini itx board? Can you please suggest a mini itx board? I live in India and 90% probability is that I will buy it across the counter, where I would have to explain the last detail to get something. regards

2nd August 2009, 09:43 AM	#15
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	no I meant I do not have digital input on my amp. So if I use digital out of the comp, I would need to feed it into a DAC that I would need to purchase separately. My stereo HK 6550 amp takes only analog inputs. Are you suggesting atom kit? regards

21st October 2010, 08:41 AM	#17
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	thanks Paul. I have recently purchased the apple tv 160gb model, and tested the ipod remote with it. It works really well that way. Waiting for an ipod touch to come my way. Limitations - no usb or flac without playing with the fw. Not sure if remote app will work after I try some of the hacks.

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