external HDD player, with touchscreen and digital out

anm · 24th July 2009, 09:40 PM

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.

star882 · 24th July 2009, 10:31 PM

There's a USB HD media player by Western Digital for about $100.

anm · 25th July 2009, 03:04 AM

thanks Star. I forgot to mention, it is a music only setup - so no monitor/ TV present. I need something that has a display of its own - that's why touchscreen (or may be a remote but definitely no keyboard + mouse.
Also I read somewhere that WDTV resamples music at 48khz - something similar to what kmixer does in windoze.

regards

sivan_and · 25th July 2009, 04:16 AM

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=572

anm · 25th July 2009, 06:30 AM

thanks - but I don't want this. It does not have any built in display. Also sound quality is doubtful as it resamples audio at 48khz

regards

star882 · 26th July 2009, 07:36 PM

Build your own with a small PC running Linux.

anm · 27th July 2009, 06:26 AM

building comp is a big exercise, specially selecting the "best" components. 100s of hours spent in reading reviews of individual elements. What sound card to use? Will the best sound card have the best drivers available for linux, etc.
Then, it too would need a separate monitor in order to search/ select/ play. Then there are issues of unclean shutdown etc. A very real threat in the place I live, several times a day there are power cuts.

regards

star882 · 27th July 2009, 01:34 PM

Just about any common sound card works on Linux. Or just get a mini ITX board that has a HD capable sound card with digital output onboard.

You can simply mount everything read only except in service mode. Many embedded network devices out there do just that and the only way to turn those off is to unplug them.

anm · 27th July 2009, 07:35 PM

ok - so you are saying I should use an external DAC?
Any stereo sound card recommended for analog out that works with linux - like asus xonar?
What about the disk with the song - can that get corrupted if unplugged?
I guess that too should be mounted read only? But what about saving settings/ creating playlists etc?

regards

star882 · 27th July 2009, 07:50 PM

Use a pure digital amplifier. Keep it digital until the very last moment. Converting it to analog at high power levels gives a higher SNR.

You can temporarily remount the disk as RW to save settings, then revert to read only.

24th July 2009, 09:40 PM	#1
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	external HDD player, with touchscreen and digital out 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.

24th July 2009, 10:31 PM	#2
star882 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	There's a USB HD media player by Western Digital for about $100. __________________ Get OpenOffice.org!

25th July 2009, 04:16 AM	#4
sivan_and diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Calicut INDIA	http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=572 __________________ SivanandBalan

26th July 2009, 07:36 PM	#6
star882 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	Build your own with a small PC running Linux. __________________ Get OpenOffice.org!

27th July 2009, 01:34 PM	#8
star882 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	Just about any common sound card works on Linux. Or just get a mini ITX board that has a HD capable sound card with digital output onboard. You can simply mount everything read only except in service mode. Many embedded network devices out there do just that and the only way to turn those off is to unplug them. __________________ Get OpenOffice.org!


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25th July 2009, 03:04 AM	#3
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	thanks Star. I forgot to mention, it is a music only setup - so no monitor/ TV present. I need something that has a display of its own - that's why touchscreen (or may be a remote but definitely no keyboard + mouse. Also I read somewhere that WDTV resamples music at 48khz - something similar to what kmixer does in windoze. regards

25th July 2009, 06:30 AM	#5
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	thanks - but I don't want this. It does not have any built in display. Also sound quality is doubtful as it resamples audio at 48khz regards

27th July 2009, 06:26 AM	#7
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	building comp is a big exercise, specially selecting the "best" components. 100s of hours spent in reading reviews of individual elements. What sound card to use? Will the best sound card have the best drivers available for linux, etc. Then, it too would need a separate monitor in order to search/ select/ play. Then there are issues of unclean shutdown etc. A very real threat in the place I live, several times a day there are power cuts. regards

27th July 2009, 07:35 PM	#9
anm diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	ok - so you are saying I should use an external DAC? Any stereo sound card recommended for analog out that works with linux - like asus xonar? What about the disk with the song - can that get corrupted if unplugged? I guess that too should be mounted read only? But what about saving settings/ creating playlists etc? regards

27th July 2009, 07:50 PM	#10
star882 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007	Use a pure digital amplifier. Keep it digital until the very last moment. Converting it to analog at high power levels gives a higher SNR. You can temporarily remount the disk as RW to save settings, then revert to read only. __________________ Get OpenOffice.org!

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