PC as Music Transport for 25$

[thisisvv]

I have been helped a lot from here...so here is something i can share with the community....

So i have read tons of article regarding PC as transport and the one that hit me most was

The art of building Computer Transports...Google it....what i tooked away from it was

Hardware: Minimal ....No high speed processor...kinda slower the better...as high frequency give distortion...512- 1GB ram is enough(stay with me)....
Minimum wires in the case as it adds to distortion....best case scenario is NO wires everything on Mobo...

software /OS : Minimal...he strips down xp to bare minimum....

what i learned keep one thing for one...if you are using USB for DAC then dont put anything on USB else...so music should come from ethernet....this is my experience

so what i found out

Hardware
Dell optiplex sx260 ...only three wires in PC ...two for fan which i took one off as PC will not be doing much work...and one another wire in back..everything else is MOBO...if interested i can put a picture later...small form factor.. celeron 512MB No DISK PC

also all my music is stored on a FREENAS server

Software
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=70052
Puppy Linux MPD....my DAC support 24/96 and this PC is able to load up 180MB 24 96 bit file from server without any hiccup


my android phone acts as a client and i can play any song/playlist...

this is my cheapest and the best solution ....

I would ask everyone to give it a try...you wont be dissappointed....

i can surely say this can stand on its own....

what i learned Minimum is most in this case rock solid yes...

 

[tubesforlive]

Interesting post! Found the pdf "The art of building Computer Transports". Going to read this good and try this myself. Love to see the picture by the way from your system....thanks for sharing!

 

[tubesforlive]

Oh and i do not know if you have already a spdif out on the pc. But if you do not want to use USB for the DAC, then this card is a very good solution to get pure SPDIF out:

ESI july@ ESI - Juli@

Unfortunatly a bit expensive, so if someone knows a alternative, i would love to know

 

[thisisvv]

Also one major thing i forgot...get only fan less power...this is some real difference...


AS you can see it is very clear Mobo...

so again i humble ask to try this as PC transport....


V

 

[thisisvv]

Oh and i do not know if you have already a spdif out on the pc. But if you do not want to use USB for the DAC, then this card is a very good solution to get pure SPDIF out:

ESI july@ ESI - Juli@

Unfortunatly a bit expensive, so if someone knows a alternative, i would love to know

just uploaded some pics....

 

[i2k92]

Mine's pricier than that but still cheap, going to configure mpdpup tonight :

Used Intel Atom D410 with 1GB RAM, PicoPSU + external DC brick, boot from used CF card.
Most of the money went to PicoPSU because I don't want any moving part inside.

If you can read French, here's another good reference book on how to build good Windows based transport.

 

[thisisvv]

Mine's pricier than that but still cheap, going to configure mpdpup tonight :



Used Intel Atom D410 with 1GB RAM, PicoPSU + external DC brick, boot from used CF card.
Most of the money went to PicoPSU because I don't want any moving part inside.

If you can read French, here's another good reference book on how to build good Windows based transport.

Good stuff...even the PC i selected becuase it had external power .....

listening to it i am more then happy ...right now i ordered a cheap N based adapter and i will see how it works on wifi ....on ethernet in my humble opinion this has hold its value like anything...

V

 

[thisisvv]

Now there are rooms where cables cant go what to do there...how to access the music there...here is again a cheap man solution...

Bought a refurbhished cisco router... costed 12$...

Amazon.com: Cisco-Linksys WRT160N Wireless-N Broadband Router: Electronics

Installed DD-wrt on it... now this can act as a Bridge...

Wireless bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And now i have a PC as transport working perfectly in any room without wires...so far able to stream a 250MB 24/96 bit file without any issue from my NAS server....

Best part is this doesnt even have to be in eyesight you can hide it anywhere as the remote works from network....

again this was my way of helping the community... i will be more then happy to discuss step by step methods if anyone is interested....

V

 

[erin]

Are you just using the PC analog output?

 

[thisisvv]

Are you just using the PC analog output?

USB to peachtree DAC that can handle upto 24/96 .....

reason for adding an bridge router was that only thing i wanted on USB bus was music thats all...

V

 

[Rifleman]

Interesting thread - I haven't expanded into this area yet so I'll be looking to all the references here and get a foundation. Thanks!