Media Centres - help!

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hi folks,

Been wanting to sort this out for a while.

At first I was thinking of using XBMC on an old XBox, but I can't be bothered with all the setup and I don't want the telly on to listen to music.

My brother and dad both have Squeezebox systems which look really good, but Logitech's website is very confusing.

I have a NAS (Buffalo Linkstation) connected to a wireless router.

Ideally, I want a box that will connect to this and pipe music straight into my amp (via digital connection if possible). My brother was controlling his Squeezebox via an app on his Android mobile (or via a client on his laptop) which I rather like to get rid of the necessity of a screen or remote, but I'm not sure this is possible.

I have heard people saying you need to run squeezebox server. I am not interested in having another computer running 24/7 - as far as I am concerned I want this box to grab files from my NAS and play them.

Can't be that hard can it?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hmm, looking into it a bit more it seems that a NAS needs Squeezebox Server installed if it is going to be used without a separate PC serving stuff. I think people have done it with a Linkstation like mine (albeit the newer version) but it looks a right hassle with a very real risk of bricking it

Why can't the Squeezebox pull the files itself without needing server software? XBMC manages it...

[BiggusLaddus]

Sonos?

[FunkyGibbon]

Or you could upgrade your amp to be network aware, like the Yamaha rxv1067.

It seemlessly recognised my linkstation and I can control it with 2player app on android.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hmmm, Sonos looks nice but expensive.

Every time I keep coming back to XBMC on an old XBox, especially as I've just found that there is an Android app to control it (negating the need to have the TV on all the time)...

[samuelellis]

I have XBMC running on an ubuntu pc in my front room and cant really fault it

For times when i just want music i turn the tv off and just control it in a web browser on my laptop as that is pretty much always turned on

[Trustmeimadoctor]

i use at the moment a hp microserver with 4gb rab and 4x2TB drives and a 32gig usb stick running vortexbox (a fedora distribution that auto rips cd's blurays and dvd) that also runs squeeze server as standard pulling the data from the hard drives this then connects to the stereo with wifi thats distributed trough out the house using a squeezebox duet and its wireless controller then i have ac ryan playon hd mini 2's connected to the tv's to get all my video content etc

[Bullett]

You need to run squeezecentre but that can be on a PC or a NASN(not sure which models) or be Vortexbox. The Touch has a built in server so you can directly connect a usb hdd and go that way as well.

I run mine off the touch or radio (and sometimes PC) I've used ipeng (an iphone app) in the past but that caused problems when I took the phone out with me. I now use the ir capability of the touch and my Harmony One to control.

p.s. which Android app does your brother use? The free ones seem crap and I'm not buying a paid one sight unseen.