Sonus or Squeezbox?? anyone got one?
Discussion
Its not a watch/tv/stereo thread... its just a little bit different.
Yes I know its technically a computer, but Computers and stuff is quiet and besides I figured there would be more people on here that has something like I want to buy...
I want to basically build a raid server with Wifi and use a squeezebox in a seperate room for media and mp3.
Or buy
www.ripcaster.co.uk/node/80?gclid=CNa1-eaT6osCFSQVEAodl0d8Pw
Or buy:
www.sonos.com./store/?tref=gproducts
Now does anyone have a media storage that uses Wifi to send DVDs (stored) to a tv and mp3s to their music system like any of the above? Is it any good? Or do you have a different one that works? Or know anyone who would be able to offer advice?
Any help for a confused gadget person who wants to get rid of his collection of DVDs and CDs and replace it with a computer, would be most helpful.
Si
Yes I know its technically a computer, but Computers and stuff is quiet and besides I figured there would be more people on here that has something like I want to buy...
I want to basically build a raid server with Wifi and use a squeezebox in a seperate room for media and mp3.
Or buy
www.ripcaster.co.uk/node/80?gclid=CNa1-eaT6osCFSQVEAodl0d8Pw
Or buy:
www.sonos.com./store/?tref=gproducts
Now does anyone have a media storage that uses Wifi to send DVDs (stored) to a tv and mp3s to their music system like any of the above? Is it any good? Or do you have a different one that works? Or know anyone who would be able to offer advice?
Any help for a confused gadget person who wants to get rid of his collection of DVDs and CDs and replace it with a computer, would be most helpful.
Si
The Squeezebox is an amazing bit of kit and I would buy another in a heartbeat if the one I have right now broke.
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
john_p said:
The Squeezebox is an amazing bit of kit and I would buy another in a heartbeat if the one I have right now broke.
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Does the squeeze box have the ability to recieve stored DVDs via wifi and play into the tv or is it simply a mps streamer and I need to get another bit of kit to play stored DVDs?
ProPlus said:
john_p said:
The Squeezebox is an amazing bit of kit and I would buy another in a heartbeat if the one I have right now broke.
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Does the squeeze box have the ability to recieve stored DVDs via wifi and play into the tv or is it simply a mps streamer and I need to get another bit of kit to play stored DVDs?
Just a music streaming device but then so is the Sonos (last time I checked).
I have 3 Squeezeboxes (bought my first one about 4 years ago) and wouldn't really consider anything else - nothing beats them IMHO.
The Dude said:
ProPlus said:
john_p said:
The Squeezebox is an amazing bit of kit and I would buy another in a heartbeat if the one I have right now broke.
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Does the squeeze box have the ability to recieve stored DVDs via wifi and play into the tv or is it simply a mps streamer and I need to get another bit of kit to play stored DVDs?
Just a music streaming device but then so is the Sonos (last time I checked).
I have 3 Squeezeboxes (bought my first one about 4 years ago) and wouldn't really consider anything else - nothing beats them IMHO.
Is there anything that is a multimedia streaming device? For the DVDs to TV and if there is, can they both (squeeze box and Multimedia device) be online at the same time?
I use an Xbox 360 connected wirelessly to a computer running a version of vista that comes with media centre.
It will stream photos, music and videos (including HD stuff) with no problem. Because it is Microsoft the videos have to be either MPEGs or WMVs instead of the usual Divx formats, but there are a range of programs that can transcode them.
Edit: It will do the same with XP Media Centre if you don't want to use vista.
It will stream photos, music and videos (including HD stuff) with no problem. Because it is Microsoft the videos have to be either MPEGs or WMVs instead of the usual Divx formats, but there are a range of programs that can transcode them.
Edit: It will do the same with XP Media Centre if you don't want to use vista.
Edited by wolves_wanderer on Tuesday 1st May 09:32
ProPlus said:
Is there anything that is a multimedia streaming device? For the DVDs to TV and if there is, can they both (squeeze box and Multimedia device) be online at the same time?
Old xbox. Get a chipped one off ebay and put xbmc on it. Plays anything off network shares, DVD, Xvid, divx, WMV, MPG etc etc; also a CD/MP3 player built in. It has a well thought out interface and with the standard xbox remote control is very "non-geek friendly". www.xboxmediacenter.com
I've never used the 360 equivalent, and the xbox one can be tricky to set up (you can also do a software hack on a standard xbox, but the process is very involved) but once done it's a really capable bit of kit. And your main server should have no issue streaming say a DVD to one device and MP3 playback to another (I'd try and use cabled ethernet for the video rather than wireless though)
e: edited to remove blatant sexism
Edited by john_p on Tuesday 1st May 09:29
john_p said:
ProPlus said:
Is there anything that is a multimedia streaming device? For the DVDs to TV and if there is, can they both (squeeze box and Multimedia device) be online at the same time?
Old xbox. Get a chipped one off ebay and put xbmc on it. Plays anything off network shares, DVD, Xvid, divx, WMV, MPG etc etc; also a CD/MP3 player built in. It has a well thought out interface and with the standard xbox remote control is very "non-geek friendly". www.xboxmediacenter.com
I've never used the 360 equivalent, and the xbox one can be tricky to set up (you can also do a software hack on a standard xbox, but the process is very involved) but once done it's a really capable bit of kit. And your main server should have no issue streaming say a DVD to one device and MP3 playback to another (I'd try and use cabled ethernet for the video rather than wireless though)
e: edited to remove blatant sexism
Edited by john_p on Tuesday 1st May 09:29
Got an old Xbox, chipped with dashboard and 120gb hard drive, but its not wifi and didn't want the server in the same room as the other equipment or I didn't want any cables at all if possible coming out of the server.... Looks untidy.
ProPlus said:
The Dude said:
ProPlus said:
john_p said:
The Squeezebox is an amazing bit of kit and I would buy another in a heartbeat if the one I have right now broke.
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Interface and sound quality are amazing, it's easy to setup and the unit looks good wherever you put it.
For TV I use XBMC on an old xbox and it works very well (HD resolution output over component, although it doesn't have the grunt to play true HD - for your average AVI downloaded off the net it looks great)
Does the squeeze box have the ability to recieve stored DVDs via wifi and play into the tv or is it simply a mps streamer and I need to get another bit of kit to play stored DVDs?
Just a music streaming device but then so is the Sonos (last time I checked).
I have 3 Squeezeboxes (bought my first one about 4 years ago) and wouldn't really consider anything else - nothing beats them IMHO.
Is there anything that is a multimedia streaming device? For the DVDs to TV and if there is, can they both (squeeze box and Multimedia device) be online at the same time?
There are several devices (Apple TV, VuDu etc) but as another poster pointed out, Wifi (802.1g) simply does not have enough speed/bandwidth to be able to stream ripped DVDs over your network - performance will depend on how much the movie file has been compressed from the original. Simply, more compression = better performance but a lower quality picture/sound. Less compression = more impact on wifi performance but better quality picture.
A faster Wifi (802.1n) is slowly creeping into the market (several wireless routers now support it). Once devices start supporting the faster protocol(s) (as far as I know, 802.1n has not been ratified yet?) then streaming high quality video content will be a much better proposition.
Some related reading; www.ddj.com/dept/mobile/196800195
Having said that, Plotloss might be along later to possibly point you in the right direction - his business installs this kind of stuff.
I have several Squeeezeboxes around the house all served by a MacMini with the music stored in Apple Lossless on a Buffalo TeraStation NAS. I'm having the house fully networked in the next few weeks, because it's a five storey house and I have to use three wireless zones at the moment to get reasonable coverage. The wireless is also, as the Dude says, inadequate for streaming video and it is also too slow to allow reliable regular backups to my server (running the latest CTP of Windows Home Server - a limited but good forthcoming product from MS).
Zod said:
I have several Squeeezeboxes around the house all served by a MacMini with the music stored in Apple Lossless on a Buffalo TeraStation NAS. I'm having the house fully networked in the next few weeks, because it's a five storey house and I have to use three wireless zones at the moment to get reasonable coverage. The wireless is also, as the Dude says, inadequate for streaming video and it is also too slow to allow reliable regular backups to my server (running the latest CTP of Windows Home Server - a limited but good forthcoming product from MS).
Zod, which WHS build you using? The newest one that was out last week?
I use a little server (no raid) to store plenty of movies and TV episodes, then they are sent to two media center PCs (XP, not Vista yet) using the Belkin Pre-N wireless system, had them up for about 2 years and incredibly pleased with how well it all works, took some setting up to get just right but I still love how it all works.
I have heard that if you use all Vista machines, then you can even stream live tv from one box to all the other ones in the network, going to do some more investigation on that for when I move.
I have heard that if you use all Vista machines, then you can even stream live tv from one box to all the other ones in the network, going to do some more investigation on that for when I move.
I have a Helios X3000 to stream video (.VOB, .AVI, divx) etc. over my LAN from my PC (USB harddrive). It includes wi-fi and wired networking (I use wired over Netgear Powerline hardware) and it will stream HD and SD DVDs no problem.
The device is a bit clunky in terms of interface, useability, but the sound and video quality is excellent. There's a higher spec version (X5000) if you're feeling flush.
UV
The device is a bit clunky in terms of interface, useability, but the sound and video quality is excellent. There's a higher spec version (X5000) if you're feeling flush.
UV
rich1231 said:
Zod said:
I have several Squeeezeboxes around the house all served by a MacMini with the music stored in Apple Lossless on a Buffalo TeraStation NAS. I'm having the house fully networked in the next few weeks, because it's a five storey house and I have to use three wireless zones at the moment to get reasonable coverage. The wireless is also, as the Dude says, inadequate for streaming video and it is also too slow to allow reliable regular backups to my server (running the latest CTP of Windows Home Server - a limited but good forthcoming product from MS).
Zod, which WHS build you using? The newest one that was out last week?
Ultraviolet said:
I have a Helios X3000 to stream video (.VOB, .AVI, divx) etc. over my LAN from my PC (USB harddrive). It includes wi-fi and wired networking (I use wired over Netgear Powerline hardware) and it will stream HD and SD DVDs no problem.
The device is a bit clunky in terms of interface, useability, but the sound and video quality is excellent. There's a higher spec version (X5000) if you're feeling flush.
UV
The device is a bit clunky in terms of interface, useability, but the sound and video quality is excellent. There's a higher spec version (X5000) if you're feeling flush.
UV
Just to clarify for the OP, you're streaming HD DVD content but not wirelessly.
Using wires is a whole different ball game.
I have a Squeezebox/iMac combination and am loving it for playing music. All my CDs are now boxed up and stored away.
Sometime soon in the future there will be a similar workable solution for DVDs but the main problem is bandwidth and diskspace. I have now got 400+ DVDs which given an average size of 5Gb would mean I'd need 2Tb of diskspace to keep them all. A friend of mine has suggested compressing the files but having spent a fair bit of money on an HD plasma the last thing I want is a reduction in picture quality. Yes, it is possible to do this now but it will work out pretty expensive and won;t exactly be plug and play.
Give it a couple more years and I hope to have my DVDs in boxes alongside the CDs.
Sometime soon in the future there will be a similar workable solution for DVDs but the main problem is bandwidth and diskspace. I have now got 400+ DVDs which given an average size of 5Gb would mean I'd need 2Tb of diskspace to keep them all. A friend of mine has suggested compressing the files but having spent a fair bit of money on an HD plasma the last thing I want is a reduction in picture quality. Yes, it is possible to do this now but it will work out pretty expensive and won;t exactly be plug and play.
Give it a couple more years and I hope to have my DVDs in boxes alongside the CDs.
Zod said:
I have several Squeeezeboxes around the house all served by a MacMini with the music stored in Apple Lossless on a Buffalo TeraStation NAS. I'm having the house fully networked in the next few weeks, because it's a five storey house and I have to use three wireless zones at the moment to get reasonable coverage. The wireless is also, as the Dude says, inadequate for streaming video and it is also too slow to allow reliable regular backups to my server (running the latest CTP of Windows Home Server - a limited but good forthcoming product from MS).
That's interesting Zod.
How does Squeezebox cope with the Apple Lossless files? No problems? I'm thinking of redoing all my CDs (having started ripping them many years ago when disk space was a premium I ripped them all at 192kbps CBR and these days, when storage is relatively cheap-as-chips, I'm regretting the decision) and was going to go the FLAC route...
As a side note : I use a Mac Mini running VLC and Remote Buddy (awful name, awesome product - gives you customizable features using the little Mac Mini remote) for all my film needs (also has EyeTV connected to it to make it into a PVR). Kind of like a taller, more useful version of Apple TV. 
The Dude said:
Zod said:
I have several Squeeezeboxes around the house all served by a MacMini with the music stored in Apple Lossless on a Buffalo TeraStation NAS. I'm having the house fully networked in the next few weeks, because it's a five storey house and I have to use three wireless zones at the moment to get reasonable coverage. The wireless is also, as the Dude says, inadequate for streaming video and it is also too slow to allow reliable regular backups to my server (running the latest CTP of Windows Home Server - a limited but good forthcoming product from MS).
That's interesting Zod.
How does Squeezebox cope with the Apple Lossless files? No problems? I'm thinking of redoing all my CDs (having started ripping them many years ago when disk space was a premium I ripped them all at 192kbps CBR and these days, when storage is relatively cheap-as-chips, I'm regretting the decision) and was going to go the FLAC route...
The Squeezebox has no problem with the APple Lossless files. The truth is that only the last few months' rips are Apple Lossless. The rest are a combination of 320 Mbps MP3s, which I started about 18 months ago and 192 and 128 Mbps MP3s and aac files from when I first got an iPOD (and when storage was less readily available for the current 5GB per £1). THe lower bitrate stuff really shows the strain on a good system, even on the Logic7 system in the car. I've thought about FLAC too, but Apple Lossless was an easy choice.
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