uploading music library suggestions?

[boputnam]

I was just kinda shuffling around the shop getting organized for a gig, and realize the bit about XM that we don't think about, enough. OK, it's all been digitized by them, but instead of listening to MY library, I'm treated to wonderful stuff I missed along the way. Things even fanatics of the various groups may not have heard. Obscure shows, covers, outtakes, etc. Off topic, but riviting stuff none-the-less, hey?

Doesn't solve the uploading probem - perhaps it only increases it!!

[andresohc]

Thanks Bo, I agree with what you are saying about hearing new stuff and enjoying new experiences. I find myself more open to this at different points in my life, and today while I was listening to a playlist I made and reading the new Sandford novel, I was feeling as good as I have in several years. Sometimes re experiencing what I have can be soothing and therapeutic. Probably will be back into experimenting in six months to a year.
Question: Does anyone know how to upgrade the sound in P4 board with inboard sound card. All I have is the 1.5 mm stereo jack that is used for the computer speakers. There is a digital coaxial ouput that doesnt seem to have any output. There is also a optical digital output which I havent tried yet. What I am concerned about is the programs for sound playback through Soundmatch digital audio, and MIDI playback through MIDI microsoft GS wavelength SW Synth. Are these adequate and if not, where and what can I download or buy that is optimal. Also are there hotrodded sound cards that significantly improve sound. I am not into all the DSP, just the pure sound.

[morbo!]

i like to encode my mp3`s at 256 kbps
i find it sounds better than 128
and dislike wma
and prolly get a high end sound card if you can really here the diffrence
between your pc and your cd-dvd
p.s cool edit is awsome for recording your vinal to pc
ive made $1000`s doing this for people who`s record players have given up the ghost but still want to listen to their hard to replace vinal collection

technics turntables rule

[morbo!]

Disable your onboard sound card in your bios.
Then go guy a good 1.
you have to enable the digital out but its really not worth it ive heard to many on board sound cards to like them .
Mine is disabled in bios and found a huge diffrence when i installed the blaster audoilgy but this is kinda old now i want the 2

morbo!

Thanks Bo, I agree with what you are saying about hearing new stuff and enjoying new experiences. I find myself more open to this at different points in my life, and today while I was listening to a playlist I made and reading the new Sandford novel, I was feeling as good as I have in several years. Sometimes re experiencing what I have can be soothing and therapeutic. Probably will be back into experimenting in six months to a year.
Question: Does anyone know how to upgrade the sound in P4 board with inboard sound card. All I have is the 1.5 mm stereo jack that is used for the computer speakers. There is a digital coaxial ouput that doesnt seem to have any output. There is also a optical digital output which I havent tried yet. What I am concerned about is the programs for sound playback through Soundmatch digital audio, and MIDI playback through MIDI microsoft GS wavelength SW Synth. Are these adequate and if not, where and what can I download or buy that is optimal. Also are there hotrodded sound cards that significantly improve sound. I am not into all the DSP, just the pure sound.

[Fred Sanford]

If you've got the bucks, or a whole-house control system such as Crestron, these units are a tidy and good-sounding solution:

www.request.com

http://www.request.com/pdf/newfseries.pdf

I do quite a bit of R&D for them, and my company's a dealer, so take that for what it's worth. My favorite aspects would be the auto-syncing/emergency backup (I add a song to my master unit in NY, it automatically backs up via ethernet to my slave unit in PA) and remote access (I can stream playlists or download songs from my home servers to any computer anywhere) and internet radio (I can set up playlists and advertise an IP/port, and folks can point their players at it & listen to whatever I've got playing).

je
...closing in on 40,000 song files...yikes...

[hjames]

Can you ballpark define what "if you have the bucks for a Celestron" might mean? I gather its a library unit and a series of receiver/interface units .With the Apple gear I already had the computer in use as a library, so I just needed to get the receiver unit for the high-fi room - the AppleTV uses our TV to see the interface and I can scroll through the library, pick any artist, song, album, playlist etc and have it go from there.

When I convert from FLAC files (Mermen concerts and such) it dumps to 1411kbps AIFF or WAV format - I can dump those into iTunes but they are huge - I usually downsize them to 320kbps AAC files just so they are portable.

I don't really need to web-stream them - home use only is fine.

If you've got the bucks, or a whole-house control system such as Crestron, these units are a tidy and good-sounding solution:

www.request.com

http://www.request.com/pdf/newfseries.pdf

I do quite a bit of R&D for them, and my company's a dealer, so take that for what it's worth. My favorite aspects would be the auto-syncing/emergency backup (I add a song to my master unit in NY, it automatically backs up via ethernet to my slave unit in PA) and remote access (I can stream playlists or download songs from my home servers to any computer anywhere) and internet radio (I can set up playlists and advertise an IP/port, and folks can point their players at it & listen to whatever I've got playing).

je
...closing in on 40,000 song files...yikes...

[Fred Sanford]

Can you ballpark define what "if you have the bucks for a Celestron" might mean? I gather its a library unit and a series of receiver/interface units .With the Apple gear I already had the computer in use as a library, so I just needed to get the receiver unit for the high-fi room - the AppleTV uses our TV to see the interface and I can scroll through the library, pick any artist, song, album, playlist etc and have it go from there.

When I convert from FLAC files (Mermen concerts and such) it dumps to 1411kbps AIFF or WAV format - I can dump those into iTunes but they are huge - I usually downsize them to 320kbps AAC files just so they are portable.

I don't really need to web-stream them - home use only is fine.

http://www.crestron.com/features/applications/home/

Crestron is a control system, sort of ties together all the electronics in the house to one interface/manager. The ReQuest units I mentioned are music servers can be controlled via RS232, Ethernet/IP, or IR. Remember when we were talking about Universal Remotes? Think of Crestron as the money-is-no-object Universal Remote to control your house-wide AV, your lighting, your HVAC, your windows & curtains, your security system & cameras, blah blah blah. ReQuest can be used as a stand-alone and work well. I'm still putting my system together (lots of other home-improvement stuff lately), but once I have one or more of them accessible remotely I'll give you a demo. They're getting better and better at playing nice with ITunes, too, but I haven't tested it yet:

http://request.com/products/netsyncforitunes.asp

Both companies have lower-budget whole-house systems that are pretty affordable & easy to set up, and also have the ability to get way expensive (I've done systems over $1,000,000).

I worked for one of the biggest dealers of both companies for years, but no longer do- take that for what it's worth.

je

[hjames]

Yeah - the iTunes Airports Express unit - (Just a blind receiver, basically a remote speaker within your house to send a local stream to) is $99.
The Apple TV which is a dedicated computer that connects to your TV (or HDTV) as an interface for streaming movies, photos and such around your house, or to sync with your music library) is roughly $300 for 40 gig unit or $400 for a 160 gig unit. Both expect you to have a computer in the house to "hub" from. Is the crestron anywhere near that, say, $1000 complete price range?

I don't need exact prics, and I know everything can be expanded, I was just wondering where it fits in the world a la slingbox, apple TV, Win Media and the other media hub systems ...

[Fred Sanford]

We're talking two different things here. Might be better discussed real-time rather than typing.

The ReQuest units are fancy music servers that are also very, very smart archive setups, particularly if you have multiple dwellings or want one in your house & one in your office.

The Crestron stuff is a large family of control components that need to be designed & programmed to play together to control just about anything you can dream of controlling.

You're not touching either of these in the $1K range, more like a basic setup in the $4K-5K range? We turned down systems if they were under about $90K, wasn't worth our time- so, I'm not really up on the lower budget setups. I can certainly discuss how elements of either could help you, though.

Another smaller IPod-friendly system I had set up & played with is the SpeakerCraft Mode system, if you want whole-house audio with decent Ipod control & a music server it seemed pretty decent:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/aud...io-system.html

je

[hjames]

well, I guess what we now have works nicely and fits our budget - I don't have much call to listen to my stream via internet from distant places. I dupe the library to an external firewire drive every month, and I alternate so I keep two complete backups on hand - takes about 1 1/2 hours these days (about 135 gigs).

[Titanium Dome]

I've seen a few reQuests on ebay for around $1100. I've wondered if they are user installable or if contractor installation is really the way to go.

Right now I have my Harmony 1000 controlling my MacBook Pro/Airport Express/FAP T1+/FAA1000.5/Performance Series "digital music" option. It works quite well for me. However, it'd be great to get that library onto a dedicated unit.

[Fred Sanford]

Hit me PM or e-mail re: ReQuests, there's lots of info to know. Older units ran QNX, newer run Linux- big differences in features & support. Yes, you could set it up with some network knowledge, and I could help you through before purchase or after.

je