------------------------------------------------------------------------ A poll associated with this post was created, to vote and see the results, please visit http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=73380 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Question: Using the Touch's embedded SBS... - I plan to use it as my main server/library - I plan to use it occasionally, such as when a friend brings around a USB drive - I have no interest it using it at all really ------------------------------------------------------------------------
iPhone;503469 Wrote: > For the price of two Touch units and two USB drives, would it not make > more sense just to buy a Vortexbox Appliance and one Touch? That way > there is only one library to maintain, even the 24/96 can be sent to the > Boom and SB Radio or an SB3 using SoX on the Vortexbox to send the > proper transcoded files to which box needs them, and if you do want to > Sync all the players for some reason it is no longer an issue (although > while Sync'd the Touch would get the same 24/48 files the other players > get). This solution also gives ever player access to all the available > plugins. > > Lastly in my opinion, why buy the second Touch just to stream MP3s with > it. Buy a used Duet, SB3, or Receiver for the MP3 streaming. > > Maybe its just me, but that is how I would go at this. The Vortexbox > connected to the Router/WAP will serve all the Squeezeboxes in the > network, do any needed transcoding from one FLAC only library that might > contain 24/96 on the fly, and still allow all the plugins to be used. > > For less then $200, I just built a 40W dedicated SBS Server for my > neighbor with an Atom MB and 1.5 TB data drive. Just to be clear, I am considering two Touches becuause I have two rooms that need stereo streaming - downstairs, in the HT/Living room (where the Router is) and upstairs, in the dedicated 2 channel room (wireless only). I want the Touch in the HiFi room because of it's 24/96 capabilities & excellent digital section - in fact, if I could afford a TP I'd do that. This room has poor WiFi reception(a repeater would help, I'm sure) so I worry about dropouts when streaming 24/96. In the end, USB drives are so cheap that I can't imagine risking dropouts just to save $120. In fact, when 128 GB flash drives become available, I just may go that way to keep it totally silent. SQ & listening experience is king here, and I don't mind using dbPoweramp to make MP3 copies of my FLAC library for the HT server once in a while. I don't think I'll need plugins in the HiFi room either. In the HT room I want the best possible user experience, since my wife will be using that unit. I've even thought about going with Sonos there, just to make the UX as good as possible (please no flames; this gets debated to death elsehwere) but the Radio pushed me over to a 100% Logitech solution. So, the HT server needs to stream to the Radio & future Boom. MP3 is fine, since I tend to make very high quality MP3s, although if FLAC streams reliably enough I just may leave it as FLAC. Don't care about streaming 24/96, but if it works, cool. I'm sure that you all are correct about building a cheap second PC, but I have absolutely no desire to do that. I don't have space for it, and don't like the idea of building and maintaining one, or leaving it running. Kudos to those of you who do that - time was, I probably would have been into that myself. But I've got other hobbies, and time slicing is critical to me. ;) And, I know that I need the main sever hardwired to the router in the HT room for best possible streaming. So, that leaves a Vortex or a NAS, both of which I can conceal in the HT cabinet. Or, a USB drive attached to the HT Touch, which I will buy anyway. Looking at this math, again I come to the conclusion that a $120 USB drive will be the easiest & cheapest solution, but then I give up plugins. So I'll need to spend some time experiemting, to decide how badly I want plugins. I realize all you folks are coming at this from the customizability aspect, and that's what drew you to SB in the first place, and I respect that. But I do think the Touch is going to draw a new kind of customer - one that might have gone with Sonos instead. Some of us will have no desire to keep a server running and mess with plugins. I'm sure that's what Logitech had in mind with the Touch - drawing in a new kind of customer whilst remaining compatible with the full-on server system as well. I'm just glad they chose to up the audio performance of the unit at the same time. -- georgeh Just a radio... for now. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ georgeh's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=35500 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=73380 _______________________________________________ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
