As to the Touch being a NMP, it is more then ready for Prime Time. Both the analog and digital outs are better then any player to date other then the Transporter. As a digital transport, it is killer and gives the Transporter a run for its money.
If you like the Touch, I say buy one and order a Vortexbox Appliance while you're at it. For $670, you end up with an all-in-one dedicated music server/ripper and the Touch player. No WiFi, No Network, only three connections to the Touch (power, Ethernet, Audio/Digital out), only two connections to the Vortexbox (once setup its headless so only Ethernet and power). For $785, one gets a 2TB dedicated music server and Touch. The Vortexbox uses very little energy and is fairly small. At smaller then 12X9.5X3 inches, it will fit on just about any 19-inch audio shelf along with the Touch. If the Server just has be very small check out the Vortexbox 500GB Micro. The audio out of the Touch is fantastic, so as to its primary and main job of being a NMP it is wonderful. Can there be issues using the TinySC feature, sure especially if one is asking it to do to much or wanting everything that is in SBS. I use TinySC all the time with USB drives without problem one. Will it work with every USB drive out there, no it will not. And also look how I am using it without problem, in my SUV as my main music player, at the beach home, and the cabin on the weekends. Granted as soon as they have 5 or so in stock, I can stop moving my Touch around so much, but for now taking it out of the house, putting it in the Expedition, taking it into the cabin, back into the SUV for the trip home, and back inside once home, is hassle free other then the moving. One last option is to buy the Touch and a USB drive that is known to play well with TinySC. But if you want all the bells and whistles of SqueezeBoxServer, they are just not going to be there because as a 'feature' TinySC doesn't have them. A dedicated Music Server is in my opinion the way to go. It gives on everything and all of the Squeezebox experience. A dedicated server can be as small and as simple as one wants. I run a WiFi router with my main system, but I don't have Internet or other computers on the Network (unless I want to use the WebUI). Its just my dedicated Music Server, Ethernet into the WiFi router, Transporter Ethernet to WiFi router, 2 SB3's Ethernet to router, the rest connect by WiFi. It could just as easily be a Vortexbox Micro, one Ethernet cable, and a Touch! Or add a small WiFi router and add Squeezeboxes where you want them! For me the WiFi lets me put a Squeezebox just about anywhere. It allows me to use iPeng on my iPhone and lets me use the WebUI from any laptop or PC that I let see the Squeezebox WiFi Network. I also do this at the cabin on long weekends. I bring the Touch in from the Expedition, use my 1TB Toshiba USB drive, I have an old D-Link router I keep there, and bring a SB Radio and Boom alone. I use a pair of AudioEngine A5s with the Touch. I use the Touch and iPeng to control the 3 Squeezeboxes. No Internet at the cabin, the WiFi network is just so the music from the USB drive plugged into the Touch can get to the other Squeezebox players. I have been doing this for over 6 months without issue. -- iPhone *iPhone* Media Room: Transporter, VTL TL-6.5 Signature Pre-Amp, Ayre MX-R Mono's, VeraStarr 6.4SE 6-channel Amp, Vandersteen Speakers: Quatro Mains, VCC-5 Reference Center, four VSM-1 Signatures, Video: Runco RS 900 CineWide AutoScope 2.35:1 Living Room: Duet, ADCOM GTP-870HD, Cinepro 3K6SE III Gold, Vandersteen Model 3A Signature, Two 2Wq subs, VCC-2, Two VSM-1 Kitchen: Squeezebox BOOM Bedroom: Second Boom Bathroom: Squeezebox Radio Ford Thunderbird: Duet, Mac Mini Ford Expedition: SB Touch, USB drive ------------------------------------------------------------------------ iPhone's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13622 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=79118 _______________________________________________ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
