Streamer or Universal Player recommendations needed.

eljr

Koyaanisqatsi
I am looking for a streamer. It needs to be able to access RoKu or all these apps individually that I use on Roku.

They are: Amazon Instant Video, Sling, Netflix, The Great Courses Plus

It must also connect to JRiver Media Center from my computer via DLNA.

I also need a Tidal app available or enabled and a Digital Concert Hall app available or enabled.

If it is a universal player (Blu-Ray, SACD, DVD-A, DVD, CD) all the better.
 
People have streamers, but your list of requirements probably slows down the responses. You might want to look at an Oppo Blu Ray player or maybe one of the Marantz streamers. also look at Auralic and Bluesound.
 
I’m trying to learn how all of these new streaming devices interplay vs. overlap – so I appreciate the dialog.

Details about the Oppo Sonica DAC should be available by the end of January 2017. Here’s a brief description:

Sonica DAC combines the convenience of modern network streaming and the ultimate sound quality of the traditional audiophile DAC. The Sonica app for iOS and Android allows you to conveniently stream music from your smart phone or tablet. Sonica DAC supports high resolution PCM and DSD audio via its USB, coaxial and optical inputs. On top of that, Sonica DAC is a high-resolution audio player and can decode files directly from a connected USB drive, network shares or NAS drives.​

Might the Sonica DAC meet your needs? Would a Chromecast Audio add functionality to the Sonica? (I’m not clear if the Sonica will act as a receiver for high-res audio “casts”. In other words, will the Sonica unit have the functionality of Chromecast Audio built-in?)

Oppo’s latest “audiophile grade” universal player, the UDP-205, will also become available soon. I play CDs, SACDs, Blu-ray (audio and video), FLAC downloads, and I like my Oppo BDP-105. I would like to add a universal player to another hi-fi system in a different room, so I’m interested in the UDP-205. I’m interested in learning if the UDP-205 will include all of the functionality of the Sonica DAC, plus act as a universal disc player.
 
O am using two Chromecast Audio, digitally connected one to to my Parasound DAC and the other to my Denon receiver.
They are great for streaming, especially combined with a Bubble UPnP application on the phone.

Now, it won't do any SACD but I learned that SACD it just hype (bought like 10-12 discs early on).
 
universal player, the UDP-205, will also become available soon.

It's available now. It is the player I waited all last year for. Problem is, it no longer offers apps so you can't get Tidal, Digital Concert Hall or Roku with it.
 
Various Android streaming boxes may provide what you need, as long as the listed sources can be handled by browser or specific apps. You might check the Play Store for apps for your sources. If you normally access some sources via browser, you should be good with those as well.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
...... not many streamers here it seems.
I have a couple of streamers: a Sonore microRendu and a Logitech Touch. They are used for audio, not video output. And don't require server based playback software like JRiver since they are optimized for that function already.

Access and play Roku apps? Why not just use the Roku for those?
 
It's available now. It is the player I waited all last year for. Problem is, it no longer offers apps so you can't get Tidal, Digital Concert Hall or Roku with it.

My understanding is that the UDP-203 is now available, and the UDP-205 (audiophile grade) will be available "early 2017". The UDP-205 presumably will have a Toslink input, and a USB input. So, my question is: Can you connect something like a Chromecast Audio gizmo to the Toslink input of the UDP-205 (i.e., using the UDP-205's DAC) and do everything you want to do?
 
I'll echo E-Stat's query. Given your short list, Why not just stick with your Roku since it meets all of your demands? Did it go tits up? Or are you just wanting something "fancier/better looking" in your rack?
 
I have a couple of streamers: a Sonore microRendu and a Logitech Touch. They are used for audio, not video output. And don't require server based playback software like JRiver since they are optimized for that function already.

Access and play Roku apps? Why not just use the Roku for those?

I will need to a use a Roku but that still leaves me without Tidal, Digital Concert Hall and JRiver.....
 
I'll echo E-Stat's query. Given your short list, Why not just stick with your Roku since it meets all of your demands? Did it go tits up? Or are you just wanting something "fancier/better looking" in your rack?

It does not meet all my demands, hence my thread.

(see post above)

I would like all this in one as I have now but even if I have to piece it all together I will.

So far I have come up with a OPPO 203 and Roku. This combination still leaves me without Digital Concert Hall and Tidal.

Thoughts.
 
My understanding is that the UDP-203 is now available, and the UDP-205 (audiophile grade) will be available "early 2017". The UDP-205 presumably will have a Toslink input, and a USB input. So, my question is: Can you connect something like a Chromecast Audio gizmo to the Toslink input of the UDP-205 (i.e., using the UDP-205's DAC) and do everything you want to do?

leaning this way but as noted in my last post, this still leaves me without Tidal and Digital Concert Hall.

Now I am thinking that I need to also buy a Fire TV stick which would give me Tidal and Concert Hall. BUT, the 203 only has one HDMI input and I want everything to run through one processor.
Plus, it's a mess. All these gadgets...
 
How about this?
Can I put a ROKU app on Amazon Fire?
or forget Roku and put are all the apps I need available on Fire?
 
Not sure I love it but an OPPO 203 and Amazon Fire TV would give me all I need.

Amazon Instant Video, Sling, Netflix, The Great Courses Plus

JRiver Media Center from my computer via DLNA.

Tidal and Digital Concert Hall

a universal player (Blu-Ray, SACD, DVD-A, DVD, CD)
 
I will need to a use a Roku but that still leaves me without Tidal, Digital Concert Hall and JRiver.....
And streamers will leave you without (the need for) JRiver.

I have an Oppo 103 which accesses my digital library through DLNA. The playback interface, however, is on the Oppo.
 
which do?

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I have 3 of these in various setups around the house. Send me a PM and I can tell you what accessories are available to do what. You will need a keyboard to control it (comes with an air mouse, but keyboard is infinitely better). You will need an HDMI audio extractor to feed its audio output into your audio rig, unless your TV has audio outputs (my TV has a pretty good audio output, but my extractor does appreciably better). I hate to admit it, but I listen to Pandora (in high res mode), in my main rig, via this box, more than I am doing vinyl lately. The sound is spectacular, and the music channels provided via KODI are also spectacular (all free). If you have media on a USB thumb drive, it will play those too.

Not all boxes are outfitted the same, even with the same model number. It depends upon the specific retailer. This is the one I recommend: https://www.amazon.com/WELLWIN-Android-Internet-Miracast-Streaming/dp/B01GCF98W2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484341524&sr=8-2&keywords=T95N

You will not need a ROKU or Fire-Stick if you have one of these. You can install the apps you need from the Play Store, if available, and it comes loaded with all kinds of apps, right out of the box (Netflix, Kodi, etc.). I have installed Pandora, a Firefox browser, and various other personal customizations I can tell you about. It has the full Android OS (latest non-beta), and comes rooted, so you can side load what ever may be available from sources other than the Play Store as well.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
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If you kept everything running through the Roku, you'll always have to have your TV on. Is that what you want?

A Chromecast Audio device... I have one... can stream audio (with Pandora, Spotify, more apps) and video (with Netflix, SlingTV, more apps). You can do audio without the TV on, or when you want video, it will do that.
 
If you kept everything running through the Roku, you'll always have to have your TV on. Is that what you want?

Yes!

This is recent. I am old school and never had a TV on when I listened to music. (unless it was a sporting event, volume off, on the tube and music from from the stereo.

So just last month, my daughter came home from college and as I had tickets to take her to see Handel's Messiah a week later and she was unfamiliar with it, I suggested we listen together in the living room.

As I had a brand new SACD of the work, I went to place it on. She politely asked if a DVD or Blu-Ray were available so watch. I had none but found it on YouTube and streamed it to the TV.

She was right, it is so much better to have visuals.

Now, I know you are going to say, "but Tidal and streaming from your audio media server does not provide visual performances."

True, but they do provide into on the pieces or songs being performed. And I find that more convenient to view there than on my phone or pad.

Sorry for the long story but having the TV on while listening to music has been a breakthrough for me that I wanted to share given your question. :beerchug:
 
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