Take a look at https://gracedigital.com/ . I have 2 of these (Mondo) WiFi, flash drive and connect wireless to your music on your hard drive output to your aux. input on your system.
Best Regards
Pat
Best Regards
Pat
Playing digital files on my HIFI system
- Thread starter Luis.correia
- Start date
c.coyle
Fighting the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Simple and relatively cheap: Some sort of music playing software, such as Foobar if you run Windows. Foobar is free. Either run your analogue audio out straight from the computer into the AUX inputs of your preamp, or spend another $100 U.S. and get a Schiit Modi USB outboard DAC. In that case, computer digital out ==> DAC ==> preamp. That's what I do, and I'm very happy.
c.coyle
Fighting the Dunning-Kruger effect.
I have no problem setting it up, and it sounds just fine.
ldatlof
We are all steak
My cheap solution: Get cheap computer off of craigslist for $20-40 (a Raspberry Pi works here too). Load Ubuntu or similar Linux OS (it works just like windows). Load tightvnc (so you only need a monitor when you set it up, the rest of the time it is headless and it's desktop can be accessed from another computer on your network) and MiniDLNA. All Linux stuff is free
Attach USB drive to newly bought cheap computer. Plug cheap computer into router (hopefully your router has wireless capability or just buy wireless dongle for $10). Buy Chromecast Audio ($35). Load BubbleUpnp or similar app in iPhone or iPad. Now you can access your own library and if you want, have a streaming service too for less than $100.
Attach USB drive to newly bought cheap computer. Plug cheap computer into router (hopefully your router has wireless capability or just buy wireless dongle for $10). Buy Chromecast Audio ($35). Load BubbleUpnp or similar app in iPhone or iPad. Now you can access your own library and if you want, have a streaming service too for less than $100.
ldatlof
We are all steak
I did not realize Daphile is Linux. I thought it was a windows program. My bad. Good to know though.
skriefal
Super Member
I think you vastly overestimate the computer/tech prowess of most people (possibly including AK readers). Most would zone out at "Load Ubuntu..." (very few people ever install an operating system - much less a non-Microsoft one). Or if they somehow managed that, their minds would explode trying to understand VNC or DLNA software. Those things make sense to techies like me -- but we're the exception!
And that's where the products like Auralic and Sonos get their "in" -- through user friendliness (usually). User friendliness ain't cheap!
And even those who do understand it eventually tire of it, and prefer to go for the simplicity of an out-of-the-box solution. I'm not there yet -- but I expect that to change eventually!
ldatlof
We are all steak
It is possible that I am overestimating the tech prowess of some AK readers but I am of the philosophy that if I can do it so can most people. I am no tech or linux expert either. But there are some great videos and tutorials that explain every thing. Google is your friend here. Going cheap with Linux has it costs too. Mainly a learning curve.I think you vastly overestimate the computer/tech prowess of most people (possibly including AK readers). Most would zone out at "Load Ubuntu..." (very few people ever install an operating system - much less a non-Microsoft one). Or if they somehow managed that, their minds would explode trying to understand VNC or DLNA software. Those things make sense to techies like me -- but we're the exception!
And that's where the products like Auralic and Sonos get their "in" -- through user friendliness (usually). User friendliness ain't cheap!
And even those who do understand it eventually tire of it, and prefer to go for the simplicity of an out-of-the-box solution. I'm not there yet -- but I expect that to change eventually!
I like to use linux with old cheap computers because it seems to work better and much faster than windows and it is still supported.
If the OP where to go my route he could always use Putty instead of VNC (though there is a great tutorial for the RPi for setting VNC up). Setting up MiniDLNA is one command in the terminal and editing a .conf file. Once the system is setup it pretty much runs by itself with little need to deal with it.
Sonos is a great product but it is expensive like you said.
Linux is not for everyone but since I don't know the tech prowess of the OP I thought I would throw it out there. Cheers.
Darksyde
Well-Known Member
You can a long as the hard drive has it own power supply and you would need an otg cable . It would also have to be an android tablet .
Darksyde
Well-Known Member
Fat16/fat32
skriefal
Super Member
That'd work. Although exFAT (which I mistyped as FATX) eliminates FAT32's 4GB file size limit. That probably won't matter for music file playback, but may be important for video file playback (especially with HD video files).
prighello
not all who wander are lost
I can't believe there isn't a dedicated hdd player or usb player that can be interfaced via a phone or tablet that isn't a pc or connected to a network. Shit nearly all phone and tablets have Bluetooth. Why can't someone make a hdd/Usb player that can be controlled via Bluetooth? It'd probably cost $10 to make...
Maybe I need to learn how to code a raspberrypi or something like it i bet it could interface with a usb drive and dac plus be controlled by a phone via Bluetooth. Here's my millions
Maybe I need to learn how to code a raspberrypi or something like it i bet it could interface with a usb drive and dac plus be controlled by a phone via Bluetooth. Here's my millions
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prighello
not all who wander are lost
I don't have internet at home; just what's on my phone thus I've no reason to set up a wifi network. Anyway, I did fine a device that does what I seek but it's a bit spendy at $500 bones.
Bluesound node 2. Still can't believe someone hasn't built something else that's wayyyy freaking cheaper.
Bluesound node 2. Still can't believe someone hasn't built something else that's wayyyy freaking cheaper.
chicks
Lunatic Member
You don't need Internet access to set up wifi. Just need a wifi router; some have USB ports for USB sticks, but you're much better off with an inexpensive NAS, like the WD Personal Cloud, connected to the router via Ethernet. Then a cheap Chromecast Audio and an app on your phone will do everything you're after.
ldatlof
We are all steak
You can bypass the DAC in the CCA by inserting a mini toslink cable into the output of the CCA. I plan on doing this but the DAC I ordered is on a slow boat from Hong Kong.
prighello
not all who wander are lost
So if I got a NAS, loaded all my music on it then hooked it up to a router I could stream via CCA? Any file type or am I limited? Also, could I control the CCA via my iphone?
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