TV Media Player as audio only device for flac, wav, mp3

[strat68]

Wondering if anyone uses an older TV media player for audio only? I see some of these "older" ones such as Seagate GoFlex are pretty cheap on used market. Though usually sold without the plugin HDD.

I want to start cheap to get into it, as I do not have enough flac files yet to warrant a NAS with Linux server. I'm thinking under $100 for the media player, than whatever a new or "gently" used HDD at quarter or half TB to start.

My main system is an older NAD with the maverick audio D2 DAC which I only have a blah Sony CD player with optical out into the DAC. Occasionally I will plug an android phone into the DAC to play mp3s.

Notes- I don't have a TV in this room (I wouldn't be opposed to getting a small TV to serve as an audio console). So my questions are: Can the seagate be used for music without a TV? Are there any other caveats playing flac files on TV media boxes?

Other simple solutions/ideas welcome as well. I have looked high and low for a box that has a USB input on the front, supports flac, and has a digital out that does not require a TV.

Thanks.

 

[ldatlof]

Don't know much about the Seagate GoFlex but I have hacked Pogpplugs and turned them into music players. That said, I would go with a Chromescast Audio ($35). You would need to attach the HD with the music files to a computer or router on your network but that is not a bad thing IMO. You would attach your DAC via a mini toslink to toslink wire. No TV needed. You control it with a smartphone via the BubbleUpnp app.

If you had to have the the hard drive connected to the player then a Raspberry Pi would fit the bill. It is small and headless and there are many ways to implement a server and player on a RPi. The DAC and HD attach via USB. The RPi is also a great video player as well via Plex or Kodi.