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Apple TV as Music Server

shacky

shacky

Addicted Member
I want a music Server/Streamer with digital out so I can use my Entech DAC. My Roku is giving me fits.

Airport Express only has USB out and I'm not sure that could be used as separate music player like the audio out,

I see Apple TV has digital Optical out. Can I use an Apple remote application on an iTouch or Pocket PC to make an Apple TV an isolated music server?
 
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Just found out on Apple Forum that Airport Express has optical digital out :banana:

That was only reason I was looking at TV. I didn't realize the 1/8" audio out doubles as analogue and optical out :no:

Looks like that is going to be the solution for my ailing problematic Roku. :yes: Course it means I'll need to buy an iTouch too for remote application :D
 
ATV as server

Either the ATV or the AE will work fine. The ATV has a standard toslink connection. The AE uses the mini optical connection. A good mini to optical cable at a reasonable price is http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html. If you find streaming is a problem for you, the ATV is a good option. It will stream from your PC or play back from its own hard drive.
 
Went to the Apple store to confirm things before buying. I was thinking AirTunes would let me play on Airport Express something like the Roku. When I realized i have to be playing what I want to hear on iTunes on the iMac I shied away.

The iMac is the family computer with my wife and others using it.

So guess what I really need is NAS, Squeezebox or both :scratch2:
 
Well, with the iPod Touch and the remote app, you can have iTunes running in the background on the iMac and control it with the Touch. It shouldn't interfere with anyone using the iMac. My iPod is in the car... I'll bring it in later and confirm that the remote app can change iTunes stuff without bringing the window up. The only issue I think is that whoever is using the iMac wouldn't be able to listen to something different on iTunes at the same time it is streaming what you want over the airport.

Would the AppleTV do what you need? Also, if you were prepared to spring for the AppleTV, perhaps you could find a used mini instead and use that as a music server and also backup your iMac to it?
 
Well - I just ordered Squeezebox. They had some Duets refurb for $299. If I like it I'll look for an extra Receiver for my office.
 
Why stream when they can just set the ATV next to the stereo and play directly off its hard drive. the only wireless part is the occasional sync from the home computer (your iMac). You can control the ATV with Remote just like any machine running Itunes. Seems more stable than streaming.
 
bottlerocket said:
Why stream when they can just set the ATV next to the stereo and play directly off its hard drive. the only wireless part is the occasional sync from the home computer (your iMac). You can control the ATV with Remote just like any machine running Itunes. Seems more stable than streaming.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me, too. But does the ATV really run iTunes, or does it have something else (I thought it had a Front Row like GUI)? Also, would you need a monitor hooked up to it to know what it is doing, or is the remote app good enough? I don't know a lot about the ATV, was always curious about it, and wondered if a mini can't be configured to do the same plus more.
 
I did not mean to say that the ATV runs Itunes. It doesn't. I meant to say it can be controlled by the Iphone/Itouch app called Remote. The Remote app can control any machine running Itunes and it can also control the ATV (2 different things). The ATV is good if you are going to also use it with a TV and your stereo and TV are in the same room. The ATV has a HDMI out so you can get photos and movies out to your TV easily and use the TOSLINK out to output your audio to your DAC. The ATV also has a Front Row menu that you can control with the little apple remote via your TV. It works but gets old to use. The Remote app running on a Touch or Iphone is more convenient. It can't do everything though. For example if you need to change the network settings on the ATV, you'd need to hook up a TV or monitor and use the Front Row and little white Apple remote (not the app)
 
bottlerocket said:
I did not mean to say that the ATV runs Itunes. It doesn't. I meant to say it can be controlled by the Iphone/Itouch app called Remote. The Remote app can control any machine running Itunes and it can also control the ATV (2 different things). The ATV is good if you are going to also use it with a TV and your stereo and TV are in the same room. The ATV has a HDMI out so you can get photos and movies out to your TV easily and use the TOSLINK out to output your audio to your DAC. The ATV also has a Front Row menu that you can control with the little apple remote via your TV. It works but gets old to use. The Remote app running on a Touch or Iphone is more convenient. It can't do everything though. For example if you need to change the network settings on the ATV, you'd need to hook up a TV or monitor and use the Front Row and little white Apple remote (not the app)
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's about the best description of how the ATV works that I've read. I think if Apple put a little more effort and capability into it, it could be a killer product.
 
bottlerocket said:
Why stream when they can just set the ATV next to the stereo and play directly off its hard drive. the only wireless part is the occasional sync from the home computer (your iMac). You can control the ATV with Remote just like any machine running Itunes. Seems more stable than streaming.
Click to expand...

For me - I have well over 200 GB music library. Most of my ripping is lossless. I'd have to do a lot of swapping files back and forth. I want to be able to access entire library.
 
Just to add to the discussion, I also have a substantial collection (220gb, 110 days) and use multiple Airport Expresses in my household. Controlling the music and speakers with the Remote application for my iPod Touch is a breeze and elegantly executed. I also have my network set up in a way that my ethernet based and wireless macs can share libraries with one another and control the music as well. The only problem I could see in a home with only one mac is the person at the computer wanting to put something other than what the listener in the other room wants to hear. You can disable the computer speakers, but you cannot play multiple songs simultaneously across multiple speakers.

I'd say the AirPort Express is still a good option, it's portable, economical, and easy to configure. The only gripe I have with the Express is the fact that it does not have some type of external display for artist and song title. However, the Remote application for the iPod Touch does a great job of helping me forget that small gripe I have.

That said, the Squeezebox isn't a bad choice either, and I did consider it when I purchased my first AirPort Express. It is a very nice piece of gear and I hope you enjoy it!
 
As a longtime confirmed iTunes user, eventually picking up an Airport Express and a used Touch seems like the greatest damn thing in the world. For non-users of iTunes, it might not seem as attractive, but for me, it's really slick. Looks like I can pick the combo up for under $200 used on the local CL at pretty much any time.

My digital music is all upstairs on the PC and the Xbox 360 downstairs in the main system makes an incredibly clunky (and poor-sounding) media slinger.

What kind of sampling rate does Airport Express output? Can I use it with my Entech 20-bit DAC?
 
Sampling Rate

Both the AE and ATV are limited to 16 bit/44.1 Khz. The mac mini will do 24/96 via digital audio out (mini to toslink)
 
bottlerocket said:
I did not mean to say that the ATV runs Itunes. It doesn't. I meant to say it can be controlled by the Iphone/Itouch app called Remote. The Remote app can control any machine running Itunes and it can also control the ATV (2 different things). The ATV is good if you are going to also use it with a TV and your stereo and TV are in the same room. The ATV has a HDMI out so you can get photos and movies out to your TV easily and use the TOSLINK out to output your audio to your DAC. The ATV also has a Front Row menu that you can control with the little apple remote via your TV. It works but gets old to use. The Remote app running on a Touch or Iphone is more convenient. It can't do everything though. For example if you need to change the network settings on the ATV, you'd need to hook up a TV or monitor and use the Front Row and little white Apple remote (not the app)
Click to expand...
I have two ATV's, one in my dedicated stereo and the other in my HT. I have both connected via LAN AND stream to both. You can have each playing something different and something different on your computer. I also have the remote app on my Touch but eventually added a Mac aluminum 20" monitor to simplify things. I have both going into external dacs and use Apple Lossless files and they sound terrific. I also have a AE but didn't use it. It's sitting in my closet collecting dust. If you can use a monitor in your system, even a small one, the ATV is a great option and has the best GUI of any like device I've seen. You can also add a 250 GB hdd for just over $100. You can buy refurbished (probably new) 40 GB models for $150 on Apples site. It would be nice if Apple would upgrade the ATV but it's pretty nice as is.

picture.php
 
Duffinator said:
I have two ATV's, one in my dedicated stereo and the other in my HT. I have both connected via LAN AND stream to both. You can have each playing something different and something different on your computer. I also have the remote app on my Touch but eventually added a Mac aluminum 20" monitor to simplify things. I have both going into external dacs and use Apple Lossless files and they sound terrific. I also have a AE but didn't use it. It's sitting in my closet collecting dust. If you can use a monitor in your system, even a small one, the ATV is a great option and has the best GUI of any like device I've seen. You can also add a 250 GB hdd for just over $100. You can buy refurbished (probably new) 40 GB models for $150 on Apples site. It would be nice if Apple would upgrade the ATV but it's pretty nice as is.

picture.php
Click to expand...


Hey Duffinator,

Love those JBL's(?) with the feet. I'd like to get some feet like that for my EPI 202's and Wharfdale W70D MK II's. :yes:
 
shacky said:
Hey Duffinator,

Love those JBL's(?) with the feet. I'd like to get some feet like that for my EPI 202's and Wharfdale W70D MK II's. :yes:
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Thanks. Those are my DIY JBL ZD 007's in modified Barzilay cabinets with Alvin Lustig designed stiletto legs.

Did you check out the ATV GUI at the Apple store?
 
I did go to Apple store. And they told me I couldn't play song through the ATV without playing it through the iMac. I think I got a bum steer.
 
shacky said:
I did go to Apple store. And they told me I couldn't play song through the ATV without playing it through the iMac. I think I got a bum steer.
Click to expand...
It can work just like an iPod if you want to use it that way. Check macrumors for more info if you want to investigate it further.
 
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