• Please note that Audiokarma will be offline briefly for updates early on Monday morning, September 28th.

Small Green Computer Vortexbox running LMS?

Vortexbox keeps all music formats separate. FLAC, mp3, etc all get their own folder. As far as copying your music over, it would be easier to just plug it into your desktop and drag and drop to Vortexbox from there. If you plug the USB drive into Vortexbox, youll have to do it from the command line.
 
Thanks. I was planning to keep all the formats in separate folders, but when I copy them I wonder how to segregate them without having to manually sort out each type, album by album. Is there a utility that will segregate them?

I can copy them from my PC using Windows Explorer, but that may take a very long time. Seems like it would be faster having the Vortexbox copy directly off the USB hard drive, than sending them through my network under Windows' supervision. But I'll mess around and see.
 
USB 3.0 is in the ballpark of gigabit ethernet as far as speed does, so choose which way is easier for you ;) Do you have your file formats separated at this time?
 
Thanks again. With my Synology NAS I was able to mount the USB HD as a drive, then copy from it to the NAS directly, and back again. I'll finger it out....

All the music files are in one top-level folder now, with subfolders for each artist, and sub-subfolders for each album. I think iTunes organized them that way.
 
Man, it's been over ten days now and the SMC Vortexbox is still in transit. Maybe the USPS lost it? The tracking number doesn't say anything beyond the fact that it was shipped.

If that order fails, I may build one like what BadassBob suggests. Hmmm ...
 
I wouldnt fret about USPS, theyre terrible with tracking. There has been many times where my tracking wasnt updated until after I received the package.
 
Thanks; I know what you mean. They have a terrible system. It's not the lack of tracking information that bugs me; it's that it's been almost ten days from New Jersey to California. But I suspect it will arrive soon. Just grousing ... :D

Hey, would the SMC guts (PSU, motherboard, HD, fan if any, cables) fit into the aluminum case you linked above? I know it needs a laptop disc drive, but otherwise? I'm in love with the looks of that damn case ...
 
Last edited:
Zonker92 said:
Hey, would the SMC guts (PSU, motherboard, HD, fan if any, cables) fit into the aluminum case you linked above? I know it needs a laptop disc drive, but otherwise? I'm in love with the looks of that damn case ...
Click to expand...
Sure it would ;). Its just a mini-ITX chassis, same as the SGC unit.
 
OK, the used Small Green Computer Vortexbox appliance I bought on eBay for $362 is here (finally) and it works fine, but the seller put the wrong picture up; it's actually this SGC unit, which is an earlier generation chassis from 2010:

appliance-1wco-460.jpg


As far as I can tell, internally it's just like this one, which is what was pictured in the listing, and which I'd wanted to buy:

vbappliance.png


1304695521210-1714444741.jpeg


itx2-3-Left%20back%20corner.jpg


The one difference I see is that I think the lower unit has an IEC power cord (which I prefer) and the upper one has an external transformer, like a laptop.

The seller was totally cool about the mixup and he's happy to take it back or refund me some money ($30) to create a price reduction.

I don't really like its appearance. Will its guts (plus a laptop optical drive) fit into this chassis:

http://www.shop.perfecthometheater.com/HTPC-ITX2-Black-Ultra-small-aluminum-chassis-HTPC-ITX2-B.htm

I'm assuming the answer is yes, but I'm not 100% positive. Maybe I could just buy that chassis and the optical drive and move it all over? Would the case fan work in the new chassis? How about the power supply? Is it better just to buy a new, more modern motherboard?

I ask because I'm trying to decide whether to return this unit or keep it. As I said, it works fine.

Thanks for all the help!
 
Last edited:
Mine looks just like the one you received. I prefer it to the other look, but of course tastes vary.
 
Yes; it's debatable which looks better, but the one I received reminds me a bit too much of an old Magnavox CD player my brother had, which was pretty crappy. :D

I'm just torn between the ease of keeping a working unit with older parts (and possibly upgrading the case) and the allure of having all-new components (which I would have to assemble and hope I got all the right parts). The net cost is probably close to a wash. I've built a PC before so I'm pretty handy with putting the bits together.
 
Mine is like the top one you pictured. It's been reliable for nearly three years. It should work fine for you.

However, if you do not like the appearance, get a different one. Mine is stashed away on a shelf, so I rarely have to look at it.
 
Thanks for the reply! I tested it out and it's fine, and the seller offered to give me a little money back since it's not exactly what was listed, so I decided to keep it. I may later put it in a different chassis.
 
Update: Darn thing works perfectly. Wish I'd got one to start with; my other NASs gave me endless misery.

Also, the new version of iPeng on the iPhone 5 is just stone gorgeous. :D

Thanks for all the help!
 
Last edited:
Zonker92 said:
Update: Darn thing works perfectly. Wish I'd got one to start with; my other NASs gave me endless misery.

Also, the new version of iPeng on the iPhone 5 is just stone gorgeous. :D

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...

It's also nice on the iPhone 4S and Touch! I've been using Ipeng more than my squeezebox now. It's also fun to use Ipeng to mess with the kids by controlling their squeezebox. :D

I'm using a dock extension cable to my Pure i20, makes it easier for these old eyes to see.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom