Looking for suggestions... ditch the HTPC?

Hi all...

First off, I hope this is the right forum to post this in, if not please accept my apologies. I looked around and this forum seemed to be the best fit.

Long story short I am just wrapping up organizing all my CD's into about 360 gigabytes of FLAC files. I currently own a Sony 400 disc player but am looking to sell it and the only thing I figure to replace it with is a HTPC with a large storage drive and Foobar2000 on it. I would connect it to my receiver with an optical cable.

Ideally I would get a HTPC syle case and try to get some kind of touchscreen display modded or built right into the face of the case negating the need for a keyboard / mouse and of course having to turn on my TV everytime I want to use the PC.

However all considered it would appear that it would probably be a lot of work (and probably money) to accomplish... but if need be I don't mind doing it.

I'm a complete noob at what other options may be available to me to accomplish having my entire library of FLAC files playable through my home theater.

I would only require this device to play these files, no further capabilities are required.

Please note my current receiver (Onkyo TX SR875) is not network capable.

If an enlightened digital audio expert would care to shed some light on what other avenues I could take it would be greatly appreciated.

If it comes down to me building a new HTPC and modding some sort of smaller display into it I will take pics of the build and post 'em here.

Thank you very much for your reply and suggestions, your help is appreciated. I am going to go look at these solutions now.


Could you please elaborate on how it is difficult to get your files to play properly and consistently on a HTPC? I have my main PC connected to a receiver via an optical cable and it plays flac and mp3 files flawlessly with foobar2000.

Also, what is an audio stack?

Thanks very much.

So I checked out those Squeezebox devices. They look nice... and it certainly would be a convenient solution. I have a couple questions though.

From what I gather, you have your digital music that resides on a PC somewhere in the house. The squeezebox wirelessly takes that media from the PC, and through a physical connection to your receiver (optical cable?) it plays the files. Do I have the process correct?

Is there any loss of quality going with one of these devices?

Secondly, if you have to have a PC running to serve the music anyway, why would you not just use a PC to play the music directly to the receiver?

Is there any difference in quality going from a CD player to using a PC type device to play it as flac files instead?

Thanks guys.

Hmmm. you may have sold me.

My current CD player uses an optical cable so I'd probably just use that with it.

Do you happen to know if a squeezebox user can create multiple playlists?

I read in the product descriptions that the squeezebox is battery powered... why wouldn't they just have it so you plug it into the wall for power?

I wonder if there is a way to hook these things up that you can control them from different rooms / floors of your house... unfortunately my HT room is in my basement, but when I am listening to music throughout the rest of the house and want to change CD's I have to physically go down there and press the button.

Thanks for all your help, it has helped a lot.

I can't seem to edit my post - please disregard my question about the battery power... I read that about the controller, not about the unit itself.

Thanks.

Thank you all very much for the feedback.

I think I have decided to go with the squeezebox touch with a 1 terabyte USB external hard drive.

I have absolutely no need for any video streaming whatsoever or anything else really outside of just being able to play my flac files on my home theater (the home theater is already wired up to put music throughout the house) so no need for a multi room deal.

Does anyone have any experience with creating playlists on a squeezebox? Can you make as many as you wish?

The squeezebox remote that comes with the duet... would it work to control the touch from another floor / room of the house, or is your only choice an ipod / ipad / iphone?

I have a blackberry playbook, I guess that's not going to work is it?

I have absolutely zero experience with smart phones (never really had any interest in them) and pretty much no experience with Apple products in general. I don't think I'll be spending $500 for an ipad just to remote control the squuezebox.

So that leaves me with either the ipod or iphone. Which would be better for the remote?

Thanks for the suggestion. I am going to go look at those right now. In your opinion what are the differences between the Squeezebox and the Sonos? (aside from the higher price that I have read about.)


This is why I am hoping that the Squeezebox handles playlists well. I will need them.


I am done ripping all my collection, just finished actually. Now on to the fun part!

I think I am going to go with the remote that comes with the Duet - it looks like the cheapest option and since it is made for the Squeezebox it should be the most compatible and have the most functionality. Thoughts?

Thanks all.

Well I guess I can scratch the Squeezebox idea off my list. Through researching it online, and then calling their customer service line to confirm, the playlist on a SB touch maxes out at 100 songs.

Unfortunately, that's a deal breaker for me with a library of 13,000 songs.

It's really too bad, I really would have liked to buy this set up.

I am kind of shocked really that they would have built it that way... 100 songs, seriously?

I kind of enjoy the idea of being able to turn random on within a certain playlist of tunes depending on mood of course.

I dunno. I'm still trying to see if I can let go of that feature or not.

Still entertaining other options though. Looking at the Sonos right now.