[KevVer]

Hello,


I'd like to hook a computer to the stereo to play MP3 files on the stereo, probably with WMP.


I know I would be running a cable from the sound card to the stereo input jacks. I have a few questions that get into more detail.


What do I look for in a sound card to make sure it has the proper output jack and quality of sound?

Does the cable from the sound card plug into the standard aux or tape in jacks on the stereo?

Is any particular PC configuration required or suggested? Like minimial hardware specs?


Thanks for any help,

Kevin

 

[Jonomega]

First things first, you need a good sound card.


Some people take the digital out, pass it through an external DAC, and then use RCA interconnects and connect to the back of the preamp to cd, or whatever you want.


As a temporary thing, I am doing "the terrible" and just feeding the front L/R analog from the sound card into a 1/8" to L/R RCA convertor, then an RCA interconnect to the preamp.

 

[cme]

Does your "stereo" have more than two channels? I know that stereo used to just mean 2-channel, but it doesn't hurt to ask these days. It's possible that there is a digital input in the back of your stereo...

 

[KevVer]

I only have the two RCA jack connections on the receiver. There are multiple sets of them. It is only a two channel also.


I bought a miniplug to RCA jack cable at Radio Shack last night. It was cheap enough to do to try this process out.


Thanks.

 

[11001011]

Just get a 1/8 inch to RCA cord and connect the sound card directly to your receiver.


You can use an AUX or Tape input, it does not matter.


I would not worry so much about sound quality. You are just listening to MP3's and streaming audio after all.


As for minimal specs. I believe a 386 running DOS 3.1 or higher and a Soundblaster 16 is the minimum required for playing MP3's.

 

[TritonMan]

You wouldnt possibly have a home wireless network would you? If so this would be a good and easy route to go.

http://www.slimdevices.com/


Or the Roku model

http://www.rokulabs.com/


Both models have Optical outs. Cant get much easier than that.


Edit: Also normal Left/Right RCA

 

[KevVer]

No, no wireless network yet. I had thought about that because I could sit on the couch with a laptop and remote desktop into the PC that interfaces to the stereo. I wouldn't have to actually go to the PC and initiate songs to play.


I could even put the stereo interface PC in the stereo cabinet with no attached devices (assuming I could get it to boot) and just connect to it from the couch and queue up songs.

 

[TritonMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevVer No, no wireless network yet. I had thought about that because I could sit on the couch with a laptop and remote desktop into the PC that interfaces to the stereo. I wouldn't have to actually go to the PC and initiate songs to play. I could even put the stereo interface PC in the stereo cabinet with no attached devices (assuming I could get it to boot) and just connect to it from the couch and queue up songs.

Yep. I personally have one of the Slim Devices and you install the slim cast server application on the pc that is hosting all of your music. Then the slimcast device connects to that. You dont need a laptop to queue music up. the slimcast device comes with a remote and you can queue up songs directly from the slimcast device. You can also get weather information..stock quotes etc. Setup custom playlists whatever you want to do.


As far as a remote connection to the pc you could use the nice freeware app called WinVNC. Works like a champ.

 

[KevVer]

That sounds convenient.


The reason I'm using a PC is that I have a database with most of the MP3 files I have in it. The database includes artist, title, year released, top chart position (if appropriate), category and maybe a couple of other things. I have a program on top of that where I can select songs based on the database fields like all the rock songs released in 1972 or all country songs with the word 'momma' in the title. I intend to use the program to feed WMP and play the selected songs on the stereo on the fly. I've been burning CDs to this point and I thought I'd just cut that part out by connecting directly to the stereo.


I could pull my song list together and create a playlist it from it, but I'm not sure I need this middle step if I can feed them adhoc to WMP and have it play them on the stereo.


Would the slim device benefit me in some way with what I'm trying to do?

 

[TritonMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevVer That sounds convenient. The reason I'm using a PC is that I have a database with most of the MP3 files I have in it. The database includes artist, title, year released, top chart position (if appropriate), category and maybe a couple of other things. I have a program on top of that where I can select songs based on the database fields like all the rock songs released in 1972 or all country songs with the word 'momma' in the title. I intend to use the program to feed WMP and play the selected songs on the stereo on the fly. I've been burning CDs to this point and I thought I'd just cut that part out by connecting directly to the stereo. I could pull my song list together and create a playlist it from it, but I'm not sure I need this middle step if I can feed them adhoc to WMP and have it play them on the stereo. Would the slim device benefit me in some way with what I'm trying to do?

Well the best benefit would be the abillity to stream directly to the Slimdevice to your receiver. Plus if you have another receiver or stereo in the house with RCA inputs you just unplug the device and bring it to the other room. Thats it. It comes with a Slimcast server application which pretty much does everything you currently have..except for the momma part .


I beleive you can download the slimcast server app from the website if you want to see how the interface works.