drubin
i create smaller subsets called playlist. then i can sync to my different devices to these playlist depending on how big the devices are. |
check out the other threads on this site about using macs as a media server. there are some lengthy discussions. |
you can use front row with your apple tv. if all you want is music, just use an airport express or if you want more control, use a used mac mini at each location that shares your common itunes library.
if you use airport express units and want to control the mac running itunes, just use leopard's screen sharing pgm or use an iphone or itouch with remote buddy. |
you don't need a display with a mac mini and airport express. you can use an iphone or itouch to remote control a mini running itunes. sonos doesn't give you the flexibility that a mini/airport express gives you and sonos cost more. |
i wouldn't use time capsule for whole house repository unless you partition the disk so you will not run out of space. time machine will always use all the disk that you give it. my hard drive that i use for time machine filled up over a month ago. now what it does is drop off old files only keeping the most current. if the drive is full and you want to rip cd's or movies to this disk, you will get a disk is full error. plus you want to backup your audio/video library to time capsule so you want to store all of your computer data as well as your music and movies on a separate disk |
i can do the same thing with my ipod touch. i can be anywhere in my house and control my mac with itunes. plus, i can surf the web, answer emails, play games, etc... on the ipod touch. |
get remote buddy for the touch from a company iospirit. it allows you to take control over the mac with itunes on it and you can use cover flow and turn on which speakers you want to listen to. |
i don't think so. the apple tv is not a computer (unless you hack it) and remote buddy has software that needs to run on a mac.
why do you need another system? just have your 1500 cd's stored on your imac. you can distribute the music over many airport express devices or 1 or many apple tv's. if you wanted different sources playing in different rooms, then you would need an apple tv or a mac mini. then remote buddy can control different macs in your house. |
all you have to do is hookup the airport express next to your second system, then from to imac, configure the airport express and name it "2nd system", or "rec room" or something unique. then when you want to play from itunes to this 2nd system, at the bottom of itunes, there is a pull down to allow you to pick which rooms or all rooms you want to distribute the music. in itunes, under preferences-advanced, make sure you click the button to have itunes look for remote speakers connected with airtunes. you can also share multiple itunes if you have multiple computers setup. doing it this way, you listen to the same itunes selection in all rooms you have setup. if you want multi-source from each room, you can setup a mac mini in each room all sharing the 1 large itunes repository from your imac and each room could have different music/radio playing. then remote buddy can control the computer you want your music to come from.
also, it doesn't hurt having your imac all all the time. all my macs are on all the time. they go to sleep after a certain period of time, but they will wake up when you prompt them. if you are nervous about running the imac all the time, get a cheap mac mini (older g4 for example) to run your itunes connected to a NAS.
good luck! |
any of these devices will connect to an external dac but i wouldn't connect straight from any of these devices to an external dac without going thru a jitter reduction/eliminator device. apple tv gives you much more functionality than the squeezebox (video), but for audio only, both units give you the option of using analog outputs to a receiver/preamp or using the toslink to a jitter device/dac and the squeezebox adds a coax output which is normally preferred connection if going straight to an external dac.
apple tv allows wireless 802.11n and the squeezebox uses 802.11g, the apple tv can network up to 300mbps vs squeezebox 54mbps, and the wireless coverage using 802.11n is much wider. |
there are many: audio alchemy dti, monarchy audio dip, genesis digital lens, and others. then you go into a good external dac with either a digital coax or toslink cable (stay away from usb dacs) and you will be on your way to a nice sounding setup. |
drbe, i wouldn't call all jitter devices outside of the pace car mere toys. its cool if you like your pace car, but don't put everything else down. i could easily say the genesis digital lens blows away the pace car, but i won't. it's all a matter of opinion. also, when you state most jitter devices are using 90's technology, you need to state your proof? some of the companies were making these devices in the 80's, 90's, and even in business today and some devices are better than others. as for your $5k transport, you need to state what transport you have/had to get a perspective on how the 2 compare. i think we will be working on perfecting the source equipment for many years to come so i don't think we have the perfect anything yet.
i do agree with some of your statements that a good music server setup (jitter device, external dacs with coax or aes or glass inputs with good quality cables) can equal or better most of the cd players out there. |
