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#1 2007-06-19 9:47 pm
- Shibbysan
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- Registered: 2003-08-26
- Posts: 665
Home Music Hub Customization
First off, I'm not sure where to post this seeing as how it involves hardware and software that isn't necessarily mac-based. Balloon help away!
I'm a student staying with some family friends in Montana while I work with a field team here. They're great people, and I've been extolling the virtues of Airport Express to them. Yes, they've bitten, bu there's a catch. Their computer is based on the other side of the house from the current media cabinet. They'd lose all of the advantage! Project scaling to the rescue!
They have no children and both work so there's some disposable income. I said that I thought it might be possible to setup a cheap computer with the stereo system that was essentially a monitor (touch screen?) connected to some crude processor connected to a drive (to read discs) and a big whompin' external hard drive. All that's needed is a way to access the music so the processor can be really minimal.
My first thought was a Mac Mini, but that's far too much computer for what's needed. Then I thought a cheap PC would be easy, but I have no experience with that. Share your visions for a pimped-out music center! (I promise I'll include pictures of it once it's built!)
Last edited by Shibbysan (2007-06-19 9:48 pm)
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
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#2 2007-06-19 11:56 pm
- pottymouth
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
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#3 2007-06-20 7:36 am
- Shibbysan
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
That's close, but those small displays are pretty limiting in terms of going through a whole music library. (We're talking in the realm of 250 or so CDs that have to be put on a computer.) For that reason, it'd be really nice to have access to iTunes to select the music. Thanks for the suggestions!
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
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#4 2007-06-20 8:44 am
- pottymouth
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
Shibbysan wrote:
That's close, but those small displays are pretty limiting in terms of going through a whole music library. (We're talking in the realm of 250 or so CDs that have to be put on a computer.) For that reason, it'd be really nice to have access to iTunes to select the music. Thanks for the suggestions!
It's not as limiting as you might think. You've still got your Artist/Album/Track hierarchy, and it'll even read your playlists from iTunes. Searches are kinda rough since you have to enter text on the remote as you would on a phone, but it does search. There are plenty of other features and there are even lots of developers adding in their own features. I dunno about the Roku, but you can drive the Squeezebox via any web browser if you do find the display and remote control limiting. I'm already picturing a Squeezebox interface for iPhone...droool. I have one of the original SliMP3s from SlimDevices but I don't use it anymore. I went with a Mac Mini.
More options
Mac Mini: Move all the music from the other side of the house to a Mini connected directly to the TV and control it with a wireless KB/Mouse (or Frontrow via a standard IR remote). This is what I do. Frontrow is pretty unresponsive and clunky (BIG library), but using iTunes directly thru the Finder is awesome. The biggest drawback I've found is that I have no urge to manage my iPods from my TV. I certainly could, or I could Remote Desktop into it so I could at least keep watching TV while putting songs on there...my wife wouldn't enjoy that at all. So for the time being I keep my library mirrored to my office computer where she's used to plugging in and playing with her iPod. I'm looking for a better option here. Oh, and this assumes you have a compatible TV.
Apple TV: Audiowise, this is exactly what Apple TV is for. I've never used one, but I assume it works better than frontrow. Leave the music on the other side of the house and stream it with Apple TV. Again, you have to have a compatible TV.
Remote Desktop: Since you mentioned disposable income...how about a laptop running RemoteDesktop to make the AirTunes work? The laptop becomes the remote control for the computer on the other side of the house.
Last edited by pottymouth (2007-06-20 8:51 am)
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#5 2007-06-20 4:26 pm
- Shibbysan
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
I'll definitely check into the Squeezebox if you think that's the one to go for over the Roku. The TV is pretty inaccessible so isn't going to be an option. Nor do they watch much TV, so it's a very old model.
The laptop idea is an interesting one... but there are a couple of problems. One, they use PCs and refuse to switch to macs. (Been there, pushed that.) Two, software like that is definitely on the expensive side. I'd never checked the price of remote desktop but it looks to be almost as expensive as the cheap, used Laptop I'd pick up to run it. Three, I'm hesitant to introduce more things to go wrong. Clearly there's already a lot that can go wrong with a simple system; I'd just like to keep it as simple as possible.
Sounds like the Squeezebox might be a good choice--I'll definitely look into that. Being able to run iTunes on a screen sure would be damn nice though...
Edit: Now that I think about it, the laptop idea is a good one. Supposing I pick up a used iBook on eBay for around $400, then attach a big hard-drive. That could serve to both introduce a mac and there's just less to go wrong. The touchscreen would be nice, though. Do you have any experience with those? ezScreen looks to be pretty nice. If only I could buy one of those integrated computers!
Last edited by Shibbysan (2007-06-20 4:38 pm)
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
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#6 2007-06-20 11:43 pm
- rufio
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
Or you could look for a used 200-300 disk CD changer for them on Craigslist. i just saw a 200CD one go on there in my city for $25 bucks!
In all reality though I'm doing the same exact thing as you are helping those people with except that I'm just plunging for the Mac Mini in August (when it will hopefully be updated!).
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everything is second after first."
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#7 2007-06-21 7:47 am
- Shibbysan
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
Cool! The Mac Mini is really perfect for this, except that it's really too much computer for what's needed. Curse you apple!
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
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#8 2007-06-21 8:25 am
- pottymouth
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Re: Home Music Hub Customization
Shibbysan wrote:
Cool! The Mac Mini is really perfect for this, except that it's really too much computer for what's needed. Curse you apple!
That's why they make the Apple TV. Course, you're still limited by the TV for both options.
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