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ARCHIVED FORUM -- April 2007 to March 2012
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This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 07-04-2008 4:27 PM by ibg001. 13 replies.
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  • 04-11-2008 6:12 AM

    Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Hi,
    I have some questions on connecting an external digital media (streaming) device to the BV 8-32.

    My current set-up is:

    • Beovision 8-32, with System Module installed, so it operates as the Master Link. (2008)
    • 2 x Beolab 9 (2008), attached to BV8.
    • Beosound 4 (2007), attached through MasterLink to BV8.
    • Beo4 remote control (2008)
    • STB digital TV cable tuner, controlled by STB controller from the Beovision 8-32

    I am currently looking for one or two digital media devices that can offer me high-end digital audio streaming and 720p video streaming. My main usage will be the playing (or streaming) of lossless audio files (FLAC, mostly), the playback of video files will be second in importance.

    I am considering:

    1. The audiophile Logitech / SlimDevices Transporter for audio through analog audio in / Apple TV for video through HDMI / Lintronic for Beo4 connection;
    2. Acoustic Reality solution for video and audio (EAR Media 4 or EAR Movie 3D or EAR Music 3D - Linux-based media centers with Beo4 connectivity integrated)

    Both solutions will be connected to a NAS (network attached storage - presumably Ripserver or Readynas), although in case of the AR solution I will wait until the hard drive gets full Smile

    My questions are:

    1. Does anybody have experience with either the Transporter or AR solutions? Any tips?
    2. In the Transporter / Apple TV set-up, how difficult will it be to implement Lintronic for Beo4 control? I don't really understand their web site... 
    3. Does anybody know a different solution?

    Thanks a lot,

    Regards,

    Sander

  • 04-11-2008 6:33 AM In reply to

    • Alex
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    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    I know I do it quite a lot, but again I would HIGHLY recommend the Apple TV solution.

    If you converted all your music from FLAC into WAV, then imported this into iTunes and converted it to Apple Lossless, there would be absolutely 0 lost information, no degredation of sound whatsoever. Then connect the Apple TV to the BeoVision 8 via component (you'll see why), and get a good quality DAC to connect to the Apple TV, and you'll have completely 'lossless' sound. There is 0 lost data when streaming from iTunes to the Apple TV, nifty eh?

    Technically, with a good DAC, the output from an Apple TV can sound as good as the original CD on a good CD player.

    As far as storage goes, there are many ways of doing it on both PC and Mac, but if you need storage approaching several terabytes, a RAID array would make the most sense...

     Weekly top artists:                   

  • 04-11-2008 6:42 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Thanks so far. Additional thought:

    Is it possible to connect the same (!) AV device both through the HDMI input for movie playback (audio and video), while adding it also as an analog audio source using a good DAC to another AV input for audio?

    From a B&O perspective, it would be two devices - one optimized for video, one for audio... Or would the B&O software go crazy?

  • 04-11-2008 6:44 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Additional thought nr. 2: the trouble with using Apple TV for audio is, that I need a running instance of Itunes - so streaming directly from a NAS would be hard (or require some hacking)....

     

  • 04-11-2008 7:44 AM In reply to

    • JoC
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    • Joined on 08-20-2007
    • Northern Ireland
    • Posts 121
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    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    My solution is using a PS3 connected to a QNap TS-409 NAS [www.qnap.com/pro_detail_feature.asp?p_id=86] (3TB in RAID5).


    The QNap is a DLNA/UPnP device, and has Twonky media server built in, so can stream Video/Audio to a another computer, console or media device, it also has an iTunes Server built in (for my other computers which use iTunes for the audio), and more importantally I don't have to leave the main computer on, just this cute wee box Smile

    I'm more of a video person, so I usually [cough]download[/cough] 720/1080p MKV rips of Blu-Ray's, convert them to VOB, then stream to the PS3, which look feckin amazing.... Any music I do have tho is all MP3, not FLAC.

    I'm thinking of looking at the IR2BT [www.ir2bt.com] solution for the PS3, and if I *ever* get an update to the BV7, I should be able to control the PS3 using either my Beo4/Beo5.



    Oh, and I get to play games too.

    All in all, I think a tidy wee solution...

    JoC
     

  • 04-11-2008 8:10 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    I have the Apple TV. I have the latest US BV8 and it does control it through STB so no need for Lintronik. I am using it for rmusic right now but will switch most likely to Beosound 5 / Beomaster 5 if it is good and leave the A-TV for Video Only,

    The 160 GB version seems to be OK space wise for Video only.  It's true that for connecting to a NAS you will need a running instance of Itunes, but I understand it take it just needs it for authorization. So it's not that the video is streamed first to the computer that runs Itunes and then passed on to A-TV. I think it goes straight to A-TV which I think is fine for me.

    I have looked at hacking it but haven't found anything easy since 2.0 was released. An ATV talking to a NAS for Video, that would be it. 

    BS9000, BS2300, BC2, BL2500, BL3, Bl2, BS1, BV8, BC4, A8

  • 04-12-2008 2:38 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Another idea for this is the VDR from Ulf (german forum). I use it all the day and I find it is great. Take a look at his website (www.ulf-kiener.de) or contact him.

    many greetz, Hannes

    Wer Rechtschreibfehler findet darf diese behalten!

  • 04-12-2008 5:54 PM In reply to

    • BeoNut1
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    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Keanone,

    I agree with Alex and jk1002 regarding hooking the Apple TV to your BV8.  With a lot of help from those two guys as well as "Soundproof", I hooked a 160GB Apple TV to my BV8 via an HDMI cable and then hooked a pair of BL3s to the BV8.  This was somewhat of an experiment in that I wanted to see what Apple lossless music would sound like going through the BV8's DAC, and I wanted a rather minimalistic set-up.

    Well, the results have been incredibly good.  So good, in fact, that I've yet to connect my STB to the BV8.  I'm seriously considering getting rid of cable TV as I want to purchase my media "a la carte" and use the financial savings to pay for even faster internet.  Also, with the IR blasters on the BV8, the Beo4 can control the Apple TV and the STB.

    One other side note, I'm not sure I understand Alex's response to the original question well enough as I see the HDMI as offering a better alternative for video and audio than the component cables.  In deference to Alex, though, it could be that the few glasses of red wine that I've recently drunk are clouding my ability to understand things.

    MarkD 

    Mark D
  • 04-12-2008 7:03 PM In reply to

    • Alex
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    • Joined on 04-16-2007
    • Bath & Cardiff, UK
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    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Nonsense! Red wine does nothing other than enhance your understanding of things - I've had many more philosophical debates after wine than I would normally do...

    RE using component cables - the reason I say to do this is that with HDMI, the DAC being used is the one built in to the BeoVision 8. If you use component cables, you can choose which DAC to use, and therefore use one of a very very high standard if you so wish...

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  • 04-14-2008 4:53 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Agreed. Bypassing the BV8 DAC for audio would be my goal - which is why I considered the Transporter. It has excellent DACs and can stream directly from an always-on NAS. Lintronic supports Squeezebox, which uses the same software. In addition, there is also Iphone or Ipod Touch software available, if I wanted to use that as a remote.

    Anyway, the option to supply Apple TV with external DACs is a really good one. However, I would like to see 720p movies as well.

    Do you think it's possible to connect the ATV (or something like that) to the BV8 twice at the same time:

    1. AV2 - using component video (for navigating) and line in from an external DAC - for audio purposes.
    2. AV3 - with HDMI - for video purposes.

    This would allow me to use the same device for both audio and video in an optimized way.

  • 04-14-2008 10:27 PM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    I don't believe the ATV can be connected twice. If I recall correct, if it detects HDMi it will switch to that automatically.

     

    I do not see the point of an external DAB. If you are in high high end land, yes then maybe. I am thinking the DAB B&O is using would match the quality of their analogue connections.

     

    Since this keeps coming up, I would love to hear from somebody who did a direct comparison. B&O internal, Airport Express and external high end DAB.

     

    BS9000, BS2300, BC2, BL2500, BL3, Bl2, BS1, BV8, BC4, A8

  • 04-15-2008 4:54 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Good idea and will do. By the end of this week, I have an appointment at a dealer's and I will listen to a set-up with 2 x Beolab 9 and Beovision 8 in combination with:

    1. the Transporter (external DAC)
    2. Netgear EVA8000 via HDMI (using Beovision 8 DAC) - comparable to Apple TV, sound-wise.

    I will let you know if I can tell a difference.

  • 04-17-2008 10:20 AM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    Sorry, I canceled the appointment. I will go for the Acoustic Reality Ear Music 3d. I will let you know how this works out. 

    Thanks for all your help!

  • 07-04-2008 4:27 PM In reply to

    Re: Digital Media solution: player, streamer, media center?

    As far as I know BV8 can control AppleTV directly. I don't think you need Lintronic for that. It must be by using the set top box controler in BV8.

    And a lot is refering to Lintronic. Are you familiar with www.oneremote.dk?

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