[slinkelist] Digital Audio server

shawn@sboyle.com shawn@sboyle.com
17 Nov 2000 08:05:00 -0800


I didn't figure MP3 compression into it because Brian specifically mentioned .wav files. If you do consider compression I bet the cost/min of music definitely falls below that of a changer. And granted MP3s can be randomly accessed better but with multiple changers you get almost the same amount of flexibility. Maybe I just don't like the idea of too much convergence. To me the PC is not the best way to deliver music -- backups and restores are a pain in the ass, you have to get the audio from wherever the PC is to wherever you amp is, and I don't care what OS your using a PC will have more down time than a CD player.   

Plus there's the fact that CD's are hardly the final word in digital audio. SACDs are patiently waiting in the wings, and there's the possibility of multichannel [more than two] audio being delivered on DVD. While I have no idea how most of us will get our music in the future, I know it certainly won't still be on CDs. And with more data being stored on the disc [bringing with it better sound] it becomes less and less practical to store that data on a HD, or stream it over the internet. [Attention record companies -- this is a great way to beat Napster.]

My point isn't that MP3s are bad, it's that an Slink-e and changer solution is not obsolete. And I don't think this type of solution will become obsolete for a long time.

Who needs to work? This is much more fun.

-Shawn

On Fri, 17 November 2000, Schaaf John wrote:

> 
> Don't forget that MP3's are compressed.  Even at 5 to 1 compression, 30 gig
> hard drives can be had for under $200 and you win over a $200 200 disc
> changer.  I know they can be had for under $200 also, just some numbers.  I
> compress MP3's at 10 to 1 and can't hear the difference so it comes out way
> cheaper.  Also, a hard drive can be accessed on a per song basis faster than
> your changer can change cd's.  You do however loose the ability to fade
> between tracks from different cd's if you have more than one changer.  You
> can also back your MP3's up onto cd-r's so if your data HD does blow up, you
> don't lose your collection and they will restore pretty quick (or use tape)
> and they are then also portable.
> 
> Just more thoughts.
> I am really going back to work now.
> 
> John
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: shawn@sboyle.com [mailto:shawn@sboyle.com]
> Sent: Friday, November 17, 2000 9:14 AM
> To: slinkelist@nirvis.com
> Subject: Re: [slinkelist] Digital Audio server
> 
> 
> I think this depends on which direction Sony goes with their equipment. As
> long as they keep a two way interface, whether it's Control A1 or two way
> IR, or Firewire, or whatever, there will be a need for the hardware based
> Slink-e. Personally I will never give up my CD changers. Hard drives are
> fast, but it's all too easy to lose data. I'll still use MP3s to copy the
> occasional disc that I don't like enough to spend $15 on, but I'll keep the
> bulk of my music on nice, safe, cheap CDs. [If my math is right the cost/MB
> of CDs in a changer is much lower that of hard drives.]
> 
> Then there's my Sony receiver and MD deck both of which I control with the
> Slink-e, and if Sony wakes up and gives it's next line of DVD changers the
> same Control A1II features that it's CD changers have, I'll be all set.
> 
> I'm going to keep my little Slink-e box a part of my home theater setup for
> as long as I can.
> 
> -Shawn
> 
> 
> On Thu, 16 November 2000, Brian Atkins wrote:
> 
> > 
> > no no no, what Colby has to realize is that with 180GB hard drives now
> > becoming available, he needs to work on ditching the whole hardware based
> > CDJ approach (i.e. slink-e and changers). He needs to come up with a way
> > to auto-rip CDs via changers into WAVs, and modify CDJ to work with those.
> > I want to get rid of my changers!!! (and I hate MP3 quality) I would
> gladly
> > pay for the CDJ software if it could do this.
> > 
> > P.S. I am not sure if it is what you want, but look at shoutcast.com
> > 
> > Tom Hammond-Doel wrote:
> > > 
> > > Slightly off subject.
> > > 
> > > Is there a REASONABLY priced digital audio server out there?  All the
> > > thing has to do is have an ethernet connection in and a decoded MP3
> > > audio out.  After that, even CDJ could control the thing with the
> > > correct interface placed on it.
> > > 
> > > I've seen the Audiotron, DAS, and AudioRequest, but they're over spec'd
> > > and subsequently overpriced.
> > > 
> > > Just a SIMPLE NETWORK MP3 PLAYER!  That's not too much to ask is it?  Is
> > > this another device I'm going to have to build myself (I'm a firmware
> > > engineer)?  For that matter, Colby, this seems like a prime project for
> > > you.  Want some help?  Throw a Net+Arm and MP3 decoder on a card, or use
> > > a PC104.  Seems pretty simple.
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > slinkelist maillist  -  slinkelist@nirvis.com
> > > http://www.nirvis.com/mailman/listinfo/slinkelist
> > 
> > -- 
> > Brian Atkins
> > Director, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
> > http://www.singinst.org/
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > slinkelist maillist  -  slinkelist@nirvis.com
> > http://www.nirvis.com/mailman/listinfo/slinkelist
> 
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