I've seen the future

[Sgt Rock]

Originally posted by lAmBoY
But this slim device doesnt have a RAID box of 256 Seagate FC drives! Thus I propose that it is useless

the Squeeze box will connect to any PC using any disc drive/RAID array

Buy the Imerge and spend a fortune

 

[Sgt Rock]

Originally posted by PBirkett
One mans shit is another mans bread and butter, as they say

I'm not comming round your place for a chip buttie

 

[Sgt Rock]

Originally posted by technobear
I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that operate in the 2.4 GHz region and they are regularly swamped by 'something' locally. There are 14 channels to choose from and I have tried them all. I should have a range of 5m but right now I'm having to stay as close as 1m for it to work reliably. This is the second wireless keyboard and mouse that I have had. The previous set, from a different manufacturer, was just as bad. Right now I don't have a very high opinion of wireless links and won't be wasting my money on wireless LAN technology.

It could be a microwave or a non DECT cordless phone.

 

[merlin]

Originally posted by PBirkett
Apparently, the bluetooth technology allows for far more responsive wireless links for keyboards and mice.

but surely Paul, if his kit is currently working at 2.4ghz, then it IS Bluetooth

 

[lAmBoY]

Originally posted by Sgt Rock
the Squeeze box will connect to any PC using any disc drive/RAID array

Buy the Imerge and spend a fortune

....and have a dedicated audio server that doesnt double up as Quake3/excel/word workhorse. (IME when the PC is used for other 'duties' then playback is compromised ie stutter and pauses due to the system unanble to keep up with the stream.)

But its all horses for courses, if you use your PC and it works OK, then both machines are doing an identical job.

 

[julian2002]

i have an old 400 mhz pentium 2 in my garage that i'm going to try to turn into a media server. i've also got an old external 20gb hard drive which i'm going to incorporate into it to start me off. all i need now is a wireless router and my new laptop which has been arriving 'any day now' for the past 1.5 months :inferno: :inferno:
cheers


julian

 

[Sgt Rock]

Originally posted by lAmBoY
....and have a dedicated audio server that doesnt double up as Quake3/excel/word workhorse. (IME when the PC is used for other 'duties' then playback is compromised ie stutter and pauses due to the system unanble to keep up with the stream.)

But its all horses for courses, if you use your PC and it works OK, then both machines are doing an identical job.

I have a dedicated PC that the server & MP3's sits on, VIA Mini ITX are cheap and well suited for this.

 

[PBirkett]

Originally posted by merlin
but surely Paul, if his kit is currently working at 2.4ghz, then it IS Bluetooth

I have no idea, to be honest

I'm just repeating what I have read in reviews:-

http://www.overclockers.com.au/article.php?id=151226

Overclockers Australia said
If you are looking for one of the fastest and most accurate wireless keyboard/mouse combinations available, the Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth is the way to go. The superior signal refresh rate Bluetooth provides gives exceptional performance for those looking to free themselves of wires, yet don't want to sacrifice ease of use and quality. The Bluetooth technology also provides additional functionality and value for money, in that it is compatible with other Bluetooth compatible
devices. The Microsoft Optical Desktop for Bluetooth also oozes class with its futuristic and stylish good looks. As with previous wireless products I have reviewed, I recommend that if purchasing this product, also invest in some high quality rechargeable AA batteries - they'll save you a lot of time and money in the end. (Although in the five days I have been using the desktop, the batteries have maintained excellent power. I couldn't tell you how long they last for, because I was unable to flatten them during the course of my usage and testing.

The Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth retails for RRP AUD $399. Pretty high up there, but in comparison to the price you would pay for a wireless desktop package with a slow radio refresh rate, you can see the price is somewhat justified in features and new technology.

 

[PBirkett]

Originally posted by Markus Sauer
Most importantly, the user interfaces on PCs are crap: none competes with a stand-alone player for ease of use. I think we'll see CD player emulations on touch screens, which will allow using the PC as intuitively as a CD player. Using a cursor is a furking nuisance with those goddamn touchpads.

True, but these will make bounds forward soon. Add a remote to your pc, and download this software, and you have full menu driven capabilities. Soon companies will sell this stuff ready made...

http://myhtpc.net/

 

[merlin]

Just to clarify, Bluetooth technology is based on radio transmission at 2.4ghz . Whilst it is wireless, it tends to only function over very short distances (marketing hype is crap) and has serious issues with walls!

 

[SteveC]

Originally posted by julian2002
i have an old 400 mhz pentium 2 in my garage that i'm going to try to turn into a media server. i've also got an old external 20gb hard drive which i'm going to incorporate into it to start me off. all i need now is a wireless router and my new laptop which has been arriving 'any day now' for the past 1.5 months ...

Personally I'd like an ethernet external hard drive. Iomega makes one but a European version is not available yet

For mp3 playback to the stereo off the central store on the home cordless network, I use a USB FM transmitter attached to the USB port of my laptop. Old tech and not great audio quality, but it works and it isn't too complicated for the other household members to use. It retransmits between 80 to 90 FM. Any radio in the house picks it up, in fact most of the local estate can

 

[technobear]

Originally posted by Sgt Rock
It could be a microwave or a non DECT cordless phone.

Hmmm. Well not my microwave as it plays up at times when I'm not cooking. And my phone is DECT. I don't have any other wireless devices except my mobile phone and it still plays up when that is switched off. It's infuriating. It does get better if I stay close to the receiver but that doesn't suit the layout I wanted to achieve. I bought this keyboard because it was the only one that claimed a decent range (5m). It does work at 5m but only when the interference is not occurring. It's not 24 hours a day. It's not even every day which leads me to believe that it may be something one of my neighbours is using. Whatever it is, it must be pretty strong as I live in a brick built detached house although I suppose the signal could be coming straight through the living room windows.

 

[technobear]

Originally posted by merlin
but surely Paul, if his kit is currently working at 2.4ghz, then it IS Bluetooth

Err, no. Bluetooth, Wifi and my keyboard all work in the 2.4 GHz region of the spectrum but they are all different and in theory they should not interfere with one another (yeah right ).

 

[technobear]

Originally posted by merlin
Just to clarify, Bluetooth technology is based on radio transmission at 2.4ghz . Whilst it is wireless, it tends to only function over very short distances (marketing hype is crap) and has serious issues with walls!

So there goes the idea of having a terabyte music server in the loft and a low power diskless silent PC connected to the DAC64 in the living room

 

[lAmBoY]

Still easily done. wireless LAN technology is fine in a house (just be careful of security on the network as your neighbor wil also have access!)

Bluetooth is crap EOS.

Within 3 years you will get 1 terabyte on 1 hard disc....just dont format it too often zzzzzzzzzz

//lamboy

 

[sideshowbob]

What I want is one box that will function as:

- A preamp, with onboard DAC, digital and analogue inputs, analogue, wireless, and ethernet outputs, and ultra-wide scsi connectors to connect an external RAID array for hard disk recording and playback

- A CD transport and recorder

- A digital tuner

Connect that up to active speakers in the living room, and wirelessly to active speakers in the bedroom and kitchen, and that would do the job for me.

Not too much to ask for, surely!

-- Ian

 

[lAmBoY]

you dont need SCSI for such a device. u can go with a SATA RAID box, much cheaper and does the same job.

 

[lAmBoY]

Originally posted by technobear
So there goes the idea of having a terabyte music server in the loft and a low power diskless silent PC connected to the DAC64 in the living room

You dont need a diskless PC to be 'quiet' - fanless is the keyword here together with a well designed drive enclosure.

Fans are the bane of consumer electronics.

 

[sideshowbob]

Originally posted by lAmBoY
you dont need SCSI for such a device. u can go with a SATA RAID box, much cheaper and does the same job.

But I've got a spare terrabyte of SCSI storage doing nothing in the office...

-- Ian

 

[technobear]

Originally posted by lAmBoY
Fans are the bane of consumer electronics.

Tell me about it! My MESH PC is getting the Zalman Flower treatment on Friday It already has a superquiet Nexus PSU. Not sure how much residual noise there will be from the hard disk. It's pretty damn quiet when I momentarily stop the processor fan.