PC Music Server advice - What Not to Do

[hipstone]

Hi, I am putting together a PC server with plans to use a later version of JRiver to start it with.  I have several other computers which have been turned into music servers but this is the first time that I am going to be serving to an Oppo via HDMI rather than TosLink to a receiver's DAC.  I want the multi-channel decoding of the Oppo's DAC.  This is also the first time using Windows 10 and a more modern computer.

 

I bought 2 HDDs = 10Tbs for this computer, and have several 2Tbs USB drives I was previously using.  The data will be moved to the new drives once I get an external enclosure.

 

My question is, is there anything I should not do before downloading JRiver and beginning setting up the software to output through HDMI?  Like installing Google Chrome, is that a bad idea to begin with?

 

Do I need an ASIO driver or does Win 10 take care of all the issues with that now?

 

Any advise to help me avoid common mistakes would be appreciated.

 

This is the used computer I just got for this project.

 

Dell Optiplex SFF 7010

Intel (R) core (TM) i5-3740 CPU @ 3.20 GHz 3.00 GHz ,( 3.70 Ghz Turbo Boost) 
6 GB ram (max 16 GB)
250 GB hard drive

Installed Intel (R) HD Graphics video card with vga and hdmi out

genuine Win 10 PRO 

[hipstone]

Thank you Keith for reply.  The Oppo is the 103 model.  And I have friends who are pumping several formats of digital through HDMI and having the Oppo decode it flawlessly.  DSD or dsf, flac, stereo and multi-channel decodes wonderfully.  This is an area I am not in doubt about.

 

The outboard DAC is going to cost a fortune if it must decode multi-channel streams (which is the point of the Oppo 103).

 

My concern was using any other software known to be in conflic with JRiver or servers in general.

 

And while SS drives are going to be quieter, what would the cost of 10Tbs be in SS drive models?  No don't answer that one.  I know I cannot afford it.

 

I don't think you understand my goals so far as FLAC and DSD MC, and cost considerations for using the 10Tbs of HDD space.

 

This thread and post was more about what software I should not put on this system (if any) due to known conflicts.  Rather than why an Oppo is not a good multi-chan DAC option or why standard disc drives are unacceptable for 10Tbs of data.

[hipstone]

On 6/4/2017 at 7:51 AM, bilboda said:

Fidelizer pro to optimize the pc, move the os to a ssd and put your 10 tbs of storage outside the pc, usb box or nas and up the ram to 16gb. At least that's what I'd do.I think Jriver uses it's own asio driver. At the very least, wasapi will be available

Yes, these are the exact things I have in mind, 16Gs of ram first, 10Tbs in external case, and SSD coming much later.

 

Is Fidelizer pro the new optimizer on the scene?  The hip new kid on the block, as I recall there was another one that got lots of great ink in this forum.

[hipstone]

On 6/4/2017 at 10:56 AM, jriver said:

ASIO drivers always come from the manufacturer, but WASAPI usually works as well and doesn't require a driver.

I have several years of experience with an old "free" version of the JRiver sw.  So I should be able to get it up and running fairly quickly.  I recall many hours spent originally in an effort to get bit-perfect output from toslink optical.

 

This time I am going HDMI with a card added just for that mode, as computer does not have it on board.  I am praying it's not hours again trying to get it to play.  I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail, sent from same city.

 

Thank you for the reply.  I am reading the JR forums as well gathering up tips on each step.

[hipstone]

6 hours ago, Keith_W said:

 

I was under the impression that HDMI could only transmit audio if it was embedded in a video signal. Perhaps my understanding is either mistaken or obsolete. Given that Jim Hillegass (JRiver founder) is on this thread, I would appreciate if you or anyone else could clarify? 

Well, if you have JRiver outputting through HDMI, then likely there is a black or blank video signal paired with the audio to make it work.  It is being done and is common.  One of the more comon reasons is to utlize the multi-chan DAC in an Oppo player.

 

Oppos, later models anyway, do accept input from computer servers, they will decode every format just about including DSD or dsf files, and send out analog signals to receivers that do not have HDMI, nor USB for that matter.

 

I have researched this arrangement for several years now.  It works.

[hipstone]

On 6/4/2017 at 10:56 AM, jriver said:

ASIO drivers always come from the manufacturer, but WASAPI usually works as well and doesn't require a driver.

My JRiver install went smoothly and seems perfect thus far.  It was nice to see the player setting WASAPI/HDMI from the output menu, I selected it and bingo bit-transparent sound flowed out to my Oppo 103, and to receiver.  I am using the DAC in the Oppo to decode 5.1 and output it to my AVR in analog.

 

I am going over all my tags and doing touch-ups, as some things look different with a modern ver. of the software.  I'll be paying within 17 days.

 

Thanks for responding, appreciated.