Apple TV to Peachtree Nova

[banny]

My living room stereo is a Peachtree Nova running B&W CM1's. It is located away from the TV or other screens. I am trying to set up a standalone music archive to run this off.

 

Since I don't want to have to route it through my laptop and would like a remote which allows me to browse genres and albums without the need for a TV screen or monitor, for now, I'm hooking up an Apple TV and using only the audio out (no video) to hook to the Peachtree. (no TV screen use except during setting up the Apple TV). The reason I am doing this is that with the Remote download app, my iPhone can serve as a remote with the nice iTunes/frontRow type of visual interface. I could use advice on two fronts:

 

A) Is there a way to bypass the DAQ on the Apple TV and send the raw files for the PeachTree Nova's DAQ to process? I didn't realize this when I was buying the Apple TV, but the USB seems to be only for diagnostics (?!?)

 

B) Is there a hardware out there that is small, with a 500GB+ hard-drive, needs no TV screen, with a remote that has a screen with a nice GUI, that I can use as a standalone music archive, has audio/USB out to connect directly to the NOVA? I've looked into the Logitech Squeezebox, but it doesn't provide standalone storage - just serves as a bridge. I'm trying to avoid using my laptop or having to invest in another computer that would have to be an always-on media server in a closet with a wireless link.

 

Thanks!

Banny

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Banny - Apple TV has an optical Toslink digital output that connects directly to the Nova. This is frequently what the Peachtree guys use in one system at the audio shows.

 

 

 

[bottlerocket]

And for B), the Apple MAC Mini comes to mind. It is definitely another computer, but then so is the ATV. The stock mini tops out at 320 gig hard drive, but you could buy a 160 gig version and replace the drive with a 500 gig drive. It could output via toslink, USB or firewire to a DAC.

 

There is also software for the ATV that claims to get the USB to work with an external drive among many other enhancements. See http://www.atvflash.com. I think with this (no personal experience except reading their website - so maybe someone else can chime in), you could add a USB drive to the ATV and use the Toslink out to your DAC and solve both your questions with your existing equipment. The question I would have though is would the ATV read Itunes music off the external USB drive or are there limitations to what it can do with the external drive.

 

 

 

[Egon]

For ATVFlash, there is an option to reset your primary ATV drive location to an external. In this case the internal drive is no longer of any use. Everything functions the same on the ATV with the exception that your drive storage capacity is the size of your external drive.

 

If this sounds like a good solution to you, check out the ATVFlash website for directions. It's not that hard, but also not trivial depending on your computer background. Make sure it's within your capabilities.

 

[banny]

Thanks for your advice - I found a lot of little things annoying with the Apple TV, not the least of which is the dysfunctional USB. The iPhone Remote app works well with itunes but not as well with Apple TV. Kept getting lost..

 

So I returned the Apple TV, I think I'll go with a mac mini as advised unless I find a more unified solution. The Olive 4 seems good but the price tag is too much for my system. (more than the PeachTree Nova)