PC & MAC using both for different tasks

[hipstone]

Hello,

 

This is my first post. I'll try and keep it simple.

 

I have several PCs that I use for all internet, graphics and audio work. I also have a MAC G5 that is used only for video editing.

 

I have read up and found that Macs have some advantages for delivering bit perfect digital audio from HHD to DAC.

 

But my main ripping/encoding/tagging/internet machine will remain one of my Pent 4 PCs.

 

Question is, can I do all my ripping & compression to FLAC on my PC to external HHD, and then plug this HHD into my Mac that is to run Squeezebox plugged into my audio system? Any file format issue PC to Mac?

 

So all audio work will be on PC, and playback on a Mac? Or is sticking with PC just as easy at this stage? My PCs are running XP Pro, and I would be happy if audio playback can be bit perfect just as easy on a PC and leave the Mac out of it.

 

Thanks.

 

[Audio_ELF]

Yes, a drive correctly formatted (FAT32) can be read by both the Windows PC and the Mac G5. I would question if the G5 is a very suitable Squeezebox server platform though. It tends to run loud and hot (relatively speaking) and will consume significant amounts of electricity while run so would would probably not want to run it 18/7 reducing the use of the Squeezebox device.

 

If at all possible, look at getting a NAS which will run Squeezebox Server, or running Squeezebox Server on a Mini-ITX type computer with Linux (preferably) or Windows 7 - something like a Asus Revo, Dell Zino or a home built device. This can be run 24/7 more easily without worry of power consumption or heat or noise.

 

Eloise

 

[hipstone]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

 

1. My Mac G5 purrs like a kitten, very quiet and hard to know it is even on. And I don't care how much juice it uses (that's just me in my situation at the moment).

 

2. I prayed you would say Win XP as the server computer somewhere along the line, I read and waited and read some more, and still no XP. I am not moving to Linux or 7, as I have too many computers around the house as it is all running XP.

 

3. the electricity use of the Mac has nothing to do with the Squeezebox device right? It is one item and the G5 another? So the Mac "platform" is fine and perfect(?) but the power useage of the Mac itself is the concern?

 

Ok, lets consider win XP then, as I have five machines with it on them. What sound card do I need to make sure signal is bit perfect. I do have "toslink in" on my amp, and would be happy with that as input from computer? And does that bypass a need for DAC?

 

This is going to be long hard ride I can just feel it.

 

But thanks, and please suggest anything else you think of when you have a moment.

 

[Audio_ELF]

You could run Win XP on a Mini-ITX computer if you wanted. As I say, there is nothing there which will improve your sound quality through the Squeezebox (or degrade it) just a consideration for electricity bills (and the environment). You don't say which G5 you have, but power used by a G5 (even at idle) is something like 200w (rising to 400w at full usage) compared with a Atom based Mini-ITX which used around 50w or less. As you commented, this is purely the power used by the server computer and nothing to do with the power requirements of the squeezebox.

 

If you're using a Squeezebox, then there is no difference between a Mac, a PC or any other device for supplying the music to the Squeezebox. There is no need for any particular sound card used this way.

 

If however you are looking to connect a DAC, then you either need a soundcard with a good SPDIF output (this is the case if connecting to SPDIF on your amp too), or you need a DAC with USB (preferably async USB) or a FireWire connection.

 

Eloise

 

[Codifus]

Since your amp has a toslink in, then it means there's a DAC built into it. You can then buy a soundcard with an optical output to install in one of your Windows XP machines. A toslink cable connected between the soundcard and the amp will complete the system.

 

Unfortunately most soundcards, especially budget ones, have co-axial digital outputs.

 

What name/model amp do you have? Maybe there is another digital input that is not optical.

 

Also, most PCs have soundcards built into the motherboard. It's possible that one of your PCs has onboard sound with an optical output. Given that your PCs are running WinXp however, suggests older models, and optical outputs for built in sound have only been popping up recently in newer PCs.

 

 

Also, Macs can read NTFS partitions. They can't write to NTFS however. Just another possible option to keep in mind.

 

CD

 

[CharlyD]

Eloise is right about there being no difference regarding audio quality what platform is used to host the Slimserver software. Slimserver performs content directory services (CDS), transcoding and file serving to networked Squeezebox clients. The CDS and file serving services are independent of the audio stack of the OS on the host machine. The transcoding service may use a codec contained in the local OS (e.g. WMA for WMA lossless -> PCM transcoding on Windows machines). Any of your XP or Mac boxes would do the job of hosting Slimserver just fine.

 

The OP does not mention what amp with the S/PDIF input is being used, but, it it's high quality, you could try connecting the Squeezebox digital out to the amp.

 

[hipstone]

Hello CD and thank you for responding.

 

I have a Onkyo 6 X 100 watt receiver that sounds pretty good and fine and which has two opticle ins, actually three if you count the one on front panel.

 

I have owned a Turtle Beach sound card on a previous computer, that sound card was purchased for analog in - for LP to CD editing work. It has a tosLink opticle i/o daughter card. So I completely understand the concept.

 

And since this would save me having to buy a DAC for now, it looks like a good option. I'm trying to do this on a tight budget. The Onkyo sounds nice enough, very clean and smooth as a matter of fact, and I have spare computers. I'll just have to buy a large hard drive, and of course a new sound card as my current ones do not have (as far as I know) digital opticle out. One of them might, as it has a deluxe audio card built into motherboard, Asus I think is the higher end one, MSI is the lesser one (the MSI actually is the better performer, the Asus got higher ratings and was more expensive).

 

So all this is good news for me.

 

[hipstone]

I am not totally set on Squeezebox, I just hear it is a very good option by folks who have used it. I amy end up with another type of server. Can you suggest something when one does not need a DAC?

 

But if I was using Squeeze, wouldn't it make more sense to use the DAC within that rather than the direct opticle in to my Onkyo amp?

 

But, I am hoping to avoid buying a DAC to start with, and would rather go directly into the amp with a toslink cable as mentioned. Why waste the nice feature on this amp if it sounds good. I have used it (digital in) for DTS decoding of CDs, and it worked fine.

 

Thanks,

H

 

[Audio_ELF]

If using the Squeezebox, then for the cost of a cable, you can try both analogue output from the Squeezebox (using it's internal DAC) and digital output into your Onkyo (using the Onkyo's DAC) and decide for yourself which is better in your setup.

 

Variations can occur due to different DACs in Onkyo and Squeezebox and how your Onkyo handles digital and analogue signals.

 

For example if you use a subwoofer with your system, and wish to use it for music as well, digital input from Squeezebox to Onkyo should (at least theoretically) be the best option as the Onkyo has to convert an analogue input to digital to be able to provide a subwoofer output.

 

If you decide to use a computer direct, then a sound card with a digital output would be required, or an external USB (or FireWire interface). Good options (at low cost) for internal (PCI) interface would be ESI Juli@ or Asus Xonar and for external (USB) interface the M2Tech HiFace.

 

Eloise

 

[hipstone]

Hello again,

 

I have made some headway, and I think I am on the right track for the lowest budget High-Quality server system yet seen.

 

The Onkyo A/V Receiver I had maintained earlier is a TX-SR700. It is a six channel amp with various wattage settings for each channel. But I see in the Amp Features pg 6 of the manual a mention of a "state-of the-art 192kHz / 24bit DACs for L & R channels (pg 6 of manual)

 

Then later the manual mentions 96kHz / 24bit as an input source found on DVD. And of course the DAC decodes 44.1/16.

 

So I think this amp's DAC does 24/96, 24/192, as well as CD 16/44.1 through the tos/link in. I didn't know it could do all this last time I posted. That is impressive for a 2002 amp I think.

 

Then for the PC, I picked up a $15 sound card, one that had direct digital optical out. It says in the control panel; that it has 96k, 48k, or 44k output. But this is not mentioned in the specs that came with this cheap pos.

 

Anyway, paid for dBpoweramp and have been ripping CDs with tags to my internal HDD. I have about 500 albums now and am almost ready to hook this baby up to the Onkyo.

 

I just need to know how to turn off the Windows sound, or any processing so I get solid digital out from the J. River jukebox player I will be using to start with.

 

[ericsound]

I don't think it is important to hipstone anymore but it's easy to have read and write access to NTFS from a Mac with a little free program called ntfsmounter, see http://ntfsmounter.com/. Works flawlessly for me.