C.A.P.S. v2?

[katywu]

I noticed in the discussion of Chris' article on the C.A.P.S. build that Chris mentioned a version 2 being created.

 

I'm thinking of starting a build and wondered if there had been any update from the original dated 19h Feb 2010?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Mike - CAPS v2 will be tackled after RMAF. I've already been working on it, but can dedicate more time after the show.

 

[katywu]

Chris,

 

I'll hold fire until the update is released, thanks for he great work you do here.

 

Mike

 

[Phillip Vandamm]

Hi Chris,

 

Any idea how long it will be before you can publish your CAPS v2 spec?

 

Its been a couple of months since the RMAF, and I for one cant wait to go and build it!

 

Many thanks,

 

Phillip.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Phillip - I had all the pieces of CAPS v2 ready to go, but I think I may take a different route or may redesign the server. Stay tuned.

 

[Paul R]

Hey Chris - just a couple wishlist things for when you get around o CAPS2.

 

(1) Stream to Airport Express or some highly reliable software player.

Vortexbox, for example, will stream nicely to Squeezeplay, and allow an iTunes instance to stream shared files. However, this is really clumsy! And I have no idea at all what is really coming out of Squeezeplay!

 

(2)Remote control and then some.

JRMC has great sound, and streams to Airport Express units, amoung other things, but has, so far as I can tell, it has awful or non-existent remote control. Vortexbox has nice remote control, but won't stream to much of anything.

 

(3) Maybe solve 1 & 2 with a "remote CAPS player." If you can get the cost down to $100 - $200, that would work for me.

 

 

 

[mdogbucket]

I posted this question in the comment section at the end of the CAPS article but got no response so I thought I'd try this thread.

 

Is there a good motherboard with integrated chip that is dual core and can be run fanless?

 

 

 

[firedog]

Look at the configurations at

http://www.tranquilpcshop.co.uk/ or

http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/std/category=Extreme_Quiet_PCs.html -

 

they specialize in fanless. For a truly fanless PC you need to add heatsinks also, so it's quite a project.

 

[arthrodoc]

I just finished building one using the HDPlex H5S box, which comes with a heatsink which dumps heat into the fins on the box ...

 

http://www.hd-plex.com/H5.S.html

 

I used a gigabyte H67 board with an intel i5 s2400 and silent 120w power supply, along with an SSD. There are no fans; it barely gets warm, and it works beautifully ...

 

except for the fact that currently the intel HD2000 graphics driver aren't supporting 3D graphics properly, so none of the 3D effects in J River work properly. Hopefully a driver upgrade will fix that. Theatre view works with antialiasing turned off. There's a thread running over in J River version 16 forum about it.

 

It was easy to build, looks like an audio component; is exactly the same width as my Marantz SA8004, and is completely silent.

 

There a quite a few miniITX boards which work in the box, and the support from HDPlex has been exemplary.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - I have good news. After several different versions of the next C.A.P.S. server and tons of configuration decisions I'm finally close to publishing the next version. By close I mean Monday at the latest :~)

 

[winst]

We are waiting anxiously

Winst

 

[katywu]

Chris,

 

Looking forward to it, thanks

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Update: Hi Guys, I have C.A.P.S.v2 99.9999% complete. I am waiting for a single part to come in from Korea. It's current being held in Customs in Chicago. I doubt the part will get here before my self imposed deadline of publishing the new build by Monday. I hope it will arrive Tuesday or Wednesday. Once I receive it I can pop it in the server, do some testing and reveal it on the site. The part I'm waiting for is not mission critical, but I really want this build to be excellent so I'm holding out.

 

So far the sound I'm getting is absolutely wonderful and the server's performance is miles ahead of C.A.P.S. v1. I can't wait to unveil it to everyone. Thanks for waiting.

 

[kdbrink]

I'll use my first post here to say that I'm looking forward to the new build. I'm getting ready to build my first server.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Here it is!

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Computer-Audiophile-Pocket-Server-CAPS-v20

 

 

 

[Shibboleth]

This looks like a nice computer - thanks for your efforts, Chris. The PCI/USB trick looks interesting: will have to try me one of those! Not so sure about Win 7/64, DDR2 memory, or the on-board power, but the card might be a winner. Any drivers needed?

 

Presumably you're recommending USB to Whatever converters for coax, optical or AES/EBU output?

 

[barkerpusa]

Finished my CAPS 2 server last night. Sounds great so far.

 

Probably one the easiest PC's I have ever physically built.

 

Just waiting for my Berkeley USB converter and I'm in business.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Great to hear bakerpusa!