New Old Server

[Neccros]

Hi,

 

New here...  Had some spare PC parts and wanted to build a tiny music server. Nothing high dollar or fancy, just the basics to play audio file over my network to a DAC. 

 

Currently specs are a Asrock (forgot model) ITX motherboard, Socket 1155 i3-3220T (35W TDP), 16 gigs of DDR3, 500 gig NVMe connected to a PCIe adapter. All in a Streacom F1CWS Evo chassis with a Mini-Box 150W Pico PSU. Even with the CPU fan, its absolutely dead silent due to the BIOS settings allowing me to step the fan down to almost nothing. 

 

My issue is what to run on it. Goal is to plug it into my audio setup and controlling it w/o needing a TV or monitor. Completely headless using a phone/tablet or a Harmony remote.

 

Is this possible?  I have yet to decide on the OS since I have no clue if this will even work.

 

Open to suggestions or recommendations. Free is best, but might consider paid applications if they will do what I am trying to do. 

 

Thanks

[Iving]

1 hour ago, Neccros said:

Hi,

 

New here...  Had some spare PC parts and wanted to build a tiny music server. Nothing high dollar or fancy, just the basics to play audio file over my network to a DAC. 

 

Currently specs are a Asrock (forgot model) ITX motherboard, Socket 1155 i3-3220T (35W TDP), 16 gigs of DDR3, 500 gig NVMe connected to a PCIe adapter. All in a Streacom F1CWS Evo chassis with a Mini-Box 150W Pico PSU. Even with the CPU fan, its absolutely dead silent due to the BIOS settings allowing me to step the fan down to almost nothing. 

 

My issue is what to run on it. Goal is to plug it into my audio setup and controlling it w/o needing a TV or monitor. Completely headless using a phone/tablet or a Harmony remote.

 

Is this possible?  I have yet to decide on the OS since I have no clue if this will even work.

 

Open to suggestions or recommendations. Free is best, but might consider paid applications if they will do what I am trying to do. 

 

Thanks

 

Not 100% sure what u mean by "what to run on it".

fwiw I use Remote Desktop satisfactorily. o/s on host (your server) must be W10 *Pro* for RD.

I use and love fb2k (free, simple yet versatile) for local playback.

flac is on an Optane drive which I feed prn but your nvme fine.

Mine is an ethernet system (Focusrite RedNet) but most folks here use USB.

I don't stream from the internet but many do.

There is a heck of a lot of info here at AS. Some great threads. Read with delectation whilst you decide what to do next.

atb

[Neccros]

Basically what I meant by what to run on it is what OS/Player... Like is there a Linux solution that will meet my goals of this system, or will Win be a better option. Trying to see whats out there that will make this as polished of an experience w/o needing to drop $5000 on a commercial music server.

 

Like I said My goal is to make this a server/player attached to a USB DAC thats attached to my amp. So I dont want to have to have a TV attached to it to see the UI to pick songs, etc, I want to make it headless and control it via a phone, tablet, or a Harmony remote. 

 

 

[Gavin1977]

Daphile, Moode, or my favourites...

 

Gentoo Player or (paid for) Euphony.

 

 

[Gavin1977]

I would avoid the pico psu if possible, I tried one of these and didn’t sound that great.  Try HDplex DC-DC converter (800w is best) if you’re able

[Neccros]

Just now, Gavin1977 said:

I would avoid the pico psu if possible, I tried one of these and didn’t sound that great.  Try HDplex DC-DC converter (800w is best) if you’re able

Too late....And again Im not that critical to know the difference until someone can sit me down and A/B test PSUs, 

 

[Neccros]

3 minutes ago, Gavin1977 said:

Daphile, Moode, or my favourites...

 

Gentoo Player or (paid for) Euphony.

 

 

Are these for x86 hardware?  So many people recommended options but they were not for x86...

[Gavin1977]

43 minutes ago, Neccros said:

Are these for x86 hardware?  So many people recommended options but they were not for x86...

Yes they all do 

[vortecjr]

17 hours ago, Neccros said:

Hi,

 

New here...  Had some spare PC parts and wanted to build a tiny music server. Nothing high dollar or fancy, just the basics to play audio file over my network to a DAC. 

 

Currently specs are a Asrock (forgot model) ITX motherboard, Socket 1155 i3-3220T (35W TDP), 16 gigs of DDR3, 500 gig NVMe connected to a PCIe adapter. All in a Streacom F1CWS Evo chassis with a Mini-Box 150W Pico PSU. Even with the CPU fan, its absolutely dead silent due to the BIOS settings allowing me to step the fan down to almost nothing. 

 

My issue is what to run on it. Goal is to plug it into my audio setup and controlling it w/o needing a TV or monitor. Completely headless using a phone/tablet or a Harmony remote.

 

Is this possible?  I have yet to decide on the OS since I have no clue if this will even work.

 

Open to suggestions or recommendations. Free is best, but might consider paid applications if they will do what I am trying to do. 

 

Thanks

You can install free Vortexbox:

https://wiki.vortexbox.org/installation_guide 

[Neccros]

44 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

You can install free Vortexbox:

https://wiki.vortexbox.org/installation_guide 

 

This a server/player? or server only?

[vortecjr]

Server and/or player. 

[Neccros]

10 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

Server and/or player. 

 

OK... I wrote Jriver and they claim it can be run headless as well but didnt elaborate much as to how or if I should use Windows or the Linux versions... 

 

They only told me to Google Jriver and headless.... great customer service....

[Kal Rubinson]

Try the YABB.  You'll get comments.

[Neccros]

YABB??