Apple tv2 as a source

[Glennboy]

I was wondering if an apple tv2 streaming lossless tracks from my MacBook downstairs

Could be a nice cheap and simple solution to getting music up to my attic.

Using the optical to a good dac could I get proper sound?

The reason I ask this is because I have heard a lot about jitter and apple tv's, also I know nothing about streaming music (is it reliable?)

I would appreciate any help the good people of ca can think of

Thanks

Glennboy

 

[dave_kiwi]

Mac mini with 1 terabyte external drive (fire wire) with music (mostly ALAC) and video in my bedroom. Airport Extreme base station, Apple TV2 optical out --> FiiO D3 optical to rca dac (uber cheap dac - 29 USD) feeding into B&W MM-1s.

 

Sound will limited to 16 / 48 kHz with anything higher down sampled. However, the sound quality is as good as or slightly better than CD quality -- of course a lot depends on your source material.

 

As for Jitter - well I don't know how it's supposed to manifest, but the FiiO D3 seems to handle the optical feed find. Sound sounds good to me. :-).

 

Also, the Apple TV 2 will buffer any streams, so this tends to make for a smoother delivery as well.

 

[wgscott]

I was an extremely enthusiastic advocate until the OS "upgrade" to 4.4.X.

 

I had to rever to 4.3 to recover the ability to play music out the optical hose without having a monitor plugged in via HDMI.

 

cf: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Warning-ATV2

 

[realhifi]

I guess I had better not update that one ATV2 that is dangling on the end of a little system I have. Thanks for the catch.

 

[Glennboy]

So if I don't have a monitor connected im screwed?

Would have liked to control it with my iPad and not need a screen

Guess not such a good idea then

 

[wgscott]

Chris says Apple recognizes this is a bug and plans to fix it, and as long as you stay on 4.3, or revert to it (I can help), you aren't screwed, but the situation has now become sub-optimal.

 

I have it working after reverting, for what it is worth.

 

[Glennboy]

Thanks for the advice people, if I can have it headless it sounds like a cool option.

Shame apple has stopped thinking about hi fi users needs

 

[wgscott]

This bug is fixed by today's update:

 

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-releases-apple-tv-software-update-4.4.3/

 

Firmware update 4.4.3 (Nov 17 2011) has fixed this, I have now verified.