Component MP3/OGG Players? 362
RJV asks: "I currently have a rather large digital music collection. It is all in mp3 or ogg format and it is all from CDs that I personally own or have borrowed from friends. I have built a rather cheap mp3 server to store all of the music on and I listen to it on my machines rather easily. However, I'm looking for a better solution for accessing and playing from the archive in my living room. I currently have a linux box that uses the TV as a monitor. I can use it fine to play mp3/ogg files through the home theater, but mostly because I know where the buttons are in xmms. (640x480 isn't the best resolution for xmms). I've looked into multiple other projects, such as Aurian Music Manager and Freevo (the computer also has a TV in card) but have not been satisfied with their performance and/or ease of use, especially when trying to use my Universal Remote Control. So, I've decided that perhaps the best course of action for the living room is to purchase a stand-alone component that will integrate with my current system. What are my options and are there any experiences within the community with these products?"
"I'd like to find a product that has the following features (in order of importance).
- Ethernet Connectivity (NFS/SAMBA/something Linux can share out)
- Intuitive/Easy-to-Use Interface
- IR Remote Control (so I can use my Universal Remote)
- Ability to play mp3s and oggs
- TV display capabilities (may fall under Intuitive Interface)
- Digital Out
- CDR capabilities
TV as a linux display (Score:1, Informative)
Interlacing is why TV looks "flickery" and why it looks horrible when you plug your computer's TV-out into the TV.
Winamp (Score:3, Informative)
SliMP3... (Score:4, Informative)
this is a hard thing to do... i've tried (Score:2, Informative)
(remote, digital out, mp3, no ogg from what i remember, but ethernet)
the pc is really the way to go (just run xmms at double size w/ the playlist up... it just about takes up the whole screen. i think the audiotron would be a killer piece if it had tv out capabilities
anyway... i haven't heard of anyone who is REALLY happy with ogg when it comes to decoding their songs on things other than PCs. FACE IT, there just aren't many things out there that decode ogg, and mp3 is just easier to use right now. (just use lame at alt-preset-extreme)
Disclaimer: I work for this company. (Score:5, Informative)
Check out the full specs [slimdevices.com]...
SliMP3 (Score:1, Informative)
I really like the SliMP3 [slimdevices.com], a simple mp3-decoding terminal. One perl server on any machine in your LAN can serve multiple SliMP3s, either in concert or independently. Any machine in the LAN can command or browse the server, or the standard remote control can command or browse through the unit.
But... they don't do OGG. Hopefully someday.
Re:SliMP3... (Score:2, Informative)
RioReceiver (Score:3, Informative)
Some pertinent links are:
RioPlay [sourceforge.net] - third party software that supports Ogg and FLAC
JReceiver [sourceforge.net] - Java-based audio server for RioReceiver
RioReceiver BBS [comms.net]
Try and Audrey (Score:5, Informative)
That's exactly what I['m doing with my audrey. The audrey has a nice touch screen so its easy to use. Mounts nfs/smb shares, has and IR port that you control with a learning remote.
You can buy them for about $100 and with a 32meg CF card update them pretty quickly. Mine has a digital picture frame that runs and pulls random pictures from a share, a full screen mp3/ogg player and a callerid display. It sits beside my sofa so I can get to it easily.
Check out Linux Hacker BBs [linux-hacker.net] and audreyhacking.com [audreyhacking.com]
Review (Score:3, Informative)
Toms Hardware [tomshardware.com] did a review [tomshardware.com] a couple of months ago... a good read, I was thinking about getting it, but now I'm redoing my music in OGG so we'll just have to wait until more hardware players get in on the act and support OGG.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:New /. category? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Disclaimer: I work for this company. (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, the web site *does* mention ogg, right in the FAQ [slimdevices.com]. We get a lot of requests for this, and we would love to support the format. Here's the full story:
The ogg vorbis codec (even with the new integer implementation) is so CPU intensive that it does not fit into anything smaller than a 75MHZ ARM processor, and even then it's a squeeze. This means that despite all the merits of this format, it is not currently possible for manufacturers of inexpensive playback devices to support the format.
However, what we DO support is transcoding from ogg to high-bit-rate MP3, if your server is fast enough to support it. Yes, we all know that transcoding from one lossy format to another is bad, but 320Kbps MP3 is not going to introduce any significant new artificacts on top of an ogg stream.
That's the best we can do, until somebody comes up with an inepensive way to decode ogg. The feature works on Unix systems that have lame and ogg123 installed, but we don't list it as a supported feature because it doesn't work on Windows (yet).
Re:New /. category? (Score:5, Informative)
Turtle Beach AudioTron (Score:4, Informative)
If you don't want to have to run a patch cable to it, simply use a wireless bridge like the LinkSys WET11 [linksys.com] or get a wireless ethernet converter [seattlewireless.net] to tie it into your SAMBA server.
According to US Code, mix tapes are quite legal (Score:5, Informative)
Not legal to make mix tapes.
Oh really? Let me pull out the letter of the United States Code:
17 USC 107 [cornell.edu]: The fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords ... for purposes such as[1] ... is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include ...
17 USC 1008 [cornell.edu]: No action may be brought under this title alleging infringement of copyright based on the manufacture, importation, or distribution of a ... recording device, or a ... recording medium, or based on the noncommercial use by a consumer of such a device or medium for making digital musical recordings or analog musical recordings.
[1] 17 USC 101 [cornell.edu]: The terms ''including'' and ''such as'' are illustrative and not limitative.
AudioRequest (Score:4, Informative)
Absolutely the best engineered component MP3 player available.
ReQuest Multimedia [request.com]
rs232, tcp/ip, and IR control, digital out, tv out (composite and s-video), analog out, analog in, built-in samba and webserver, runs QNX, excellent support, pre-written modules for control from high-end systems like Crestron, drives are swappable, fully-documented open protocols, java remote, etc, etc. Highly recommended. I have an ARQ1 that I'm very happy with, and I get to play with ARQ2-135's almost everyday.
PR link at request [request.com]
(I have played with Arrakis DC6, Escient Fireball's, Lansonic, and prefer the AudioRequest by far. If I was going to recommend a runner up, it would be the Arrakis [arrakis-systems.com] because of the 6 zones, but the AudioRequest wins for me because of MP3 support, upcoming OggVorbis support, better interfaces and it is their primary business).
Re:Disclaimer: I work for this company. (Score:5, Informative)
All in all, it works out to a much higher BOM. I tried to keep the electronics as lean as possible, so I could splurge on the display and still offer a generally better product than the "big guys".
Re:According to US Code, mix tapes are quite legal (Score:2, Informative)
Here's what you left out of the first one:
such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research
These are examples of types of things that are covered. Note that "giving to your friend" is not even close to a fair use right as implied by this law.
1008 clearly covers the hardware, not the audio thereupon. IOW, you can sue for infringement, but not for making devices that make infringement possible.
"Illustrative" means that the items used to illustrate have some sort of significance towards the total meaning of the illustrated topic. The illustrated Fair Use rights all point to things life education and criticism. They do not imply that any copying is fine, and in fact, the entire Section 17 of the U.S. Code is written in order to explain the extent of copyright and the limitations of non-copyright holders. Section 106 [cornell.edu] seems skipped over in your fervor to post an RIAA attack.
Re:x10 + andromeda (Score:1, Informative)
Hey... wait a minute. Come back here!
TurtleBeach AudioTron (Score:3, Informative)
As far as features go, it's fairly basic. It plays MP3 and MP3 streams using SMB over Ethernet or phone LAN (whatever that is called). It has a good front panel and remote and a very good web interface.
I've had mine for a bit less than a year and it's been one of my favorite purchases since the day I got it.
If you get (or have) one and use Windows, also check out a little system tray app I wrote called ATTray [vonnieda.org] which makes it quick to control the AT from your computer.
Re:TV as a linux display (Score:2, Informative)
And that's why you buy a TV with HD inputs, and a VGA to Component [digitalconnection.com] transcoder. That way, you can get progressive scan resolutions (480p, 720p if you buy a TV that supports it), or higher resolutions (1080i, while interlaced, is still pretty good -- 540p, which is based off of 1080i and really is still interlaced, is also pretty nice). And the most important part -- you don't need a separate video-out card to do composite or s-vid to your TV. This works with any standard VGA port, and requires no software support at all (well, aside from being able to manipulate your resolutions, but PowerStrip [entechtaiwan.com] does that, and while it's Windows-only software, it can spit out X modelines, so you can use it in a roundabout way to do Linux.
Re:Remote Control Linux? (Score:2, Informative)
A nice little project (Score:3, Informative)
There are a few similar projects out there as well that I've been tracking.
My way... (Score:2, Informative)
525, not 577 (Score:2, Informative)
NTSC (digital) is spec'd 720*577 (including vertical blanking) for a full frame (2 fields).
I was under the distinct impression that NTSC and PAL/M were specified as 525 lines per frame [surrey.ac.uk], not 577. PAL video is 625 lines. You may be thinking of PAL's visible area.
Re:Try and Audrey (Score:2, Informative)
The audrey has mad pretty big advanes. you can basically make a small QNX install with alot of the functionality including USB support for input, configuration utilities, utilities, and more. You can browse the web, watch flash, play mp3s, stream Real and mp3, us it as a callerid, vnc terminal, address book, print to network printers and more
I'll admit when I first got mine a year ago, it took a lot of work to get all these things to work, but now there are cf images that allow you to add all these features in the matter of 10 minutes.
I wouldn't count it out quite so quickly
Re:SliMP3... (Score:3, Informative)
The midori for iopener image (see google for url) gives you a web browser, xmms, and a linux kernel that can drive: kawasaki/pegasus based usb ethernet; linksys wusb11v2.5 (important about the v number. 2.6 is in stores now, and won't work) 802.11b; usb audio out.
The i-opener comes with an acceptable 800x600 lcd and a crappy ps/2 keyboard+mouse combo.
So you can start cheap and use the built in audio and a netgear ea101 for ~ $100 (NB: the iopener doesn't have audio out, so that has to be hacked in. Trivial hack, but needs to be done if you don't want to use usb audio) and grow it to have wireless network and spdif output for another $100, when you feel you want that.
The only drawback is that I haven't figured out how to turn off the backlight (or more accurately, turn it back on again), but the thing boots to xmms in about a minute, so that's not a killer.
Cajun?? (Score:5, Informative)
I know you are after a component system but have you looked at building a CAJUN [sourceforge.net]? Although it is designed for cars (Car Audio Jukebox for UNix), I use it as a home audio component (a HAJUN!).
I have it set up with an IR reciever on a serial port and the display is Crystalfontz [crystalfontz.com] 20x4 LCD panel. As for how it fits your requirements:
I built one two years ago and an very happy with it. I am still using the v3 software, v4 may have more features that you requrire. Its worth checking out.
Re:I hate to say it . . (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Ewww but (Score:3, Informative)
The DVD drive is apparently IDE, and since the APEX natively plays mp3s burned to a CD, you can simply rip out the DVD drive and replace it with a IDE hard drive that contains your mp3s. Since it was meant to work with televisions and entertainment systems, it integrates easily and works rather well. It's also cheap, as you can find APEX DVD players as low as $50-100 US.
So, for $50 + hard drive, you get:
2. Intuitive/Easy-to-Use Interface
3. IR Remote Control (so I can use my Universal Remote)
4. Ability to play mp3s (you might get ogg, do some research)
5. TV display capabilities (may fall under Intuitive Interface)
6. Digital Out
You will not get
1. Ethernet Connectivity (NFS/SAMBA/something Linux can share out)
7. CDR capabilities.
Seems like a nice, cheap solution.
Use a browser-based interface (Score:1, Informative)
Slimp3 (Score:2, Informative)
check it out. [slimp3.com]
Disclaimer - I have friends there, but I wouldn't let it bias my opinion: I use it and it rocks.
Re:I hate to say it . . (Score:1, Informative)
3) Windows XP costs $200
Re:Disclaimer: I work for this company. (Score:5, Informative)
This product kicks all ass. Sure, it's a bit tough to run it on a P100, since so much work is server side, and in perl. But, once you move it to a Celeron333, you basically give up 20% CPU to the server, and then you are all set.
It's really quite a good product. I'm using it in the kitchen (which is frankly where I listen to most of my music.) It's really nice to have 700 albums on tap in the kitchen.
I also use the Audrey for when the remote is out of reach. The web interface is quite good, even without stylesheets. They fixed a bug in it (the web interface) recently, which really goes to highlight how nice it is to have the server software available via CVS. They are incredibly responsive via their mailing list (and yahoo *shudder* forum).
I'm not claiming this is the best slimp3 player (although I'm
They accept patches (and, if you are good, CVS updates) from the outside. It's incredibly, incredibly nice to have this kind of flexibility.
Hmmm.. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure this is the first time that I've be consciously aware of benefiting directly from the Open Source nature. Well, I guess I'm a convert now.
This product has gotten nothing but better in the time I've owned it. If you have the infrastructure (server box with access to the mp3s (i use a linux box via samba to my windows box), and ethernet near your stereo), then I think this product is literally the best thing available on the market.
*sigh*...I've been drinking, though, so, grain of NaCl, etc.
Jordan
No one has suggested a Dreamcast??? (Score:1, Informative)
Jeez, I thought we were a bunch of enthusiasts...
But the dreamcast makes an excellent standalone MP3 player, especially since the VMU has a display on it that allows you to view the MP3 ID tag!
go to http://www.dcemulation.com and check it out!
Re:x10 + andromeda (Score:2, Informative)
If the load feels too large on your 133mhz/32mb box, Andromeda might not be right for you. My spare 'server' is an old 200mhz laptop, and it feels just fine to me. fwiw, much of Andromeda's design has also focused on keeing it simple to set up, and simple to maintain (another type of overhead to consider).
"There is no jukebox daemon that randomly selects songs from the archive"
fwiw, I just let my MP3 player do the shuffle -- I also periodically right-click the play button at the 'top' of my collection and save everything in one big playlist file, and I open that into my player & shuffle. Quite handy, actually.
"The code is closed source and the author refuses to let you hack it for personal use"
That's true. Perhaps we should save the GPL debate for another thread? ;) I'm doing my best to run the project as professionally as possible -- there's lots of documentation, I answer loads of support questions, and IMHO GPL isn't right for me.
-Scott
FM Transmitter (Score:2, Informative)
Here's a link to my model [ramseyelectronics.com]. I've been very happy with it. It took about 15 hours to put together (including time to learn to solder).