cgregory4

Eloise, Your analogy makes perfect sense to me. Maybe someday the Ethernet specs will include precise timing provisos, but for the present they are what they are: pretty darn useful if you don't need to synchronize events, which is usually the case. Most people are probably not seeking the precise whole-house solutions that I am. Having said that, your 'education of Greg' wrt Ethernet expectations for performance is sincerely appreciated! David, you are directly responsible for my investigations concerning the usefulness of NAS architecture. As I write this post, a Synergy 'shell', along with 2 WD Red drives, are headed my direction in the Lone Star State. As my 'mentor' in this specific upgrade to my system, maybe I should PM you my address, then you might consider sending this 'youngster' a monetary contribution -- one proportional to your influence in my investment! ;?) John, thank you for your comments concerning the 'real' cost of the wireless performance I was seeking. You made my decision to go a different direction quite simple, actually. A sincere "Thank you!" to everyone for your patient assistance to me! I learned a ton the the last couple days because of y'all! Greg

Eloise, Thank you. I've always admired your objective, knowledgeable posts on CA. (Soapbox: I definitely cannot say the same for many of the 'audiophile snobs' that frequent this forum. Threads like "Five Things to Make ........." remind me of why I don't visit this forum often: extremely high audio knowledge quotient, but little-to-no tolerance for other viewpoints, nor for ignorant/misinformed perspectives, like my own. The know-it-all responders pirate a thread and argue the same opposing viewpoints ............ ad nauseam. The OP topic drowns in their egos. Same as 2 years ago, when I joined! End of rant. ;?) Back to business: I have given up on a wireless solution to my initial goal: Simultaneous/In-Sync quality (Same as source.) audio in several rooms separated by as much as 100'. That's OK -- I'm a hard-wired sort of old man myself. ;?) I'm thinking about 3 different possibilities and would very much appreciate your feedback. Please keep in mind my extremely low audio IQ: 1. Digital. Try to locate a low-loss optical audio output and run quality custom optical cable with professional optical terminations at both ends. Unless the speed of light has slowed considerably (like me. ;?) since graduating with a BSEE in 1971, there won't be much 'lag-difference' associated with the audio present at both ends of the cable. ;?) 2. Analog. I think I have another set of XLR outputs in the man-cave. I could have a custom CAT5e 100' cable built with a pair of balanced XLR plugs professionally attached to the pair of triple-twisted cable conductors at either end. I've read this is a relatively short run for audio engineers to use in balanced config. Again, I think the sound would be in-sync ...... enough. ;?) With an additional advantage of requiring only one cable for both channels of balanced stereo audio. 3. Finally .... Digital again, but in terms I am not comfortable with: Ethernet. For various reasons I have learned since I started this thread, I will be switching to NAS-type connectivity. Given that reality, and 'cutting to the chase', a 100' Ethernet cable is not a long run, and there is plenty of bandwidth! My question for you: Is there a 'necessary-evil' latency associated with the DLNA/NAS nature of the system that will cause a non-sync 'malfunction at the junction'?! An unavoidable, nature-of-the-beast type problem, causing signal delays/differences among the rooms? IE -- not in sync? Thanks again to you for your help and kindness, as well as to everyone else who has posted on this thread. Greg

David, That's a lot of effort you spent. Thank you. You know the old saying: "When you are up to your ass in 'gators, it's hard to remember your initial goal was to drain the swamp!" ;?) My initial goal: I've got this 'computer audio' thing goin' in a couple rooms via 'wires'. How do I get the 'computer audio' in the living area some 60 to 80 feet away? In sync and equal quality as the hard-wired systems. Reading your post, it seems like my best bet is Ethernet: High quality cable run from my 'network' to the OPPO. It doesn't appear there is any 'loss' associated with that option. Looking at the PC, I just need to access the external HD via an NAS interface. Then I have an NAS that both the local PC and the OPPO can access, and at the same time, via my R6300 network. Ta! Da! Do I 'get it'? Greg

David, Thank you. You've increased my NAS IQ quite a bit. And you may have answered the other question I had -- but I'm not sure. Let me see if I have this down: I can plug my 2TB external into my R6300 via Ethernet cable and have an NAS? Meaning my PC would access the 2TB drive via the R6300? (Since the PC is plugged into the same R6300?) If that is correct, would the best audio connection to the OPPO in the living area be a high quality Ethernet cable? Otherwise, I was thinking some lossless digital -- maybe optical -- cable run to the living area might be another option. I may be mixing apples and oranges here -- trying to cover too many bases at once. So, if it doesn't make sense, consider the source: I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday! ;?) Greg

Guys, Thanks for the great response! Paul, I think the U-verse 'box' is both a modem and a wireless router -- is that possible? That being said, after listening to all the 'bit***** and moaning' from the wife, as well as every 'pup' who drops by the house, about 'getting no signal', I went to Amazon and did a 'One-click' buy on a Netgear R6300 (I just looked on the bottom of the 'box' -- I didn't know what to call it.). Once I plugged the Netgear into the U-verse box, the 'weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth' went away, and I figured I had stumbled onto something helpful. You know .............. like the 'blind sow'. At least it got everyone off my back. So maybe that explains my OPPO deal. I obviously have more technology than I know how to drive! 1. OK. I found the 'zone sync' thanks to both you, Paul, and ol'-timer Bluesman! However, there is some very slight -- 2 or 3 second -- lag/difference in the audio. (Odd -- the 'network' is ahead of the hard-wire! ;?) but there is no 'gee and haw' absolutely in sync. When the "Lady of the House" spouse of 38 years is gone -- which is quite a lot -- I like to crank up everything from Elvis to Keb Mo to Traffic to John R Cash! So, if the audio is 'off kelter' in any room, I notice it. I don't mind a little 'reverb' effect -- in fact I sorta like it -- but I mostly want the house 'sync-ed up'! 2. What are my options for running a hard-wired quality stereo signal 100 feet? Then I would absolutely be where I want to be. But I don't think an analog signal wants to make that trip, does it? 3. I know this is more evidence of my ignorance, but, Mr. Bluesman, I ripped my CDs to my 1TB W7 internal and backed them up to a 2TB external. Do I have a 'NAS' (?) -- and, more importantly, do I need one? Also, should I be using 'Picard' with dBpoweramp? Thanks again, guys!

Followup: I can see from the JRiver menu that the Player and the OPPO are both playing the Playlist independently. I've figured that much out. I think I just need help in routing the Player output, which is hard-wired locally, to the 'network', rather than the OPPO acting independently. Then, I think the OPPO will 'gee and haw' with the local audio. Is there a setting in the JRiver software that I am overlooking, that will help me do that? Some other solution?

This is my first try at putting things together: hardware, software, etc. And, for an ol geezer like me I think I've done OK. (I'm 66 year old oilfield trash with dementia, but trying to get into computer audio for over a year now. Most of my 'friends' are placing their money on my headstone to place first in the race. I guess they don't think I'll even 'show'. ;?) Been collecting the pieces to give her a try. 'Maiden voyage' 2 days ago. Software: Ripped CDs with dBpoweramp. Made a Playlist in JRiver. Tried to make all the proper settings wrt audio path. Hardware: USB from Intel board in Windows 7 computer with SSD C: drive running the software. USB to Berkeley Alpha USB converter. AES/EBU from Berkeley into bel canto 3 DAC. bel canto 3 has both single-ended and balanced outputs, which are both active at the same time. 'Office'/Mancave: bel canto 3 single-ended outputs to Anthem Statement D1 pre (Yes, I know it has DAC capability built in.), Classe amps, SOTA Panoramas, JBL 4425s, Infinity Ref 3s, and KEF Ref Ones. Yes, I like speakers. Audio/Junk/'Guest Bedroom': bel canto 3 balanced outputs to Anthem AVM50 (via Blue Jeans custom cables.), McIntosh amps, JBL Summits and 4425s (2 pair), Infinty QLS-2s. OK. JRiver shuffled playlist sounds glorious coming from 'umpteen' speakers in 2 adjacent rooms. Not the 'refined' system -- but a damned good first try 2 days ago. Enough to get my 'blood up'! ;?) Problem: Don't want to run a 'wire' all the way to the living area 60' away from the 'guest room'. Everyone seems to be 'networking' (Whatever the hell that is!?) to get sound, and even video, to other locations in the house. (Let me tell you how much I know about a 'network': I could write everything I know about 'networks' on a sheet of paper, trim around my notes, roll the sheet of paper into a small paper ball, stuff it up one nostril, and still breathe quite well through that side of my nose!) Anyway. The OPPO 105 in the living room has a network function. So, I stumble through the menu and it sees some R6300 unit (Something I don't even know I have that is working in my system, but I'm the one who must have placed it there!?) -- so I try it. It works! It wants to upgrade my OPPO firmware. I figure, why the hell not? Let's try. It downloads the firmware update and installs it! I'm not the fastest study, but I figure it must be talking to the Internet via my desktop 'beast' in the man-cave. My goal: Have the OPPO playing the JRiver Playlist in the living room simultaneously with the 'umpteen' other speakers: Glorious music throughout the house! My bust: The OPPO sees the JRiver Playlist, so I press 'play' and it takes off like a jackrabbit to play all 145 shuffled tracks! One hitch: It is playing the same playlist, but not the same songs! I've tried every setting in JRiver I can guess. I can't synchronize the playing of the JRiver Playlist via both the hard-wired 'local' audio with the 'networked' (I suppose.) audio in the living area. Help for an old guy? Please?

John, "Great minds ..." ;?) I have an 8" T-5 tucked in the corner. Your Velodyne , along with your Desktop unit, will sound terrific, no doubt. I'm working for the least intrusive system that sounds OK in the mess I call my home 'office' -- the only room in the house where I call the shots, so to speak. As minimalist systems go, you are much more, "I'll just take the basics, please," than myself. But your ideas fit a model that my wife might enjoy in the large master bedroom, where she has her own fancy, well-kept, corner desk. Ugh! For my hole-in-the-wall, the dedicated ultra SSD notebook and the wall-mounted monitors are the only hint of a computer audio effort. The Oppo is handy, but mostly-hidden. The Bryston B100, the Berkeley USB, the CEtrance, and the digital audio storage are out of sight -- as is the REL 8". John, I think our efforts to get the best sound in a small area with the least hardware, places us in a minority in the CA general population, but there are rewards associated with experimenting within that niche. I'd like to know more about your "vintage portable gear" -- if you find the time and have the inclination. I think there are lots of possiblities using 'legacy' gear in the computer audio chain. Regards, Greg

Have been waiting on the BDP-105 release for a while, and ordered last night, as soon as I received the Oppo email. The Oppo DV-983H has been the disc player in the 'man cave' -- it will play most any audio format. The CEntrance dacMini CX is the DAC for the computer audio. Perhaps the BDP-105 can do both jobs effectively. At any rate, it will be an interesting study. I would rather have a Berkeley Alpha DAC2 for my Berkeley Alpha USB spdif output. But, then again, who wouldn't? ;?) If you were a 'betting man', would you wager for/against the BDP-105 'pulling double duty' in a capable way?

I have a somewhat different 'slant' on this. My actual experience with this, took me on a trip (think 60s ;?) where I 'never left the farm. 1) Updated 'main' system recently. A guy should do this every twenty years, or so. ;?) Sitting in the 'sweet spot', with beter sources and better equipment: Wow, sound is awesome, and immersing! Oppo CD direct through pre/pro to Classe' power. 2) Pre/pro has a '5 channel stereo' mode. Tried it once, and was amazed! I could move around, in, and through the large listening area, and still hear a 'good sound'. So, in my case, I discovered a 2 >>> 'multi' conversion assisted in enjoyment of the music while 'doing other things'. 3) I am so 'smitten' with this 'effect' that I'm trying to buy a Proceed Madrigal AVP to go between my Berkeley Alpha USB and the Classe' in my 'man cave' where my computer audio 'junk' resides. I think it will be interesting to see what I can 'coax' out of 4 Nola Boxers and the REL sub, for times when I'm just filing, copying, writing, wasting time, in my 'so called' office. ;?) 4) I had 'written off' surround after listening some older DVD-A material. Then someone -- Steely Dan? -- made a 'from-the-start' surround recording. Ie, a 'proper' recording: complete with microphone placement and engineering by some folks who obviously knew their 'stuff'. Once again -- blown away! (Sitting at my 'sweet spot'.) Makes me wonder what can be done ...........

Mercy! Some of these guys (and gals) as old as me are makin' some of their best music! Give it a listen.

Chris, Thank you for the 'on topic' post. However, a few of the comments 'ring true' for me, as well I live in conservative west Texas, where oilfield and ranch mentalities don't appreciate (huge understatement! ;?) any invasion of our privacy in any venue. If we do not expressly give permission to 'share', we become upset -- to understate, once more. When I originally posed my question, I had Google Chrome as #1, But, IE9 was #2 due to its 'do not track' inclusion. I don't understand Google Chrome's position wrt this issue. But, then again, I am an old man, and I shouldn't 'get started' concerning the things I don't understand! ;?) The laptop will spend minimal time connected to the Internet, but some downloads of software updates, as well as add-ons, will be unavoidable. So, with your permission, I will re-direct my initial query slightly. Assuming Google Chrome as the browser, there appear to be some applications to address the privacy issues. Again, I will 'plead guilty' to ignorance charges. ;?) Google Chrome apparently works well with Adblock Plus, which also, recently, incorporated support for Do Not Track code. I have a lot of research left to do, but my question is this: Assuming 90%+ of Internet exposure is due to downloading (DSL 20 Mbps), do I hamper, clutter, contaminate, or in any significant way compromise, the 'dedicated audio laptop' experience -- one which I'm very much anticipating, in a positive light -- by incorporating the privacy 'insurance' (assuming I pick software with stable and minimal code). Thank you.

Peter, Sam, and Chris, Just what I needed. Thank you!

Assuming a audio-dedicated laptop running Win7 and JRMC, is there a 'best' internet browser -- with the least complications and 'clutter' -- for the basic functions of downloading audio files, 'add-ons', etc.? If I could figure how to 'poll', Google Chrome, IE8, IE9, Firefox, and 'other' would probably cover my question.