Do I need a Media Player??

[wilkie366]

All,

A very basic question from a newbie who's been trawling this site without really getting the right answer. I have a choice now between buying a CDP and a media player. In the past, I've not been good with management of CDs, so prefer to store my music digitally in FLAC format. My questions are:

- I'm really just looking at using a Media Player as the source of all my digitally stored files. Is a media player the right way to go, or are there other options?
- if it is a Media Player, how do I scroll through the tracks/ folders without connecting to a PC or laptop?

Appreciate your help guys...
Thanks!
Boban

 

[hydra]

It does look like a media player will be what suits your needs.

Your options are:

Media Player (like WDTV Live) =
- PC/Laptop need not be connected.
- Files can be played from a HDD/USB Thumb drive.
- Players like WDTV live can be used to stream Internet radio (with an Internet Connection)
- Will play a variety of audio & video formats.
- Will need a TV to be connected so you can see what you're doing (select/scroll through tracks/folders). I think a monitor that takes a HDMI input might also do this (not sure of this).

Squeezebox Touch =
- PC/Laptop/NAS will need to be connected (with squeezebox server running)
- Does not work very well with a large capacity HDD (esp.USB powered HDD). Will work with a USB thumbdrive.
- Will stream Internet radio (with an Internet Connection)
- Will not need a TV to be connected. It has a 4.3" touchscreen and a remote that you can use to select/scroll through tracks).
- Almost 3 times the cost of a media player like WDTV Live if bought from abroad. A lot more costlier if bought from India.

HTPC/Music PC =
- PC needs to be running
- Will need a monitor or TV to be connected so you can see what you're doing (select/scroll through tracks/folders).
- Maximum format compatibility.
- Maximum flexibility/control.
- Highly expandable/upgradable.
- Costliest option (Depending on your needs, a Music PC can also be setup at about the same cost as a Squeezebox touch, not counting the monitor/TV).

 

[jaudere]

Is music PC the costilest option?

I mean a basic PC is around 10K/less now(without monitor of course), may be one can add a decent PCI sound card worth 7 k.In fact i am planning to look at a second hand PC, may be simple P4 for about 4k, add a good graphics card with DVI out, :Total about 1ok.
I have Viewsonic with DVI in. I intend to use the PC only for movies. Stereo is good enough for me.I won't mind on board sound for card for movies.

Is there anything like WDTV which has a small screen to browse through the folders?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I mean a basic PC is around 10K/less now(without monitor of course), may be one can add a decent PCI sound card worth 7 k.

I did that nearly ten years ago, and it sounded better (analogue out: don't believe the people who say you can't get good analogue sound from a PC) than my rather expensive Cyrus CD player. I had mixed feelings, as I hadn't had the CD player very long!

 

[jayantadak]

Hi,

I too was considering of how to hook up a small screen/monitor (even chinese will do) to browse through the folders when attached to WDTV. It is a waste of power to keep the LCD/TV on to have a look at the file being played or to browse.

-JAYANT

 

[jaudere]

Actually a netbook fits the bill perfectly at least for audio. I have adjusted power management such that the screen goes off in 2 min if no key is used. So once I form a playlist, i handle the volume using remote to amp. The screen goes off in 2 min. Only problem,if i press 'next' key or any other key, it immediately lights up.

Getting a decent external sound card is a problem though. I am still searching. I am not really sure if adding a sound card will really improve sound or no. As it is sound is good and I am going slow on the search.There is dearth of USB Sound cards in local market in Goa.

 

[baijuxavior]

Actually a netbook fits the bill perfectly at least for audio. I have adjusted power management such that the screen goes off in 2 min if no key is used. So once I form a playlist, i handle the volume using remote to amp. The screen goes off in 2 min. Only problem,if i press 'next' key or any other key, it immediately lights up.

Getting a decent external sound card is a problem though. I am still searching. I am not really sure if adding a sound card will really improve sound or no. As it is sound is good and I am going slow on the search.There is dearth of USB Sound cards in local market in Goa.

Adding a sound card will definitely improve the sound quality. I have a creative 5.1 sound card that i use with my laptop and the improvement in sound quality is on the spot. I bought it for using with my 5.1 speaker system for watching movies from the laptop. However I found it cumbersome to connect the laptop to the TV, hook the sound card outs to the speakers etc. So now I rarely use it. May be I would put that in 'for sale'.

 

[sgmane]

Media player will require a display (TV/Laptop/Desktop/Monitor), without which i suppose you cannot move the list as per your need.
A better option - to get a lowcost monitor and plug it with the media player.
Is there any other alternate? Probably Marantz cd6003 (MP3, usb pen drive, CD)? It can show in the display and probably can move on the list/folders. Some one can confirm?

 

[jaudere]

Adding a sound card will definitely improve the sound quality. I have a creative 5.1 sound card that i use with my laptop and the improvement in sound quality is on the spot. I bought it for using with my 5.1 speaker system for watching movies from the laptop. However I found it cumbersome to connect the laptop to the TV, hook the sound card outs to the speakers etc. So now I rarely use it. May be I would put that in 'for sale'.

Great!
Which sound card model?
Probably your laptop has PCI slot. If not let me know the model no.

 

[baijuxavior]

It is a USB sound card. Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Creative Labs Online Store

 

[jaudere]

It is a USB sound card. Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 | Creative Labs Online Store

This is confusing.
Many peole say that it is just a software rather than DA converter and that it puts lot of work pressure on CPU. One of the reviewer was using a Qad core with 4GB RAm and 30% of CPU was being used when it was only the music that was playing.

My CPU usage is around 6% when I am playing music only with onboard sound card. RAM is 1GB for me with Atom processor. I don't think this suits my needs. My music in mostly uncompressed so I don't need the crystalizer thing. I don't play game/watch movies on netbook.

Seems that I need to find something diferent.

Was wondering how can one get same sound quality of a PCI express sound card in a USB device, that too not at higher cost especially when the manufacturer is same.(X fi Go, stero USB sound card is seling at 4.5k)

 

[wishmaster.dj]

If you have iOS/ android, then you dont need pc/ moniotor connected..

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Was wondering how can one get same sound quality of a PCI express sound card in a USB device...

Need USB be inferior?

USB1.0 gave a bad name to USB sound devices; it was just not up to it. USB2.0 is, and there are even pro devices with USB interface (although the pro/studio world tends to favour Firewire)

PCI has its possible evils too. DPC Latency can render a machine a disaster as a music player.

 

[baijuxavior]

This is confusing.
Many peole say that it is just a software rather than DA converter and that it puts lot of work pressure on CPU. One of the reviewer was using a Qad core with 4GB RAm and 30% of CPU was being used when it was only the music that was playing.

My CPU usage is around 6% when I am playing music only with onboard sound card. RAM is 1GB for me with Atom processor. I don't think this suits my needs. My music in mostly uncompressed so I don't need the crystalizer thing. I don't play game/watch movies on netbook.

Seems that I need to find something diferent.

Was wondering how can one get same sound quality of a PCI express sound card in a USB device, that too not at higher cost especially when the manufacturer is same.(X fi Go, stero USB sound card is seling at 4.5k)

I'm using it with my Core i3 laptop, 4GB RAM and Win 7HP. I have never seen CPU usage touching 30% while music playback. The card can be used without any software installation, but to control the card properties we need to install the SW.

 

[jaudere]

I am not complaining about the interface. If you see the amount of hardware on both, there is a huge difference.
Usually when size reduces without compromise in quality, price goes up. That has not happened here.
If is hardware, will it increase CPU Usage(it is a genuine question. I really dont understand this)

 

[jaudere]

Friends,
Here are some question.
1) Can analogue data be transmitted over USB?If the answer is no,then it means that the Creative device has to have its own DAC.
2)Suppose i remove on board sound card and then connect this USB Card, will it give sound?if the answer is yes, it will mean it HAS hardware.

3)If I use this device,is the onboard IDT Audio/Realtek driver rendered useless?

@Baijuxavior
While using this card, is the volume knob on this device the only volume control or we can still control system volume
Using multimedia keys of keyboard (i mean the windows mixer control) ?

I went through many reviews of this creative and found that it is the Creative software that people are unhappy about. They are happy with the sound if they the sound card without adding Creative software/drivers.
Is it possible to use this sound card without installing Creative software? What is your experience?

 

[baijuxavior]

The creative USB card has it's own DAC. You can disable the onboard sound and use the usb card for sound.

In my laptop, the user interface will load only after 20-30 seconds after i click the software icon. However, on my 6 year old Athlon system with XP, it opened quickly. Once all the settings are done to taste your needs, you won't be needing the SW. That is, set it and forget it.

 

[jaudere]

If you have iOS/ android, then you dont need pc/ moniotor connected..

Can you please elaborate? I am illiterate as far as android goes. I used to think that it is an OS Meant only for mobile devices.

 

[jaudere]

Thanks baiju,
Can you please elaborate what do you mean by controlling card properties?

I mean if I dont want any 3D/crystallizer/EAX effects, can I do away without installing software? I am using Windows 7 starter that came preinstalled with my netbook. For equalization, I will use Foobar settings. Most of my audio is uncompressed.

Does it mean that if I dont install the software, the sound card will work as a pure DAC ?

 

[baijuxavior]

You can use the USB card without any software (plug and play). However I found that there is no sound through the Subwoofer channel. So I installed the SW and set the Bass Redirection to get bass through the Subwoofer. However if you are using only the headphones output and don't want frills like 3D/Crysalizer etc., then there is no need for the SW.