High res music streaming

[sachinchavan 15865]

BTW a router is also a computer

Strictly speaking, yes. As it has a CPU and memory and runs software. But you know what I meant. To be more explicit, I don’t want to dedicate any laptop/desktop of mine to the purpose. (I know a router that sits on a desk is also a desktop computer, but the joke has already lived its day… )

Some routers have an USB port where you can connect a printer or hard disk using a usb cable. Most routers now days run linux and it is easy to provide NAS functionaility by running samba server. One routers provide a USB port they will have an option in router admin menu to configure the username, password and name for the hard disk share.

Let me check if my router has one. Doubt it though as it’s the Airtel provided router. Earlier I used to invest in my own router (Linksys etc), but these guys keep upgrading technology and the routers keep getting defunct. Also, what’s a Samba server and where does one run it? If it gets too geeky, I’d stay away from same.

If your router doesn't have a usb port it means you can't connect a HDD.

Even if the router has such a functionality, be very very very careful connnecting a HDD to it. Connect only those HDD which have its own power supply. If you connect a HDD that gets power from the usb itself and you shut off the router, the read/write head will crash on the platter causing disk corruption each and every time. This will happen when the read/write head is not parked because there was some read or write going on. You may get lucky if the crash happens on sectors where you don't have data. But if it crashes on the first few sectors your disk will be rendered useless.

The warning on drive health is useful. I use only externally powered HDDs with the CXN, though it has provision to use non-powered drives. When I play the same file through externally powered HDD, it sounds better to me than when played through a USB drive. Not sure if there’s a scientific explanation to it.

 

[mbhangui]

Let me check if my router has one. Doubt it though as it’s the Airtel provided router. Earlier o used to invest in my own router (Linksys etc), but these guys keep upgrading technology and the routers keep getting defunct. Also, what’s a Samba server and where does one run it? If it gets too geeky, I’d stay away from same.

In the case of routers you don't have to worry about samba. All of these routers run samba server internally to provide printer and disk sharing.

My airtel provided router has a usb port (see extreme right).

 

[MIOM]

Nevermind.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

My airtel provided router has a usb port (see extreme right).

Thanks. I checked. Unfortunately mine (the one they put when they migrated me onto fibre) doesn’t have one.

 

[mbhangui]

Thanks. I checked. Unfortunately mine (the one they put when they migrated me onto fibre) doesn’t have one.

Mine is fibre too. You can ask customer care to provide one with usb sharing. Mine is Nokia router provided by Airtel. Ask them to exchange. No harm in trying. Worst case they will refuse or ask for some money.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Hi Ravindra. Is it possible to do so without a NAS/computer? I connect my HDD to CXN (streamer) via USB and control through the Cambridge app on my mobile - it works well. However then I cannot access the HDD from any other machine. And I don’t want to invest in (and have the hassle of managing) a NAS. Or attach the HDD to a computer which is kept on all the time.

How should I connect the HDD to the wifi router - I see no input ports to the router as such - only the LAN outputs. Or did you mean connecting the HDD to the router via a computer?

I have a WD My cloud 4tb drive. I don't know if I can call it a Nas drive, but it is marketed as a cloud drive. I have it plugged into my old router in the living room, and it has around 800 GB of ripped music on it. I stream it wirelessly via the azur 851N in my bedroom via the sound magic app. It really works a charm, with very zippy search function too.

 

[mbhangui]

I have a WD My cloud 4tb drive. I don't know if I can call it a Nas drive, but it is marketed as a cloud drive. I have it plugged into my old router in the living room, and it has around 800 GB of ripped music on it. I stream it wirelessly via the azur 851N in my bedroom via the sound magic app. It really works a charm, with very zippy search function too.

It is a NAS with backup on the cloud. So you don't have to worry about losing data. The cost of the device includes cost of storage on the cloud.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Mine is fibre too. You can ask customer care to provide one with usb sharing. Mine is Nokia router provided by Airtel. Ask them to exchange. No harm in trying. Worst case they will refuse or ask for some money.

I shall give that a try. Thanks.

I have a WD My cloud 4tb drive. I don't know if I can call it a Nas drive, but it is marketed as a cloud drive. I have it plugged into my old router in the living room, and it has around 800 GB of ripped music on it. I stream it wirelessly via the azur 851N in my bedroom via the sound magic app. It really works a charm, with very zippy search function too.

Yes Manohar, some HDDs have that functionality built in for fractionally additional cost. My Seagate doesn’t. I can consider them when I go for replacing my HDDs. Good to know the 851N recognises and works well with it.

 

[MIOM]

I have a WD My cloud 4tb drive. I don't know if I can call it a Nas drive, but it is marketed as a cloud drive. I have it plugged into my old router in the living room, and it has around 800 GB of ripped music on it. I stream it wirelessly via the azur 851N in my bedroom via the sound magic app. It really works a charm, with very zippy search function too.

I bought a 4-bay Western Digital diskless NAS (PR4100) and added four WD Red Pro drives (4 x 6TB). I actually bought the WD NAS because it natively supports Plex Server, which I use to stream my music to my phone and car's audio system via Plexamp.

I'm actually running in RAID 10, so my useable storage is 12TB, but my entire music collection just takes up 2TB.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

It is a NAS with backup on the cloud. So you don't have to worry about losing data. The cost of the device includes cost of storage on the cloud.

Thanks ... Wasn't aware of that. Good to know that there is a back up

I shall give that a try. Thanks.


Yes Manohar, some HDDs have that functionality built in for fractionally additional cost. My Seagate doesn’t. I can consider them when I go for replacing my HDDs. Good to know the 851N recognises and works well with it.

Only issue I had was I could only stream upto DSD 56. Don't know if it is my weak WiFi strength in the bedroom or the azur itself, but DSD 128 was stuttering

 

[mbhangui]

Only issue I had was I could only stream upto DSD 56. Don't know if it is my weak WiFi strength in the bedroom or the azur itself, but DSD 128 was stuttering.

It will be wifi speed and not just necessarilily strength. Wifi speed keeps on reducing with the number of devices connected to the router. There are ways to extend the lan upto your bedroom. Then in the bedroom you can put another router or use the lan cable itself.

 

[manek]

The warning on drive health is useful. I use only externally powered HDDs with the CXN, though it has provision to use non-powered drives. When I play the same file through externally powered HDD, it sounds better to me than when played through a USB drive. Not sure if there’s a scientific explanation to it.
[/QUOTE]

When I use my hdd, its always with a external PS or dual usb connection to ensure the hdd is not starved in any way in terms of voltage or current, Cables are available.