radish: If all you want is to display cover art etc, why not just use the notebook with the slimserver interface?
I thought along those lines too, but Slimserver is a bit basic compared to software like iTunes although I know it isn't meant to the job of something like iTunes. What I would like is the iTunes 7 scrolling cover art interface and all the interactive functionality the software delivers - but I don't want to give up the sound quality of the Squeezebox way of getting data to my DAC :-) Now what say you about this idea: say we had a low battery consumption (so you can leave it on a fair bit), small sub-notebook PC running iTunes and connected to a NAS via wi-fi for its music folder. A sort of interactive and highly capable 'remote control' for iTunes served audio? Now what if Squeezebox could get its data from iTunes instead of Slimserver (like Roku Soundbridge if I remember - could be wrong here?). You could cue up a playlist or click album art or whatever on your little notebook on the coffee table and low and behold the Squeezebox would start playing it. Or: perhaps if somebody wrote a 'push' function script to force Slimserver to deliver what iTunes is playing? Slimserver could still run dishing data to the SB as usual - all you would be doing is using iTunes as your front end to Slimserver? Ahh! As if it were that simple I know :-) I suppose we will all have Media PC's in our living room in a few years time (as some do now!) and they will serve up everything and connect your audio, video, internet, telephone etc. - it simply doesnt make sense to have separate dedicated boxes to perform very basic tasks that a single computer with the appropriate software and cards inside can deal with. Streaming devices may well be fondly remembered as 'bridge' products that filled an important gap in those days when the PC was stored elsewhere and living room technology came up to speed. Of course there is still the problem of delivering the data from the Media Centre to the screen, surround sound processor and hi-fi amp in the most accurate way - a future Meridian Media Centre is definitely on my Xmas List when I win the Lottery ...(or maybe a Slim Devices one if it gets to market first :-) . -- Timbo ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Timbo's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=933 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=28409 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
