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Apple TV vs. Mini vs, Sonos

I've been reading these forums for a couple weeks trying to figure out the best way to organize a large CD collection (2000 CD's) and to access it wirelessly on two systems. Having a friendly interface for the other family members is important.

At first I was leaning toward a Sonos solution with a NAS attached. Then, I replaced my old IMac with a new one and really like the Front Row feature. I also have an Apple Wi-Fi using Airpport Extreme (the older 801b/g version). Having Front Row available to manage my iTunes library via the video seems like a better solution than Sonos.

He're my questions:

I read that Apple TV won't support web radio. I usually tune in a channel and open it with ITunes, drag it to a Playlist and name it. Whenever I want to listen to it, it's in a playlist. Front Row accesses these easily on the new IMac. I assume they work the same way with Apple TV. Also works for stations accessed through Live365.com, which gives you 10,000 stations to choose from.

I'm not clear why Apple TV has the built in hard drive. Does your ITunes content have to be on the Apple TV drive or can you access your library stored at another location wirelessly, such as a NAS, via Front Row and the Apple TV?

It seems to me that the simplest solution is to use a NAS to store my collection and add an Apple TV to each system, accessing the library via Wi-Fi and connecting the audio via Toslink to a DAC and the video via composite video. Is there a flaw in my thinking? Is there an advantage to using a mini? There's no place in either installation for another screen.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
bbopman
rbstehno
1,431 posts
 
all you have to do is hookup the airport express next to your second system, then from to imac, configure the airport express and name it "2nd system", or "rec room" or something unique. then when you want to play from itunes to this 2nd system, at the bottom of itunes, there is a pull down to allow you to pick which rooms or all rooms you want to distribute the music. in itunes, under preferences-advanced, make sure you click the button to have itunes look for remote speakers connected with airtunes. you can also share multiple itunes if you have multiple computers setup. doing it this way, you listen to the same itunes selection in all rooms you have setup. if you want multi-source from each room, you can setup a mac mini in each room all sharing the 1 large itunes repository from your imac and each room could have different music/radio playing. then remote buddy can control the computer you want your music to come from.
also, it doesn't hurt having your imac all all the time. all my macs are on all the time. they go to sleep after a certain period of time, but they will wake up when you prompt them. if you are nervous about running the imac all the time, get a cheap mac mini (older g4 for example) to run your itunes connected to a NAS.
good luck!
bbopman OP
53 posts
 
Thanks Rbstehno. I appreciate your reply. I have learned a lot from your various posts in many different threads. Very nice of you to share your knopwledge with newbies such as my self.

Best regards. I'll let you know how it all works out.
jkscherk
43 posts
 
Is there any sonic advantage to AppleTV v. Squeezebox/Duet if you're feeding and external DAC? Does one setup have more reliability/stability when streaming over your network?
rbstehno
1,431 posts
 
any of these devices will connect to an external dac but i wouldn't connect straight from any of these devices to an external dac without going thru a jitter reduction/eliminator device. apple tv gives you much more functionality than the squeezebox (video), but for audio only, both units give you the option of using analog outputs to a receiver/preamp or using the toslink to a jitter device/dac and the squeezebox adds a coax output which is normally preferred connection if going straight to an external dac.

apple tv allows wireless 802.11n and the squeezebox uses 802.11g, the apple tv can network up to 300mbps vs squeezebox 54mbps, and the wireless coverage using 802.11n is much wider.
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
I love my Apple TV. I haven't thought about cleaning up the signal, but it's so convenient for the second zone of my house and playing compilations, it's also the reason I haven't bought a BluRay player yet. The firmware/software upgrades they continue to make, lead me to assume I won't need to ever get a BluRay player to enjoy HD movies.

So what is the suggestion for a DAC/Jitter reducer for this?
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