[help] I'm too Boomer to stream. :-(


So I purchased a Bluesound node 2i after a previous discussion here. Now I can't get the node or BluOs program to recognize my music on other laptops that are on my same wifi.  When my laptop and hard drive was connected to my Parasound Zdac, I could usb the computer into the dac, and use an optical cable from my tv out to the dac.  The node doesn't seem to have a way to allow my tv into the node's dac (my tv only has optical & hdmi out for sound) & node has no inputs for hdmi or toslink) so I'm stuck with the dac of the node for streaming music and the zdac for tv audio with the two different analog outputs from 2 different dacs going into my integrated amp. I'm frustrated and feel like I spent this money for a ghetto rig, plus I can't even make libraries , etc. Totally confused and have tried making everthing "dicoverable " on network setting to no avail. So lost, angry, sad, confused and frustrated. And I swear to god if millerwhoever says I should have bought a tricked out fuse or dumb little cone, I'm gonna lose my s***.
128x128labguy
I feel for you, labguy. I’m a computer phobic luddite who’s content to play my CDs for the foreseeable future. Being my own DJ and having access to tons of music I never listen to with all the liner notes and recommendations to other music I have no interest in never appealed to me.

It all kinda reminds me of the days when FM was varied, diverse, and expansive, and there was lots of competition for radio space with extensive playlists. And, it was all free. Now the model is how to extract more money from your pockets, and how to hype it.

But then, I have gotten more cynical with age. I’m sure someone will chime in and rescue you from your predicament soon enough. By the way, none of this was meant to rub it in: it’s just how I feel about it.

All the best,
Nonoise
One year ago I jumped into streaming as a totally Techno-challenged person and had to quit in frustration. Tried Tidal then Qobuz. The non-support was pervasive.
Sold the Roon and said to myself when a major player gets involved
I will look into it again. Now 9 months later its Amazon. I can stream for free using my laptop. F-Roon and all their BS. Tidal and Qobuz can go straight to Hades as well. Now that felt goood!!

Well at least I'm not alone, but I really had hopes of cleaning up my system, and not having to use 2 damn dacs. I have terabytes of Flac files and rare live concerts on external hard drives of my laptop.When I try to add a local share from a network (laptop wireless from router/modem on same wifi) I get asked to authenticate with my password, and then It won't accept the drive as the folder path, and I cant highlight 100+ folders at a time, and there is way too many to do it individually entering a password for each album folder. This is years of collection. On an upside, the internet radio stuff is cool, but I'd like to have access to my vast collection, not buy a streamer just for radio stations.