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Are Disc Players Dead?

How important is a disc player anymore? I think that stand alone DAC's have far eclipsed the stand alone disc player in importance over the last 3 years with the rise of server based music.

Only an SACD really needs a disc player anymore. In what instance can you get better sound from a disc player than when you download the music, CD or HiRez, then play it back through a new stand alone DAC with the latest technology?

I really only use my very humble disc player to watch movies that I own now. I download most movies to rent through AppleTV, and if I buy a CD (rare) I download it to the server, where it takes up residence in iTunes for playback in AIFF format.

So, disc players on their deathbed, as DAC move to the top of the digital mountain?

I say yes.
macdadtexas
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Hi Mac,

Yes, a Drobo is definitely a neat approach. Keep in mind, though, that neither it nor anything else is 100% fail-safe, and so it doesn't eliminate the need for a separate second backup for really important stuff. For instance, if the power supply or the controller circuits in the Drobo were to go berserk, all of its drives could conceivably be corrupted or damaged simultaneously.

Best regards,
-- Al
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charles1dad
10,238 posts
 
These above examples concerning hard drives and computers really seem to validate Nglazer`s main point, this is still very much a work in progress with a ways to go yet.
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
Sorry Al, I that's such a small possiblity, I don't worry about that, not a realistic sceneario.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Hi Mac,

I wouldn't be so sure. On the NewEgg.com page for this Drobo model, click on the "Feedback" tab, which currently shows 114 user comments. Sort them by "lowest rated," and read the comments by the 20 people, out of those 114, who gave it the lowest possible rating, with many of them reporting data loss.

Best regards,
-- Al
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
4/5 is not a terrible overall rating. That was the original model, which I had, and it worked flawlessly.

I currently have the newer 5 bay NS (network only) model, and it's even better. Software has improved, and though I have yet to lose a drive, I've read nothing but stellar reviews on no data loss on those as well.

I used to have a RAID array, but it was a pain to maintain.
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