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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
chazzbo
1,007 posts
 
Trying top get up on this myself but was going suggest squeezebox myslef.Also I am trying to think of the reasonably priced cylinder shaped Wifi add on.CNET has some good info on scene and might justify the layout for the Sonos.But lossless sound,cheap DACS (I just read about neat little T-AMP one by co, called King Rex that won award at www.6moons.com) and cheap HD's make me think it's time to get in.Thought about the Redwine modded stand alone unit from Olive but not sure the control of add on HD's makes sense to lay out close to what a Mac would cost.But you get multiple inputs for USB's,internet,radio,CD and internal HD plus Wifi.What Larry say's about DAC makes sense.If I didn't need so many other upgrades my friend told me about Wavelength USB DAC and said it's superb.But many cheaper options open.
Cheers
Chazz
rbstehno
1,431 posts
 
check out the other threads on this site about using macs as a media server. there are some lengthy discussions.
4est
507 posts
 
Apple TV doesn't support airtunes, you would use the apple express with airtunes($99 not $299) to supply toslink to a dac. Neither will send usb to a dac. Since you already have an iMac, and airport express at each stereo location (up to four I think) would get you going. It should work very seamlessly- that's what apple is all about.
thymanst
35 posts
 
On Tuesday, a new version of AppleTV will be announced at Macworld - whether it has a hardware update or just software update is anyones guess - the new AppleTv will be able to download movies from Itunes (my guess) this would lead to being able to save data to AppleTV drive that isnt synced with Itunes library - I have my CD's ripped to hard drive and play them thru appleTV where I have my Home Theater set up - it is streamed from my 2 channel room where I have a mac mini running and this works very well
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Use an iPod touch to control a laptop with iTunes driving out USB to a USB converter or USB DAC. You can not only do web radio and iTunes downloads, you can do 24/96 hi-res.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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