As a digital audio newbie, I’m just now acquainting myself with all the components and processes required to assemble a high-quality digital audio system. I think I’ve read enough to convince myself that I don’t need to spend thousands on high-end media/music servers that will push digital data across a USB cable to my DAC and Receiver/Speakers.
I current use an HP Envy-15 laptop as my dedicated media server and it connects to my Asynchronous DAC in my Oppo-105. The output is great, but I feel like the laptop is the weak link (piece of crap). Besides taking forever to remove the bloatware, the system is constantly updating Windows 10 and having other associated programs running that sometimes interfere. I am also using up the 1TB HDD and I just do backups on external HDDs (very cumbersome).
I was looking at your Id box by Intel, but have some questions that you may be able to answer:
- Can I get it with a higher-end/faster processor? Is that worthwhile? I think your box comes with Linux and the JRiver software loaded, correct? Is this a good way to avoid the stupid constant Windows updates? Will the GUI look the same in Linux? Can I get the Id with a higher capacity HDD (4TB) ?
- What is the best way to RIP disks (using your wonderful RIP software)? Do I add an external DVD drive, or should I add a NAS and use a drive connected to that?
- How do files get from a NAS over to the Id? Does the Id push digital music data to the Oppo DAC in the same way I currently do from the laptop? How do I backup? (just an external HDD connected to the Id, or some other way – connected to the NAS?)
- Can I just connect the HDMI from the Id to a flat-screen TV to allow the HTC GUI to be utilized on an android phone with Gizmo?
Sorry for all the questions, but I love the JRiver software, so I don’t want to switch to anything else.
