a partner for the unitiqute
Posted by: jerome on 09 April 2010
Hello everyone,
I will soon own a naim unitiqute, and i am now looking for its "partner" -and i must say i'm a bit lost : is it technically possible to connect the unitiqute to a netbook pc with an internet cable, instead of using a NAS? Does it work like that? Thank you for your answers!
I will soon own a naim unitiqute, and i am now looking for its "partner" -and i must say i'm a bit lost : is it technically possible to connect the unitiqute to a netbook pc with an internet cable, instead of using a NAS? Does it work like that? Thank you for your answers!
Posted on: 09 April 2010 by jerome
I meant "ethernet cable", sorry
Posted on: 09 April 2010 by Michael Chare
The physical connection could be done using a crossover cable, but more typically would be done using a 4 port router. Wifi is possible.
The netbook PC would need to be running a Upnp server. Windows Media can do this. Foobar is an alterntiave which can handle flac format files. There are many alternatives. My preference is to use a NAS because this can be running all the time and avoids conflicts with my PC usage. Another option is to use a USB to S/PDIF apapter. In that case you would need to run an application in the netbook to play the music and feed it to the Unitiqute
The netbook PC would need to be running a Upnp server. Windows Media can do this. Foobar is an alterntiave which can handle flac format files. There are many alternatives. My preference is to use a NAS because this can be running all the time and avoids conflicts with my PC usage. Another option is to use a USB to S/PDIF apapter. In that case you would need to run an application in the netbook to play the music and feed it to the Unitiqute
Posted on: 09 April 2010 by 0rangutan
It really depends on what are you trying to achieve.
If you want to play music from the Netbook to the qute you could:
a) Attach the qute to the netbook using an optical cablen, assuming that the netbook features optical out (most don't)
b) Assuming you run Windows on the Netbook, buy a Hiface, plug this into a USB slot on your Netbook and connect a digital co-ax cable between this and the qute. This would sound best.
c) Get a 3.5mm to 2xRCA cable and connect this from the Netbook headphone socket to the analogue in of the qute. This is the simplest approach but poorest sonically.
If you want to use the qute to browse music held on your Netbook, assuming that both devices share a wired or wireless network, you just need to install UPNP software, eg. Asset or Twonky on the Netbook, then the qute should just find this automatically.
John
If you want to play music from the Netbook to the qute you could:
a) Attach the qute to the netbook using an optical cablen, assuming that the netbook features optical out (most don't)
b) Assuming you run Windows on the Netbook, buy a Hiface, plug this into a USB slot on your Netbook and connect a digital co-ax cable between this and the qute. This would sound best.
c) Get a 3.5mm to 2xRCA cable and connect this from the Netbook headphone socket to the analogue in of the qute. This is the simplest approach but poorest sonically.
If you want to use the qute to browse music held on your Netbook, assuming that both devices share a wired or wireless network, you just need to install UPNP software, eg. Asset or Twonky on the Netbook, then the qute should just find this automatically.
John
Posted on: 09 April 2010 by jerome
Thanks for this prompt answer!
Sorry for my next question which will betray the depths of my ignorance but, is Foobar an alternative to the Upnp server? will the system work with the pc with foobar in it and the uniti only? (plus, I wouldn't have any other usage for my netbook, only playing music with the uniti). Also, is winamp as good as foobar (i actually used winamp to convert my cds to flacs)?
Sorry for my next question which will betray the depths of my ignorance but, is Foobar an alternative to the Upnp server? will the system work with the pc with foobar in it and the uniti only? (plus, I wouldn't have any other usage for my netbook, only playing music with the uniti). Also, is winamp as good as foobar (i actually used winamp to convert my cds to flacs)?
Posted on: 09 April 2010 by Michael Chare
Foobar is one of many Upnp servers. (and is free) I don't think winamp has Upnp capability (I may be wrong).
If you want to run Winamp then you would need to use a USB to S/PDIF link. (assuming that the netwook does not have a digital output and that you would rather use the DAC in the Qute than the one in the netbook)
If you want to run Winamp then you would need to use a USB to S/PDIF link. (assuming that the netwook does not have a digital output and that you would rather use the DAC in the Qute than the one in the netbook)
Posted on: 10 April 2010 by jerome
(One last question!) Do you think the netbook would have enough memory to face all that the unitiqute is demanding? Could the lack of memory create occasional "holes" in the transmission of the signal (when reading music from the hard disc, or streaming music from websites)?
Posted on: 10 April 2010 by garyi
No.
The most important aspects to UPNP working are:
1.Your network. Don't use a shit router, by definition it must not have BT written on it anywhere.
2.Your network. I don't know why naim put wireless in these boxes, over all wireless is not very reliable, sure people have good experiences with it, but ultimately its because they have not tried ethernet.
3.The UPNP Server. There area lot out there. Some are good some are bad. (Actually to qualify some work with naim some don't) its neither naim's or the software makers fault. There are just to many variances. In my experience the most rock solid server is XBMC, I have constantly said it on this forum and so far everyone has ignored me. But if you want rock solid performance XBMC does it.
The most important aspects to UPNP working are:
1.Your network. Don't use a shit router, by definition it must not have BT written on it anywhere.
2.Your network. I don't know why naim put wireless in these boxes, over all wireless is not very reliable, sure people have good experiences with it, but ultimately its because they have not tried ethernet.
3.The UPNP Server. There area lot out there. Some are good some are bad. (Actually to qualify some work with naim some don't) its neither naim's or the software makers fault. There are just to many variances. In my experience the most rock solid server is XBMC, I have constantly said it on this forum and so far everyone has ignored me. But if you want rock solid performance XBMC does it.