Network Hard drive

Other more computer literate people may have good advice to give, whereas I claim zero understanding or expertise, and would seek the advise myself!

But it may be helpful to state with what computer arrangement the external drive will be used [and such issues as USB or USB2 etc], and what software and opperating platform you are using, for a most sensible reply.

I suspect the answer may different for a MAC or a Windows based PC etc.

ATB from George

You could have a look at the RipSever Network Attached Music Server; you don't need a computer to use it with your HDX or Linn Majik DS if you've got either.

However, I'm going to wait a few years while the industry makes up its mind what the latest answer to the compact cassette is going to be - DAT, DCC, Mini-Disk, CD-R and now HDs and next year .... solid state storage .... or just stream directly for the Internet: no disks required ..... In the cloud music storage I think its called.

ATB Rotf

I run windows vista connected to a wi-fi network. I currently stream my music to my Naim amp with an Airport Express through i-tunes. I'm running out of HD space hence the need for more capacity. I want a dedicated HD for music storage only.

If you're wanting to use your hifi without the computer being on then you'll need a NAS that you can load software on, such as itunes or it won't work.

If having the computer on isn't a problem, which for me it isn't, then I've been using an Iomega 500gb unit connected via firewire (also does usb 2.0) with my mac and can say that its been very reliable and very quiet too. If you go for that one then you'll need to format it at the beginning to get it to work with windows as its setup for mac. No big deal and can be done in about 20 mins apparently.

Ryan

The RIpserver that ROTF mentioned can have software loaded on to it. Its expensive but very good by all accounts. I've got a friend who runs one and he swears by it.

Ryan

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
However, I'm going to wait a few years while the industry makes up its mind what the latest answer to the compact cassette is going to be - DAT, DCC, Mini-Disk, CD-R and now HDs and next year .... solid state storage .... or just stream directly for the Internet: no disks required ..... In the cloud music storage I think its called.

If you were really interested in a streamed audio source now, why wait to see what happens with storage developments in the future? The storage cost is just about the cheapest thing in the whole setup. Once your CD's are ripped, it's just data. Put it on a 500GB hard-drive for now, in two years time when you're looking for more space and solid state storage is reasonably priced, copy it across to a solid state drive if that's what you really want. I don't see the sense of waiting two years to save £50 now on a hard drive.

What's wrong with hard-drives anyway? You get a lot of storage for little cost, they might make a small amount of noise so stick them in another room.

To answer the original posters question. I use a QNAP TS-109 NAS. Small, almost silent (no fans) and very low power consumption (14W in use, 6W idle). Using a NAS means you don't require a PC to be running to listen to music and because the power consumption is so low it can be running 24x7. Not having to have a PC running just to listen to music saves enough energy in an hour to run the NAS for a week.

Slap a Barracuda 7200.11 SATA 3Gb/s 1-TB Hard Drive in a USB2 external enclosure. Cheap and effective.

quote:

If you were really interested in a streamed audio source now, why wait to see what happens with storage developments in the future?

I'm not really interested in a streamed audio source now - having working the computer industry for more years than I care to mention I have grown to hate hard drives - they are the bane of my life and the worst component in any computer system (except perhaps software written by Grates' lot). Because data preservation is vital in the industry I work in, we never trust hard disks: I always back-up to DVD courtesy of a multi-TB Plasmon Juke-Box.

When it comes to music I have a CDX2 and LP12 - so I'm in no hurry - I've no interest in being an early adopter. That said, I am interested in hearing some of the newer components, albeit not with any intention of buying. Though a Sneaky in my office might be nice

However because, like Ryan, I now know somebody who uses the RipServer, I can recommended it as a decent component - hence my post. It is also recommended by Linn and has been tested to work with the Naim HDX.

So that's where I'm at - looking forward to the end of hard disks - in fact I think the days of HD audio are numbered - In The Cloud solutions promise so much more. I think companies like Naim realise this and that is where they'll launch a new product, when they are ready.

In The Cloud audio will enable you to stream from a vast library on-demand and listen to virtually anything you want when you want in the highest quality available.

ATB Rotf

from another response regarding hardives.

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4801938...832959517#8832959517

buffalotecnology...

rega1

I went for a 500gb Buffalo Linkstation Live in the end. So I'll report back once it's delivered and setup. Thanks for your input Wayne