[Mauricio]

Sorry I am not familiar with all the types of transport devices that exist out there at present.  I would be interested in a focused-purpose, dedicated device that does nothing more and nothing less than the following three things:
*  Connects to and powers an external USB hard-drive where my FLAC files are located;
*  Displays the contents of the hard-drive in a nice and easy-to-navigate interface on, say, an 8"  touch-screen;
*  Streams out the selected file(s) via digital out.
 
Does such a thing exist?
 
 

 

[MorbidToaster]

Sounds like a Squeezebox Touch. Granted that screen is smaller, but they do have an iPad app I hear works fairly well...
 
Has a USB in, a Coax out, and can play FLAC up to 24/96.

 

[Mauricio]

Thanks.  Yeah, I'd seen that.  It's a bit pricey, though.  Once you add the hard-drive, your coming close to $500.  Any other products like that?

 

[MorbidToaster]

Not that I know of off the top of my head. You could do it direct with an iPod or iPad but you wouldn't get a digital out then and you'd have to find a hard drive that would work.
 
Quote:

Thanks.  Yeah, I'd seen that.  It's a bit pricey, though.  Once you add the hard-drive, your coming close to $500.  Any other products like that?

 
 

 

[Mauricio]

Yeah, maybe the Cambridge Audio iD100 dock is still the best option since I already have an iPod and I can use the iPod alone when on the move...
 
If someone could make a simple, focused device like I described for under $300, it'd probably fly off the shelves.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Yeah, maybe the Cambridge Audio iD100 dock is still the best option since I already have an iPod and I can use the iPod alone when on the move...
 
If someone could make a simple, focused device like I described for under $300, it'd probably fly off the shelves.

They do...It's a Squeezebox Touch. Calculating price of HDD in device price is a bit unfair.

 

[Mauricio]

I guess an old laptop will have to stand in for now...