[arnesto]

I have all my music files on a external hard drive now and I want to hook it up to my stereo receiver.

One option is to go ext. hard drive=>laptop computer==>USB jack to external DAC==>stereo receiver

But I don't want to use keep my computer hooked up to my stereo all the time, and I wanted to be able to select music files to play by remote control.

Someone suggested getting a Transporter, but I don't like how I have to keep my computer on all the time and I have to connect by Wi-Fi.

Does anyone know another solution so that I can use ext. hard drive==>???(to connect to)==>stereo receiver.

 

[Uncle Erik]

How much are you willing to spend? I'd grab a Squeezebox and an old P4 box for $50 to use as a headless music server.

 

[Herandu]

There are loads of multimedia external drives out there that can operate as stand alone units. I got one off ebay that even has its own remote control. You can see what you are accessing on the drive via a built in LCD panel on the drive case.

 

[DJ Mauler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herandu /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are loads of multimedia external drives out there that can operate as stand alone units. I got one off ebay that even has its own remote control. You can see what you are accessing on the drive via a built in LCD panel on the drive case.

If you dont mine me asking how much did it set you back?

 

[GAD]

My receiver has a USB port on the front. I plug in the drive and I can play all the mp3s I can find on it.

GAD

 

[arnesto]

Uncle Erik, the Squeezebox is similar to the transporter. You need to have your computer on to play music files on your hard drive. And I wasn't too crazy about having more invisible air waves bombarding me(Wi-Fi). I prefer to have things wired.

Herandu, sounds good, but I haven't seen anything like that for consumer use.

GAD, are you able to control which songs you can play with a remote control?
If you can then I think that might work for me, but I have not seen a receiver with a USB input. Which receiver are you talking about. I was leaning toward getting a 2 channel integrated amp.

 

[GAD]

Yup. I plug my thumb drive into it all the time. You control it all with the remote. It comes up on-screen. The problem is that navigating 10,000 songs or even 1000 artists is all but uselessly slow.

The PS3 works much better in this regard.

GAD

 

[Herandu]

I can't find the exact one with the LCD display on eBay right now, but it is similar to eBay item number 280196267875

 

[cre8tve1]

If you do learn a solution, please let me know.  I'm trying to do exactly the same thing.

 

[formbypc]

  If you do learn a solution, please let me know.  I'm trying to do exactly the same thing.

Squeezebox Touch, now discontinued but lots available via eBay etc will do this. 
 
The Roku 3 will do the same. Western Digital HD TV live as well
 
Google for 'media player usb hdd' or similar terms