How to = move CD collection to digital media for easy playback?
 

I have read all the treads here about how to burn my CD collection in high fidelity.

However how do I then connect that saved digital media to my home theater system for listening?

I have 100 plus DVD's I would like to have on a media box that would have remote and a on screen menu so we could pick out a pre recorded CD etc.

Is there such a thing?

yes, or just use a computer

you will want a good D to A converter - and it will be an outboard box, purpose designed for high fidelity, not your computer

My home theater has multiple inputs.

Ideally I would like a box that I could plug into one of those audio/video inputs.

Something that has a CD/DVD tray and a HDD built in so I could record all my CD's onto the hard drive without having to sit at my computer to burn everything, then transfer all that to another box for replay on my home system.

Use a computer. Its really the only practical way. Buy a separate NAS drive ($129+) for media storage. WiFi them locally.

Buy a high end BluRay player (wink, wink I happen to know of one). The drawer is handy for simple playback but what you are really after is the awesome video DACs & audio DACs that only a high end player can give you (better than receiver DACs etc). Network this too. Use on screen menus or apps to control. Route it to the receiver via HDMI or for best video & audio, output the player via HDMI to the TV & use the individual analogue channel outs into the 5.1 inputs on the receiver.

That’s what I would do if I ever combined audio & av systems. Of course, next week's technology will be faster/quicker/neater/better.

Ian

Get a Raspberry Pi or other small form factor computer, and build a media playing machine. Maybe go whole hog and make it beefy enough for capture duty as well wtih a few Hauppage cards.

Build up a NAS as well - several 2tb+ size drives, use Linux and LVM plus software RAID (gives you RAID you can expand), gig ethernet wired to same switch as aforementioned media machine.

For music only I think Sonos to stream music cant be beat for ease of use, will play all the music off your hard drive plus all the streaming Internet options. It creates its own wireless network.

Vortex box appliance from Small Green Computer is a ready made media server Small Green Computer. They do have a 4tb model that would handle your 100 DVDs.

I think a lot of people use a Mac Mini as a easy to use media server using the Apple Tv and iTunes as interface.

For myself I just bought a Soundscience Music Vault. Very robust and ready to use out of the box. Can stream wirelessly over my Sonos but also has digital out to play lossless files fed into my processor and amp. Also as a server you can log in from anywhere. Music Vault II

say, what's a high end BluRay player?

Android USB Stick PC with XBMC (Around $40 all in). I use mine in conjunction with a wi-fi router and four HP RAIDS. Chat to Red-Beard, he imports USB Stick PCs into the US.

OPPO BDP-105 Blu-ray Disc Player
Multiple inputs allow you to use the built in reference DAC to when listening to digital sources. Multiple outputs including dedicated balanced XLR 2-channel out and 7.1 multichannel out means you only need this and an amplifier plus speakers. Also upscales video to the best your TV is capable of displaying including 2D to 3D and 4k conversion. Wifi networking allows streaming of video and hard drive/internet sources controlled from your phone or tablet. Will also play almost any kind of audio or video disc. However I don't think it can record or store anything.

I love mine, kind of pricey but does away with the need for a pre-amp/processor.

As above or the Cambridge Audio 752BD. Both use the MediaTek drive system (the fastest BluRay load) but they differ in video & audio DACs, power supplies, chassis etc etc.

Ian

Disclaimer: I earn money selling Cambridge.

I have 10K songs on an external hard drive. If you want to trade......it's a simple drag and click.