PC for Multichannel Music Playback - What's your Setup?

[ArmyOfQuad]

So your going from laptop to TV to receiver? I'd do it laptop to receiver to TV myself. Beyond that, I got nothing except perhaps trying to call the laptop manufacturer's support line, which could involve hold times and difficult communication barriers, but perhaps could get an answer.

 

[jimfisheye]

These are the sort of things that make me want to blow something up....seriously.

That's very understandable!

I've seen HDMI ports on "budget" laptops that have audio disabled. (Probably more proper to say that the audio functions were never hooked up because of cheapness.)
I've also seen surround receivers with HDMI inputs that have the audio disabled.
Again, sometimes it's pure cheapness. Sometimes they disable functions in order to offer a higher priced model. (The components already have the functionality so they fake that it costs more for the higher end model by disabling the cheaper models.)

In theory, any computer from 2010 with a mini display port (what turned into the thunderbolt port the next year) or newer with HDMI or thunderbolt itself should be able to serve to a surround receiver via the HDMI input. The receiver should pop up as a connected interface. You should be able to select it in Audio MIDI Setup (OSX) or ASIO4ALL (Windows), select 5.1 output and it just works. The video should mirror by default but you can set the video preferences just like a 2nd monitor.

It's all fun in theory...

Rule of thumb: Stay away from the cheapness products made for stores like Worst Purchase!

Sorry for no specific help! All I can offer is a sanity check and to confirm that design flaws are sold all the time.

 

[GOS]

So your going from laptop to TV to receiver? I'd do it laptop to receiver to TV myself. Beyond that, I got nothing except perhaps trying to call the laptop manufacturer's support line, which could involve hold times and difficult communication barriers, but perhaps could get an answer.

No, laptop to Denon receiver then TV.

 

[GOS]

That's very understandable!

I've seen HDMI ports on "budget" laptops that have audio disabled. (Probably more proper to say that the audio functions were never hooked up because of cheapness.)
I've also seen surround receivers with HDMI inputs that have the audio disabled.
Again, sometimes it's pure cheapness. Sometimes they disable functions in order to offer a higher priced model. (The components already have the functionality so they fake that it costs more for the higher end model by disabling the cheaper models.)

In theory, any computer from 2010 with a mini display port (what turned into the thunderbolt port the next year) or newer with HDMI or thunderbolt itself should be able to serve to a surround receiver via the HDMI input. The receiver should pop up as a connected interface. You should be able to select it in Audio MIDI Setup (OSX) or ASIO4ALL (Windows), select 5.1 output and it just works. The video should mirror by default but you can set the video preferences just like a 2nd monitor.

It's all fun in theory...

Rule of thumb: Stay away from the cheapness products made for stores like Worst Purchase!

Sorry for no specific help! All I can offer is a sanity check and to confirm that design flaws are sold all the time.

Yeah...crazy. Well, to further complicate the story. We can run the HDMI from laptop direct to TV....and we get both video & audio. Just not with the AVR. UGH. Ridiculous.....

 

[atrocity]

Yeah...crazy. Well, to further complicate the story. We can run the HDMI from laptop direct to TV....and we get both video & audio. Just not with the AVR. UGH. Ridiculous.....

Is the receiver older than the TV? If so, it could be some idiotic HDCP issue. Remember that HDMI+HDCP were intentionally designed all along to be as much about preventing signal transmission as allowing it.

 

[GOS]

OK - for all who are following the laptop to Denon story....I have a resolution. I don't understand it...but it's final. Here we go.

So - with HDMI from my laptop to Denon via Aux 1 - we have video and audio.
With HDMI from son's laptop to Denon Aux 1 - only video, no audio.

With HDMI from may laptop to Denon via Aux 2 - we have video and audio.
With HDMI from sons laptop to Denon via Aux 2 - we have video and audio.


Go figure....why? Does it matter why? I guess the curious side of me simply doesn't understand.....anyone??

 

[GOS]

Hey all - I have a couple observations and or questions. I use my laptop to store all my music and have been pleased so far. That being said, with all the FLAC files I have, I have quickly nearly run out of space.

Then I remembered I had a "cheapo" Toshiba external hard drive just sitting collecting dust. So, I figured I would transfer a chunk of my FLAC files to this drive to free up my PC. I also thought maybe my PC would perform better without having the internal memory so clogged up.

I was able to easily transfer a big chunk of my music to this EX-HD. So, I go to Foobar, add that EX-HD to the library...and play an album...and I noticed it occasionally skips or acts like it is cutting out.

Sooooo - my questions as follows. (or comments)
It seems my music behaves much better when it's stored on my internal PC memory as opposed to this EX-HD. Do you all think this is the case? Or, is it something to do with the quality of the EX-HD? What if I purchased a much better EX-HD? Would it still skip, etc?

Finally - would I be better off getting a new laptop, that has a much greater internal capacity? I don't really understand all this stuff, but I know I won't be happy if my music is skipping, etc.

Thanks my good bro's!!

 

[Snood]

How much storage on external and how old was it?? How much did you put on it? How much storage on your Lappy?

Snood usually prefers Western Digital stuff for my own personal use..........you can score a 3 TB Western Digital external for about 100 bux on sale nowadays :banana:

 

[GOS]

How much storage on external and how old was it?? How much did you put on it? How much storage on your Lappy?

Snood usually prefers Western Digital stuff for my own personal use..........you can score a 3 TB Western Digital external for about 100 bux on sale nowadays :banana:

I don't recall how much storage on my laptop, but it was 98% at capacity. External is at least 6 years old...and it's small. Maybe half a TB...I think I paid about $70 for it several years ago....

 

[Snood]

I don't recall how much storage on my laptop, but it was 98% at capacity. External is at least 6 years old...and it's small. Maybe half a TB...I think I paid about $70 for it several years ago....

Ummm yeah........it old and sux lol.........pretty sure a Nice new Western Digital will do ya right. Wouldn't trust that stuff on a 6 year old hard drive. Snood has a external back up then a back up of that back up :banana: for my 5.1s andhi res stuff plus all my mp320s and Flac stereo files.

Like me said you about 100 bux you can get a nice Western Digital 3 TB and go nuts :51banana:

 

[GOS]

Ummm yeah........it old and sux lol.........pretty sure a Nice new Western Digital will do ya right. Wouldn't trust that stuff on a 6 year old hard drive. Snood has a external back up then a back up of that back up :banana: for my 5.1s andhi res stuff plus all my mp320s and Flac stereo files.

Like me said you about 100 bux you can get a nice Western Digital 3 TB and go nuts :51banana:

What you think about my comment about the EX-HD skipping on songs. Do you notice that with your Western....??

 

[Kal Rubinson]

What you think about my comment about the EX-HD skipping on songs. Do you notice that with your Western....??

I think you need a modern new HD (or a new laptop). I run a 16Tb NAS as well as several 1-4Tb USB HDs with my server and do not get any skipping even with MCH HD tracks.

 

[GOS]

I think you need a modern new HD (or a new laptop). I run a 16Tb NAS as well as several 1-4Tb USB HDs with my server and do not get any skipping even with MCH HD tracks.

Yeah, thanks. Well, like I said, any music stored locally on current laptop plays flawlessly...it's the EX-HD that skips. So, sounds like a new EX-HD is in order. Thanks Kal & Snood.....I'll proceed.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Gos,

I've just been through this sort of thing. You can read about it here.

See if you can look at a utility that monitors the CPU in your laptop when you stream from the laptop vs streaming from the external drive. Make sure that the problem isn't a due to your laptop's CPU that might be near its performance limit. By making it stream through a USB port as well, the added workload might have put it over the edge. If that's the case, a newer drive wont perform any better. But either way, you'll end up using the new external. So its probably a good buy.

Also try streaming low res stereo through the external. See if the low bitrate stuff streams without skips. It might also be an indication of how hard the processor is or isn't working.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Yeah, thanks. Well, like I said, any music stored locally on current laptop plays flawlessly...it's the EX-HD that skips. So, sounds like a new EX-HD is in order. Thanks Kal & Snood.....I'll proceed.

It could also be the communications of the laptop. As LuvMyQuad suggests, check its resources.

 

[GOS]

oops...

 

[ssully]

Unless the external HD is breaking down I doubt its age of mfr matters. I've played music via laptop with F2K from everything ranging from old USB 1.0 250 GB Maxtor 'bricks' to modern slimline pocket 1.5 TB Toshiba or WD HDs.

If your laptop is old and 'small' (RAM wise and speed wise, by today's standards) , though, make sure it's not running all sorts of unnecessary crap in the background. Check what launches at startup.

 

[GOS]

Laptop is not "old". But I would say it's performance is probably lacking. OK, here's a twist.....since I really want this for my audio/video room and it will be dedicated....I wonder if I should get a tower instead of laptop? Man, I could spend $1000 and get one hell of a tower with 2TB hard drive, 16GB RAM and a wonderful CD/DVD drive......

This would likely take care of my music storage issues and I bet with that much RAM (if I even understand what makes a computer fast).....???

 

[JanBakker]

If you have that money to spend I would go for a ssd drive for your operating system (really speeds up things) and a 2 tb normal hard disc for storage (+ maybe an external for back-up) and a bluray drive instead of a dvd maybe. Just my idea, I bet others have better one's :couch.

 

[GOS]

If you have that money to spend I would go for a ssd drive for your operating system (really speeds up things) and a 2 tb normal hard disc for storage (+ maybe an external for back-up) and a bluray drive instead of a dvd maybe. Just my idea, I bet others have better one's :couch.

I was just reading (cause I don't understand) about SSD vs HDD. SSD is faster, but much more expensive. I Guess......