Does any one know of a low (ish) cost audio streamer which can display track details, album art etc on a computer monitor? via say an hdmi interface?
I have a project on the go and I would like to incorporate a display.
I would also consider a device which includes a built in small ish screen, say 5" to 7" like a Logitec Squeeze Box, but this requires me to run Logitec Media server on an extra machine of sorts.
I would appreciate your suggestions.
Have you considered the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra? It has a HDMI out to connect a monitor and claims to be able to display track, artists, album cover art, etc.
Yes. Itâs called a computer.
Just stream from a computer using any one of a large number of software options with USB to a DAC. Roon, Audirvana, Volumio, the list gets pretty long.
Hi @feeling_zen yes indeed this is my fall back, I have used RPiâs in the past and didnât enjoy the experience, and I am contemplating a small PC on which to run Qobuz/ other streaming services natively.
I like the idea of a purpose built streamer because they are a bit more idiot proof and require less maintenance, keeping Os up to date etc. I also want to be able to use real mechanical switches external to the computer to control the software, play, next track, last track, stop etc, some streamers like the node 2i offer this, but not the output for a screen sadley. I would like to run some real âdancing UVâ meters too and this requires the computer to offer analogue out at teh same time as the digital to serve my DAC.
Any thoughts, can i do this with a small PC, a âthin clientâ model perhaps?
Would a Nuprime streamer 9 be a solution? Anyone with experience with this streamer?
Thank you for the suggestion @Robert3 I have checked the manual and although it does have an hdmi connection they seem to use this for I2S digital output only.
Thanks for the thought though. Mind you at ÂŁ990 it is a bit pricy for my project.
You can break this down into two devices. An ifi Zen Stream which can be controlled without an app just using a browser. If your TV supports a basic browser you can use that, or any cheap and nasty laptop. You will need a DAC though.
Thank you @feeling_zen I am building my streamer into a 1970âs cassette deck, front loader with UV meters and piano key play/ff/REW/etc, I plan to remove the cassette playing bit and insert a 7â screen, I have considered using a mobile phone as the screen, but getting to the main phone controls and managing updates could be difficult. I also plan to use the cassette piano keys to control the unit and get the UV meters âdancingâ. Itâs just a bit of retro fun, but I would like to make as much use of the front controls as possible. The record level knobs will take some adaption too, still not sure about what to do with them, perhaps an x/y screen cursor control?
My first cassette deck around 1976 was a Toshiba PC-4360, not the last word in HiFi but I had a lot of fun with it. Decent VU meters, and an unusual design where the cassette sat in front of the fascia rather than in a recess. I reckon you could quite easily adapt it to get a phone sitting where the cassette should be.
With Roon you donât need the streamer to have a hdmi out, you can send now playing to any video device that supports Google cast or you can just use the web browser on the TV and enter the URL.
Hi Chris i think you are right, I was hoping to use a simple monitor so that it comes on with the streamer. I am looking at small PCs at 5he moment so that I can run Qobuz natively. But there are a few challenges that I need to consider, firstly being able to drive an analogue output (to drive the UV meters) at the same time as the digital output to my external DAC
Hi crystal gipsy, my plan is to do this on the cheap, just a project to keep my mind going! I have already bought a (not working) cassette deck as a donor ,then I I spotted another with bigger UV metres so now I have two cassette decks both from the 70âs neither of which work and I have to choose which to use! As a result of my budget constraints Roon is a bit too pricey for this project.
As @TheGerman said earlier in the thread, the Project Streambox S2 ultra can drive a touch screen monitor but is is a bit pricey too.
I am beginning to accept that I will need to do some of the slog myself using an RPi or a small PCis unless someone can save my sanity and Identify a budget streamer that can drive a small monitor
Maybe LMS? I donât particularly like it, but you can run it on a wide variety of hardware so I imagine you could find something suitable.
Yes I do need to see what this can do, I have Squeezebox and LMS set up on an RPi 3 plus Allo hat, but have never really spent much time using it.
I am a little confused. Are you wanting to output the track information and artwork to a âbig screenâ or just trying to build something that is an affordable functional equivalent to a NDX2?
Because Pioneer do just that in a natty retro silver box that apparently performs very well for the money. N-30AE
Hi @feeling_zen yes youâve got it, NDX2 like features but I want to make one in a retro box (a 70âs cassette deck) with real UV meters just for fun. Thanks for the suggestion of the Pioneer, this is the type of thing I am looking for providing that I can find one for sensible money, other wise itâs going to be an RPI or a PC and a lot of head scratching. Thanks for the suggestion, Cheers.
Edit: just checked itâs a shame but it seems to be analogue output only (I might be able to find a SPDIF signal on the PCB) and I donât think that it can manage Qobuz by itself either, otherwise it looks ok for a donor, especially when Richer Sounds were selling them off for ÂŁ79 at one time.
Look for the discontinued N-70AE then. Digital output and second hand probably less than the 30 is new despite being the higher range model.
A friend had the 70 and it was admirably built. ⌠And now Iâm remembering where my Audiotechnica digital coax went after looking high and low last month.
