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Making a streamer with Intel Nuc/how

Jinjuku

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Note this test was made by both devices connected directly to a DAC and with 15 feet long usb cable. Totally unacceptable.

How so? Where are your contradicting measurements please.

All my audio sounds better when I'm eating chocolate brownies.
 
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Bliman

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Plugging a DAC hat into/onto a Pi is very easy. There's only 1 plug, and its obvious which way it goes. This should NOT be a concern.
Yeah but I need examples of products where the pi is integrated. And hopefully good reliable products. I only know Pi as a print board.
 

Daverz

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I don't have a problem with Pi. The problem I am having is that many people are saying that they use Pi. But not what.
I am looking like such a form factor like the project ultra stream but cheaper. I don't want something with only a print plate. It is difficult to find something like that. Yes Allo has something like that. But I don't see any other options. You most of the times see a pi board and you have to assemble it with a case and such. I have been looking at Hifiberry but that doesn't also look very simple. So I want some suggestions with bundles of pi with a case that is well integrated and you can use open source software or yeah how do I explain it something I don't have to figure out everything. Something concrete, not just I have pi. I want a full product and that can be with pi.

I'm not sure what a print plate is. A printed circuit board?

Maybe a Pi shop will assemble it for you, but I think it's safer to ship out of a case.

The pi4 snaps into its plastic case. It takes a minute or so. No tools are required, just enough light to see which way the Pi lines up with the corresponding cutouts in the case. The top of the case then snaps on.

Technically, I suppose, it's not a "finished" product, but once it's in its case, a trivial task, it's as finished as any other device. I wouldn't spend $500 just to avoid this bit of very trivial assembly.

One more simple task: write the operating system image to the micro SD card. I would download Etcher (free) for this.

After that, configuration is also similar to many other consumer network device I've used: connect the Pi to the router, navigate to its IP in a browser, set your wireless info.

https://www.pishop.us/product/raspberry-pi-4b-starter-kit/
 
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Bliman

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I'm not sure what a print plate is. A printed circuit board?

Maybe a Pi shop will assemble it for you, but I think it's safer to ship out of a case.

The pi4 snaps into its plastic case. It takes a minute or so. No tools are required, just enough light to see which way the Pi lines up with the corresponding cutouts in the case. The top of the case then snaps on.

Technically, I suppose, it's not a "finished" product, but once it's in its case, a trivial task, it's as finished as any other device. I wouldn't spend $500 just to avoid this bit of very trivial assembly.

One more simple task: write the operating system image to the micro SD card. I would download Etcher (free) for this.

After that, configuration is also similar to many other consumer network device I've used: connect the Pi to the router, navigate to its IP in a browser, set your wireless info.

https://www.pishop.us/product/raspberry-pi-4b-starter-kit/
Yeah , sorry. I meant the printed circuit board, only the Pi. Like if I am honest if I look at your link it doesn't give me confidence to buy something like that. It looks so bad. I know looks are not everything.
And I have no problem building a computer or Nuc. But this looks pretty weak. It seems the only manufacturer that builds with Pi is Project and that costs 700€. There seems no choices in between. I want something quality and that can last. And I cannot find it. It is all pretty diy.
 

Daverz

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Yeah , sorry. I meant the printed circuit board, only the Pi. Like if I am honest if I look at your link it doesn't give me confidence to buy something like that. It looks so bad. I know looks are not everything.
And I have no problem building a computer or Nuc. But this looks pretty weak. It seems the only manufacturer that builds with Pi is Project and that costs 700€. There seems no choices in between. I want something quality and that can last. And I cannot find it. It is all pretty diy.

Sounds like need to spend more money to feel secure. Been there, done that. Good luck.
 
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Bliman

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Sounds like need to spend more money to feel secure. Been there, done that. Good luck.
I would like something intermediate. Something that is quality but doesn't cost audiophile money. The same with the RME DAC. It has amazing value for money. And with the pi it seems you either go for more money like the Project ultra streamer or you buy something that looks like it comes from an electronics store. Either I am looking at the wrong place or there isn't something like that out there.
 

JeffS7444

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I have both Raspberry Pi 3 with 7" touch screen, running either Volumio or Rune Audio, and an old Intel DN2820FYK (Celeron) usually running Vortexbox or Daphile.

Although I own a NAS, I only use that for backups of the music library. With Raspberry Pi, I use an old USB hard drive for local storage, while my NUC has sufficient capacity on it's SSD.

With Raspberry Pi 3, I use SPDIF output: RPi 3 shared USB bandwidth with it's wifi, and that can cause problems. RPi 4 is supposed to be better in that regard, but I haven't tried it.

Daphile and Vortexbox hardly tax the NUC. Yes the fan is audible if you put your ear close to it, but IMO, it's noise really isn't an issue at all.

_2210812.jpg_2210814.jpg_2210811.jpg
 
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Bliman

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I have both Raspberry Pi 3 with 7" touch screen, running either Volumio or Rune Audio, and an old Intel DN2820FYK (Celeron) usually running Vortexbox or Daphile.

Although I own a NAS, I only use that for backups of the music library. With Raspberry Pi, I use an old USB hard drive for local storage, while my NUC has sufficient capacity on it's SSD.

With Raspberry Pi 3, I use SPDIF output: RPi 3 shared USB bandwidth with it's wifi, and that can cause problems. RPi 4 is supposed to be better in that regard, but I haven't tried it.

Daphile and Vortexbox hardly tax the NUC. Yes the fan is audible if you put your ear close to it, but IMO, it's noise really isn't an issue at all.

View attachment 51199View attachment 51200View attachment 51201
Does your nuc have a processor fan? And if so what is the distance you don't hear it anymore?
 

JeffS7444

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Does your nuc have a processor fan? And if so what is the distance you don't hear it anymore?
Even at 1 meter, once the music's playing, you can't hear it. And when no music is playing, at 1 meter, it's faint white noise, much quieter than the refrigerator in my apartment, and nothing compared to my Playstation 4.
 
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Bliman

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FooYatChong

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I would get this NUC (NUC7PJYH2). Try it as is, if the fan does bother you get a Akasa Newton JC fanless case.

Schermafbeelding 2020-02-22 om 11.01.59.png
 
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Bliman

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Thank you all for participating in this thread.
I have looked again and it seems like the NUC (NUC7PJYH2) gives impressive value for money. It is even better then in the first choice (shuttle) with an i3. And with the case it can be totally silent. That is pretty good.
And I guess it can run Volumio too. And the price is great. And maybe I can run it with a nas.
The only problem I see with it is how much digital noise it gives for the RME Dac. Since this is stated in the Project ultra streamer. "Since most DACs only have one USB input, we have designed Stream Box S2 Ultra also to be a USB detox device. Simply connect your PC to the micro USB input of the unit and connect our DAC to the audio output. This way you can clean the noisy signal of your PC, "
 

214bobd

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Thanks for all the info.
Thanks, I didn't have thought about the fan in the Intel Nuc. That would be a no no.
I shall try to give my situation better. My main system is in my bedroom. There is no computer in that room.
I have a computer downstairs in the main living room. And when I am upstairs I have a good connection on my phone from the router downstairs.
I also don't have a tv in my bedroom. Just my main system and bed and books :).
Would a Bluesound Node 2i or the Project Stream Box S2 Ultra be better for my needs?
The only problem that I have with these solutions is the storage of music.
Is it enough to buy an external hard drive and connect them to these devices? Doesn't this create problems when you play things and that it creates lag and stops and such when playing music? That's why I came to the conclusion for an Intel Nuc. I even heard that an Intel i5 wasn't enough. So I don't know if it is as simple as hooking up a hard drive with my music to a Bluesound Node 2i or a Project Stream Box S2 Ultra.
Thanks for all the help all.
I use the Pro-ject Stream Box S2 Ultra to stream music through a USB connection to my Topping D90 MQA DAC. Also connected to the StreamBox is a 1 Gig portable Hard Drive. This contains FLAC files that I have ripped on my computer and then simply copied to it. When attached to the Stream Box with USB, the Stream Box automatically indexes those files and presents them through their OEM version of Volumio, along with Tidal amd Web music channels. I have no need for the DLNA/upnp server feature of the Stream Box . Although both devices have great BlueTooth, I never use them. I turn off any unnecessary service on the Stream Box and the D90 to optimize the sound. The result is pretty amazing, even with Web Music. I know the Node 2i is a simpler solution, but I seriously doubt it can match my setup for sound quality and I didn't like that it doesn't allow connection to an external hard drive. For reference, read John Darko on Volumio's own streamer and Hans Beekhuyzen on the Pro-Ject Stream Box s2 Ultra.
 
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Bliman

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I use the Pro-ject Stream Box S2 Ultra to stream music through a USB connection to my Topping D90 MQA DAC. Also connected to the StreamBox is a 1 Gig portable Hard Drive. This contains FLAC files that I have ripped on my computer and then simply copied to it. When attached to the Stream Box with USB, the Stream Box automatically indexes those files and presents them through their OEM version of Volumio, along with Tidal amd Web music channels. I have no need for the DLNA/upnp server feature of the Stream Box . Although both devices have great BlueTooth, I never use them. I turn off any unnecessary service on the Stream Box and the D90 to optimize the sound. The result is pretty amazing, even with Web Music. I know the Node 2i is a simpler solution, but I seriously doubt it can match my setup for sound quality and I didn't like that it doesn't allow connection to an external hard drive. For reference, read John Darko on Volumio's own streamer and Hans Beekhuyzen on the Pro-Ject Stream Box s2 Ultra.
Thanks for your input. Do you have hard drive that is silent? And doesn't it have to index everything if you put something new on the hard drive? And is it fluent enough? And do you control it with your smartphone?
 

gvl

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I've recently scored a fanless ECS Liva mini PC off eBay for cheap, just a bit bigger than an RPi. Loaded Daphile on it. All good, almost - the Wi-Fi card is incompatible but it can be swapped, I use wired so not a big concern in my case.
 

214bobd

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Thanks for your input. Do you have hard drive that is silent? And doesn't it have to index everything if you put something new on the hard drive? And is it fluent enough? And do you control it with your smartphone?
Thanks for your input. Do you have hard drive that is silent? And doesn't it have to index everything if you put something new on the hard drive? And is it fluent enough? And do you control it with your smartphone?
I believe my hard drive is very quiet. I know John Darko has a fancy one with a rubber bumper, but anything coming from a local drive should render better audio performance than the same files coming over a network. The Pro-Ject software gives you 2 options:1 to rescan the whole drive or 2. update. Reindexing is surprisingly fast since is being done by an RPI processor. Fluent enough? Are you referring to the software interface? I think so. Of course Roon is much better, but i don't have any use for multiple endpoints and remote file servers. the Pro-ject software is managing multiple streaming services, rendering local hard drive music, a wonderful Web Music player and even a USB drive on the front panel. I control the whole she-bang with my Android phone or my iPad. It is Volumio taken to another level.
 
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