Best audio streamer interface?

[ath50]

Hi everyone, I've just finished setting up my home theater system in my new place, however my PC is no longer in the same room, so I'm looking for a good device to stream FLACs from my PC (always running) to the setup in the other room.

The thing I am most interested in is the usability of the interface. Any recommendation as far as specific devices? Are there ones that have handheld devices with a LCD screen, or is the favorite setup a remote with menu interface displayed on the TV? I'm also planning on getting a droid incredible in the near future, so it would be really neat if any devices are able to be controlled with apps on the android os.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[ath50]

After a bit of research, I really like the Sonos controller as well as the Logitech Squeezebox touch. Are there any media streamers out there with an official Droid controller support app? It would be really neat to have "free" handheld control ability with an app instead of paying out the nose for it.

 

[Boobs McGee]

What devices do you currently have in the setup where you will be listening? Are you looking for a device to plug into your receiver or are you looking at something like the sonos to actually put out the sound too?

Personally I am getting ready to do the Acer Revo with XBMC on it. I am just about to move into my new house with a new setup too. Previously I streamed media through the PS3 and occasionally through the Xbox 360. I know there are apps for the Iphone and Android to control XBMC, but I haven't tried them out yet.

 

[ath50]

Thanks for the reply. For some reason I was thinking XBMC was just for old Xboxs, I think the Acer Revo might be a really good choice. There is a droid app that I can use to control songs, as well as an on screen interface. For the on screen interface, how would I go about controlling that, would I need a separate IR interface from the Revo and then a universal remote?

I'm connecting to a receiver so toslink out would work fine.

 

[Rifter]

I use my PS3 to playback media from my server. If you do not have a PS3 though there are cheaper options but the PS3 is a great media player and also does blu-ray well, if you dont already have a blu ray player its a good option.

 

[ath50]

PS3 is really an excellent option, except I really need to be able to play DVD-As and ideally SACDs, so I'm planning on an Oppo bdp-80 for DVD-A/SACD/Blu-ray support.

 

[Rifter]

Do the newer PS3's not do SACD? im know mine does(original 60GB model). You are out of luck for the DVD-A though, but you could always playback the DVD-A from your PC/server and stream/transcode it.

 

[ath50]

Yes the newer PS3s cannot do SACD, only some of the older ones. I mean its definitely not a bad option, but I think I'm going to go with the Acer Revo and XBMC.

 

[Nurn]

I stream my FLAC into the PS3 using Foobar2000 uPnP and/or TVersity. I like Foobar because of the way you can easily create a playlist on your PC, and then call it up on the PS3. TVersity for video, Foobar for audio.

 

[MrCoyote]

PS3 is really an excellent option, except I really need to be able to play DVD-As and ideally SACDs, so I'm planning on an Oppo bdp-80 for DVD-A/SACD/Blu-ray support.

Actually no. The PS3's XMB GUI lacks in usability. I don't even have a huge music collection, and I find it hard and slow to navigate to find albums. You have to scroll huge lists of the albums and artists to find a particular one. The XBOX 360 is just as bad with it's clunky interface.

I'm looking for a nice media playback device too. Why can't anyone design a nice media GUI like the Apple TV?