Just getting started

[playntheblues]

Hello to all, I am just getting started. I have purchased a new in box SB2 and have had it shipped to Wayne at Boulder to have modded. I am looking at the Infrant server VS just upgrading my computer. I have a Dell Pentium 4, w/1 gb of ram and about 40 gig HD. Would it be better to just upgrade my dell or go for the Infrant?

Part two...what software do I need? Thanks and all the best, Guy

[Mark Lanctot]

It depends if you want your Dell running all the time. If you do that already, then all you need to do is add a music hard drive. The Seagate 320 GB drives are in the sweet spot in the cost/GB ratio right now. Get two, install one in your PC, get a USB external drive case and install the second one in that. Use the internal drive as your music drive and the external as a backup. Synch/mirror the backup drive using any number of free pieces of software out there. I use Robocopy.

Your 40 GB drive will do for a start but you'll fill that up fast, plus if it dies, all the work you've put into ripping goes with it.

You obviously need to install SlimServer. Also install a ripper (I use EAC but it's intimidating at first).

You'll have to decide what format to rip to. If you're having it modded you obviously don't want a lossy format. FLAC is the best fit for the SB2. If you have a separate portable player you may want to rip into MP3 simultaneously using MAREO.

Finally, I'm curious why you didn't go for the Transporter? It's not that much more than a modded SB2 and (I'm guessing here) it can probably beat a modded SB2 in terms of sound quality.

Edit: I should also mention, you should install a proper tagging program like Mp3tag. Believe me, you'll need it, no matter how careful you rip.

[playntheblues]

YIKES!, First off thank you very much for your help. But WOW I am really going to have to put some time in figuring this out. I didn't go with the transport because I wasn't sure if indeed it was going to be better. Does the transport have storage? How many songs (ballpark) would you think a 320gb HD would hold? Thanks, Guy

[Mark Lanctot]

YIKES!, First off thank you very much for your help. But WOW I am really going to have to put some time in figuring this out.

Easy does it, one step at a time. Don't tackle it all at once.

I didn't go with the transport because I wasn't sure if indeed it was going to be better. Does the transport have storage?

No storage, but a DAC at least as good as just about any standalone DAC, extremely extremely low jitter, super-stable power supplies (super regulators).

Plus a backlit remote, supercool dual display and a magical knob. ;-)

How many songs (ballpark) would you think a 320gb HD would hold?

Mmm, someone will probably chime in here, but I have a 250 GB drive with 193 GB partitioned for music. I'd say 60-75% of my music is FLAC and my 326 albums with 3274 songs by 463 artists take up 84 GB.

I'd estimate you could fit 500 - 750 albums on a 320 GB drive if you ripped in FLAC.

[aubuti]

YIKES!, First off thank you very much for your help. But WOW I am really going to have to put some time in figuring this out.

Remember, the wiki is your friend. A good place to start is http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.cgi?BeginnersGuide

My library is remarkably similar to Mark's in size. I figure with FLAC compression a CD averages about 300-350MB.

[playntheblues]

I want to thank you guys for all of your help, I will report back as we go down this road. Guy