[hacklab-discussion] building a linux stereo receiver?

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Matt Price <moptop99-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>

| My stereo receiver just blew (wrong fuse!).  I am thinking about
| replacing it with a simple embedded linux system that can

Receivers are cheap.  To me, th big deal is all the furniture arranged
to make the stero system "work".  Of course I'm thinking of two large
speakers, the arrangement favoured decades ago (when we arranged
ours).  Perhaps you have small speakers + a subwoofer, a different
set of furnishing constraints.

Do you sit in one spot, bathed in optimally balanced stereo sound from
serious speakers?  Or, like me, never end up in the stereo sweet spot
and actually use headphones and speakers that are set up for video
systems or computers?

| - play digital soundfiles stored on some kind of local hard drive
| - be controlled from other computers in the house, and preferably also
| from our android tablet
| - access files on shared disk drives that live on other computers on the LAN

In theory DNLA and similar technology should make that easy.

Windows boxes in my household seem to see things on my MythTV boxes.
I've never looked into how that was done because I've not wanted to
use it.

Many Linux systems should be suitable, but not off the rack.  I'd bet
a RaspBerry Pi hardware could do the job (stereo-only unless you use
HDMI).  They are cheap, small, and take low power so you could even
distribute them in multiple rooms.

I'm not up on software, but I'd look at XBMC, MythTV, and other
projects.

Consider whether you need a monitor on the system.  Monitors make for
nice interfaces but they add a lot of bulk and power consumption.

Android tablets *might* be a reasonable solution.  Too bad there are
not many Linux tablets.

Avoid anything with a fan -- that negatively impacts a listening
environment.

Linux boxes are not good at driving serious speakers.  You need an
amplifier if you want to do that.  Receivers are usually cheaper
than amps (lower end) and include an amp (and "pre-amp", if you want to get
technical).

| - switch inputs so e.g. it's possible to play records from the turntable

Turntables are special.  You need something called RIAA Equalization.
Pre-amps or Receivers with "phono" inputs do that.  I'm guessing that
many new receivers come without phono in.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization>
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