I think even then that folks like Roku Labs and Slim Devices will still have a market after portable players evolve into more home-theater-centric devices (digital output to avoid mediocre DACs, video output for navigation), and old_school's setup touches on one reason why. First, a stack of hard drives will allow you to forego compression and preserve your material in its original form - until you can get a 1TB iPod, that won't be possible with a portable. In addition to that, you have some other benefits. A NAS or server can be accessed from anywhere in the house (assuming you have a network connection there), so multiple units can share that pool of data. Plus those systems will allow you to store more than just audio, although we're just starting to see that ability used. The Kaleidescape DVD server offers a tempting hint, as does the Roku Photobridge HD (which will play back HD-quality video across the network, allowing you to set up a computer as SD/HD DVR and access it from multiple locations in the house).

I haven't made the move to a setup like this yet, but I've mulled it over a few times and may still go through with it in the next couple years.

A good friend of mine has a Happauge application that he uses with his cable and Happauge video capture board on one of his PCs to write shows to the hard drive.

He has (as do I) a wired and wirelss network, and the Happauge application allows you to use the PC as a DVR and stream content over the wired or wireless (I think it depends on how much you compress etc). I think there are others (i.e. Roku Photobridge et al) as well. With the Happauge (and I suspect otehrs), as I understand it, you purchase a small box that has an IR receiver, and RJ-45 connector (the wired network version) and an S-Video output, along with an analog left and right audio output. The box also acts as an IR receiver that communicates back to the host PC what stream you would like to watch that has been recorded (you get a sort of TV Guide screen like what you might see on cable or satellite to help you browse for shows to be recorded or that have been recorded). In essence, this (and I assume others) allow you to run the DVR (on the host PC) as though the DVR were in the room. Like the Audiotron / Roku / Squeezebox.. they are independent, so they can all share the data (even though I don't yet have the NAS, all three of my Audiotrons see the same shared drives for my wavs, and I often have all three playing at the same time - works perfectly at each station).

It's clear that 2000 - 2005 have been years of immense technical growth, and it's only going to get more capable and more affordable (well, that's my $0.02 anyway).

Man...do I love this forum...

Mark

Nice to hear you mention Hauppague. I also have the product (Media MVP) in my system. I use it to show pictures on my HT, off my PC. The device also handles mpeg1 and 2 files, plus mp3s.

Helped design-in one of the components in the MVP during my real life job(apps engineer). A great group of guys at Hauppague, good hard-working small business.

Dave

Sony HPL51
108" DaLite
Outlaw 990
LFM1x2
B&W 802 (L+R)
BA surrounds
ADCOM 5500, 535II
CAL CL-15 CD
RCA DVD
SA 8300HD

I've got a couple of Soundbridge units and am increasingly happy with every software release (btw, update notifications and downloads are performed right from the unit). Earlier problems that I encountered like constant re-buffering and inability to find my libraries have been all but eliminated with the latest release. There are a couple of enhancements that still need to be developed (fast-forward and reverse, improved scroll and search capabilities, ability to play the same selection simultaneously on both units for a "whole house" effect) but overall it's fun to use, and with 1400 or so CDs loaded up it facilitates listening to stuff that I might have otherwise passed over when visually glomming through the jewel cases. Soundwise, I run one from my 990 in 7ch stereo and one from a 1050 in 2ch stereo mode (most of the time) - both are conncected through digital coax and sound just fine for everday listening - still, they are more of a convenience factor than an audiophile consideration. I am running both wirelessly - one caution, if you are considering wireless check their website (www.rokulabs.com) for a recommended list of wireless routers, it really does make a difference.

The answer for me is lossless digital files (I use flac) and my cd collection spans more than 250 GB of hard drive space. Not sure we'll see portable devices with that kind of capacity in the near future.

I use a Sqeezebox (V3) with a little mac mini and it works great. It replaced a windows box with Foobar2000 and the interface is so much nicer, internet radio (Live 365, Radio IO etc) is easy to cue up, no need to have the monitor on (the computer yes, but heck the PVR's going 24/7). I just find it a great way to listen to my collection and discover new music with a minimum of headaches.

double post

tonygeno - Thats about the same setup I've got. 250gb - one day probably closer then we think in your pocket and wireless -- That'll rock. The mac mini is pretty sweet for this use. I like my digital media setup, can't wait for it to get better.

oops... forgot about the pvr.. Need to merge all the media together and add in the GBs. Would be nice to not run a pvr for video and the mini for music. I'm certain you can do it today if you want to spend your time hacking up tivo. I'd rather just buy something -- seems time is really just not something you can get more of.