Apple Lossless - ATV only option?

[KettyKrueger]

Hi All,

I'm close to pulling the trigger on my 5th Apple TV (sold the other 4 as they've been buggy generally unsatisfactory). I'm confident in the ATV now that my needs have changed and I've had chance to play around with 3.0.

Anyways, my main reason for gravitating towards to ATV is the support for Apple Lossless audio files (and iPhoto integration). I've tried so many other media centres but getting lossless audio on them in a format which my MBP and my iPhone likes is the biggest PITA.

I've got a PS3 at the moment and had to convert all my music to .wav to get it play properly. But then all my tags and metadata was wiped out, and so here we are.

So, my question...is there anything out there that support Apple Lossless files, other than the ATV?

Thanks.

 

[GermanSuplex]

You use lossless on your iPhone? Hopefully it isn't for listening with headphones or in the car, because that's just a waste of space.

To answer your question, I don't really know of anything that plays Apple Lossless files outside of iTunes, the ATV and iPods/iPhone. But if you primarily use those devices, then there's nothing wrong with using Apple Lossless.

Also, I suggest using dBpowerAMP to convert your music files. dBpowerAMP will let the WAV files retain the tag information so that if you go back to ALAC or FLAC, you won't have to retag them.

 

[iJon]

If you just want to play your music you can consider getting an Airport Express and hooking it up to a receiver via optical cable. Then I just use my Mac or iPhone w/ Remote App to control my tunes over my home theater system.

This way I can listen and change music while I'm listening over television instead of having to deal with the AppleTV interface.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Hi All,

I'm close to pulling the trigger on my 5th Apple TV (sold the other 4 as they've been buggy generally unsatisfactory). I'm confident in the ATV now that my needs have changed and I've had chance to play around with 3.0.

Anyways, my main reason for gravitating towards to ATV is the support for Apple Lossless audio files (and iPhoto integration). I've tried so many other media centres but getting lossless audio on them in a format which my MBP and my iPhone likes is the biggest PITA.

I've got a PS3 at the moment and had to convert all my music to .wav to get it play properly. But then all my tags and metadata was wiped out, and so here we are.

So, my question...is there anything out there that support Apple Lossless files, other than the ATV?

Thanks.

Offhand, Squeezebox, Sonos and Linn media devices all support Apple Lossless (ALAC). Of course, Apple's own Airport Express also handles ALAC and costs only $99 (you could always use one on a receiver just for audio). These are pretty much audio only devices, though. The new Boxeebox should also support it since it runs off XBMC base code which also supports ALAC and would handle video media as well.

Personally, I just keep ALAC versions of my CDs around for backup purposes in a separate storage library and use AAC 256kbit versions in actual use as numerous A/B tests have shown me there is no audible differences to be heard in practice. Once I accepted that, it fixed all the associated problems with trying to have a mixed library. For example, I might also want to use tracks in the car, etc. which creates a massive problem (i.e. my JVC car player needs AAC or MP3, not ALAC and so I'd have to have BOTH AAC and ALAC versions of my CDs available in the SAME library in iTunes and that gets MESSY fast (since Apple has zero sense to have iTunes be capable of removing Lossless from view for everyday use or whatever and to automatically make a version of each when you import a disc, etc. (so it's a royal PITA). Even with an iPod, ALAC takes up a LOT of limited space resources for what is an unnoticeable difference in sound quality compared to 256kbit AAC. And when I say that, I say it with modified $2000/pair ribbons speakers with a custom active crossover network and over 500 watts per channel combined in my main listening room, not some cheap crappy speakers.