Using Vortexbox 2.2 without Sonos

[Spirit84]

Brand new member. Here is my situation.
I have a vintage (notice I didn't write old!) VB 2.2. I have been using it in my home office with a Sonos device. I would like to move the VB to my main high-end audio system. I want to connect the VB via USB directly to a PS Audio Digital Link III DAC without Sonos.
How do I access the music that is stored on the VB hard drive so that I can play music. I read something about an ipeng software but I am not sure if that is what I should be doing. Any advice would be appreciated.

[garym]

You'll want to setup your Vortexbox to also be a player. Do that in VB web settings. You'll be setting up "Squeezelite" as a player (this is a software player that emulates a Squeezebox). You'll then use LMS (also built into Vortexbox) as your music server.

[Spirit84]

You'll want to setup your Vortexbox to also be a player. Do that in VB web settings. You'll be setting up "Squeezelite" as a player (this is a software player that emulates a Squeezebox). You'll then use LMS (also built into Vortexbox) as your music server.

Hi garym:
Thanks for the reply. In my web settings I don't see Squeezlite and LMS.
Here is what I can find:

Service Manager

Auto CD Ripper	active	StopStart
DLNA Server	active	StopStart
Samba Server	active	StopStart
Logitech Media Server	active	StopStart
VortexBox Player	active	StopStart

[garym]

Hi garym:
Thanks for the reply. In my web settings I don't see Squeezlite and LMS.
Here is what I can find:

Service Manager

Auto CD Ripper	active	StopStart
DLNA Server	active	StopStart
Samba Server	active	StopStart
Logitech Media Server	active	StopStart
VortexBox Player	active	StopStart

LMS is Logitech Media Server. Squeezelite replaced Vortexbox Player, but maybe not in VB2.2, so you can use Vortexbox Player as your "player" that will feed your DAC. Search this site or the internet for instructions on setting up the Vortexbox Player.

[Spirit84]

Perhaps I am not making myself totally clear and, if so, I am sorry. I am very raw when it comes to understanding this technology.
Once I connect the VB by USB to a DAC I want to be able to either use a phone or a tablet on my couch to remotely access the songs that are stored on the VB hard drive. Is there
a program that would allow me to do this. In the past I would use my Sonos to access the Media library but in this case there would be no Sonos.

[garym]

Yes. For iphone/ipad use there is an app called "iPeng". It is the gold standard for remotely controlling LMS to select and play songs (and many other things). For Android there are apps too, but can't recall which ones are currently active. Search for "remotes Squeezebox Android" and you'll likely get some hits.

Also, to set up LMS, on the Vortexbox main "home" webinterface page, click on "Squeezebox Server". In the the Squeezebox/LMS screen that opens, select SETTINGS from lower right side. Then click on "Basic Settings" tab. Then give your music library a name in the media libray name box (can be anything). Then point it to the location of your files on the Vortexbox in the "media folder" box on that page. Should be something like:
/storage/music/flac

Then at bottom of that page click on the "rescan music library" button. Let it scan your music library until it finishes. At that point you can control the music server from:
1. a phone app (like iPeng)
2. any computer connected to your home network. Simply go to this address on any web browser:

http://192.168.1.16:9000/

(except replace "192.168.1.16" with the IP address of your Vortexbox on your network).

3. Setting up your Vortexbox Player requires some settings. You click on the "Configure Player" icon button on the Vortexbox home screen. (not sure what it looks like on 2.2 as I use 2.4).

[Doris1997]

To Configure Player see below link:

http://www.vortexbox.com.au/HowTos/squeezelite.html

[agillis]

If you want to get the best sound you should get something like a microRendu.

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/music-players/products/microrendu?variant=18223312708

Your DAC will sound better then using a direct USB connection to the DAC. Also you can put the VortexBox in another Room if you want.

The microRendu will show up in iPeng and you can play to it.

[brubacca]

The microRendu is well worth the money. Over on the Naim forum they were replacing $4000 and higher pieces of equipment with the microRendu and DAC.

i personally have one and it bettered a $1,000 Naim UnitiQute (as a transport only), my homebuilt Atom PC and my Squeezebox Touch.