Girardian Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Computer audio novice trying to figure out whether an interim set up would work: If I get a MacMini could I use the USB connection on an Oppo BDP-83SE as an external DAC? OPPO BDP-83 Special Edition Blu-ray Disc Player If not, is there another way to use the player as a DAC for computer based audio until I move to an external DAC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 I'm not sure the Oppo would see the Mini as an external drive in the same way it sees a USB flash drive, actually I'm pretty convinced that it wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
episiarch Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 I don't own a BDP-83 but I read the manual the other day specifically with an eye to seeing if something like that were possible. It does not look like it is. The USB ports support only connection of a storage device. Edit: To amplify a bit on that point: when the BDP-83 is talking to a USB thumb drive or hard drive, it is acting as the master in the connection, and the drive as the slave. When the Mac Mini talks to a USB DAC, the Mac Mini is acting as the USB master and the DAC as the slave. So there is not even close to being a protocol match between the Oppo and the Mac Mini: each expects to be the master in the connection. And a USB storage device just isn't a USB audio device in terms of structure and protocol...among other things, storage devices use the USB block device protocol, while DACs use a streaming protocol (usually isochronous I believe, but I haven't looked into this in a while . . . anyway, it's not a block-structured device like a disk drive). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girardian Posted February 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 So this suggests that an external drive (with music on it) would have to be connected directly to the Oppo and could not be connected to a MacMini. I take it there's no other way to use the Oppo as an external DAC for computer audio? I have a projector and any computer based set up will need to be accessible without having to turn on the projector (I was planning to go MacMini in part so that I could use my iPhone as a remote). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aimless1 Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 NO, it won't work. It supports a flash drive, but that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girardian Posted February 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 So if I'm planning to get an external DAC later (for computer audio but could also use this with the OPPO), is the upgrade to the SE version of the OPPO worthwhile, assuming I'd also use the external DAC with the Oppo player? (I listen to movies in two channel on a high end system). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 I take it there's no other way to use the Oppo as an external DAC for computer audio? Sure there is: you could hack the Mac Mini and rewrite the USB driver so that it appears as an external drive to the Oppo. There's also the network connection. But I guess that depends what the Oppo does with that.So if I'm planning to get an external DAC later (for computer audio but could also use this with the OPPO), is the upgrade to the SE version of the OPPO worthwhile, assuming I'd also use the external DAC with the Oppo player? (I listen to movies in two channel on a high end system).Ask yourself this question: do you use the analog outs, or the HDMI outs? (Or other.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shokunin Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Oppo did update firmware to allow for DLNA network streaming, but it only supports a limited number of formats. I'm not sure I'd want to use Oppo's UI and remote for navigating a large library, searching, playlists, etc. AudioAsylum Oppo DLNA Thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augsburger Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Why not use an external soundcard Like a Musicland USD 01 to convert the MACs USB to SPDIF then connect the spdif to the Oppo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girardian Posted February 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Ask yourself this question: do you use the analog outs, or the HDMI outs? (Or other.) Analog outs -- which is why I'm consider upgrading to the SE version of the player. The upgrade doesn't change the HDMI performance. Oppo did update firmware to allow for DLNA network streaming, but it only supports a limited number of formats. I'm not sure I'd want to use Oppo's UI and remote for navigating a large library, searching, playlists, etc. Neither would I -- I'd like to use iTunes, and to use an iPhone as a remote. Thanks for the link to the AA DLNA thread. Why not use an external soundcard Like a Musicland USD 01 to convert the MACs USB to SPDIF then connect the spdif to the Oppo? I need to do some more research on work arounds like this. Ideally, I'd like to minimize conversions if they degrade sound -- but I need to do a lot more reading up and learning about these issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oogabooga Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Why not use an external soundcard Like a Musicland USD 01 to convert the MACs USB to SPDIF then connect the spdif to the Oppo? I thought the Oppo didn't have any digital inputs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augsburger Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 I thought the Oppo didn't have any digital inputs Er, ah humm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voltron Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 I see digital out but not in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augsburger Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 Yep, your rightspdif out never mind.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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