Well I dove right into this pc audio thing. So far I like it. I was wondering what options there are for controlling a music PC/server. I don't even have the dedicated PC or server built yet but I just want to get ideas.

First I was wondering if they made a soundcard where it was possible to connect multiple MAIN stereo speakers. For instance, say I wanted speakers in my living room, then I also wanted speakers in my bedroom, and then speakers also in the family room. I would like all these speakers connected to the SAME PC. I would also like to be able to play different music to each speaker set but I'm not sure how that would work either.

I was also wondering what type of remotes(if any)are available to control a pc wirelessly. The only devices I know of are the Squeezebox(which really only plays your music), a laptop, or a pocket pc.

my goal, if it's possible to connect multiple speakers to the same pc, AND play different music to said speakers, I would just like to be able to have a small remote(pocket pc type thing) I can keep on my person and order up a song any time no matter what room I'm in.

Now I know the squeezebox does this, I'm just wondering if there is a different way to go about it, and maybe cheaper way.

Also, what exactly is a file(music)server? How do they differ from a pc?

Hope I was clear on everything. Thanks for any info...

Ron

There are various ways you could do this. Fistly by wires: use a soundcard split analog or digital connections to dacs/receivers/amps in various rooms. With the right soundcard you might be able to have different music to different places - only a few soundcards would work and you would have to use different software for each place.
Or get a pack of squeezeboxes.
Or get an hard drive player; might end up being easiest especially if you are not a techie.
A music server is a PC which is networked and whose files you access across the network.
You can control a PC wirelessly but I don't know what the device is.

I built an infra red controled silent PC with LCD screen but in the end I sold it and bought a Squeezebox :-)

Have a look at girder


Now it is not free, but older versions were free for personal use.

You can confıgure it to use many types of remotes and control your computers (windows only) programs.

I use it with a winlirc remote and can control video players and music players such as media player classic, bsplayer, foobar2000 etc.

Maybe a little bit expensive solution, but you're not limited to music only.

fairyliquidizer,

If you sold your silent pc where do you store music now?? How do you like the squeezeboxes?


As for the server, I mean what components does it have inside it? It doesn't need a monitor does it? The ReadyNAS NV by SlimServer is something that would be nice, but a little pricey for me. It seems that a server would be cheaper to build than a pc.

ron