Please help me find the right digital player


Hi all,

I am looking for a digital player that has HDMI out so that song selection and album art is available via remote control on my flat screen. My lowly NeoTV (similar to an Apple TV) does just that, (and supports 24/192 gaplessly, to boot!). It doesn’t matter if the solution has an integrated HDD, or just accepts my USB HDD. But I am looking for something better.

The Bryston, Auraliti and Sonore have the SQ that I would want for my Maggies, but they don’t have HDMI out, and require a small iPad/iPhone for remote control. The SB Touch’s screen is just too small for these old eyes, (besides, it works best when networked, rather than with a standalone USB, as I have). The Olive doesn't quite work either.

Also, I don’t need a ripping solution. I just need 24-192 playback.

The NeoTV sounds surprisingly good via optical to my DAC. And I know that it would benefit from something like the Synchromesh, but I am looking to upgrade it altogether.

Does such an animal exist? I haven’t found one…

Any ideas?

Thanks!
mkh1099
The user interface on the Oppo for playing digital audio files is pretty limited, especially for a large library.

Honestly, I am not sure what you want exists, except in the form of a Blur-Ray player or a computer. HDMI is just not part of the audio scene.
Although the Oppo's own user interfaces (whether displayed on a TV, a monitor, or even via Oppo's MediaControl app on a tablet) may be limited, one does not necessarily have to use any of those interfaces to play digital audio files. Unlike earlier Oppos, the current generation of 10x Oppos include DMR (Digital Media Renderer) capability which, for example, allows me to use JRiver software to control the playing of digital audio files stored on my laptop's internal or external harddrives. JRiver software is pretty robust.
From the original post I thought he wanted a solution that did not involve a computer.

If he is going to use JRiver why not just get a computer with HDMI out for the TV and go directly from the computer to the DAC? No need for an Oppo in that configuration. And, if using a computer then a large monitor might be as good as a TV.
@Gz3027 - Yes, the Oppo would play my digital files to my 2 channel system, with remote control music library management output to a TV, just as I would want. But unfortunately I don't want to pay for the Oppo's BR drive along with all of its video capability when I only want audio.

@Dtc - you are correct. I don't want a PC solution... But that WOULD be easy. And you may be correct in that want I want may not exist. (except in the form of inexpensive media players like the NeoTV, Apple TV or the WDTV).

But I will keep checking this thread for suggestions...

Thanks again!