frequently asked questions

why do I need one?

Pretty simple really - if you have or want to have any digital music player throughout the home (such as Squeezebox, Sonos, PS3 etc) you'll need a central place to store your music and video and photos. That solution is a NAS device - a centralised storage system. But then, when you buy a new CD you have to power up a PC/Mac , run software, rip the Cd and load it to the storage area. With Ripserver , you just slot in a CD and its done. No noise, no setup, no hassle.

But I can buy a nas cheaper...

Yes you can, but nothing as flexible as the features you will find here nor anything with a Cd drive that requires considerably more processing power than that available on a standard NAS device and none that are truly cross compatible with all media players and streamers.

What's in the box?

Ripserver, power supply, network cable, user manual.

How do I configure Ripserver?

Ripserver is true plug and play - plug into your network via a wired connection , turn it on and you are all set. Further configuration is done via a simple web page system, much like a router for all settings - this is simply access in a web browser by typing \\ripserver

Does it need an internet connection?

Yes - if you want it to grab the artist and album information for your ripped CD's

Is it wireless?

Its optional and can ship with an optional wireless card at time of purchase or after delivery but it must be plugged in once first as a wired unit to set up the wireless link.

What file formats does it support?

FLAC and MP3 - out of the box it defaults to MP3 320KBPS

Is Mac supported?

Yes, as is Linux and Windows XP and Vista

And cover art?

We embed cover art and add a folder.jpg and a folder.png

Metadata sources?

We use GD3 and FreeDB backup.

What if there is no metadata?

We will rip to a dedicated folder where you can edit the files, but this is very rare with our metadata engine.

Do i have to configure the media servers?

No, but you do have full control over them if needs be via the web interface

Will it store other files?

Yes - we open network folders for music, music 2 , photos and videos and you can add any that you wish just like a normal NAS.

Ripping - how and how long does it take?

How - pop the cd in the drawer , wait around 4 minutes and it will spit it back out , that's it

What Linux kernel does it run?

CentOS - so of course this is open under GPL and can be modified as you wish if you are that way inclined...

How noisy is it?

It uses a completely fan less design for noise free operation.

What back panel connectors are there?

USB x 2 , DSUB, RJ45 , audio, serial and PS2

What power cables are included?

The right one for your country ;)

How is it updated?

Very simply using the web browser interface you can check for updates and download automatically or burn ISO downloads for full installation and upgrade.

What warranty is provided?

2 years and a no quibble 30 day return in case of any malfunction or defect.