Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by mikechai

[WTS] M2Tech hiFace 24/192 Asynchronous USB-SPDIF

mikechai — Fri, 14 May 2010 23:47:10 +0800

M2Tech hiFace 24/192 USB-SPDIF Interface (Asynchronous USB)

Highlights
Highest quality digital audio up to 24bit/192kHz
S/PDIF audio format available from your PC or MAC
Very low jitter oscillators and proprietary drivers
Compact size (2x2.2x10.2cm) with hi-end performances

hiFace USB interface has been conceived to obtain the highest quality digital audio signal using a PC or MAC. hiFace input format is a data stream signal with sampling frequency/resolution up to 192kHz/24bits, available from a PC or MAC USB port. A very high quality S/PDIF stereo audio output signal is available from hiFace for your Hi-Fi system DAC (Digital to Analog Converter). HiFace looks like a small USB pendrive, featuring a very compact size. Internal very low jitter oscillators and proprietary drivers allow for playing 192kHz/24bits audio files that feature the best signal quality.

FEATURES

1) LOW JITTER, LOW PHASE NOISE, HIGH STABILITY OSCILLATORS
Most audio interfaces and USB-provided DACs refer the data stream clock to the same USB interface clock, that often suffers a very heavy jitter (short range oscillator frequency variations). Thanks to two quartz precision oscillators used on M2Tech hiFace, clock source for output data stream features a very low jitter. A more stable clock is recovered by DAC S/PDIF receiver; a low jitter produces a very limited sound image distortion and degradation. Phase noise (main responsible for jitter) is also very low: this guarantees a short and long range clock stability, also reinforced by a board supply voltage regulation (e.g. at environmental temperature stability is 2-5ppm approximately, compared to 50-100ppm performed by oscillators normally used on commercial CD players).

2) PROPRIETARY DRIVERS
The standard audio drivers available on the market (e.g. Microsoft Windows operating system) dictated constraints can be overcome thanks to hiFace proprietary drivers: they allow for transferring audio data, maintaining the original file quality without any loss of resolution quality; also, sampling frequency constraints are overcome, while Microsoft and ASIO drivers oblige to operate at no more than 96kHz. When hiFace is used together with a player application such as FooBar (available for free on Internet), you can transfer S/PDIF stream music files to a D/A converter at 192kHz/24bits maximum frequency/resolution, avoiding undesired PC or MAC audio mixer data processing during the data transfer from hard disk to interface. Presently, Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OSX drivers are available. Soon available also Linux drivers.

3) COMPACT SIZE AND EASE OF USE
M2Tech hiFace features a very compact size and can be directly (or using an accessory USB A-A adapter, not supplied with hiFace) connected to a High Speed USB 2.0 port of any computer. A very high electric and mechanical performance RCA gold connector provides an output signal, ready to be connected to a Hi-End system. No external power supply is required, as hiFace draws its power from USB bus itself and regulates it with its internal regulators. hiFace USB interface connected to a last generation mini PC provided with a High Speed USB port makes for a complete music transport system at very low prices (in the range of few hundreds Euros). Such system allows for listening any density and resolution music files, playing own CD’s using a CD ROM drive, obtaining access to more than 10,000 web radio, many of which broadcast their transmissions with CD quality.

SPECIFICATIONS

Connections
Input 1 x USB A type male
Output 1 x RCA female
I/O Standard
Input USB 2.0 Format
Output S/PDIF Stereo Digital Audio Format
Sampling Frequency
44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4khZ, 192kHz
Resolution 16 up to 24 bit
Dimensions 10.2(d) x 2.2(h) x 2(w) cm
Power Supply 5V DC from USB bus
Temperature from 0°C to 70°C
Weight 50gr approx.
Drivers available for Windows and Mac OSX. (Linux driver under development)

Stock status: READY STOCK!

Price:
RCA version: RM480
BNC version: RM580 Limited

Promotion: Free Postage offer

[addedon]May 14, 2010, 11:41 pm[/addedon]M2Tech hiFace 24/192 Asynchronous USB-SPDIF Converter

"...The HiFace is the biggest bang-for-the-buck piece of equipment I've experienced...."

REVIEWS
6moons hiFace Review
Enjoy The Music review of M2Tech hiFace
head-fi user review
Computer Audiophile user reviews

Also coming soon to Malaysia, Wyred4Sound DAC-1 and DAC-2 (ES9018 32Bit Sabre32 Reference DAC)

Any enquiries, please send to info@aegophile.net

Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED 10) by Novell

mikechai — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 19:00:06 +0800

Yesterday, Novell released a pre-release of its much-anticipated SUSE Enterprise Linux Desktop 10, actually the 3rd release candidate. This release contains all the much-touted stuff such as Xgl and its fancy effects, Beagle integration, and more...

http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/preview.html

Review here, here and here.

Go look at the video demos.
http://www.novell.com/video/desktop/

A look at the new Microsoft fonts

mikechai — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 19:49:26 +0800

http://neosmart.net.nyud.net:8080/blog/archives/182

http://neosmart.net.nyud.net:8080/blog/archives/182

I may not like Vista, but these fonts certainly looks great.

Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 GOLD preview

mikechai — Thu, 11 May 2006 12:02:29 +0800

http://www.aegophile.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=77

iZilla Media Monster!

mikechai — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 14:30:42 +0800

http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/izilla.shtml?cpg=28H

Product Features & Specifications
* 2000 Gigabytes of storage
* Built in CDRW/DVD-RW 52X/32X/52X/16X
* Built in slot loading turntable with laser pickup
* Plays back video and audio digital media in the following formats: MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, WMV, Divx, MP3, MP4, XviD, DVD(IFO, VOB), Ogg Vorbis, ADPCM, WMA, AAC-LC
* Rips video from DVD (downloadable software patch required for encrypted DVD media)
* Rips audio from CD (.wav, mp3 or Ogg Vorbis)
* Rips audio from Vinyl (.wav, mp3 or Ogg Vorbis)
* Transfers music to and from iPod (All iPod models with dock connector. Music from iPod must be non-encrypted.)
* Burns DVD, Audio and Data CD formats
* 7" TFT-LCD Touch screen 724x309 resolution
* Touch-Screen menu system controls all functions
* Wireless connectivity with wi-fi 802.11g and Bluetooth
* Wired connectivity via gigabit ethernet, USB 2.0, and Firewire.
* Wireless Bluetooth DJ style headphones included
* Six speaker surround system offering 5.1 channel surround sound with up to 120 watts per channel.
* Dimensions: 19" x 14" x 4.5", weight 32.8 lbs. with batteries installed.

Super Cheap DVD Player with DIVX

mikechai — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:53:58 +0800

Guys, I just bought a DVD player for only RM98.90, the bonus is it plays DIVX too!

Any other DVD player below RM100 that can play DIVX?

Aego M Fan Club

mikechai — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 19:24:16 +0800

Anyone who bought or heard this great speakers, please post your review here.

Yes it has landed in Malaysia.

Fedora Core 4 released!

mikechai — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 00:17:40 +0800

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you may have *thought* you were using the latest and greatest in open source software, but folks, today we have something really, really exciting for you. It purrs. It hums. It mesmerizes. It is ... FEDORA CORE FOUR. That's right, the premier open source operating system has just turned 4 -- four releases that is! But before we tell you how much this is going to cost, here are a few of the fabulous features: GNOME 2.10, OpenOffice.org 2.0 prerelease, Eclipse and a 100% open source Java stack, Fedora Extras, KDE 3.4, PPC. All of that, yes, all of that. But, wait!, before you reach for your wallet, you should hear about a few more of Fedora Core 4's fabulous features...."

Full release announcement --> https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-anno...e/msg00010.html
Release notes --> http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/release-notes/fc4/

Download ISO images via BitTorrent --> http://torrent.fedoraproject.org/

Download mirrors --> http://fedora.redhat.com/download/mirrors.html

The BSD Thread(FreeBSD, Net/OpenBSD, Mac OS X etc)

mikechai — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 19:12:15 +0800

Lets talk about your BSD experience here.

I use FreeBSD 5.4, a solid OS.

Strengths:-
1. Superb performance and stability
2. Software installation via Ports(source) or package
3. Excellent handbook
4. Runs linux binaries
5. BSD license is as "free" as it can be.