First post, setup questions

[marpow]

I believe the good doctor is running Kodi, as I am. Its a setting in Kodi, not the NUC hardware. I can't remember the exact terms, but one option is to specify a fixed output regardless of the actual file format. So, for example, if you specify a fixed output as 24/96, 5.1 channel, everything that is played will be output as 24/96, 5.1, even if it is only 16/44.1 stereo to begin with. Kodi will add the empty channels and increase the bitrate by adding zeros. If the track is actually of higher resolution like 24/192, 5.1, Kodi will transcode the track to 24/96 by removing bits. This allows the AVR to always only see the same incoming format, so it never tries to switch formats.

An alternate option within Kodi allows it to choose the closest output format relative to the file type. If set this way, Kodi will stream 2.0 16/44.1 when that is what the file is. It will also stream 24/96, 5.1 when that is the file format. If it encounters something strange like 20/44.1 it defaults to the closest available format (maybe 16/44.1 ?). However, this type of format switching makes many AVRs drop the first second or two of the track while the AVR adjusts.

JRiver may have the same type of option. Its been years since I played with JRiver, so I cant say for sure.

Yes, I understand and my set up on JRiver is very similar. I do not there is a button called pseudo surround on JRiver for 2.0 but I am not sure if that also changes the bitrate. I am sure all the playback software company's have very similar setups.
I will say I love my stereo and my surround and I don't think I would like everything to be surround.

 

[marpow]

OK so I think I'm getting a handle on this. Bit of a noob so please forgive my unfamiliarity with some lingo and/or terms.

So I can pick up a decent laptop, rip my discs with one or more apps mentioned here, edit the 5.1 mixes with app X, play them back with Kodi (or again app X) and I guess stream the files to an AVR of some sort (or would it be a wired connection?) and just have the playback engine set so that everything will be either actual 5.1 mixes or faux, being source dependent.

Is that pretty much it? If so, any recommendations for a budget friendly AVR?
If not, please elaborate.

BTW, thanks to everyone for all the help and info!

Pretty much, that is it, the wired connection to your AVR would be HDMI out from the PC to in of the AVR. If you have more than one HDMI input on your AVR, you can give it a name via your onscreen menu, mine is called JrivNuc and I assigned it to my auxiliary input so I just press AUX on my remote and bang, ready to go.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

OK so I think I'm getting a handle on this. Bit of a noob so please forgive my unfamiliarity with some lingo and/or terms.

So I can pick up a decent laptop, rip my discs with one or more apps mentioned here, edit the 5.1 mixes with app X, play them back with Kodi (or again app X) and I guess stream the files to an AVR of some sort (or would it be a wired connection?) and just have the playback engine set so that everything will be either actual 5.1 mixes or faux, being source dependent.

Is that pretty much it? If so, any recommendations for a budget friendly AVR?
If not, please elaborate.

BTW, thanks to everyone for all the help and info!

You will need a networked AVR with Wi-Fi to wirelessly stream files from your a laptop. For a wired connection, do as Marpow said... use an HDMI cable. You can also wire everything together with Ethernet cable.

I thought this AVR was a great deal... but hurry, its only at this price till the end of today.

 

[dr. simple]

You will need a networked AVR with Wi-Fi to wirelessly stream files from your a laptop. For a wired connection, do as Marpow said... use an HDMI cable.

Can you stream full resolution, multichannel through wi-fi? It seems to me that's a LOT of data for that... Unless (as mentioned on another thread) he's sending the files and having the AVR do the decoding.

 

[Likido]

I will say I love my stereo and my surround and I don't think I would like everything to be surround.

Yeah, I get that and largely agree.

My intention isn't to listen to my stereo files in faux surround all the time, my goal is actually geared towards a couple/few specific instances.

For one, I would like to be able to listen to my ELP set (I only care about the first four albums), all of which I have in surround, except for a couple tracks from the eponymous debut that were not mixed in 5.1 on the release. So I'd want to be able to pull that up, and have the whole album with the original track order and not have a couple random files pop in stereo to keep the experience consistent, as much as is possible anyway.

Same case for Peter Gabriel's So album, which I have most of in 5.1 from the Play DVD, and I could put that on as well and just have the 3 tracks not in 5.1 in faux, for the same reason.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Can you stream full resolution, multichannel through wi-fi? It seems to me that's a LOT of data for that... Unless (as mentioned on another thread) he's sending the files and having the AVR do the decoding.

I assume in all cases I discussed, the AVR is doing the decoding. I don't know of anything that will stream decoded MCH. I guess I really never looked for anything like that.