Samsung Galaxy TAB info

[Encora]

I have Samsung sounder, hooked up to my TV. I want to buy a Samsung TAB or similar, exclusively to play my music (Saved from 1000+ CDs I own) over the soundbar, the music coming from the TAB's storage, the TAB itself just functioning as a control panel, to select which music I want to hear.

So I am not looking for the widest range of TAB specs such as the TAB 9 or Tab 9+, more like an LTE, it can even be a model 8 or 7 if they are still available on sale.
Can anyone advise me what would be the cheapest model still available new at this moment.  And where to get it ?
Any Black Friday specials?

I know I could do it by my phone, but I want the 'control panel" Permanently attached to the Soundbar, by cable, no stuffing around with Bluetooth, no plugging in when I want music.

[Bruce Mangosteen]

I think you want to find a USB DAC (digital-to-analog converter) that will convert USB-C on your tablet to whatever cable you want to plug into the soundbar.

For example, here's one that converts USB-C to SPDIF and 3.5 mm jack:  https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Hdiwousp-Optical-MacBook-Samsung/dp/B0CFXV89NN/ref=asc_df_B0CFXWFJ7R/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=675695944447&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13911068569023230882&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010526&hvtargid=pla-2247710643751&mcid=c94bd0dd595538b58662a2e3c5cbb793&th=1

Then, pick a tablet that supports USB audio output.  This may depend on the Android version, and include using a USB OTG (on the go) cable with your DAC.

Just as an aside, unless you ripped everything lossless, e.g. to OGG or FLAC, I doubt you'll hear much improvement over Bluetooth with a good audio CODEC.

https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/bluetooth-audio-codecs-explained/

Addendum:  Adding an app that supports DACs might make selecting the tablet easier:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro&hl=en_US&gl=US

Edited November 23, 2023 by Bruce Mangosteen

[swede37]

Keep in mind that with an usb-c to 3.5 or spdif you cant charge the pad while sould cable is plugged in.

I would just cast to the tv no need to change inputs or fiddle with cables then.

Edited November 23, 2023 by swede37

[Encora]

Would I seriously lose quality if I just use a 3.5 mm stereo jack and take it from the headphone socket of the tablet into the soundbar? That would leave the USB port to charge it.

[swede37]

3 hours ago, Encora said:

Would I seriously lose quality if I just use a 3.5 mm stereo jack and take it from the headphone socket of the tablet into the soundbar? That would leave the USB port to charge it.

I thought samsung deleted the headphone jack but looking at their pads I can see they still have it. The samsung a8 is cheap and should work fine with a headphone cable to the soundbar

[Spellforce]

Just buy a cheap Android TV box and one usb external hard drive.

Then copy all your mp3/flac files to this hard drive, and plug it to your Android box.

You will spend less than 3,000 Bahts and you will be able to play 4k movies.

 

 

 

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

2 hours ago, swede37 said:

I thought samsung deleted the headphone jack but looking at their pads I can see they still have it.

I thought the same thing, and the quick google I just did on it shows that the newest ones are losing that jack, but there are still some around that have it.

6 hours ago, Encora said:

Would I seriously lose quality if I just use a 3.5 mm stereo jack and take it from the headphone socket of the tablet into the soundbar?

The music would come out of the tablet analog, meaning that you were using the tablet's built-in DAC to convert it from digital to analog.  Considering that your OP asked for the cheapest tablet you could buy, it seems intuitive that the cheapest tablet would use the cheapest components, most likely including the DAC.  Your best bet for the best fidelity would be digital out of the tab, then a good-quality DAC.  Not sure if the sound from a headphone jack would be better than a good Bluetooth CODEC too.

1 hour ago, Spellforce said:

Just buy a cheap Android TV box and one usb external hard drive.

This is a good alternative, although personally I've decided to stick to Windows boxes for this purpose.  The Android boxes I've had, by Minix, are on a custom Minix "fork", aren't on the regular Android update program, and Minix struggles to update them, preferring to blame their customers in the support forum for wanting to stay updated. 

I have a Minix Windows box that works great, updates as normal, and looks almost exactly like my laptop/regular "driver", so I know where all the "buttons and knobs" are.  In fact, I have it set up as a backup for my laptop, in case that decides to shit the bed.  Native remote desktop access is a great plus; in fact, my Windows streamer has no monitor (other than the TV) or input devices attached.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Bruce Mangosteen

[Spellforce]

27 minutes ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

I have a Minix Windows box that works great

Then you only need to purchase an usb hard drive, this one is really cheap:

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/cod-seagate-2tb1tb-hdd-usb-30-25-i4781308097-s19736306175.html?

 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

2 hours ago, Spellforce said:

Then you only need to purchase an usb hard drive, this one is really cheap:

Well, I wasn't the OP on this thread, but yes, I agree that if he had a Windows box he was using as a streamer then that HD would be good.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Bruce Mangosteen

[Encora]

Not using a Windows box as a streamer.

and being a bit long in the tooth, don’t even know what an Android box is.

 

reluctant to use the television itself as the control panel to select my music, big. Power consuming thing, dominating the room, just want a small control screen, but bigger then a phone (old codger with crappy eyesight), i thought a Samsung Tab would just be the right thing, stick  all music on a mini SD card, stick it into the Tab, Bob’s your uncle….

[Bruce Mangosteen]

1 hour ago, Encora said:

...being a bit long in the tooth, don’t even know what an Android box is ...etc.

Wrong side of 65 here.

There are a billion Android boxes out there.  It's a small form-factor box with connectors on it for video and input devices, but it runs Android instead of Windows or a proprietary OS, like some boxes do.

Here's an example of an Android box:

https://www.minix.us/x35-i

At $154, it's on a par with the cheapest tablets, and is actually set up for HD audio and can also play 4K video.

1 hour ago, Encora said:

reluctant to use the television itself as the control panel to select my music, big. Power consuming thing, dominating the room, just want a small control screen, but bigger then a phone

Modern TVs use piddling amounts of energy, but I wouldn't want to use mine as the monitor for a music system either.

1 hour ago, Encora said:

i thought a Samsung Tab would just be the right thing, stick  all music on a mini SD card, stick it into the Tab, Bob’s your uncle…

Well, I think the assumption was that a Samsung Tab would be a piece of high-fidelity audio equipment too, which isn't the case, I'm afraid.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Bruce Mangosteen

[Encora]

Thank you Bruce, very informative. 
But if I would get an Android box like yo describe above, would I still be able to use a Tab to control my music selection (The box doesn't show a screen), or would the lack of HiFi torpedo that?

[Bruce Mangosteen]

26 minutes ago, Encora said:

But if I would get an Android box like yo describe above, would I still be able to use a Tab to control my music selection (The box doesn't show a screen), or would the lack of HiFi torpedo that?

You would have to set up software to remotely control the box from the tablet.  I use TeamViewer for this:  https://www.teamviewer.com/en-us/info/free-for-personal-use/  It's a breeze to use once it's set up.

The tablet's sound wouldn't be involved.  You'd offload the music files to storage that was accessible to the streaming box.

Note that some Samsung Tablets feature wireless charging, which solves the problem of using the USB port for audio:

https://cellularnews.com/mobile-accessories/which-samsung-tablets-have-wireless-charging/

TBH, I'd try Bluetooth first before going to all this trouble.  IMO the quality of the soundbar would be more likely to be implicated in unsatisfactory sound than a decent Bluetooth CODEC.  The difference wouldn't be apparent to me, after all the concerts and steel mills I've been in.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Bruce Mangosteen

[Encora]

Thank you!

[Bruce Mangosteen]

Any updates or decisions made?

[Soi7]

On 24/11/2023 at 17:16, Spellforce said:

Then you only need to purchase an usb hard drive, this one is really cheap:

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/cod-seagate-2tb1tb-hdd-usb-30-25-i4781308097-s19736306175.html?

 

Like lots of the offers on Lazada that will never be 2TB for 16 US dollars A scam one of thousands on Lazada not sure why they allow those ads

[Spellforce]

10 hours ago, Soi7 said:

Like lots of the offers on Lazada that will never be 2TB for 16 US dollars A scam one of thousands on Lazada not sure why they allow those ads

Take a look at the reviews, no problem...

And there is no risk to purchase with Lazada, 10 times I had some issues and 10 times Lazada refund me.

[Soi7]

7 minutes ago, Spellforce said:

Take a look at the reviews, no problem...

And there is no risk to purchase with Lazada, 10 times I had some issues and 10 times Lazada refund me.

And I guarantee you they'll have to refund you again because there's no possible way you're getting two TB for 16 US dollars.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Soi7

[Soi7]

https://aseannow.com/topic/1216656-just-in-case-you-think-lazada-reviews-are-genuine/

[forcebwithu]

26 minutes ago, Spellforce said:

Take a look at the reviews, no problem...

And there is no risk to purchase with Lazada, 10 times I had some issues and 10 times Lazada refund me.

I've been equally successful with refunds from Lazada, but with the dodgy sellers they'll drag out the refund process by not approving the return and subsequent refund. They'll instead let Lazada's automatic system run its course on approving the return, and then the refund. That will take around 10 days before you see a refund.

And as @Soi7 posted, a lot of reviews are fake. Pretty obvious with the two comments on the dodgy drive, both comments about the good look of the drive. That's reassuring, the drive looks good so it has to be real.

For an idea of what the real Seagate 2TB Expansion hdd goes for, here's the price on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TKFEE5S/ref=twister_B00TS6JL4S?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

 

[Farangkie]

11 hours ago, Soi7 said:

Like lots of the offers on Lazada that will never be 2TB for 16 US dollars A scam one of thousands on Lazada not sure why they allow those ads

True you can't buy a 2TB for $16, when you click on the Lazada link, It ships from China not Thailand, and it's obviously a fake, a few vids on YT about them.

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Farangkie

[komplot]

45 minutes ago, Spellforce said:

Take a look at the reviews, no problem...

And there is no risk to purchase with Lazada, 10 times I had some issues and 10 times Lazada refund me.

Most likely you get a HDD that looks just like that, and it looks real. But the thing is, there is no way that it's going to be 2TB.

It will be a small HDD or even just a memory card inside that says the size is 2tb. But the drive might only be 64gb. So when you cross 64gb, it will start to write new data over your old data. It still looks like your old files are there, but they will not work anymore as the data is missing. 

You can look up "fake 2tb harddrives" on youtube and you will see what I'm talking about. This is a big scam.