Squeeze Box Love'n'hate

Sounds like your SB3 is wireless... fix your wireless network or go wired. There are settings to increase or decrease how much your system buffers (I prefer a longer first buffer to prevent drops...) Dump your 2.4ghz wireless phones and go 5.8ghz, if you have neighbors switch your wireless broadcast channel on your wireless router (typically it will be either 6 or 11, try the other and see how performance does or switch it to 1. Check signal strength from the front of the SB3 to see if you are still having problems even with a good connection. If you are then your machine running slimserver might be underpowered. Slimserver running on Mac's is slower performing than Linux or the Windows equivalent. When was the last time you upgrade your slimserver software, it might be time (but it is opensource so it could get better or worse depending)

Since you are a Mac guy, you are use to paying more for simplicity (this is not a slam and don't take this as an insult Mac's Rock for their intended use); so buy a Sonos System which doesn't require the software of Slimserver running.. it just uses PNP media and it will create it's own wireless network between units which is much stronger than some of the wireless routers I have used. The remote is the bomb since you don't have to squint to see the SB3 display.

Or go with a USB DAC from your mac into your system and use Itunes on a nice LCD monitor between your speakers!

Slimdevices has a forum to help with setup and issues if you want to fix some of these problems (help you determine whether it is a Slimserver software version problem or a network/computer problem)

I love the Squeeze, though I have the same problems. I'm sure it has to do with my DSL line, though. I'm running the Squeeze wireless, but I lose my internet connection when it rains and that's when the Squeeze fails, too.

I have to agree with Rbatsch. I have had an SQII for a couple of years. Love and hate. Great when it works, a royal pain when it doesn't. I was wireless then switched to hardwired. Didn't make any difference. Everyonce in a while neither Firefox nor IE will be able to find the box. Usually it means rebooting the compter. I cannot find any consistency as to when this happens. I even dumped the SQ for awhile but had other problems. Which it turned out had nothing to do with the music player (stupid security software issue). I did miss Slimserver. I think the ideal would be Slimserver through my USB port. No networks, no host issues. Put a USB DAC with a jitter reduction on the output. The new DAC1 sounds like the ticket, or a Behringer SRC2496 for a low cost solution.

So manu weakpoints I am all ears before I buy.Wish thee wasn't such a price diff between SB3 and Transporter (which is a sexy looking devil and might be worth two $1K or one $2K DAC in sound quality.But have sneaking suspicion I am going to have to get mini or laptop Mac before I go there.Makes sense.Make CD-R's and HD back up as well as download.Want to get rid oif many lousy sounding Red Book CD's from first 10 to 15 years of CD's and now HD cheapness makes up for lack of good consumer taping system.Hope I don't crash HD and lose it since CD-R's only last for a while.
Chazz

Regalmal: I also have problems with Slimserver and my squeezebox about from 2-1 years ago where flac would stutter either wired or wireless.... Slimserver and the firmware has really improved since than and been really stable for me over the last 5 months. I also had to upgrade the firmware on my router which helped tremendously, and I dumped my old Dlink router which was non-stop problems.

Chazzbo: You can get some CD-R's that last 300 years now, you just need to look for archival quality. They use a different dye and cost a little more. I would recommend buying another external HD and then keeping it disconnected when not backing up to protect the drive.