[slim] Controller: Sort order in Artist category differs from sort order in Albums category
When browsing Albums, I get the desired sort order Artist, Year, Album. However, when browsing Artists, the selected Artist's albums are not sorted by year. I have set the Controller setting Settings-Advanced-Album sort order correctly, however this setting does not seem to affect how the albums are sorted when browsing artists. I believe this might be a bug in the latest 7.3 and 7.4, because I recall that this was done correctly in some older release. When the album sort order is set to sort by Artist, Year, Album then Artists' albums should also be sorted by Year, Album when browsing Artists. This seems to be broken unless there is a Artist sort order settings in the SBC that I have overlooked... My ignorance or a bug? Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=66262 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezecenter won't start on Vista 64
FWIW, works fine here on Vista 64 Ultimate. (I upgraded from 6.5.3. to 7.0GA never tried a beta). I noticed a change in behavior though: The desktop shortcut no longer brings up a browser window (I belive it did this in v6). Instead you now have to double click the taskbar icon to bring up the window... Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=44461 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
dean blackketter;277398 Wrote: So the takeaway is that we can do better by doing a proper dither on the device from 888 to 565. Also, the viewing angle matters. Great! I believe this will take care of the problem. Please use Floyd-Steinberg dithering (or an equally good method). BTW, what is the size of the artwork displayed by the SBC? Is it possible to use a lossless format (e.g. PNG, BMP, or GIF) instead of JPG for the artwork? If this is possible, I'm going to try converting the source files to the native size of the SBC and use 5-6-5 Floyd-Steinberg dithering. Thanks, Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] A major gripe about the charging cradle ...
Phil Leigh;276612 Wrote: ? - how hard is it to put a new plug on a mains cable? There is no mains cable. The switching power supply plugs directly into the wall outlet. The problem is the fixed cable between the molded PS and the cradle. The cord is way too short... And when using a regular extension cord, the combined weight of the cord and power supply (which hangs freely in the air, unless you fix it somehow) tends to pull the cradle off the shelf... The solution is of course to cut the cable and extend it. Unfortunately this also cuts the 2nd hand value. Very undesirable, as the 2nd hand value is important on volatile electronics like this. You might want to sell it only a few days after cutting the cable. Then you find out that you will have to purchase a new cradle for $$$ because your buyers are not prepared to pay for a gutted item... Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=44316 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] SBC Problems
FWIW, I've seen some of these problems too. No need to remove the battery though: Keep the home button depressed for a few seconds and the remote will shut off. Once you power it on again, everything is working fine again... Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=44510 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
According to the specifications, the Controller has a 256K color display (should that really be 256,000 or 256?), yet the quality of displayed colors is nowhere near what it could be on a 256 color screen. The display quality looks like the image is quantized to a fixed set of colors without follow-up by error dithering to correct quantization errors. A 256 color display can display images much better than what the Controller currently does. The trick is to apply dithering to compensate for the quantization error. (For instance Floyd-Steinberg dithering is excellent - sample code can be found in the libjpeg package). If the Controller uses a LCD with 256K colors, then the problem is possibly the lack of error dithering to compensate for bit truncation done by the LCD. I have scanned all my album coverart in 700x700 pixels (150dpi) and store them in JPEG format. The defects show up more obvious on some artwork than other. I have attached images of the artwork of one of my CDs where the defects are obvious. artwork.jpg : Source image provided to SqueezeCenter controller.jpg : Source image converted to a palette of 256 fixed colors without using error dithering. The Controller displays the artwork pretty much this way. The defects are in the same locations and of the same type. errorcorr.jpg : Source image converted to a palette fixed colors using Floyd-Steinberg error dithering. Looks much better, doesn't it? Thoughts? Is the problem what I suggest it is? Any chance this will be improved? Thanks, Peter The two similated images were created with PMView Pro avalaible at www.pmview.com. Note that the Forum software converted my two original 256-color GIF images to JPEG. +---+ |Filename: errorcorr.jpg| |Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4533| +---+ -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
Good point. However, colors would not suffer from size reduction even when a very crude pixel dropping method is used. I just tried resizing to 150x150 without interpolation (=pixel dropping in PMView) and the only obvious defect is jagged edges. Colors are 100% ok. The errors I see in the SBC Artwork display are those of color reduction from 24-bit to 256 colors without using error correction dithering. Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
dean;277186 Wrote: There is some banding, but I don't think that it's as bad as the example you posted.? The problem I'm seeing is not banding. I know what banding is, and the SBC does not display the image nearly as well as a 5-6-5 display would. dean;277186 Wrote: The SBC doesn't do any dithering, but it probably should. I don't think that's necessary. A 5-6-5 display should provide adequate results for MOST images. Only images with gradients will show banding. dean;277186 Wrote: Can you file a bug on http://bugs.slimdevices.com and attach the original image that you are having problems with? Thanks. I will do that. Obviously the software is doing some really bad things with the image before it's sent to the SBC. Now I'm guessing that it might be converted to 8-bits to limit bandwith and save processing time in the SBC. If this is the case, the conversion to 8-bits (256 colors) is done very poorly! Thanks, Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
Here's a photo of the SBC taken with my Canon G9. +---+ |Filename: sbc.jpg | |Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4538| +---+ -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
Thanks. Here is the original image (artwork.jpg) that SqueezeCenter uses. I've also added another artwork (renamed to artwork2.jpg) that shows the same type of problem. I can easily find more examples, but I'm sure these two are enough. Please see if you can repeat the problem with these images. Thanks, Peter +---+ |Filename: artwork.zip | |Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4539| +---+ -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
I was going to open up a bug report, however, what category should I open it under? There is no specific category for the SBC... Here are two images that clearly show the problem in the SBC. (I can easily find more examples if needed). Can you repeat the problem? +---+ |Filename: artwork2.jpg | |Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4542| +---+ -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Duet Controller artwork quality - no dithering done?
I've opened bug report #7462 Thanks, Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=2 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Announcing the Squeezebox Duet
Bily;261020 Wrote: I have already a Squeezebox. If I want to add the new remote, the price is 299$. This is way too much. Could there be a special price for customers like us? Anyway 299$ is just too much for the controller! If that is the case, then simply pick up a Nokia 770 on eBay... Not the same performance, but you do save about $130... I think the price of the controller is right on target! You can buy additional regular remotes for $19.99. The controller is a luxury item that nobody needs. I'm s happy that they made this item available! At $299 it is really affordable. (I'd hate spending close to $200 on a Nokia 770 that would still require a lot of my time for tweaking, yet, in the end the 770 would never work as well as a dedicated device like the controller will). Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=41813 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Announcing the Squeezebox Duet
Bily;261020 Wrote: I have already a Squeezebox. If I want to add the new remote, the price is 299$. This is way too much. Could there be a special price for customers like us? Anyway 299$ is just too much for the controller! If that is the case, then simply pick up a Nokia 770 on eBay... Not the same performance, but you do save about $130... I think the price of the controller is right on target! You can buy additional regular remotes for $19.99. The controller is a luxury item that no Squeezebox/Transporter owner really needs. (Receiver owners will need one, but that's not part of this conversation). I'm s happy that they made this item available! At $299 it is really affordable. (I'd hate spending close to $200 on a Nokia 770 that will still require a lot of my time for tweaking, yet, in the end the 770 would never work as well as a dedicated device like the controller will). Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=41813 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] TinyAmp S30 amplifier the perfect companion Squeezebox ?
pichonCalavera;260452 Wrote: So this is a DAC and amplifier at the same time? Yes, and this is not a good thing. This amp forces you to control the volume in the digital domain, and as a result signal resolution is lost at lower playback levels than maximum level. If the amp is inexpensive, why not. However, the true digital feature of this amp is really not worth a penny extra, because of the fact that you still have to control the volume in the digital domain... (A good true digital amp would take full level digital input and have some innovative feature for controlling the volume that preserves the full signal resolution to the DAC or PWM. TacT Millennium and other TacT amps do this, for example). Don't buy the digital claim of this amp. A good conventional amplifier with analog volume control and built in (or external) DAC will sound better any day... Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=42445 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] duet impression
mik63;258170 Wrote: To have the display removed from the squeezebox was long overdued, but: 1) Price for the remote is crazy Compared to what? I had planned to get a Nokia 770 on eBay for this sole purpose. It would be clumsy and far from optimal, but still probably cost close to $200 bought used and scratched up... $300 is a fair price for a remote uniquely designed for use with the Squeezebox and/or Transporter. mik63;258170 Wrote: 2) Launcing a new product with 802.11g instead of 802.11n or even with both g,n and a is also crazy (especially after the tons of issues with wireless connectivity..) Consider the competition. What other music players are offering 802.11n today? mik63;258170 Wrote: 3) The audio specs are not better at all. I'm sure you have already noticed that the Receiver is simply a Squeezebox without screen in a black box at half the price ($149 vs $299). I think both the controller and receiver (=Duet combined) are a very smart marketing move: 1) It does not annoy customers that recently spent $300 on a Squeezebox or $2000 on a Transporter. These owners can simply buy a controller to get the added functionality. This will put them at a step beyond a simple Duet setup, and most people will probably not agonize about losing out. 2) The Receiver part adds a truely missed component to the line; an inexpensive way to add a player to locations where you don't care about (or want) seeing a display, like in a kitchen setup. Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=42197 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Announcing the Squeezebox Duet
Mnyb;254877 Wrote: There are stupendeus price hikes if one sees the European prices :-( at http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/wireless_music_systems/ Qucik calc for the swedish prices including 25% VAT: 399$*6.2031*1.25=3094 SEK The suggested logitech price 3999 SEK (I hope this includes VAT) I'm stunned, wtf correct it now What about custom duties (about 4-5% on electronics: 399*6.2031*1.05*1.25). What about the freight and stocking costs? This is a big issue! What if the Swedish importer buys 1 units but can only sell 9000 before there is a new model or the price radically changes. What about the high salary and company taxes in Sweden? Somehow the sales personnell in Sweden has to get paid too... When you buy in Sweden you have amazing rights to return the product for whatever reason. Generally, in the US a deal is a deal! You can always buy directly from a US reseller (or on eBay) if you think the Euro prices are too high!!! Quit complaining already! Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=41813 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Price Difference
Don't forget that in the US a deal is a deal. Many US resellers have restocking fees that apply if the customer decides to return his unit. This does not hold true for many countries outside the US. For instance in Finland, any seller must BY LAW take back a consumer unit for FULL REFUND if the product is returned within 14 days. Restocking fees are generally unheard of in Nordic countries (and in Europe in general, AFAIK). All returns will be a burden on the seller. Consequently, the margins must be bigger than in the US. Peter -- pnielsen pnielsen's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11801 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=42113 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
