Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
I hadn't tried Squeezeplay for many months, so I tried a nightly with my library and with Pandora. I have a couple of thoughts: - The unified UI is quite nice. Having the same general philosophy on a PC, SB and (eventually, I assume) iPhone solves my problem - my wife will have no problem. - The sync doesn't work for me. I have overlapping zones, and Squeezeplay on a Mac runs +/1 1/2 a second or so from the Squeezebox. When standing between them it sounds like gibberish. I'll keep waiting. Thanks for your help. Ron talbotpat;388663 Wrote: You can sync music between Squeezeboxes and clients running on computers. I am playing the same stream right now on my Duet, the Duet remote controller, SqueezePlay running on WinXP, and SqueezePlay running on my MacBook Pro. The syncing has gotten noticeably better now with SqueezePlay vs. SoftSqueeze. With SoftSqueeze, the players tended to 'creep apart' by several hundred milliseconds no matter what buffer settings and correction windows I tried. With SqueezePlay it's light years better. The Controller playback and sync is still Beta, but works well enough for me for what I use it for. As for ripping and transcoding/converting, I use Max on the MacBook Pro. It's good stuff. There are good options on Windows as well that are relatively brainless. -- EyeRonik1 EyeRonik1's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=20292 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
Apple claims that syncing music between a Mac and the remotes works. It doesn't with Squeezecenter - you can sync two Squeezeboxen together but you can't sync playback to a computer. I don't know that the Apple solution works well, but they do claim it does. Also, don't underestimate the value of using iTunes as your controller. My wife will not use the Squeezecenter controller (It's powerful but barely usable - the UI would have been wonderful in 1996) but is happy to use iTunes. She would love to be able to send her iTunes music to the Squeezeboxes. I'm a moderately happy Squeezebox user, with a couple of them. If I were starting from scratch though I think I'd go with Airtunes for the reasons above. -- EyeRonik1 EyeRonik1's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=20292 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
EyeRonik1;388654 Wrote: Also, don't underestimate the value of using iTunes as your controller. My wife will not use the Squeezecenter controller (It's powerful but barely usable - the UI would have been wonderful in 1996) but is happy to use iTunes. She would love to be able to send her iTunes music to the Squeezeboxes. I think that iPeng changes all that. Set up your SqueezeCenter and leave it running and have family members only use the iPod touch as their music library browser and remote control. The only thing that is not so easy is ripping, transcoding and tagging which is integrated in iTunes but left as an exercise for the reader in Squeezebox land. --dsdreamer. -- dsdreamer -- Dreamer, easy in the chair that really fits you... dsdreamer's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=12588 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
EyeRonik1;388654 Wrote: Apple claims that syncing music between a Mac and the remotes works. It doesn't with Squeezecenter - you can sync two Squeezeboxen together but you can't sync playback to a computer. I don't know that the Apple solution works well, but they do claim it does. You can sync music between Squeezeboxes and clients running on computers. I am playing the same stream right now on my Duet, the Duet remote controller, SqueezePlay running on WinXP, and SqueezePlay running on my MacBook Pro. The syncing has gotten noticeably better now with SqueezePlay vs. SoftSqueeze. With SoftSqueeze, the players tended to 'creep apart' by several hundred milliseconds no matter what buffer settings and correction windows I tried. With SqueezePlay it's light years better. The Controller playback and sync is still Beta, but works well enough for me for what I use it for. -- talbotpat talbotpat's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=22750 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
I had the same idea about a cheap music streaming system and did start with my Win XP PC, iTunes, Airfoil and an Airport Express. I got music streamed to my amp and I could control it in a cumbersome way. It was frustrating to have different components which do work together or not. At least I was really thinking about to buy a Mac mini, because the best integration of all components is by using only Apple products. At this point I was thinking about what I really want ... it's simple ... just hear my music hassle free and in good quality. From here I took a deep look at the Squeezebox Classic (which was so expensive in the beginning of my Odyssey) and found my solution. It's simple to use, a display which shows the audience what's been played, I can use the original IR remote, old OfA Digital 5, my daughters iPod touch :), my PC or The Squeezecenter is portable an can be installed on so many different systems (Ubuntu on a low power PC in my case). So many plugins and settings to create a tailor made system. And the best - in the forum and bugzilla you can report issues, enhancements and you get real feedback. The developers and many, many other friendly and helpful people do hear and support you. I'm happy and do really enjoy my music. My 2 cent -- jo-wie SB Classic, SC 7.3.2 auf GigaByte STA/C mit VIA C7 1GHz, 1GB RAM, 250 GB 2,5 HD, Ubuntu Desktop 8.04 jo-wie's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17952 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
Sound quality from analog outputs: Squeezebox is better Sound quality from digital outputs: I can't tell the difference Ease of set-up and use: Apple wins: most people already know iTunes Flexibility: Squeeze wins, highly tunable in so many ways Supported file formats: Squeeze does more, except in the case of DRM'ed music. Serves multiple concurrent users: Only with Squeezecenter Cost: Airport express is only $99 per node, and is functionally similar to a SB Receiver at $150 ($135 right now in the sale). A two node solution need only cost $99 x 2 plus $239 for an 8GB iPod Touch(tm). I think there is still strong value in the SlimDevices product line, particularly if analog sound quality is a key driver for you. Furhermore, there is a whole line of products to fit different usage models from the Boom at one end to the Transporter at the other. -- dsdreamer -- Dreamer, easy in the chair that really fits you... dsdreamer's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=12588 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
Thanks for the advice ... I'm still stuck but leaning towards the apple setup ... all the apps for an iPod touch are a tad appealing -- jm6 jm6's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=23251 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
jm6;388282 Wrote: Thanks for the advice ... I'm still stuck but leaning towards the apple setup ... all the apps for an iPod touch are a tad appealing JM6 Controlling the Squeezecenter etc with Ipeng on the Ipod Touch is a dream. -- RalphO RalphO Transporter/Audio Research SP9/Bryston ST4/Magneplanar MG1.6QR RalphO's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3619 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
I do recommend controlling whichever solution you choose using an iPod Touch. I can vouch for the fact that using iPeng to control SqueezeCenter is a great way to go. -- dsdreamer -- Dreamer, easy in the chair that really fits you... dsdreamer's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=12588 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
Re: [slim] Squeezebox vs. AirTunes Setup
jm6;387970 Wrote: I am looking at setting up a home audio network and wondering what the advantages / disadvantages of an AirTunes based network (Airport Express, iTunes, iPod Touch with Remote, Airfoil to stream Pandora) vs. Squeezebox. The AirTunes network seems to be lower cost overall and has the advantage of the iPod Touch apps, portability and wifi for internet access (E-mail, etc). But it seems a bit cumbersome since you need a workaround for Pandora, you can't stream different songs to different airport expresses, you can't listen to tunes without having your PC on and I'm worried about the clunkyness of using the remote app on the iPod touch to go back to my PC to change tunes. Appreciate any advice or key points I missed. Squeezebox SqueezeCenter are compatible with Pandora if you live in the US - without a workaround, you can stream different songs to different Squeezebox Receivers/Booms/PC clients and SC has an ipod phone/touch plugin/skin and at least three iPod apps (the one I have tried is a joy to use). You will still need your PC on though unless you have a NAS capable of running SqueezeCenter. -- PurpleSqueeze PurpleSqueeze's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=21532 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=58639 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
