Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
JohnSwenson wrote: The Touch does support IR blaster through the headphone jack just like the SB3. With the current firmware it's not as capable since it does not support raw mode in the IR blaster plugin. If you already have the correct information for your amp and use it with the SB3 IR blaster plugin you should be able to use it with the Touch version of the IR blaster plugin (as long as it's not in raw format). John S.Thanks John, the Touch now feeds an Audiosource power amp with signal sensing on the input, but it's good to know this now works. Can you please explain what raw mode is? I used the IR signal capture feature of IR Balster to record the codes; will these codes work? BTW, in another room, a SB2 feeds a 5.1 system and IR Blaster works brilliantly. When the SB2 is powered it turns the receiver on, switches the input to CD turns on the B-speakers; for SB2 power off: B-speakers off, input to Video1 and receiver power off. For the record, I like the Touch, we use it every day and it's growing on me. I greatly appreciate the tips you folks have provided in this thread. However, I do believe the old SB2/3 platform is pretty well optimized in terms of usability, but I see so much untapped potential in the Touch, such as expanded use of gestures and better quick-launch/shortcut support. Is there a preferred way to submit feature requests? Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
TechHome wrote: Thanks John, the Touch now feeds an Audiosource power amp with signal sensing on the input, but it's good to know this now works. Can you please explain what raw mode is? I used the IR signal capture feature of IR Balster to record the codes; will these codes work? BTW, in another room, a SB2 feeds a 5.1 system and IR Blaster works brilliantly. When the SB2 is powered it turns the receiver on, switches the input to CD turns on the B-speakers; for SB2 power off: B-speakers off, input to Video1 and receiver power off. For the record, I like the Touch, we use it every day and it's growing on me. I greatly appreciate the tips you folks have provided in this thread. However, I do believe the old SB2/3 platform is pretty well optimized in terms of usability, but I see so much untapped potential in the Touch, such as expanded use of gestures and better quick-launch/shortcut support. Is there a preferred way to submit feature requests? Doug I'm not an expert on IR Blaster, I've tested it to make sure it works but that is as far as I've gotten. If my understanding is correct raw mode is very low level information on how the IR beam is modulated. But this is a large sequence of information for each button. There are several standards for how IR data is encoded, these allow you to have a short set of characters to represent what gets sent. Most manufacturers publish these encodings (or at least users have figured out what they are), you can type these into the IRBlaster config file. Unfortunately I think the learning feature of IR Blaster uses raw mode, it just records exactly what's happening with the IR beam without figuring out what the encoding is. So unfortunately you probably cannot just directly use those learned button pushes with the Touch. All is not lost though. If you can find out what the codes are for the devices you wish to control, you can put THOSE into the config file and it should work. There are several web sites that maintain massive databases of such control codes, so the probability of finding them is pretty high. John S. JohnSwenson's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5974 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
JohnSwenson wrote: I'm not an expert on IR Blaster, I've tested it to make sure it works but that is as far as I've gotten. If my understanding is correct raw mode is very low level information on how the IR beam is modulated. But this is a large sequence of information for each button. There are several standards for how IR data is encoded, these allow you to have a short set of characters to represent what gets sent. Most manufacturers publish these encodings (or at least users have figured out what they are), you can type these into the IRBlaster config file. Unfortunately I think the learning feature of IR Blaster uses raw mode, it just records exactly what's happening with the IR beam without figuring out what the encoding is. So unfortunately you probably cannot just directly use those learned button pushes with the Touch. All is not lost though. If you can find out what the codes are for the devices you wish to control, you can put THOSE into the config file and it should work. There are several web sites that maintain massive databases of such control codes, so the probability of finding them is pretty high. John S.Thanks John, Guess I'll cross that bridge if/when I need to. Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
TechHome wrote: Just got the Touch presets configured: Settings - Advanced - Beta Features - Shortcuts Only six presets available; I mapped press-hold numeral keys 1 - 6 to presets 1 - 6, which are the same as my Favorites 1 thru 6. Now my touch presets match my SB 2/3s except numeral keys 7, 8, 9 do nothing. I noticed that L-R R-L swipes are customizable. Sure would like to see an option for an upward swipe increase volume and downward swipe decrease it! I do agree with the Touchscreen being a bonus on the Touch, I do use it occasionally, and my kids use it frequently. Album art in color is cool for close-in viewing, but for across the room, scrolling artist track on the 2/3/Classic VFD is more effective. Doug PS: worse off in no IR blaster support and fewer presets. Better off in having touch control - I consider it a toss up, but at this point in my SBT Journey, still favor the SB2/3 A few comments. 1) The Touch plays up to 24bit/96kHz without transcoding at the server. A big plus for the Touch. 2) The Touch has better digital and analog outputs than the SB3. Another big plus for the Touch. 3) The Touch has a better stock power supply than the SB3. Yet another big plus for the Touch. 4) The home menu can be reached via the home button (left most button on the top row of the remote) with one push. 5) The home menu can customized via home - settings - home menu Try it. On the negative side one can use the Lazy Search plugin with the SB3 which is much better than the default search function on the Touch. ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
Touch has better audio, but the user interface is a step backward in many ways. The SB2/3 and Transporter had a mature interface, while SqueezePlay on the Touch and Radio feels unfinished. JJZolx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
JJZolx wrote: Touch has better audio, but the user interface is a step backward in many ways. The SB2/3 and Transporter had a mature interface, while SqueezePlay on the Touch and Radio feels unfinished.Thank you! So very well said in so few words. Reminds me of why I regretfully bought a Motorola Xoom over an iPad. Looking at the specs, it was a slam dunk. However, a satisfying user experience cannot be measured in specs alone. While I embrace open source and am not a fan of the Apple Walled Garden, Android Tablets too are a work in progress rather than a polished product like the iPad. Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
The Touch does support IR blaster through the headphone jack just like the SB3. With the current firmware it's not as capable since it does not support raw mode in the IR blaster plugin. If you already have the correct information for your amp and use it with the SB3 IR blaster plugin you should be able to use it with the Touch version of the IR blaster plugin (as long as it's not in raw format). John S. JohnSwenson's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5974 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
JJZolx wrote: Using the remote, it's exactly the same. And given that with the SB2/3 the remote interface is all you have, I fail to understand your reasoning. Expecting the touch interface to work exactly like the remove interface makes absolutely no sense.They are not the same; out of the box the SB2/3 supports quick launch numeric button shortcuts. That is if Radio Paradise is a favorite, I can press and hold a numeral button, say #1 for about 5s and it saves Radio Paradise as a quick launch shortcut. Now whenever I push and hold #1 for about 2s, Radio Paradise will play. Also works from off, so that with one button push, I can turn on my SB2, tune to Radio Paradise (and thru IR Blaster) also turn on my amp and set the source to the CD input. On the Touch remote, out of the box, the numeral keys basically do nothing. There is no geek port and thus no IR Blaster support. JJZolx wrote: They're not similar. They're identical. There is no such thing as off.Not true, the standby clock has a lighter background, the off clock a black background. They can be configured to be the same, if you like. JJZolx wrote: Again, being that there is no power off, I fail to understand this line of thinking. If the Touch is playing audio and you hit either Pause or Stop, if you can't tell that the command has been received then there's something very wrong.I beg to differ, when I hit the off button, the music immediately stops and the display changes to the off display; clock with Black background. Hitting pause, pauses the music only. JJZolx wrote: It's a years-old product that won't be seeing any more significant development. It will be discontinued first.I suspect you may be right, but I hope not. Perhaps I'd go Sonos, if I were starting from scratch today, but I love my Squeezeboxes, I'm just not so sure about the Touch at this point... By the way, I did find a thread that indicated that the numeric IR remote quick launch functionality can be unlocked in the Touch; just haven't gotten around to enabling it yet. Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
Let's try this: Using the remote, you have _exactly_ the same ability to turn off the Touch off that you had with the SB2/3. It's immediate. The music stops. You can set your off screensaver to display either a clock or completely turn off the screen. Consider the Touch interface to be a bonus. You're not worse off, you have an additional interface which *surprise* is NOT identical to the remote interface. The power off button is exactly one swipe away from anywhere you find yourself in the user interface. The reason that it's not on the screen all the time is that a) it would take up unnecessary screen real estate that would clutter up the interface, and b) most people don't use off, they just pause or stop the music from the Now Playing screen and let the idle screensaver kick in. I agree with you about favorites/presets. They've been ed up for quite a while. Ever since the Touch was released, the two concepts have been mixed up by the developers. JJZolx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
Just got the Touch presets configured: Settings - Advanced - Beta Features - Shortcuts Only six presets available; I mapped press-hold numeral keys 1 - 6 to presets 1 - 6, which are the same as my Favorites 1 thru 6. Now my touch presets match my SB 2/3s except numeral keys 7, 8, 9 do nothing. I noticed that L-R R-L swipes are customizable. Sure would like to see an option for an upward swipe increase volume and downward swipe decrease it! I do agree with the Touchscreen being a bonus on the Touch, I do use it occasionally, and my kids use it frequently. Album art in color is cool for close-in viewing, but for across the room, scrolling artist track on the 2/3/Classic VFD is more effective. Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
TechHome wrote: ... Definitely helps, tho still not as fast as with a SB2/3 - it's loads better than hitting the back button repeatedly to power off or just to get home. Well, if using the IR remote then the Touch Off/On functionality is exactly the same as the SB2/3, it's one button push on the remote. toby10's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=12553 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
TechHome wrote: Definitely helps, tho still not as fast as with a SB2/3 Using the remote, it's exactly the same. And given that with the SB2/3 the remote interface is all you have, I fail to understand your reasoning. Expecting the touch interface to work exactly like the remove interface makes absolutely no sense. I also thought about standby vs off, noting that the default standby clock display to be very similar to the off display. They're not similar. They're identical. There is no such thing as off. However, I do appreciate the display immediately switching to the clock display when I turn the unit off from Squeezecommander or the IR remote. I see it as feedback that the Touch did power off. Again, being that there is no power off, I fail to understand this line of thinking. If the Touch is playing audio and you hit either Pause or Stop, if you can't tell that the command has been received then there's something very wrong. [Hopefully the logi crew will continue to enhance the Touch.[/quote wrote: It's a years-old product that won't be seeing any more significant development. It will be discontinued first. JJZolx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
[SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
A long time Squeezebox user, from the release of the Squeezebox 2 on, I have a mix of nine SB2s, SB3s, radios and now a Touch in my home. Currently running LMS locally on a Vortexbox. In reference to the SB2/3, the Touch seems to be less than optimal in terms to the user experience in a couple of areas - or perhaps it's just my lack of familiarity?? 1. Power-on/off from the touchscreen. When the Touch is playing, I seem to have to tap the back arrow a bunch of times until I get the option to switch it off. Am I missing something? I believe that power on/off is a key-function that should always be shown. 2. Quick launch favorites. With the SB2/3, we use the IR remote long number press quick launch feature quite a bit. For example, to go from OFF to listening to NPR, takes just a long #1 press on the remote; similarly Radio Paradise is launched with #3. In comparison, on the Touch, if there is a quick-launch feature from the IR remote, I haven't been able to find it. From the touchscreen UI, I seem have to do these steps: a. tap the screen to wake it b. tap the ON-OFF icon to switch on c. tap the back arrow repeatedly until I get to the Home screen d. tap favorites e. tap the desired favorite Please tell me there is an easier way. I'd love to be able to have quick access to favorites both via the touchscreen and IR remote. Thanks, and I'd also love some pointers and tips from Touch power users to help get up to speed. Finally, I have the Touch in a semi-custom install mounted on a bar back splash with hidden wires, hidden amp and wall mounted NHT Classic Two speakers. If there is interest, I will take photos and post to the custom install forum. Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
To be honest I don't use the touch screen very often, I just find it handier to use the IR remote. However, I just tried and you can just hold on the back arrow on the screen and it goes right to the home screen. As for turning it on off, since it doesn't really use that much different power from on to off, and it doesn't really power down, I never turn it off. You could just set up the when stopped screensaver to be the same as the off one, then you'd just have to touch the screen and do a long hold to get to home. You can also move items up and down the list on the home screen by holding the item you'd like to move up/down until the context menu comes up, then choose move up or move down, then you could move the Favorites closer to the top, to eliminate the need to scroll. Hope that helps a bit. rayman1701's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=41326 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
From anywhere within the Touch menu's if you swipe the screen from L to R you will be taken to the Home menu, for Off/Standby you are seeking. toby10's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=12553 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
toby10 wrote: From anywhere within the Touch menu's if you swipe the screen from L to R you will be taken to the Home menu, for Off/Standby you are seeking. Or, from anywhere, a long press on the back arrow will also bring you to the Home screen. rgro's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=34348 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
Re: [SlimDevices: Touch] Questions from new Touch adopter
Thanks, didn't know about swipes or the press hold of the back arrow. Definitely helps, tho still not as fast as with a SB2/3 - it's loads better than hitting the back button repeatedly to power off or just to get home. Shame that I had to ask on the forums, though; ideally the product should somehow let the user know about these features, similar to how it is done on Smart Phones. I also thought about standby vs off, noting that the default standby clock display to be very similar to the off display. However, I do appreciate the display immediately switching to the clock display when I turn the unit off from Squeezecommander or the IR remote. I see it as feedback that the Touch did power off. Hopefully the logi crew will continue to enhance the Touch. MX video player (Android) accepts side to side swipes to move to advance playback fwd or back and up/down swipes to adjust screen brightness and volume. I don't see a need for side to side swipes to do anything different from what is done now, but volume control on the Touch would be easier if instead of having to hit very small targets with your finger we could swipe up anywhere on the display to crank it up and vice versa to turn it down. Doug TechHome's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2340 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=94827 ___ Touch mailing list Touch@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
