airport express sound streaming

[thumb]

can anyone give me a good reason why it airport express will only stream itunes to its attached speakers?

i mean come on, this is just moronic. i have airfoil, and it works great, but it is still such an inconvience, and you have to sync the sound, 1, 2, or 3 extra steps.

is there an actually good technical reason, or is apple just failling to be the kick-ass company we all expec?.

 

[TheMonarch]

Its been fixed already.

Update your APE's firmware...

 

[crazzyeddie]

Its been fixed already.

Update your APE's firmware...

Huh? I think the question is asking why you can't stream from any app to an APE.

The answer is quite easy: There is lag time in encoding the sound to go to the APE and then for the APE to decode it. Thats why iTunes will pause while it synchronizes with your APE before playing over computer + APE.

 

[thumb]

Huh? I think the question is asking why you can't stream from any app to an APE.

The answer is quite easy: There is lag time in encoding the sound to go to the APE and then for the APE to decode it. Thats why iTunes will pause while it synchronizes with your APE before playing over computer + APE.

right, i know that is part of the problem, but that can't be insurmountable. no reason the programs that are being stream cant be auto matically delayed as well.

i think this would be a vast improvement.

 

[w_parietti22]

Apples not going to offer ad-ons to other company's software. iTunes is their music software. Why would they take the time to make something for Windows Media Player, Real Player, etc? It make no sense.

 

[mad jew]

They could add it to QuickTime though, and maybe add some system sounds too.

I think one of the reasons they haven't is the same reason I believe there's no Bluetooth Mighty Mouse yet. They get twice the marketing exposure if they release one new feature at a time. In other words, the Express' music streaming capabilities were relatively revolutionary. Rather than put all their eggs in one basket, they can now release an updated Express that'll stream video too. Of course, I hope it happens soon, and I'm sure there are other reasons Apple hasn't done it yet.

 

[The Mad Kiwi]

I think one of the reasons they haven't is the same reason I believe there's no Bluetooth Mighty Mouse yet.

If you open up a mighty mouse you'll find it's very full in there, I doubt they can get the bluetooth module in, not worrying about the batteries.

Syncing sound and music across wi-fi is impossible (well in a easy to use commercial sense anyhow)

 

[mad jew]

Syncing sound and music across wi-fi is impossible (well in a easy to use commercial sense anyhow)

I think you might mean sound and image. I agree with you to a point, but I think it's quite possible for Apple to accomplish, eventually.

 

[janey]

In other words, the Express' music streaming capabilities were relatively revolutionary. Rather than put all their eggs in one basket, they can now release an updated Express that'll stream video too.

Nah. The idea behind Airtunes is drop dead simple, and Apple isn't the only one with a product that does something like that (well, they might make the only wifi routers that do, but there's other companies making products for streaming music wirelessly to speakers).

But yeah, syncing video to audio is a rather difficult task over a wireless network. I used AirTunes once to watch a DVD in DVD Player, there was a very very irritating 10-20 second lag between what I was watching and what I was hearing.

 

[thumb]

it isnt at all impossible, i do it all the time, it is just inconvenient.

play any video through VLC, use Airfoil to capture that. they come with about 1 sec of lag. you need to desync the sound and video in vlc advanced sound preferences, set it to about -2407. that is it, works well, but apple should do this system wide. or at least to their own programs, would give you a really good reason to use their players instead of others.

 

[mad jew]

Nah. The idea behind Airtunes is drop dead simple, and Apple isn't the only one with a product that does something like that (well, they might make the only wifi routers that do, but there's other companies making products for streaming music wirelessly to speakers).

Granted, but I mean Apple was really the first to kick up a fuss about it. I'm not saying they should get credit for coming up with the idea though.

 

[Rantipole]

Apples not going to offer ad-ons to other company's software. iTunes is their music software. Why would they take the time to make something for Windows Media Player, Real Player, etc? It make no sense.

I disagree with your logic.

If Apple were ONLY about iTunes, then maybe your argument would make sense.

However, Apple makes the HARDWARE and the OPERATING SYSTEM for both the Mac and Airport Express, upon which my RealPlayer, and streaming Websites, and Quicktime are run. Therefore, I think they really should make an effort to do this.

You know, that is actually is Microsoft monopoly-style attitude, if that is really their reasoning by now allowing other streams to the Airport Express. If so, shame on Apple.

 

[steve_hill4]

It's not like you don't know this when you buy the AE. It is frustrating often, but if others want to try and make their software AE compatible, let them. It's not just down to Apple you know.

 

[Rantipole]

It's not like you don't know this when you buy the AE. It is frustrating often, but if others want to try and make their software AE compatible, let them. It's not just down to Apple you know.

According to the people from Airfoil, Apple will not give them the specs that will allow them to do this. The Airfoil people WANT to fix the sync issue, but cannot, because they have no cooperation from Apple.

And, yes, I knew this when I purchase the AE, correct. I'm just saying.

 

[Rantipole]

if others want to try and make their software AE compatible, let them.

"Apple has the very nice advantage of controlling -both- ends of this, and they've yet to share any details on how it all works."
... and ....
"We've yet to undertake supporting AirTunes 2, in large part because Apple doesn't provide us any help along the way."
--The developers of Airfoil.

So, like I said, Apple is behaving like MS. Shame on Apple.