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BridgeCo to Bring AirPlay Streaming Technology to Home Audio Equipment
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Sonos still better...
I am a BLEEDING Apple FanBoy, but I don't see how this will be "So long, Sonos"...
Sonos, in addition to tons of Internet radio sources like Pandora, access to Rhapsody, Napster, and others for a small monthly fee, streams from servers containing your personal library (and iTunes library) that do not rely on my Computer or any other "Idevice" to be up and running. And.... I can easily send different content to different receivers with Sonos. (I realize one can kludge iTunes into doing this, but it is not built in.)
Streaming means you have to have device A up and running to "stream" content from it to Device B, which also has to be up and running. A great idea, and pretty impressive, I'm sure, but I don't see how this will kill Sonos.
By the way, I ordered a new AppleTV the day it was introduced, own an upgraded (320GB HD) and hacked "current " AppleTV, iPhones, laptops, desktops, etc.
It sure seems they occupy different niches.
I am a BLEEDING Apple FanBoy, but I don't see how this will be "So long, Sonos"...
Sonos, in addition to tons of Internet radio sources like Pandora, access to Rhapsody, Napster, and others for a small monthly fee, streams from servers containing your personal library (and iTunes library) that do not rely on my Computer or any other "Idevice" to be up and running. And.... I can easily send different content to different receivers with Sonos. (I realize one can kludge iTunes into doing this, but it is not built in.)
Streaming means you have to have device A up and running to "stream" content from it to Device B, which also has to be up and running. A great idea, and pretty impressive, I'm sure, but I don't see how this will kill Sonos.
By the way, I ordered a new AppleTV the day it was introduced, own an upgraded (320GB HD) and hacked "current " AppleTV, iPhones, laptops, desktops, etc.
It sure seems they occupy different niches.
No I didn't, but I could have worded that better.
It isn't. It's the former. Your mistake is to think that AirTunes and FairPlay are related. The point I was trying to make is that FairPlay plays no part in AirTunes.
Apple have opened Airtunes to BridgeCo. FairPlay is still as closed as ever.
It?
What's it?
You can attach an Airport Express with a 3.5 to RCA adapter.
So right now from your computer and seemingly when AirPlay comes out, from other i-devices, you can play your iTunes music.
Easy
As a discrete device? Probably not much in it. This came up in the other thread on this subject, but essentially the difference between an AE and an AirTunes only AE would be the software, which is free. Most of the hardware on an AE needs to be there whether or not. An Apple AirTunes dongle would probably cost about 90 USD instead of 99 USD.
At least someone round here gets it
AirTunes IS AirPlay. But now it will work with enabled 3rd party gear while streaming from other i-devices.
You will only be able to access media from i-Tunes unlike Sonos and Squeeze which allow other folders/drives to be accessed.
So in my case, as an audiophile using hires files, this is not what I need. But for the general public it's a great idea which I'm sure will do very well.
Absolutely right.
This "dongle" or AE is basically a wifi receiver and d/a converter in one box. Not cheap to make especially if the d/a converter is any good.
You can do lossless in iTunes though, or is it the AirTunes protocol itself you dislike?
I have all my library in lossless, and I use an SB2 in one location where I want a better grade of audio. For ceiling mounted, or pool-side speakers however, AirTunes sounds just fine.
Yes I know that but unfortunately iTunes does not handle hires files. eg 24/96 or 24/192. And I am about to start collecting some of the new tiltles coming out in these resolutions.
I also use a SB2 and even this wont handle them.
The new SB Touch will as does the Transporter.
Agreed that for non critical listening iTunes/AirTunes is very good especially if you connect the AE via it's digital output to an external DAC or CD player.
Great. Instead of updating the usability of Airtunes (Apple's most horrendously NON user-friendly device), I'm gonna have to get new speakers.
Seriously Apple, at least update the user manual for Airtunes, or install an update so the thing stops flashing yellow all the time.
People who use Airtunes (or who try to use Airtunes, as it's ridiculously and unnecessarily complicated) know exactly what I'm talking about.
Seriously Apple, at least update the user manual for Airtunes, or install an update so the thing stops flashing yellow all the time.
People who use Airtunes (or who try to use Airtunes, as it's ridiculously and unnecessarily complicated) know exactly what I'm talking about.
I wonder...
Everyone keeps asking 'why no Apps for the AppleTV?' If the newest iDevices are streaming video via AirPlay to the new AppleTV and soon other AirPlay electronics, then here's hoping that future functionality let's an iDevice's GUI / App stream as video too
Everyone keeps asking 'why no Apps for the AppleTV?' If the newest iDevices are streaming video via AirPlay to the new AppleTV and soon other AirPlay electronics, then here's hoping that future functionality let's an iDevice's GUI / App stream as video too
You can't "just" put speakers anywhere without wires of some sort. Wireless speakers still need to be powered -- hence they need wiring.
I just don't see the big deal here. Its just another way of doing what we can already do. They only advantage here is that you can now control a separate boom box from your "i"device. AppleTV or Express can accomplish the same thing for existing audio systems or devices.
Just another option, imo.
Now if we had "magical" speakers around the house, installed inconspicuously that didn't need power, this would be very cool.
If you're justing FLAC then no (you can AirFoil though). If you're using Apple Lossless then you can.
Also, the Airport Express has an optical out port inside the 3.5mm analog audio jack so you have your receiver or what not do the D/A conversion.
I definitely do. At first it was a complete pain to get it to connect to the network. However, once I figured it out, it was a cinch. The manual definitely needs a re-write. Better yet, a firmware update to make the default, connect to an existing network, plug the network name in and password and boom it automagically works would be even better. The problem is that they configure it to work as a wireless router first and airtunes device second.
For audio, you're absolutely correct. This is just AirTunes with a new name. BUT, AirPlay can also stream VIDEO. That makes it a pretty big deal for those interested.
Agreed, which Mistrblank seemed to miss in responding to my post. I haven't had any issues with my Sonos. The internet steams are great and I really use the ability to play different songs on different speakers from the same library at the same time.
I used to have an "Airport Express system" and it was limited by the fact that the same song has to be playing on ALL speakers in the system at the same time. Unless I am missing something and this has changed? I have had Sonos for a while now, maybe someone can clarify if this is still the case, or did Apple add the ability to play different songs on different Airport Express devices??
Industry already has a standard for that. It's called DLNA. Why do we need another one? For example, many TV sets already support DLNA. DLNA is supported by Windows 7. Is is supported by NAS devices. It is also supported by some Android phones natively (Samsung Galaxy S) or with the use of special apps. It's hard to imagine that Apple can win this battle of standards. It also shows Apple's unwillingness to support industry standards (what else is new?). HTML5 anybody? How about Flash
It would also be hard to imagine that you'd want Apple to win this battle. As most people know here, you'd be happy as long as Apple comes out the loser. What else is new?
It would also be hard to imagine that you'd want Apple to win this battle. As most people know here, you'd be happy as long as Apple comes out the loser. What else is new?
Do you have an opinion on AirPlay or DLNA?
Zeppelin?
I saw a picture of the B&W Zeppelin in the AirTunes ad. I was thinking of getting one of those and hooking it up to my Airport Express. But if they release one with AirTunes support, I'd have yet another reason to buy it. After all, I don't need my printer and speakers to be right next to each other like I have things now due to having just 1 Airport Express.
I saw a picture of the B&W Zeppelin in the AirTunes ad. I was thinking of getting one of those and hooking it up to my Airport Express. But if they release one with AirTunes support, I'd have yet another reason to buy it. After all, I don't need my printer and speakers to be right next to each other like I have things now due to having just 1 Airport Express.
Too bad we'll probably only see it in the high-end models in the near future.
And when are receiver manufacturers going to start building in wifi or Bluetooth across their entire product lines so I can use my iPhone as a remote? What does that cost, a few bucks these days? Twenty? I'd pay.
You mean a tv with built in Airplay? Hook up a AppleTV and you have the video and more. I suppose its nice not to need an extra piece of equipment but I still don't see this as anything to be excited about. Not trying to be a downer because I'm a big fan but I just don't see this as any great advancement for the end user -- maybe just for Apple to gain more support from third party vendors.
I've used AirTunes since it was first available and I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I find it easy.
I've used AirTunes since it was first available and I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I find it easy.
Same here, it's limited in what you can do with it but very easy to use.
Errr....everyone of those sources is available on an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch.
It's true that it's not "one library, different sources to different devices", but frankly in my family, it's been very hard to keep different peoples music in one unified library, so I don't see it as a big deal. Just use a different device to play the second stream (including your computer if you have only one iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch).
In fact, I'd tend to argue that the AirPlay system is far more comprehensible to the average, not-so-tech-savvy person. It's a lot easier to understand "play it on my iPhone, hear it through one or more speakers" than "use multisystem remote to control one or more streams". Instead of having to learn a new UI, they just use the one they already know on their iOS device or computer.
Industry already has a standard for that. It's called DLNA. Why do we need another one? For example, many TV sets already support DLNA. DLNA is supported by Windows 7. Is is supported by NAS devices. It is also supported by some Android phones natively (Samsung Galaxy S) or with the use of special apps. It's hard to imagine that Apple can win this battle of standards. It also shows Apple's unwillingness to support industry standards (what else is new?). HTML5 anybody? How about Flash
1) DLNA is not equivalent--it is FAR more complex, with DMS (digital media servers), DMR (digital media renderers) and DMC (digital media controllers). It is clearly designed to keep DRM'd content safely under lock and key and requires certified devices at every step of the way. It's more like a DRM'd Sonos that covers video. And the UI is up to the DMC, so there's no consistency of experience--all it covers is how to remote undecoded data which will be decoded by the DMR. AirPlay is much simpler (and IMHO, more elegant). Let the player handle the UI and do the decoding and send a decoded stream to the device.
2) HTML5? Maybe you've missed the news that Safari is fully HTML5 compliant (and was the first to pass the ACID test). IE9 still doesn't, and Firefox does but is much slower. On this score, only Chrome (in latest builds) does better than Apple.
3) Oy, Flash again. True, Apple refuses to put it in mobile Safari. But today's news that Apple is relaxing guidelines for using 3rd party tools will almost certainly lead to Flash being used as development tool. Personally, my life has been much sweeter since I installed ClickToFlash and I'm glad that Apple leaving it out has driven more sites to remove unnecessary Flash crap in favor of more standards-based (you should like that, yes?
) HTML5 so that they'll work on an iPad/iPhone.