Squeezebox Touch

[blessingx]

Thanks as always Grahame.

[deepak]

Don't see why not, as it appears a powered USB Device. I may try it tonight ...

The SHDC card is a nice feature, as if you have ~1% capacity spare (see wiki) you could use the same card full of Flacs in your Touch, or HiFiMAN HM-801 (edwood : ) )

I agree don't see why it shouldn't work. But it has acted funny on one of my older computers with USB 1 ports only.

I didn't know about this USB feature until you mentioned it in the other thread. Pretty damn nice if it will work with my collection without having to turn on one computer. Go green! /turns on 250 watt headphone amp

Edited July 19, 2010 by deepak

[Grahame]

Well, the BlacX experiment worked well

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3387[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3388[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3389[/ATTACH]

It was a WD 750GB Sata Drive with a mixture of Flac, MPs and video files.

searched for and and identified some ~10K files

Them scanned them in about 45 minutes,

Then about 5 minutes for the art work.

Played locally, now serving a Squeezeplay on the PC

[deepak]

Excellent

[n_maher]

I'm a bit bummed that I missed the deal this weekend. I probably would have grabbed a Touch at $220.

[Voltron]

I'm a bit bummed that I missed the deal this weekend. I probably would have grabbed a Touch at $220.

Same here. I even tried it yesterday and was of course thwarted.

[n_maher]

Same here. I even tried it yesterday and was of course thwarted.

Me too, stupid one day offers.

[CarlSeibert]

You could use vortexbox os the os/image,

or just buy an appliance from them. vortexbox.org

(But don't forget your backups )

Holy crap! This thing looks like a dream come true. Have you used it? Is it as cool as it looks?

If I'm reading the blurb on their website correctly, it's Fedora-based, so it should work with the RPM releases of Squeezebox Server, I should be able to put together a spare-parts system with a suitable on-board controller for a RAID-1, toss in a couple of drives and I'll have a little box that I could run a Samba share on, too. Apart from the fan noise in our home office, that would be perfect with a capital P.

(The ISO is downloading as we speak.)

[CarlSeibert]

Update: I've got VortexBox running on a virtual machine to check it out. This thing is cooler than the other side of the pillow. It's the bee's knees.

It is in fact a Fedora-based Linux distro that creates a headless server that contains servers for Squeezebox, Sonos, iTunes and more or less anything else you want (as long as it can run on Fedora). It appears to have been put together by musically aware people who made all the right decisions. It's what you would build if you had the time and inclination to actually build such a thing for yourself, but slicker. Whatever you don't like, you can change any way you want. Secure shell into it and it's a real, full-tilt operation system. You can use it for a file server, too.

Actually, you can use it for anything, up to the limit of the hardware you put it on. You can even install a GUI if you feel you must.

Functionally, you put it in a box with a CD drive or buy an appliance, stick a CD in the drawer and it automatically rips the CD, saves a FLAC AND an MP3 for your iPod, or an Alac, or all three, and the servers serve the music. There are web interfaces for editing metadata and the like (and the Squeezebox Server interface), but you don't have to do anything. Stick in the CD and wait for Squeezebox Server to run its next index and that's that.

I'll be looking for some parts-box hardware to run it on. If anybody else has one or is interested, I think this thing deserves its own thread.

[Nebby]

I just wanted to post that I found it funny how Logitech sent me a shipment notification after I had already received and opened the product. Timely for sure

[deepak]

The Touch is a really slick device. Using it now with a BlacX and a 1.5 TB drive through USB and the interface rocks, no lag whatsoever. I love not having to turn on the desktop computer and deal with wireless.

[blessingx]

Yeah, received mine today. Hooked up to a LaCie Grand here with a quick subset of 24 and 16-bit Telarc/XRCD/B&W Society of Sound files. So far so good.

Anyone though find the 100% volume (which I assume is bit perfect output for digital signal - see no place to disable) runs a little hot/distorted? Maybe I'd doing something wrong.

[postjack]

I got no distortion/heat at max volume, at least not to my ears.

I love this device. I use the touchscreen more then the remote. the interface isn't perfect but it's very good. I love streaming my hi Rez files. 24 bit phish sbds ftw!

[Grahame]

Ric, Some thoughts - no observed issues here.

• Are you using the analog outs or digital to a dac?
  
• If analog, what is the input sensitivty/range of what you are connecting it to?
  
• What track are you using? what are the replay gain tags of the Track? what does the wave form look like in Audacity?
  

[deepak]

Yeah, received mine today. Hooked up to a LaCie Grand here with a quick subset of 24 and 16-bit Telarc/XRCD/B&W Society of Sound files. So far so good.

Anyone though find the 100% volume (which I assume is bit perfect output for digital signal - see no place to disable) runs a little hot/distorted? Maybe I'd doing something wrong.

I thought the output on the Squeezebox 3 digital out was a bit hot, with volume maxed/bit perfect. So far the Touch seems like it is about the same level output.

[blessingx]

More tests needed, but I'm pretty sure it was human error - listening to familiar tracks with gear I haven't used in a while - mainly the very resolving 4070.

JH13s back to what I was expecting.

Edited July 23, 2010 by blessingx

[blessingx]

Okay, maybe I'm an idiot (and certainly come closer with the above), but how do you instruct the SBTouch to rescan connected media? Don't see anything in menu verses previous experiences with SqueezeServer. My HD is showing as two USB drives on the SBTouch though there is only a single FAT32 partition taking up the entire drive. The server is running off the first 'USB drive.' If I unmount both drives and even turn off the SBTouch (which doesn't seem to actually turn it off), and reconnect, it gives me a warning about unmounting and then only shows a single USB drive (the wrong 'ghost' one) with no music besides the last track played (which I assume is in memory). Haven't found a way to find the other 'USB drive' (which of course is the only real one), except doing a factory reset (which makes me setup everything again). It does though find two drives again, including all my music on the first (which is all it's running the server off of).

Am I missing something in the settings to rescan? Any theories about the two 'drives'? Originally thought it was my then second partition (had a FAT32 - which was first per instructions - and a HFS+ backup - which I didn't expect the SBTouch to read), but since reformatting the drive (it's been a fun afternoon with file transfers ) with a single partition, and resetting SBTouch, I still get two 'USB drives.'

Sorry, this should probably go over to the Slim Devices or Logitech forums, but so far just found general advice like "best for drives that are always on."

Any advice would be helpful. Would hate to reset every time I want to add music or shut down drive to save power. Was hoping USB connection would decrease the issues with running a full blown SqueezeServer and general wireless flakiness in my new apartment.

[XXII]

Okay, maybe I'm an idiot (and certainly come closer with the above), but how do you instruct the SBTouch to rescan connected media? Don't see anything in menu verses previous experiences with SqueezeServer. My HD is showing as two USB drives on the SBTouch though there is only a single FAT32 partition taking up the entire drive. The server is running off the first 'USB drive.' If I unmount both drives and even turn off the SBTouch (which doesn't seem to actually turn it off), and reconnect, it gives me a warning about unmounting and then only shows a single USB drive (the wrong 'ghost' one) with no music besides the last track played (which I assume is in memory). Haven't found a way to find the other 'USB drive' (which of course is the only real one), except doing a factory reset (which makes me setup everything again). It does though find two drives again, including all my music on the first (which is all it's running the server off of).

Try Settings->Advanced->Squeezebox Server->Wipe and Rescan

[blessingx]

Thanks XXII. 'Wipe and rescan' doesn't appear in the menu unless you've killed the server. Why I didn't see it before. In my case, then unfortunately when selecting, the screen just spins saying 'removing library.' Two times trying and gave up after each took 30 minutes (never got to redetection, but if it did should have taken less than five minutes to catalog the sampling of music). About eight hours into fiddling in various configurations here (four HD repartitions, six SBT resets, etc.), and unfortunately, made a slight realization - none of those defending* the attached USB performance of the SBTouch on Slim Forums are actually using the feature primarily to serve files. Can't find a single example (though if anyone knows one please let me know). Maybe a sign.

Full blown server works great, but in my case I bought the SBTouch for two reasons - USB attached drive functionality and feeding 24-bit files to a future JH3a. And of course there are easier ways to do the latter. Anyway, still hoping to find a solution, and may hold on to anyway for the JH3a coax connection and internet radio streaming, but I'm beginning to agree with the vast complaints on the various forums. If you plan on using USB attached, and adding music regularly (so disconnecting), think twice. Course there are no inexpensive alternatives I'm aware of. Curious of the experiences of others here who got in on the sale.

* I say defend, because some of the reasoning is quite humorous. Favorite so far attacks a complaint about a nebulous file quantity limit (which seems to fluctuate based on hd used, bitrates and codec, even album art pixel size, etc.). Defense goes if you have 80,000 tracks and each track would've cost $.99 to buy on the net, why in the world would you expect a $299 device to handle $80,000 in files?

[deepak]

Have you tried with NTFS? FAT32 is sort of dated for large partitions...

[Nebby]

I just tried "wipe and rescan" on mine and it's taking quite a bit of time as well. Only have about 9gb of music on the drive at the moment so it'll be interesting to see how long it takes.

[blessingx]

Have you tried with NTFS? FAT32 is sort of dated for large partitions...

I haven't. I was actually optimistically hoping for HFS+ support, but FAT32 was the compromise to move files back and forth. Although it looks like there are ways to get NTFS and ext3 write support in Snow Leopard, they require plugins, which are reportedly buggy. Will relook into it though, especially MacFUSE, but my guess from the complaints, it's not restricted to file systems. Haven't completely given up yet, but now it's running from the full server.

Nebby has it gotten past the wipe of the previous USB library?

[Nebby]

Still at "Removing existing database"

[blessingx]

Still an interesting test. How long does your optimism usually last?

[Grahame]

Ric, I'm interested in you expectations / expected use case.

It sounds like you want to use a non native file system containing non native music files, that are volatile, and frequently updated via an additional samba process over an admittedly marginal wireless link on a resource constrained embedded linux installation

Have you tried ssh'ing into the box to see how many additional process and resources this approach takes

Have you tried un-mounting the device , mounting it on another system, and just deleting the ".Squeezebox" folder, as this is where the database / persistent caches are written, then re-inserting / rescanning.

What benefits do you expect from "sharing" a storage device vs dedicating one - vs your time ?

Just interested.

Currently Chillin' to some Caf