Logitech’s adds Linux and Solaris to the mix. Sonos have a desktop controller that runs on Windows and OS X. Sonos could learn a bit from Logitech here. Among other things, you can make the server transcode certain file formats to save bandwidth or improve compatibility. There are some pretty nifty things hidden in the advanced settings, though. If you want to tweak advanced settings, you can get to them through little inconspicuous dropdown boxes – and quite frankly you shouldn’t need to. Previously the server (once known as SqueezeCenter) was overly complicated to set up and operate. If you don’t already own a Squeezebox thingy, installing this piece of software makes it very difficult not to want a Duet or a Transporter too. The wonderful part about SqueezePlay is not its tidy UI or abundant features but the fact that it can remote control other SqueezePlay’ers as well as any SqueezeBox you may have on your network. The latter is responsible for managing your music library and streaming to your devices. The software version of the player ties seamlessly into the SqueezeBox universe and the SqueezeBox Server. SqueezePlay is a PC version of Logitech’s (formerly Slimdevices) SqueezeBox media streamer family. Not much more to say about this one, except for one thing: It doesn’t support Flac.ģ out of 5 for slick operation but few supported formats and no multi room. On the UX side of things, this is not always a good thing – in fact, Zune is exactly as unintuitive as the majority of media players out there. Surely not your average Microsoft application look. Everything scrolls smoothly and has a high-key prettiness not often seen. Zune sports a minimalistic and classy user interface. Not sure that it makes much difference with this particular piece of software, though, but there you are. Unlike most of its cousins, Zune comes in both 32 bit and 64 bit versions, letting you take advantage of those RAM blocks above 4GB on your 64 bit Windows. It is quite large but less prone to installation hick-ups. If the version downloadable from the official home page will not install, try and download the complete package from Microsoft’s download center –. Installing it can be a bit of a challenge. It is, however, a quite capable software player in it’s own right. It is also the name of a piece of companion software specifically made for said player. Microsoft Zune is not only a portable MP3 player. This week’s selection are: Microsoft Zune, Clementine and Logitech SqueezePlay. This time I will go another set of players a triplet that are not that much unlike the previous batch – at least not on the surface. In an earlier article, I had a quick run through of 4 media player applications. It is, after all, at this elevation in the hifi-pyramid that Linn makes a difference. Now we really need Apple to get their fingers out and add support for 24-bit HD music so our Linns can have a something of proper nutritional value. Music bought through iTunes is DRM protected and will not play on the Linn anyway. ![]() Re-ripping an entire collection is a daunting task and if the CDs are Red Book and saved as Apple Lossless, sound quality is unscathed anyway. The first scenario is perfectly understandable. As I see it, there are only two scenarios that warrant iTunes support in the Linn DS and that is if you rippped your entire collection with iTunes and don’t want to go through it again or if you bought the occasional CD in Apple’s music store. Where exactly iTunes fit in in these same circles, is an entirely different discussion: We have a music library consisting of thousands of Flac’ed CDs, a decent collection of native HD Flac files and a good handful of records bought through iTunes. At the same time the Linn DS itself now supports Ogg Vorbis files in addition to the Flac support mandatory in these high-end circles. The latest upgrade for KinskyDesktop, the remote software for Linn DS, now works with Mac as well as Windows and additionally lets you play music from your iTunes libraries on your Linn DS.
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