[cloudbaseracer]

I have never seen or used a Duet controller so I am trying to decide if the screen on the unit is large enough to be useful?  I have played with a SooLoos that had a very large touchscreen and of course the GUI was amazing.  I am not interested in spending SooLoos money for the GUI or it's inferior sound quality so I look to the Squeezebox.  The cool thing about the Sooloos is the ability to search the album covers in alphabetical order and with many (16 or so?) on the screen at one time. I know this would be impossible with the Duet unit given the small display.  Also, for some reason, the image of the Duet controller is always the same.  I have not seen what the screen actually looks like in other configurations that that shown on their website.

I wonder if you guys think I would be better served by getting any one of the following "remotes"?

IPhone

RTI  T3-V  or T4

Nokia 810

Tell me if I am wrong but isn't it just that the remotes let you "see" what is on the desktop?  It is my understanding that you are just browsing to the SqueezeCenter and selecting what you want to play?  Does the Duet function the same way?  If so, the screen must get very cluttered.


Thanks,

James

[BradJudy]

The Duet display does not look like SqueezeCenter, the interface looks a lot like an iPod or similar portable mp3 player.  Browsing for music is largely by text, although some display of album covers is available. 

[Philistine]

I've used the Nokia 800 and now the Controller, and played with the Sonos remote.

Slim Devices have gone down their path with the remote - it feels and looks like a standard TV type remote, whereas Sooloos have chosen a monitor style and Sonos have a handheld tablet style (which I personally prefer).  I find the Controller screen too small as it limits what can be displayed at any one time,  functionally it works fine from a menu structure perspective as you can search and view album covers that are displayed in a list format or individually - my beef is that that the small screen makes it laborious to scroll down when searching album covers.  My preference is a larger touch screen like the Nokia with the functionality of the Controller!  If you've played with the Sooloos then the Controller is as far as you go at the other end of the size spectrum.  

One other option is a top of the line Philips Pronto's - Ted_b has one of these so you might want to get his feedback.  I haven't tried the ipod phone but the ipod touch might also be an option.

[cloudbaseracer]

So you are saying you like the size of the Nokia but that it does do all that the Duet does?  How is the Nokia different? Can you provide any comparison pictures?

Thanks,

James

I've used the Nokia 800 and now the Controller, and played with the Sonos remote.

Slim Devices have gone down their path with the remote - it feels and looks like a standard TV type remote, whereas Sooloos have chosen a monitor style and Sonos have a handheld tablet style (which I personally prefer).  I find the Controller screen too small as it limits what can be displayed at any one time,  functionally it works fine from a menu structure perspective as you can search and view album covers that are displayed in a list format or individually - my beef is that that the small screen makes it laborious to scroll down when searching album covers.  My preference is a larger touch screen like the Nokia with the functionality of the Controller!  If you've played with the Sooloos then the Controller is as far as you go at the other end of the size spectrum.  

One other option is a top of the line Philips Pronto's - Ted_b has one of these so you might want to get his feedback.  I haven't tried the ipod phone but the ipod touch might also be an option.

[Philistine]

Here's a thread link with Nokia screenshots:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=47070.0

The Nokia skin emulates the SlimServer interface, the Controller has a completely different interface (which I prefer).  I want what I can't have - the Contoller interface and a larger touch screen!

There's also this link (maybe out of date):
http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_remotes.html#nokia770

You do get 30 days with the Controller - you can always try it and see if you like it.


   

[cloudbaseracer]

Philistine,

Thanks for your opinions.  It is interesting to hear you say you prefer the controllers interface.  I will have to checkout the Duet Controller.  Maybe it will be all I need.  I would like to have something larger - got the bug from the Sooloos - and maybe something cool will come out in the future.  That is one thing about the Squeezebox that interests me - that it can grow and be adapted to many different systems.  Surley an even better GUI will come along?


James

[Papajin]

I keep thinking something like these ASUS Eee PC's would make a great kiosk-style remote for the TP, SB, or Duet.  Especially if they ever add a touch screen.  I had read earlier this year that ASUS was planning a touch screen version, but it's been nearly 8 months now and so far as I know there isn't a touch model at this point.

Of course you could always DIY.

There's a few other similar devices out there that do support touch, but most have rather small screens.  I'd like to see something with a decent-sized screen with touch capability that doesn't break the bank, and it looks like we may be seeing more devices in this area in the near future.

[jman66]

Another option...
If you don't mind using the SqueezeCenter interface, pick up a tablet PC off eBay.
Use the tablet to remotely access the web interface that runs in SqueezeCenter using whatever flavor browser you prefer.

[richidoo]

I have owned the Duet and now own Sonos. I have also tried Nokia remote with an olive server courtesy AC member RichardS. 

The Duet screen is plenty big enough and even more intuitive to use than the excellent Sonos. It is a great ergonomic design. Functionally they are pretty much the same, but Sonos has some advantages in the larger screen, more screens for easier navigation and better graphics, larger easier to use buttons. It is also much faster server and more sophisticated operation overall. Sonos remote is larger and heavier than the sexy Duet remote, but Sonos can be operated while lying on the chair next to you, or on a table, Duet must be picked up. In my experience Sonos is more reliable than Duet, especially in networking with the remote. Tech support from Sonos is incredible, but logitech isn't bad. Sonos costs more. The Nokia worked well but the screen is small and requires pencil to give commands. You get used to whatever you use.

[Philistine]

Another option is an ipod touch - rydefan is/was using this.
Also its time for me to come clean, I need to use reading glasses with the Controller and I refuse to become old 

Off topic - richidoo, you might be interested in this:
http://www.signalpathint.com/index.php/decco/decco.html
Its a DAC/Integrated Tube Amp that has a docking port for the Sonos.
Haven't seen it but the Signal Path guys put a lot of work into the concept and are very excited about it.

[cloudbaseracer]

Seems like several options are out there. I would wantto buy something off the shelf so the DIY does not appeal to me.


 

Another option...
If you don't mind using the SqueezeCenter interface, pick up a tablet PC off eBay.
Use the tablet to remotely access the web interface that runs in SqueezeCenter using whatever flavor browser you prefer.

Is the SqueezeCenter interface (the desktop version) the best going in a free utility?  How does it compare to the SooLoos, J River Media Jukebox, or even the WinAmp?  The SooLoos is the only one I have played with and it is great.  I guess I am looking to most closely approximate this interface. 

James

[Geardaddy]

The Duet controller is indeed very nice and an appropriate size.  That being said, some folks I have dialogued with are using an Itouch as a controller.  They say its the bomb.  You just need get your hands on them and fiddle....

[spudco]

I have recently converted to a new Pronto TSU-9400.  Although you have to program it, it is an amazing UNIVERSAL remote.  It does both IR and Wi-Fi.  I purchased ProntoSqueeze to control my squeezebox and it works great.  Very fast interface and the pronto is a true high quality remote.  The best part is that the pronto also controls my CD player, Preamp, HT receiver, DVD player, CR recorder, I-scan, DirecTV, Plasma... and it looks so cool!

[cloudbaseracer]

I have recently converted to a new Pronto TSU-9400.  Although you have to program it, it is an amazing UNIVERSAL remote.  It does both IR and Wi-Fi.  I purchased ProntoSqueeze to control my squeezebox and it works great.  Very fast interface and the pronto is a true high quality remote.  The best part is that the pronto also controls my CD player, Preamp, HT receiver, DVD player, CR recorder, I-scan, DirecTV, Plasma... and it looks so cool!

Thanks- I had no idea this (ProntoSqueeze) even existed.  I will check it out.  Looks really cool.  Can you comment on the way it interfaces differently than SqueezeCenter?

I wonder how the Pronto differs from the RTI line of remotes, specifically TV-3 and T4?  They probably function very similarly.

James

[Papajin]

Is the SqueezeCenter interface (the desktop version) the best going in a free utility?  How does it compare to the SooLoos, J River Media Jukebox, or even the WinAmp?  The SooLoos is the only one I have played with and it is great.  I guess I am looking to most closely approximate this interface.

I'm not a big fan of SqueezeCenter to be honest.  I use Moose myself, but it's not without it's own quirks.

[spudco]

SqueezeCenter uses Wi-Fi to control Slimserver.  It is very responsive and because it uses Wi-Fi, I don't need line of sight to control the squeezebox. 

SqueezeCenter is good a basic stuff - searching, browsing, selection, random play... but could be more robust.  Because of some of the quirks I have encountered (sometimes it looses control and it doesn't wake up a sleeping mac mini), I have also programmed my Pronto to have a regular IR interface that works just like the remote that comes with the squeezebox.  This allows me to "wake up" my mac mini and provides some of the more extended functions (like briteness...).

Also, although the newest release boasts that it allows "album art" views of selection lists, it really only shows one cover at a time and is   S  L  O  W.  Absolutely useless with a big collection.

Another consideration in choosing a Pronto is how you like to user a remote control.  Prontos are available in one or two handed models.  The two handed model is closer to how the Sonos remote works.  My wife hated the two handed model.  I felt it was a bit clumsy to handle and also prefer the one handed model.  The build quality of both Prontos is world class and makes a real statement of highest quality.

[Philistine]

Just found this new Ptonto 9800 - with a 6.4 inch LCD touchscreen:

http://www.remotecentral.com/news/438/quick_preview_of_the_philips_pronto_professional_tsu9800.html

Getting closer in size (and cost $2400 ) to the Sooloos.
After checking out the ProntoSqueeze interface my preference remains with the Controller interface.

[Papajin]

SqueezeCenter uses Wi-Fi to control Slimserver.  It is very responsive and because it uses Wi-Fi, I don't need line of sight to control the squeezebox.

I think there may be some confusion here.  SqueezeCenter and SlimServer are the same thing.  SlimServer was renamed to SqueezeCenter some time back.  Sounds more like you're talking about the Squeezebox Controller (which is the fancy remote that comes with the Duet) rather than SqueezeCenter which is software.

[spudco]

SqueezeCenter uses Wi-Fi to control Slimserver.  It is very responsive and because it uses Wi-Fi, I don't need line of sight to control the squeezebox.

I think there may be some confusion here.  SqueezeCenter and SlimServer are the same thing.  SlimServer was renamed to SqueezeCenter some time back.  Sounds more like you're talking about the Squeezebox Controller (which is the fancy remote that comes with the Duet) rather than SqueezeCenter which is software.

My BAD.  Too many sleepless nights.

Please substitues "ProntoSqueeze" for "SqueezeCenter"... 

[richidoo]

Off topic - richidoo, you might be interested in this:
http://www.signalpathint.com/index.php/decco/decco.html

Thanks, that's cool!!