JulianL;256462 Wrote: > I'm currently using a Dell Axim as a dedicated controller for my SB3 and > it really is a dedicated device, I have no extra software installed and > just have the IE home page set to <SlimServerIP>/Handheld. It looks to > me as if, after reading all 20 pages of this thread, the new Duet > controller (DC) might work better for me. > > I really only have one serious issue with my PDA solution. OK, the > interface is a bit slow, but the real issue is that when I pick up the > Axim and turn it on to change the music then there is a 5-10 second > delay before the Axim re-registers onto my wireless network. If I've > understood various posts here correctly then this shouldn't be an issue > with the DC as it never disconnects itself, it just goes into a power > saving mode but keeps the WiFi connected. Is this correct? Does this > mean that as soon as I pick up the DC I will have instance access, much > like browsing with the IR remote on my SB3 right now? > > Dean said that under constant use the battery life is about 3 hours. > What is the life on power-save mode? What I'm really looking for is the > equivalent of the cellphone talk-time and standby-time figures. Dean's 3 > hour figure is essentially a talk-time figure. What is the standby-time > figure? I'm trying to work out whether the DC would survive > (battery-life wise!) an 8 hour party without being put back in the > charger. Parties are when the connect delay on every switchon of my > Axim becomes most annoying because non-technical guests aren't > expecting it. > > My other question is when will we get more details of the browsing > experience? The screenshots on the web site only show a now-playing > screen and the Engadget video isn't zoomed in on the screen when the > reporter is browsing so it is hard to know what the interface will be > like. For what it's worth, here is what I'm hoping for (my dream > interface) > > I mostly browse by artist and then album and, with 6.5.4, have started > browsing albums by artwork. Ideally I would like to be able to > configure the options on the home page (top level menu) much like an > iPod so that one of my top-level items is Artists (i.e. Browse by > Artists). Selecting that menu option then takes me to the alphabetical > list of artists (maybe with some A-Z tabs to move quickly through a big > list). When I select an artist I then have the option (depending on how > I have it configured) to either show a list of that Artist's album > titles or to show the albums via artwork, probably a scrollable list of > one on screen at a time with the title below it. An option of 4 > thumbnails per screen with title beneath would also be good. In all > cases I would want the option to sort an artist's albums in date order > (like the current SlimServer can do). I would then want the ability to > either play an entire album or drill down to the track list to play or > enqueue on a track-by-track basis. > > Is the browse-by-artist functionality able to offer an experience > anything like the above? If not then when will there be screenshots > and/or video/flash demos on the site? > > - Julian
So far I have used a PDA, Nokia Smart Phone, Play Station Portable, N800 (briefly) and laptop - all with various web browsers, web skins and stand alone apps. I now have been using an SBC for 4 months or so as part of the beta test and i say that as a Squeezebox remote the SB Controler wins hands down. And i honestly dont say that with any Bias or fanboyism at all. The reasons it beats all the other devices for me are; 1) Always on wifi - because it mostly in the dock wifi is always on - other devices like the PSP, PDA etc constantly lose the connection when idle - it takes a few seconds to log on and drives me mad when i just want to flick tracks but have wait. 2) Ergonomics - the SBC can be used one handed, in fact it works best this way. Most other devices need two hands. I prefer to have a beer hand free at all times. I also just feels right using a remote in one hand. 3) Start up time - with say my PSP, i not only had to switch it on, log on to the network, but i also had to load the web browser. With the SBC it's just there - i grab it and its ready to use before my eyes even get chance to focus on it. 4) Knowing where it is - I know where it is - next to my sofa in the dock, not in the car or next to the bed, or being used by someone else for something else. 5) The dock - is a good wieght and lose so i can grab the SBC and drop it back with speed and ease with one drunken hand. The other docks i had for my PDA, PDA etc had to be clicked in with two hands and to much concentration to make me instinctively want to dock it after use. 6) Fool proof, easy to use and WAF - I can let my mates have free reign without worrying about them exiting the browser or something. 7) Speed of UI - very sluggish on most devices, often worse when using a NAS. Once the album art is cached it's lightening fast. Thats no to say it's perfect in the beta firmware, it's one of my main complaints, but we are told its being fix right now. Of course whether or not you think its justifies the extra cost is up to you, but just looking at it from the view of it being used as a remote, the SBC is the nuts. -- autopilot SLIMSERVER:[/B] 7.0 APLHA (WINDOWS XP) + ALIENBBC, SLIMSCROBBLER & LAST.FM. *AMP:* CAMBRIDGE AUDIO 640A (LIVING ROOM) / DENON MD30 (BEDROOM). *SPEAKERS:* MISSION 701'S (LIVING ROOM) / KEF CRESTA 1'S (BEDROOM). *REMOTE:* T-MOBILE MDA VARIO / HARMONY 525 (IR) / *BETA TESTING JIVE REMOTE. [B]Clients:* 1 Squeezebox 3 + Softsqueeze. 'LAST.FM' (http://www.last.fm/user/domrevans/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ autopilot's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=1763 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=41813 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
