usch;537709 Wrote: > > I think the problem is that all Squeezeboxes are peripherals, but there > is no central product to tie it all together. > ... > See how many users are running SBS on a NAS, VortexBox, or SheevaPlug. > > > So if I may make a guess, the next member of the Squeezebox family has > to be a dedicated server with built-in storage. And since they are > certainly not developing the embedded SBS as a personal favour for > users of 3rd party hardware, that's an easy guess indeed. IMHO. > A Touch without the display and a bit more memory seems like a logical step. However, I have some doubts if it's the best idea to focus on, because as long as they don't cover the ripping and music management issues people are going to need a computer anyway. Sure, they don't need the computer for playback, but still, they need software installed on the computer to handle ripping and manage their music files.
I personally feel that it would be a lot smarter for Logitech to use VortexBox as a partner and focus their own hardware on other areas which is a bit less software oriented than a new central server solution. Logitech is primarily a hardware company and a central server solution is mostly software. Promoting VortexBox in similar fashion as they've previously promoted the iPhone applications seems like the best solution to me. And before someone comments it, yes, all the new Squeezebox products are also mostly software. The hardware on the Touch is IMHO not good enough for a good central server solution, the memory and CPU is a bit too limited. It will work for simple users with no specific requirements and for friends visiting with a USB stick but it really won't work for more advanced users or people with large libraries due to its restrictions. Fortunately, the other areas of the Touch like the color display and the audio quality is great, so even if it doesn't act as a server it's still a great product. I'm pretty sure many people will try to use the built-in server in the beginning but when they start to see all third party plugins available when running a real server on a computer, VortexBox, SheevaPlug or similar they are eventually going to switch. Some of the limitations in the built-in server, for example the configuration options, are going to improve over time, but for other features which needs better hardware there isn't much to do. -- erland Erland Isaksson 'My homepage' (http://erland.isaksson.info) (Install my plugins through Extension Downloader) (Developer of 'TrackStat, SQLPlayList, DynamicPlayList, Custom Browse, Custom Scan, Custom Skip, Multi Library, Title Switcher and Database Query plugins' (http://wiki.erland.isaksson.info/index.php/Category:SlimServer)) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ erland's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3124 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=77610 _______________________________________________ Touch mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/touch
