Sunday, 3 June 2007
Thoughts on Remote Speakers Output Plug-In 3.0
« Remote Speakers Output Plug-In 2.0 | Main | Remote Speakers output - status update and responses to selected feedback »I had been waiting until after Remote Speakers output v2 was published on winamp.com before posting an update on the current state of affairs. But with Nullsoft's site redesign clearly taking priority over reviewing new plug-in submissions, I feel I can no longer wait on them and have decided to go forward with planning for the next major version of the plug-in. Incedentally, thanks to all who have purchased a license for version 2.0. Reaction to it has been very positive, which is encouraging.
I have a few ideas already for the next major release of the Remote Speakers Output Plug-In, many of which came from user suggestions—here they are:
- Synchronize output to multiple remote speakers
- Build in support for simultaneous output to local speakers
- Compress audio stream to lessen network bandwidth usage
- Provide separate volume control for each remote speakers base station
- Display indicators of remote speakers audio jack status, password protection status and whatever else might be useful
- Add support for IPv6
- Internationalize (i.e. support multiple languages)
- Retool installer so that it can install to all supported players at once
- Add support for other players...which ones?
This is by no means a list of items that will go into the next release, nor is the list closed to new additions. If you are really interested in having one or more of the items on this list make the 3.0 release or if there is something you want that is not on this list, please post a comment here. With your suggestions in mind, I will formulate a plan shortly and post an update here.
I would really like to see better synchronization of output to multiple remote speakers. I evaluated v2 and considered purchasing it but decided against it when I directed output to multiple speakers. The music wasn't synchronized...and seemed to get worse over time. I listen to a lot of MP3's that are 1 to 2 hours in length, and while the output seemed to start in snyc it didn't stay that way. I stream to multiple Airport Express devices 99.9% of the time, so this was a deal killer which dissuaded my purchase decision.
I think the Synchronize output to multiple remote speakers is most important. The volume control for each remote speaker would be a fantastic idea as well. One other nice feature would be for your plugin to accept remote # commands to change the # of stars a song gets. So if a particular song is playing in ramdom mode and you hate it, you press 0 on the remote and it gives the song 0 stars. I don't know of anything that does that.
I don't have any plans to upgrade to 2.0, at least not yet. Maybe for the Keyspan remote support (does that work with Media Monkey?).
What would get me to upgrade in a heartbeat is a "no silence" option. When using a digital connection to the AirPort, my h/k receiver takes a second to sync up when transitioning from silence to a signal. Even the brief gap between tracks is enough to prompt this behavior. As a result, the first fraction of a second is being cut off of every track on playback, which can be VERY annoying.
I'd love it if the Remote Speakers Output Plugin could be configured to insert a very low level of signal whenever it detects complete silence coming from the source. I'd upgrade in a heartbeat if the Plugin could do that.
If the plugin could perform lossless compression of the signal before sending it to the AirPort that would be great, too. I get the occasional dropout - about once every 8 hours - which I suspect would be resolved if the data stream were cut in half.
cool ideas that u have. i like it!
i hope u port it to other players too (foobar).
i use most time that player and only winamp for this plugin (winamp is too buggy i think).
good work always :).
Hi, I would love it if you can do a standalone box in winamp like the "multiple speakers" choice in Itunes so that i can tick or untick speakers from the 10 airports i have in our house when i move around! now you have to first go in and check the new speakers, then go in and untick the old pair one more time, you cant do it in one go. Thanks for good job! / Lasse
Again, again... local speakers and remote speakers at the same time w/o having to use another plugin that doesn't even support Media Monkey.
It's been in iTunes since 6, trust it's an important addition.
lossless compression would be great, but I don't think this depends on the plugin, does it? The airtunes expects audio in a certain format, correct??
Otherwise it's great! Thanks!
Synchronized output to multiple speakers would make me buy this..
A way of simulatenously directing different music sources to different sets of remote speakers would be nice. ie taking the plugin in the same path as airfoil, sort of
two points:
(1) it would be great if it would be possible to stream wma files too. since i have a bench of radiostreams (eg bbc) in wma, it's a mess not beeing able to stream them to my airport express
(2) I'm using a notebook - and it's not the most convenient to go through the preferences menu to change the output-plugin when ever I want to listen to music not at home.
Hello there,
Great plug-in! I've purchased the unlimited upgrade license and I love the multiple AE streaming. It only makes sense to have the units in synch so that music can be played throughout the house seamlessly.
Thanks again!
Fred
I agree with the user above...I am on a laptop and it is a huge pain changing plug ins every time I leave the house. An option to essentially turn off network streaming on the fly wold be most useful.
hi, Eric!
I'd like to see a port for the mac as far as that's possible! I am looking for an alternative to airfoil... the release should work with itunes or vlc (for dvd-audio playback) that would be really cool.
as for the windows version it would be awesome to support foober2000 which is the best audio player for windows IMHO.
Thank you very much for this nice peace of software!
Regards, jay