ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Any idea if b&o will make a playmaker with the more reliable 5ghz band?
The 4x cheaper airport express has 5 ghz.
"You think we can slap some oak on this thing?"
Which is too bad as 5 GHz would be a benefit. Even the Essence doesn't do 5 GHz. Then again, the Airport really needs an outboard DAC to sound as good as the Playmaker...so, no good solution.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
leosgonewild:Has anyone done a sound comparing between the playmaker and the airport express?
I don`t think the sound quality will be very different since the airplay protocol is 16/44.1. Using a playmaker with DLNA you get 320k bit
Wouter
Wouter: I don`t think the sound quality will be very different since the airplay protocol is 16/44.1. Using a playmaker with DLNA you get 320k bit
Please explain - what is the link between those two statements/sentences?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Millemissen: Please explain - what is the link between those two statements/sentences? MM
It was merely a comparison between airplay and DLNA. I think you'll get the best from a playmaker with DNLA but I don`t know that for sure. A chain is as strong as its weakest link. To me it seems the airplay protocol in this situation and therefore I do not think the sound quality of an airport express will be different. I could be wrong, so please educate me if thats the case...
Off topic: I use an airport express for streaming music, and IMHO the quality is fine, never have dropouts.
I think "Soundproof" once posted some links that proved that airplay used lossless compression, and there was no audio degradation over the air. However, the consensus around here is that the Airport's DAC is not the best so it would be the weak link. Hence, the recommendation for using an outboard DAC (since the Airport has a digital out that gives you the same bits you put in at the other end).
I don't know about DNLA. I thought it just did a binary transfer of whatever you told it to send, but I really never looked into this.
Stan
Easy solution to the 5GHz problem is to buy an airport express on top and connect that via cable to the airport express.
Thats what I had to do to get the playmaker work reliable on my network.
jk1002: Easy solution to the 5GHz problem is to buy an airport express on top and connect that via cable to the airport express. Thats what I had to do to get the playmaker work reliable on my network.
Clever! Good solution, keeps the good DAC and analog outs of the PM and cures the network issues affordably.
The problem with the Airport express is probably less the actual DAC chip, though I doubt it's as good as some, but in the analog output circuitry that follows the DAC. Given the size constraints, and the fact it's not really designed as a decent audio product, the audio out is just a freebie riding on the rest of what it does, it's unlikely to have decent op amps, good power supplies, etc. I'd bet that's as much or most of the problem.
Stan: I think "Soundproof" once posted some links that proved that airplay used lossless compression, and there was no audio degradation over the air. However, the consensus around here is that the Airport's DAC is not the best so it would be the weak link. Hence, the recommendation for using an outboard DAC (since the Airport has a digital out that gives you the same bits you put in at the other end). I don't know about DNLA. I thought it just did a binary transfer of whatever you told it to send, but I really never looked into this. Stan
Wouter wrote:
"I don`t think the sound quality will be very different since the airplay protocol is 16/44.1. Using a playmaker with DLNA you get 320k bit"
The transfer protocol used with AirPlay is ALAC in 16bit/44.1Kbps (or - in some cases - up to 48Kbps) - which means, that anything (less or more) will be converted to ALAC-16/44.1.
ALAC is - like FLAC - a lossless compression of audiodata.
However, converting an audio stream, that was lossy compressed with (e.g.) a MP3 codecs, does not make it 'better'.
The DLNA protocol transfers the stream as is!
Some DLNA renderers support more/different audio codecs and audio resolutions higher than 16/44, than others do - which might be import to some users.
Comparing AirPlay with streaming via DLNA of a 320Kbps stream makes no sense. You will have to compare a file from the same origin through AirPlay respectively through DLNA to say anything about, whether there is a difference between both protocols or not.
With the AirPort Express you only have the option of airplaying!
The Playmaker gives you the opportunity of choosing between both protocols (and it has an additional audio input port as well).
From the sight of the functionally you can't compare these two devices - except if you only use the Playmaker for airplaying.
In that situation both are even - because both use the same protocol.
However, the way the Playmaker treats the audio stream, when it becomes converted to analog audio signals (what we call the DAC solution), is different from the way the APE does it.
As often written, you should - in most cases - only use the digital output of the APE and a reasonable outboard DAC, if you care for SQ.
....or you might say: the Playmaker has the reasonable DAC already built-in.
With the Playmaker you get a better functionallity (i.e. if you need the extra functions) and you get a better audio engine!
Besides, if you use the Playmaker as a standalone solution, you also get the direct controlling of the volumen and the ir-controlling via Beo4 - and you get the built-in trigger solution for BeoLab's via the PowerLink cables.
In short: if you only care for/need AirPlay and you want to use the device as a source for a BeoMaster, you might as well go for the APE, but you will need a good external DAC between the device and the BeoMaster.
Bought one Playmaker, installed it (working wireless) ----- still working
Millemissen: Bought one Playmaker, installed it (working wireless) ----- still working MM
Both of mine are still working fine. Had issues up front but it wasn't the PMs, but a process on my computer which would stomp on all other network traffic when it wanted to talk to the router. Removed it, been trouble free since then! Never had issues streaming from my iPad on Spotify.
Jeff: Millemissen: Bought one Playmaker, installed it (working wireless) ----- still working MM Both of mine are still working fine. Had issues up front but it wasn't the PMs, but a process on my computer which would stomp on all other network traffic when it wanted to talk to the router. Removed it, been trouble free since then! Never had issues streaming from my iPad on Spotify.
Same here
Hm, this would solve my current issue. Could you take me through step by step? Connect the airport express to an ethernet cable, and then connect the playmaker to the ae network?
yes, it worked just by plugging the cable in.
the playmaker recognized that connection and switched its own wifi off
i think there might also be a way to switch off the iairplay function of the express
but i didnt bother myself with that
cheers
jk
Hm. I'v got a 1.gen airport express. Will this work? https://support.apple.com/kb/SP1?locale=en_US
As far as I know the 1st gen is not 5 Ghz, that got introduced with 2nd generation. You could give it a spin and see if it works better, but would not give it much hope.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPort_Express
I'v got the A1264 which has the 5ghz band according to wikipedia.
so the connection is like this:
playmaker-ethernet cable to airport express. Then connect to the playmaker through the wireless network, using the b&o app.
That is how i am using mine. It just worked.
weel, except I am not using the app. Playmaker just shows up as an airplay device in itunes or on iphone
I guess the BeoSetup app is meant - and that is just used for.......setting up/updating the device.
And not for 'everyday use'.
Interesting. This is what i did:
I reset both my playmaker and airport express and got them both joined to the same wireless network (got a new router, so had to do this anyway).
Then i plugged an ethernet cable between playmaker and airport express.
How do i know if this worked? No lights flashed on the playmaker....it is probably still drawing from the wireless network, not the airport express.
...or simply disconnected the wireless, when the cable was plugged in.
davelarue: How do i know if this worked?
The Playmaker will give cable the priority when you plug a cable in.
When you connect to the 5GHz wifi network, is the beoplay visible?Then you know its working. What you dont want to happen is that the router and airport run on 2.4, then this all was pointless.
The way I read your post is that the Playmaker can connect to your wifi which means it is 2.4. Playmaker shouldnt be able to join a 5Ghz network.
You might need to check your router settings.