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
If there's anyone out there using a Playmaker without an iDevice I'd be interested in their experiences. There's a few threads mentioning DLNA and Android but there seem to be very few people who do not have at least one iDevice in conjunction with the Playmaker.
The majority of my music is on a QNAP NAS (with Twonky) as FLAC, and I have a mixed ML/MCL B&O system. My phones are Android and I use a Nexus 7 tablet. I am considering a Playmaker for the following reasons:
- The quality of the DAC.
- Controllability via Beo4 (and the front panel)
Questions:
Q1: I would prefer to connect Playmaker to the AUX-in of my BC9500, but selection of DLNA via 'A.MEM' on Beo 4 (old TAPE1) would surely start the tape on my BC9500 - is there a solution? Can I change the default for DLNA selection?
Q2: Would I have to get a Mk1 Playmaker to ensure that FLAC is supported?
Q3: What is the preferred DLNA/Android streaming software for Playmaker? Skifta? (I hear that some DLNA devices offer limited functionality - for instance my WD HD TV struggles to play playlists or albums from Skifta as apparently it does not 'send a message' to say that each track has finished playing.)
I know that some of you have tried/tested DLNA, but am very interested to hear from someone who is using it exclusively.
Regards
Guy
It's only been two days but I am guessing that the lack of responses to my questions is an answer in itself!
Anyone?
Probably most of us have iPhones :). You should get one too! It is delicious. But if you still want to use android - then you should. Playmaker should work with it as you know.One of the main reasons for buying a Playmaker as far as I know is that the DAC is very good. Q1: No, you can not change the sources on the PlayMaker. And since it is a stand alone product it is not even designed to be connected to a BeoSound-system. There is only a Line-IN but perhaps possible to take the signal from the powerlink outputs to AUX on your BC9500.Q2: Yes.Q3: I have no idea but perhaps you could try the ones out there. I think it works best with AirPlay however.For me the playmaker is a no go. It is not a team player.
Beolab 50, Beolab 8000 x 2, Beolab 4000 x 2, BeoSound Core, BeoSound 9000, BeoSound Century, BeoLit 15, BeoPlay A1, BeoPlay P2, BeoPlay H9 3rd Gen, BeoPlay H6, EarSet 3i, BeoVision Eclipse Gen 2 55", BeoPlay V1-40, BeoCom 6000 and so much else :)
Hi Michael, and many thanks for responding to both this and my other post about Passives.
I may well go down the Playmaker route but only if I want a stand alone system, perhaps with some BL4000s when I move house later in the year. Hopefully the price of the Mk1s will fall once Mk2s are on the market! Mind you, having researched further I can't help thinking that N.RADIO would be a useful Playmaker addition.
Hi Guy,
sorry for not seeing your question untill now 😉
Michael has already given his answers - here are mine:
Q1: if you connect the PM to your BC9500 (using a RJ45-PL cable to stereo cinch/phono and 5pin DIN) you will have to put it into Option 0 and to 'fixed line-out.
This means that you would not control it directly anymore (via front or Beo4). You control the BC9500 and you open the port to which it is connected (A.AUX or TAPE2) with your Beo4. The PM is 'only' feeding that port.
Since the PM autosenses which of its three sources is used (see the userguide for this), it will be no problem at all to use the DLNA-part only (via an Android DLNA-app).
Q2: the answer is (sadly) a 'yes'!
Q3: there are several DLNA-apps for Android. You already mentioned 'Skifta'. 'BubbleDLNA' is another one. 'PlugPlayer for Android' is well known (I use the iOS version).
Since I am iOS-user I am not able to recommend any exclusively. Google and trying-out are your best friends in this case!!!
Conclusion: I see no problem in using the PM(MK1) with an Android device, the Twonky Server and FLAC. Connecting it to your BC9500 would make your music available in all your ML-rooms - controlled from where ever you are.
N.B. There are Android-apps that are able to use AirPlay as well: www.knowyourmobile.com/android-apps/18049/best-airplay-apps-android
Greetings Millemissen
There is a tv - and there is a BV
You can have N.RADIO without any problems - if you were using i-devices and AirPlay?
There are lots of good Internet-radio apps out there.
BUT Android was YOUR choice
Many thanks for all that Millemissen, especially the last bit about Android apps that use AirPlay as I had never considered that.
I think that the Option 0 solution would not give enough advantage over my current WD HD TV solution (which also does video), hence will wait until later in the year when I move house and look for an excuse to set up a stand alone room system.
With the WD HD TV solution you won't be able to hear your DLNA/FLAC music in your link rooms!
Greetings Millemissn
Yes I can - it's plugged into my BV3 and works fine over my MCL system when I select DVD! Link rooms are Option 5 hence they 'expect' video sources even though they are not receiving them - just the audio bit!
Sorry - I forgot that the WD has analog-out in addition to the HDMI.
Good for you!
Millemissen: You can have N.RADIO without any problems - if you were using i-devices and AirPlay?
Don't forget you can also use a Windows laptop (or Mac, of course), with Airfoil, to send any audio to the Playmaker, as an Airplay device.
I've just connected a Playmaker to our BL3s in the office and it's possible to stream radio or any content to them, via Airfoil. http://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/
On a sidenote, the Playmaker looks grubby after a few days in the office!
Many thanks for the AirPlay info. I already have TwonkyBeam on my Nexus, and TwonkyManager on my PC so it appears that I may already be 'AirPlay compatible' without knowing it!
The Twonky forums report a few airplay problems with TwonkyManager, but airfoil does look good as an alternative.
I think I need to borrow an iDevice (or PlayMaker) and have a play ...
Patrick
Architect
A8, Beosound 3, Playmaker, Beolab 8000 Mk2
My Playmaker says 1.00.2485.
In regards to the topic - Can you turn a Playmaker on/off using a beo4? Does a beo4 give give more options in sound-setup, than adjusting by the source?