NEW Apple - Airport Express - AirTunes

Ahchay · Post by **Ahchay** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:47 pm 0

Kemper_Boyd wrote:
Ahchay wrote:Smart. Clever use of the technology

/me waits patiently for a PC friendly version...
Today.

I doubt it. I've tried configuring Airport's from a PC before and <mode=Scotty>she cannae dae it cap'n</mode> - you need a mac on the network (although I guess I could borrow one) to setup security etc. And that's ignoring the problems of trying to get Apple/Non-Apple kit to agree on a suitable WEP.

And... iTunes only? Bugger off then. Sorry.

Not trolling - really. It's more that I've found Apple kit talking to Apple kit is a piece of the veritable, but problems start the minute you try and attach anything which isn't shiny and white into the network. I'm fully prepared to admit that it's my own ignorance showing itself up and everything.

Even with all that... I'm still half-tempted to get one

Cheers
Chris

Ads · Post by **Ads** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 10:49 pm 0

My Airport card works seamlessly with my Cisco access point. Pity about the Linksys gaming adaptor; for the moment.

Gorecki · Post by **Gorecki** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:06 pm 0

I've got the Slimp3 Squeezebox and it's one of the biggest disapointments that I've ever purchased. It looks lovely and the build quality is fantastic but it suffers from two monumental draw backs that means it's sat on my stereo system largely unused since I received it.

First of all the volume is too low. Even when the volume is set to maximum on both software and hardware it's still plays at a significantly lower volume through my amp than all my other hi-fi devices. Flipping from Squeezebox to DAB without first lowering the volume is liable to rupture eardrums.

Secondly, the playing software is fucking shit. I mean really fucking awful. You have to use it, you can't use Winamp or iTunes to control it. It's got a crappy web browser interface that's slow, clunky to use and seems hell bent on putting a barrier between you and the songs you want to play. And it has no FFW/RW option, nothing, not even a slider bar. So the only way to listen to an mp3 file is right from the start through to the finish. This means that it's not possible to listen to radio shows that I've recorded from DAB and skip forward when I get to a track I don't like or skip back to replay a track that I particularly like. Bah

This apple thingamy seems to have the control issue sorted at least (I do like using iTunes on the Macs at work) and if the volume issue is, well, not an issue then I'll definitely be getting one.

goldfish · Post by **goldfish** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:52 pm 0

7/6/04 Security fix now in Software Update... taking an age to optimise...

AirTunes/Airport Express looks saucy. Optical out is a GOOD THING, can plug it straight into my DAC, which will be nice and save using/finding another line input for my amp (PS Goreck have you got your Slimp3 thing connected into the same type of input on your amp? Different inputs often have different sensitivies, so one can sound 'louder' than another... just a thought).

Simon

matt · Post by **matt** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:20 am 0

goldfish wrote:7/6/04 Security fix now in Software Update... taking an age to optimise...

God is it!

goldfish wrote:AirTunes/Airport Express looks saucy. Optical out is a GOOD THING, can plug it straight into my DAC, which will be nice and save using/finding another line input for my amp (PS Goreck have you got your Slimp3 thing connected into the same type of input on your amp? Different inputs often have different sensitivies, so one can sound 'louder' than another... just a thought).

So what is this AirPort Express? A smaller wireless router or something more? Or just the few connections more?

I understand it's nice and all, and it'll save me having to route music through my Netgem - but it's slightly lost on me.

matt

Gorecki · Post by **Gorecki** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:21 am 0

Yeah, I've connected it into all the inputs on the amp and the result is always the same. I've even run it through the inputs on other devices, then into the amp hoping they might give it a little bit of a boost, but no.

corrosive · Post by **corrosive** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:31 am 0

One question that comes to mind is - did they announce this before the WWDC because they've got too much else to announce there? <crosses fingers>

Kemper_Boyd · Post by **Kemper_Boyd** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:57 am 0

corrosive wrote:One question that comes to mind is - did they announce this before the WWDC because they've got too much else to announce there? <crosses fingers>

Faster G5 PowerMac is today if you believe the rumors. I think the G5 iMac will
be demoed at WWDC, I hope they ditch the screen and come out with the much
anticipated xMac.

PowerBook G5 should arrive before the end of the year.

Apple's G5 transition is now about 6 months behind schedule, unless they
surprise us with the 975 based PowerMacs at WWDC.

It does look like they will miss the 3 GHz in 12 months target too.

GeeZa · Post by **GeeZa** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:02 am 0

goldfish wrote:AirTunes/Airport Express looks saucy. Optical out is a GOOD THING, can plug it straight into my DAC

Indeed it is and it's so often forgotten. Firewire out would have been the bollocks, but never mind, probably makes no diff in this instance. Only Pioneer seem to have figured out that iLink is *ideal* for digital audio. Still, keeping the signal digital all the way to your DAC/DSP makes this a no-brainer for me.

Fuseball · Post by **Fuseball** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 2:57 pm 0

GeeZa wrote:
goldfish wrote:AirTunes/Airport Express looks saucy. Optical out is a GOOD THING, can plug it straight into my DAC
Indeed it is and it's so often forgotten. Firewire out would have been the bollocks, but never mind, probably makes no diff in this instance. Only Pioneer seem to have figured out that iLink is *ideal* for digital audio. Still, keeping the signal digital all the way to your DAC/DSP makes this a no-brainer for me.

Same here. I have a reasonable DAC in my Pioneer audio CD writer I can make use of, which I'm pretty sure will sound better than my Powerbook's standard audio out.

romanista · Post by **romanista** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 3:22 pm 0

Ads wrote: I don't tend to worry about power connectors on network equipment. If you look at a lot of recent wall-wart style adaptors, supplied with UK equipment, they usually have a plastic flange to provide the extra space for our wonderful three pin plugs. I guess this could be a sticking point for Apple in terms of design or cost for a smaller production run just for the UK. Even if they supplied some sort of trailing power cable.

thery are so bif, i just baught a connector to make my ebay jag work here, incredible, you lose so much space to our nicve little 2 pins

korruptor · Post by **korruptor** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 3:52 pm 0

Kemper_Boyd wrote:
matt303 wrote:The power plug is removable on apple power supplies so just unclip the two pin and slap on a uk 3pin, just like with my PowerBook and iPod chargers. Doesn't look like a bodge either.
It almost certainly will be wider, and thus the Airport Express won't be
able to lie flat when on an extension cord, unless the cord replaces
the whole plug, rather than just provide a socket. I'm not saying it's
a big deal, but accomodating UK plugs will be tricky. Apple could possibly
build a plug component where the case forms the base of the pins.
We'll see I guess.

The cord replaces the whole plug. It's the same as the Powerbook stuff, like wot matt said. It's even in the pictures on the website

ophion · Post by **ophion** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 2:24 am 0

Ahchay wrote:
Kemper_Boyd wrote:
Ahchay wrote:Smart. Clever use of the technology

/me waits patiently for a PC friendly version...
Today.
I doubt it. I've tried configuring Airport's from a PC before and <mode=Scotty>she cannae dae it cap'n</mode> - you need a mac on the network (although I guess I could borrow one) to setup security etc.

I've had the same experience with regular Airport base stations, but the Airport Express says "Mac & PC" right on its product page at Apple.