recommend me a remote control / music solution?

[hammy]

Hi all,

My setup:
- PCH A200 with 1TB HDD
- QNAP TS109 NAS running twonky
- Networked Sony DLNA TV
- all of the above wired to the home network
- wireless home network available
- traditional Denon hifi connectewd to TV/PCH
- no Smartphone (yet!)

I'm looking for an elegant way to browse and play music either from my NAS or the PCH HDD & play it through my hifi (which means controlling my PCH or TV). Both the TV and the PCH play my music fine in list format but are restricted to list view and the limited coverart on the TV is slow and unimpressive. I'm not a fan of the musicjukebox skin. The new PCH UI may be what I'm after when it eventually comes, but who knows.....

Can anyone suggest an elegant way to play and queue music, and browse my music library with album covers etc....

I'm thinking something like the eyecontroller with an android PDA or something (don't have a smart phone and don't need one) - this is the GUI and funtionality I'm looking for...maybe the new android tablets are what i need to wait for. I could get an ipod touch but i'd rather not get something that's so locked down.

I know i could get a squeezebox and iphone and a 3rd party app to do this but i figure that I'm almost there with the hardware that i have & are just missing a good controller.

suggestions anyone...?:

eyecontroller and

[chris57]

Have you seen the new upcoming UI (aka NMJ)?

I really like the Music implementation. You can change the views to genre, artist, album, etc. Create playlists etc.
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=39284

To reassure you on timescales NMJ is now in beta1 of the next firmware cycle. As soon as the A200 firmware is released there will be a quick release for the C200 to patch a few things that are in the current release. Then the firmware from the current beta cycle comes after that. They are hoping for October for release but as always dates are not definates they are targets. I personally expect it to release end of October/early-mid November.

[papajohn]

(09-23-2010 07:21 AM)hammy Wrote:  Hi all,

My setup:
- PCH A200 with 1TB HDD
- QNAP TS109 NAS running twonky
- Networked Sony DLNA TV
- all of the above wired to the home network
- wireless home network available
- traditional Denon hifi connectewd to TV/PCH
- no Smartphone (yet!)

I'm looking for an elegant way to browse and play music either from my NAS or the PCH HDD & play it through my hifi (which means controlling my PCH or TV). Both the TV and the PCH play my music fine in list format but are restricted to list view and the limited coverart on the TV is slow and unimpressive. I'm not a fan of the musicjukebox skin. The new PCH UI may be what I'm after when it eventually comes, but who knows.....

Can anyone suggest an elegant way to play and queue music, and browse my music library with album covers etc....

I'm thinking something like the eyecontroller with an android PDA or something (don't have a smart phone and don't need one) - this is the GUI and funtionality I'm looking for...maybe the new android tablets are what i need to wait for. I could get an ipod touch but i'd rather not get something that's so locked down.

I know i could get a squeezebox and iphone and a 3rd party app to do this but i figure that I'm almost there with the hardware that i have & are just missing a good controller.

suggestions anyone...?:

eyecontroller and

Eyecon is looking quite good but probably has a few issues at present (PMd Chris on it, and emailed support but heard nought) on my Android. Changes my NMT vol to increments of 2 and sets it to +15 every few tracks (not a great idea given there's more distortion than music at that level) but might be the factythe vol slider is right below the track skip button. And it doesn't recognise my PS3. It would be good to hear from others that are having a better experience... please let us know.

There are so many things nearly working, yet just far enough away to bea tad frustrating. I don't have an iphone and can't comment on those apps but I'm using PWRC on my Archos 605 and Android and that's the best I can do at the moment - allowing me to browse my NAS, WHS with the TV off or others using. On a positive note I do think it's all starting to come together.

I'm hopeful that the new UI will offer some functionality with Twonky but guess we'll just need to wait a bit longer. Sorry I can't be more positive but I'm looking forward to hearing what you do end up with.

[chris57]

Can you report eyecontroller bugs on their forum for action:-
http://www.eyecontec.com/forum.html
More chance they'll see it.

[hammy]

(09-23-2010 03:05 PM)papajohn Wrote:  There are so many things nearly working, yet just far enough away to bea tad frustrating.

that's what i was aftraid of. i was kind of hoping that there was something out there that i've missed. The whole music thing seems to be getting only 5% of the effort that movies do which is strange given a lot of people must have heaps of ripped music at home.

(09-23-2010 03:05 PM)papajohn Wrote:  I'm hopeful that the new UI will offer some functionality with Twonky but guess we'll just need to wait a bit longer. Sorry I can't be more positive but I'm looking forward to hearing what you do end up with.

The music part of this UI is exactly what i want if it comes as promised. I do like the idea of a iphone-like remove control to flick through media wo the tv, but for a lounge room solution the TV & new UI might be the best thing. Buggy stuff is not what i'm really after either as the family needs to use it

[Nabbet]

If you have to use your existing equipment eyecontroller is probably the best bet.

If you're up for a change perhaps building a small NAS of your own with vortexbox (squeezecenter/slave) is an affordable option. Squeezecommander for control.

Vortexbox
Squeezecommander