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View Full Version : FANTASTIC must have for ipod/music server owners....



Gazjam
18-08-2009, 17:23
I'm a squeezebox user streaming FLAC/MP3 to my SB/Dac combo like a lot of us "new agers" on here.

I use an Ipod Touch with the Ipeng application for accessing my music in my main system, which is a GREAT way to enjoy my music collection.

Anyways, I have an 8GB ITouch which doesn't allow for a helluva lot of music on it - its enough, but not great.

Amazing what a random online search through forums can discover. :smoking:

Using an application called Simplify Media for the Ipod (about a fiver on the AppStore) and a free download for my music server PC, I can now stream over 1TB of music to my Ipod!

And the best thing...?

I can access my music library from ANYWHERE with a Wifi connection. At work, the airport, the pub...wherever.

This Ipod thingie has been a great investment!

Ipeng to control the Squeezebox and now Simplify to stream my music wherever I happen to be.

Check it here:
http://www.simplifymedia.com/learn.html

Its a must have. :)

SteveW
19-08-2009, 10:50
Seconded!!
I was showing someone from work the Simplify thing on my ipod...sitting on a train from London to Crewe, playing songs from my mates itunes library from his computer...in Florida. :eek::eek::eek:

So...not only can you access your own library...but you can invite others to join and access theirs.

Astonishing.

Gazjam
19-08-2009, 21:44
Steve, I've no friends!!!! :)

Well, to be more accurate...
I dont know anyone else with Simplify!

You be my friend? lol
(Username Gazjam)

I've set up a pair of active speakers in my bedroom where I can plug my ipod in and access all my music,
Its like having a second Squeezebox in teh bedroom - bloody fantastic!

Oh, switched onto Simplify this evening and got an update message that the App does PHOTOS now too!

59p to access all your photos on your server over your Ipod/Iphone - ANYWHERE with a WiFi connection.

As you say, astonishing.


Say steve, I noticed a small few seconds dely when accessing my server via the Ipod, have you found the same?


Thanks,
Gary. (your new friend)

SteveW
19-08-2009, 22:26
Anyone with a pic of Warren Zevon against their name is a mate of mine.

Haven't had Simplify on recently because I've been so busy ripping CD's to the imac... completely blown away by my new Caiman.

However...I'll do it right now.

:gig:

DanJennings
20-08-2009, 06:54
gazjam!
my username is pogoyen....
they're only mp3s, but there are rather a lot of them

SteveW
20-08-2009, 07:20
I rather fancied the ability to look at photo's remotely...so tried to upgrade, then it seems you need to upgrade your ipod to 3.0
So I did.... then upgraded Simplify.
Now it won't connect !!
I've sent an invite...will see if I can sort out the problem without changing my current user name.

Gazjam
20-08-2009, 07:36
*double post*

Gazjam
20-08-2009, 07:43
Anyone with a pic of Warren Zevon against their name is a mate of mine.

Haven't had Simplify on recently because I've been so busy ripping CD's to the imac... completely blown away by my new Caiman.

However...I'll do it right now.

:gig:

Got the invite Steve, ta!

I've around 30,000 tracks (1760 albums) so theres bound to be something you like - from Mozart to Motorhead!
If you like Zevon (and his ilk) there's a lot of that kind of stuff here.

The "Social Networking" aspect of simplify....thats whats gonna make it a must have for me....

that, and the fact its saved me buying another squeezebox for the bedroom!


I've just bought the 59p photo App too, access ove 7GB of photos right on my ipod! Excellent.

The Caiman, yeah me too.
I had a 7520 which I upgraded myself to Caiman spec (the op amps and the Wolfsen Dac) and its a very high end sounding dac, Id love to hear a comparison between it and others.


Cheers Steve.
Gary.

Gazjam
20-08-2009, 07:48
gazjam!
my username is pogoyen....
they're only mp3s, but there are rather a lot of them


Cheers Dan, invite accepted!! :)

Feel free to have a rummage around my CD collection!

SteveW
20-08-2009, 07:50
Simplify have just sent me a temp password....its still not signing in though. Think I'll try and delete the program and reload.

Gazjam
20-08-2009, 07:56
Simplify have just sent me a temp password....its still not signing in though. Think I'll try and delete the program and reload.

Hmnn..some ipod gremilin at work methinks.

I was on version 2.0 of the software and it automatically updated to 2.5 last night.
This solved the problem of it being a wee bit slow when browsing betwen albums etc.

Now its no different to browsing the ipod itself, very cool.

(Im running 3.0 ipod software too if that helps)

SteveW
20-08-2009, 08:11
cheers Gary...When these things work its wonderful, when they don't its a bastard.
I've reloaded...put the new temp password in they sent me, but keeps coming up with Error 10.
Just sent an email off to their support. Lets see.

I did notice last night when i fired it up and it was updating my library that quite a bit was missing ...odd.

Look forward to trawling through yours. oooeer matron.

I like Zevon, but these days my tastes have gone a bit quieter/folky/world music etc. You can see if I ever get the sod working again ! :)

SteveW
20-08-2009, 09:28
:dance:

Yes!!!

Never ceases to amaze me.
Now playing Richard Thompson from your hard drive, into an iMac which is then wirelessly transmitting that into an Airport Express, into a 7520 Caiman into Linn Exotic , into two Active Klouts and coming out of Tukans.

And it sounds great.

Oh..and I can play all yours and my libraries on my ipod.

DanJennings
20-08-2009, 09:36
does anyone know if you can get this working on MediaMonkey?

Gazjam
20-08-2009, 14:22
Hey Dan, its Winamp, itunes or Windows media player on Vista (not XP) only as far as I know?

Gazjam
20-08-2009, 14:24
:dance:

Yes!!!

Never ceases to amaze me.
Now playing Richard Thompson from your hard drive, into an iMac which is then wirelessly transmitting that into an Airport Express, into a 7520 Caiman into Linn Exotic , into two Active Klouts and coming out of Tukans.

And it sounds great.

Oh..and I can play all yours and my libraries on my ipod.


Cool, glad you got it working steve.

Browsing your library - YES!
The Jonathan Richman album I dont have, with "Your crazy for taking the bus" on it.

Had this track on a demo CD I got with Issue No.1 of Hifi World magazine back in the day.
Lost teh cdbeen trying to track the song down for ages.

Nice one cheers! :)

SteveW
22-08-2009, 07:08
No worries Gary
Funnily enough, I too had that HiFi World Mag, and then went out and got Jonathan Goes Country on vinyl. !!

Gazjam
22-08-2009, 07:43
Yeah, that CD was great.
Introduced me to Richard Thomson, Gregson and Collister as well.

Got me curious about the British folk scene in general too.

Good magazine if I remember right as well!

DanJennings
22-08-2009, 07:49
Richard Thompson? love him, check out my simplify, there's tons there if you're interested

Gazjam
22-08-2009, 09:21
Cheers Dan,

got most of his stuff actually, ive some of the harder to get stuff he did with his missus Linda, it's pretty good too.

DanJennings
22-08-2009, 09:37
I've got quite a lot of the live recordings you can only get from his concerts...
and collaborations with Danny Thompson etc...
what Linda stuff is harder to get?
I have I want to see the bright lights/hokey pokey/pour down like silver/first light/sunnyvista/shoot out the lights.... is there more?

trailer
22-08-2009, 12:30
Teddy Thompson is worth a listen too.

Seen him a couple of times, solo and with a band. Top notch

Spur07
22-08-2009, 15:00
This all sounds very interesting. I've never been one for the latest mobile phone technology and as such I've never had an internet account on my phone. Maybe its time I started to think about investing in a proper phone contract. If I do I'll join simplify straight away and share music.

What phones/devices are you guys using and what do you pay?

Gazjam
22-08-2009, 21:21
I don't use a phone for it Spur, just my Ipod Touch and broadband connection.
Download an Application for the Ipod, and a piece of software for the PC.

Your posting on an internet forum so your half way there! :)

Dan, I bow to your superior knowledge!
I had managed to get a few recordings of Richard and Linda together, and I was under the impression it was quite hard to get.
Maybe not!

Listening to Clive Gregson and Christine Collister earlier - very nice music.
Its on my Simplify if you fancy a listen.

DanJennings
23-08-2009, 07:54
I had managed to get a few recordings of Richard and Linda together, and I was under the impression it was quite hard to get.
Maybe not!

Believe it or not, if you went into HMV, you'd probably find more R&L than RT solo!

DanJennings
23-08-2009, 07:57
Listening to Clive Gregson and Christine Collister earlier - very nice music.
Its on my Simplify if you fancy a listen.

Yeah, like them... I met Christine Collister once. I have her 'first light' album.

side note: I also met Richard Thompson once, I'm sure I was a gibbering wreck... My equivalent of meeting God!

Gazjam
23-08-2009, 11:17
No doubt he's seen that a lot of times... :)

First solo album of his I heard was "Rumour and Sigh". Bought it on vinyl back in the day.
What albums of his do you reckon are his best?

I feel the need to go trawling through my RT collection!

Spur07
23-08-2009, 11:25
I don't use a phone for it Spur, just my Ipod Touch and broadband connection.
Download an Application for the Ipod, and a piece of software for the PC.

Your posting on an internet forum so your half way there! :)

Dan, I bow to your superior knowledge!
I had managed to get a few recordings of Richard and Linda together, and I was under the impression it was quite hard to get.
Maybe not!

Listening to Clive Gregson and Christine Collister earlier - very nice music.
Its on my Simplify if you fancy a listen.

Gaz,

sorry mate, but I'm a complete dunce with iphone/itouch, etc: can you share your home broadband contract with your itouch, as it were, or do you need to get a specific/seperate deal for it?:scratch:

Also, do you use a NAS drive to have 24/7 access to your music files, or are you using a normal external hard drive that obviously needs to be plugged in with the computer on to access the music when out and about? :scratch:

cheers

DanJennings
23-08-2009, 11:33
First solo LBUM of his I heard was "Rumour and Sigh". Bought it on vinyl back in the day.
What albums of his do you reckon are his best?


Yeah, Rumour and Sigh was my first too, and still one of my faves.

I also love Mock Tudor, and his latest - Sweet Warrior
I also couldn't live without Richard and Linda's 'Hokey Pokey'

I noticed you have his 1000 years of popular music DVD/CD combo....
Have you heard the earlier release which is just one single CD? It's a different concert, and there's some good tracks on there that aren't on the other one (and vice versa of course).
I recommend, (if you haven't already heard them) The Who's 'Legal Matter' Prince's 'Kiss' and Abba's 'Money'

Live wise, you should check out 'The Chrono Show' - basically just him and an acoustic guitar ripping through some of his older material.
And 'Two Letter Words' is probably the best live 'band' recording I've heard. Both of these have completely different, but equally stunning versions of 'Hokey Pokey'

Spur07
23-08-2009, 12:18
Gaz,

just worked out my first question by re-reading your original post - you can use your current home broadband to connect, but you can only access your music when your in a wifi zone. Its not like an iphone that can constantly be connected to the internet anywhere through something like 3G. (I presume Simplify will work on an iphone in this way).

Still tempting though. Wonder how much wifi coverage there is out there?

Gazjam
23-08-2009, 12:29
Spur,
With the Ipod touch (like mine) it only works in a WiFi zone. (or at home!)

The Iphone is different with its "always on" approach -Simplify works all of the time.

Also, do you use a NAS drive to have 24/7 access to your music files, or are you using a normal external hard drive that obviously needs to be plugged in with the computer on to access the music when out and about?

You DO of course need your music server on all the time to acccess your music, but the question is what exactly IS your music server? NAS, PC...what?
I dont use a NAS as such, they tend to be expensive and underpowered compared to even a basic PC.
I use an old Dell GX260 small form factor PC I bought off Ebay for 40 quid with a 1TB external USB hard drive.
Uses next to no power so I can leave it on all the time for streaming music to my squeezebox, using Simplify and Bittorrent etc. Very cool!

I wouldn't leave a power hungry PC on all the time but with the we Dell I got its not a problem.

Gazjam
23-08-2009, 12:32
Yeah, Rumour and Sigh was my first too, and still one of my faves.

I also love Mock Tudor, and his latest - Sweet Warrior
I also couldn't live without Richard and Linda's 'Hokey Pokey'

I noticed you have his 1000 years of popular music DVD/CD combo....
Have you heard the earlier release which is just one single CD? It's a different concert, and there's some good tracks on there that aren't on the other one (and vice versa of course).
I recommend, (if you haven't already heard them) The Who's 'Legal Matter' Prince's 'Kiss' and Abba's 'Money'

Live wise, you should check out 'The Chrono Show' - basically just him and an acoustic guitar ripping through some of his older material.
And 'Two Letter Words' is probably the best live 'band' recording I've heard. Both of these have completely different, but equally stunning versions of 'Hokey Pokey'

Thanks Dan, will check out those! :)

roscoeiii
23-08-2009, 15:02
Another nice iPod touch/iPhone combo is the Airport Express (which has Toslink optical out--running to my Caiman) paired with the application AirFoil.

The airport express allows you to wirelessly stream music from your computer. But its software limits this streaming to iTunes.

Enter Airfoil. It allows you to stream sound from any program to your Airport Express. AND it allows you to stream music to any other wireless device on your WiFi network. Other computers OR an iPod with WiFi capability.

I use the Airport Express with my main system. But in my bedroom system I can also stream music from my computer to my docked iPod touch, which outputs to my bedroom rig.

Haven't had a party since I got this set-up, but it will be a great way to simultaneously stream music to multiple systems in the house.

SteveW
23-08-2009, 16:20
You know what...I think I've got that What HiFi CD somewhere.
I gave it to my Dad years ago, and when I was clearing out their house I came across it. Did I throw it out?...I'm off for a hunt.

SteveW
23-08-2009, 16:29
Got it !!!
Bless my Dad for never throwing anything away!
Rory Block, Clive and Christine, Jonathon Richman, Rebirth Brass Band, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick and Blowzabella.
Copy coming your way Gary !

SteveW
23-08-2009, 16:33
Another nice iPod touch/iPhone combo is the Airport Express (which has Toslink optical out--running to my Caiman) paired with the application AirFoil.

The airport express allows you to wirelessly stream music from your computer. But its software limits this streaming to iTunes.

Enter Airfoil. It allows you to stream sound from any program to your Airport Express. AND it allows you to stream music to any other wireless device on your WiFi network. Other computers OR an iPod with WiFi capability.

I use the Airport Express with my main system. But in my bedroom system I can also stream music from my computer to my docked iPod touch, which outputs to my bedroom rig.

Haven't had a party since I got this set-up, but it will be a great way to simultaneously stream music to multiple systems in the house.

Same as my set up. What is really nice is at Christmas when you can have the same Carols in different rooms. Great ambulance. :harp:

SteveW
23-08-2009, 16:38
...and of course another great thing is the ability for Airfoil to stream your computer system to an Airport Epress.
So, right now I have the Test match commentary from the BBC web-site being streamed to the main system. Especially good as we don't have sky and being soft Brits we have allowed Murdoch to knick it.

Spur07
23-08-2009, 16:48
Same as my set up. What is really nice is at Christmas when you can have the same Carols in different rooms. Great ambulance. :harp:

steveW,

shouldn't that be ambience, or do they have wifi installed in all NHS emergency vehicles :)

SteveW
23-08-2009, 17:06
g'zackly

Gazjam
23-08-2009, 20:39
Got it !!!
Bless my Dad for never throwing anything away!
Rory Block, Clive and Christine, Jonathon Richman, Rebirth Brass Band, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick and Blowzabella.
Copy coming your way Gary !

Steve...
you da man!

Thankyou much Sir :)

and thank your Dad too, my old mans a bit like that as well. :)

SteveW
23-08-2009, 21:42
no worries.
You know what the wierd thing is...The gracenote data base comes up with all the details of that CD when I put it in.
Surprising.

trailer
23-08-2009, 21:46
That will because some sad anorak type (no names mentioned :confused:) has gone to the trouble and uploaded it there. :eyebrows:

roscoeiii
24-08-2009, 04:13
SteveW,

Yes it's a glorious use of AirFoil and Airport Express to have music streaming all over the house. We'll have to agree to disagree on whether it's a good thing to have Christmas music streaming all over the house. :)

And I'm unclear on what a test match is, but glad to hear you enjoyed it.

SteveW
24-08-2009, 05:44
Test match = cricket competion. I'm not really into the sport.. But this year our battle with the Australians ( called the ashes) was something special.

steve dixon
15-10-2009, 18:24
i'm at work now but will download this as soon as i get home, and i also agree that airport express is brill, i've got two although one is now redundant since i bought a mac mini which i use my iphone to control via remote (that's the program) but this simplyfi seems a superb idea. i'll get in touch with my password and user name so you can all help yourselves. i also discovered airfoil about 18 mths ago and use it to stream iplayer to my bedroom set up, although i can also stream direct from the mac mini, i especially like late night chill such as groove salad from itunes radio i think it's under electronica? a erins big chill, i also enjoy radioparadise.com which i've set up as a playlist so again easy access. great to nod off to.
cheers
steve

steve dixon
15-10-2009, 22:45
i'm having trouble in simplify preferences getting it to recognise all my music, it's all stored on an external hdd which itunes has found no probs but when i select it in simplify there are no music files available.

if i tell simplify to use the folder 'music' there's only 17 tracks available.

what am i doing wrong?

cheers
steve

steve dixon
20-10-2009, 02:48
ok so you've probably seen my other thread on simplify and if you have you know i'm now up and running at the mo i can offer 250 ish albums about 60gig, i'll be ripping more when i get a bigger ext hdd. still a couple of thousand cd's to go. help yourself, my user name is stevedixon, durrr.
good luck.
steve

Themis
28-10-2009, 11:32
I'll try to install this on my whs server this weekend.

It seems to support flacs. I'll make available all my flacs, as well as the 320 CBRs (I have everything is two formats).

BTW: do we have a "list" of AoS members with Simplify accounts ?

webby
27-11-2009, 09:54
Question for Touch Remote users: Does the Remote app on the Touch wake your mac if it's in sleep mode?

Thanks,