SB Touch experience!

[ravi_d]

Its been a day since I received my Logitech Squeezebox touch. Though it is good on features and nice to connect to all the computers on the network I have some issues playing music from my computer (connected via WiFi).

Sometimes the track breaks couple of times in between and I see 'Rebuffering...' on the display. Playing from a computer using remote or touch it takes few seconds to respond which is annoying. In other words I press the next button I need to wait 3 - 4 secs to see if it has worked before trying another attempt.
Are these issues common with SB while playing from a computer? Or am I missing something?

I don't see the above issues while playing from a 4GB USB drive. I feel playing from USB drive is better in terms of sound quality than playing from a computer on the network. I'm yet to try an external HDD.

Previously I was using DacMagic with my computer connected via optical cable. With the foobar remote app installed on my android phone it was a breeze (responds spontaneously unlike SB touch) to operate and I can happily say the combo playing flac's in terms of sound quality can replace a CD-P worth 30k. But I don't think SB touch would replace any decent CD-P which costs even 20k in terms of sound quality.

I din't explore much on the internet radio but there are tons of stations which offer less than 128 kbps bit rate.

Features wise the SB touch is great. If you have spare 15 grand to blow on your hobby its worth giving it a try. If you looking for reliable stereo source or an alternative to CD-P I would recommend computer with a DAC as against the SB touch. It may not be convenient to run a wire from computer to the DAC but I feel the performance is at least better and reliable.
Or for the sake of SB touch if I want to move to an external HDD I still feel a DAC is necessary to bring the best out of it thus making the SB touch redundant if I don't use it to access the computer on the network or use internet radio.

 

[jk_chaos]

Ravi, how do you rate the DACMAGIC's performance through USB?? ever tried that out??

 

[stevieboy]

Hi ravi,

A few people here have the sb. So they'd chip in with help to sort the issue out. If you've got a mac check out the airport express into a good dac. I'm an out and out vinyl guy so only use the airport express into the analog input of my amp controlled by apple's remote app on my iPhone. Use it for internet radio and occasional digital files. Zilch issues. Set up was about a min.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thatguy]

Hi ravi,

A few people here have the sb. So they'd chip in with help to sort the issue out.

I own an SB touch. But it doesn't look like he came to the board for help. He came to write a review and give his verdict.

If you looking for reliable stereo source or an alternative to CD-P I would recommend computer with a DAC as against the SB touch.

 

[ravi_d]

I own an SB touch. But it doesn't look like he came to the board for help. He came to write a review and give his verdict.

Of course it would be nice to have those niggling issues sorted out rather than selling it to unsuspected buyer

May be I can have some tips on making the SB touch respond a bit faster so that I can change my view on it.

 

[reignofchaos]

Rebuffering means your wifi signal is not strong enough. Please try increasing the transmit power of your wifi router if it supports the setting or try using a wired network. Wifi is never 100% reliable.

 

[stevieboy]

Also switch to wireless n. Check if you're still at g, b version routers. N is more robust and more secure.

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stevieboy]

I own an SB touch. But it doesn't look like he came to the board for help. He came to write a review and give his verdict.

Thatguy,

He did write a review but he also asked a question in the middle 'am I missing something? Are these issues common'

Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thatguy]

Of course it would be nice to have those niggling issues sorted out rather than selling it to unsuspected buyer

May be I can have some tips on making the SB touch respond a bit faster so that I can change my view on it.

Don't worry You are in all likelihood facing network problems. If you know some friend who understands networking, call him in for help. If you were in Bangalore, I would have gladly dropped by and diagnosed the problem.

Here are some things that you might want to do:
==============================

1. Change the channel

Channels in the ISM bands are fee for public use and chances are that one of your neighbors is using it too. You can either change your channel or blow up his house. Same effect but blowing up his house will be more fun

2. Measure the performance

Take latency and throughput measurements of the wifi network. You can use PING for latency and FTP for throughput. Keep a laptop near the SB and transfer the file from the music server. If you aren't getting at least 1 MBps throughput, the network needs some debugging.

3. Check if there is a problem with the device

Just to test that there is nothing wrong with the box, run a Ethernet cable from the PC to the device and play the music. If you get faster response and no buffering, there is no need to worry. The network can be fixed.

Solutions that may not work
=================

1. Increasing the power of the access point

Nope. You are solving half the problem. Unless you increase the power of both the AP and the devices, you don't gain much.

If you want better coverage, you can either try a high gain antenna or use a repeater (like me). Most newer APs support wireless repeating (I use a Rosewill n router as a repeater).

2. Upgrading to n

SB touch does not support n. If your PC too doesn't, you are unlikely to gain anything from an upgrade to n.


I agree with you on the sound quality of the analog out. My CD player beats it by a considerable margin. However, instead of dumping it I am planning to buy a DAC and connect it to the SB. I love the UI. Far better than having to navigate menus in a Windows 7 box. And the internet radio.

 

[heliumflight]

Rebuffering means your wifi signal is not strong enough. Please try increasing the transmit power of your wifi router if it supports the setting or try using a wired network. Wifi is never 100% reliable.

I have 1MBPS constant speed from Airtel and sometimes also suffer from buffering issues In WiFi mode how can one increase transmit power in router?
My Beetle Wifi router and SB classic are placed next to each other and I get signal strength of 2 bars only.

--
helium
SB Classic> Lyrita DIY DAC Philips TDA1543 > Lyrita SET GM70 + PMC TB2/ Vintage highly modified B&W DM4 > Lyrita ICs + Cables => MUSIC

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I have a SB Duet. I have experienced buffering problems on internet radio, but not had any wifi local network issues.

If I could connect my PC to the hifi with cables, either analogue or digital, I would not have considered the SB. I was always very happy with the analogue output of my pc sound card. IIRC, I used optical/digital only for faster-than-real-time transfers.

There is no doubt that the SB range has plenty of gadget/technical appeal. The duet remote is very cute (and I love that it is a linux computer I can log into); the Touch interface seems to go down well with its users. I don't use my soundbox much, but when I do, I do enjoy it at that level. I don't think it is fair to expect it to measure up to a good analogue in, or to digital via a superior DAC (Unless we buy the very, very expensive big-brother model!) and nothing is going to beat the simple reliability of a cable

At it's level of capability, though, it should deliver. I hope one of our network experts can help you make it do that.

 

[ravi_d]

Don't worry You are in all likelihood facing network problems. If you know some friend who understands networking, call him in for help. If you were in Bangalore, I would have gladly dropped by and diagnosed the problem.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.

Here are some things that you might want to do:
==============================

1. Change the channel

Channels in the ISM bands are fee for public use and chances are that one of your neighbors is using it too. You can either change your channel or blow up his house. Same effect but blowing up his house will be more fun

2. Measure the performance

Take latency and throughput measurements of the wifi network. You can use PING for latency and FTP for throughput. Keep a laptop near the SB and transfer the file from the music server. If you aren't getting at least 1 MBps throughput, the network needs some debugging.

3. Check if there is a problem with the device

Just to test that there is nothing wrong with the box, run a Ethernet cable from the PC to the device and play the music. If you get faster response and no buffering, there is no need to worry. The network can be fixed.

I'll try hard-wiring the computer with the SB touch and see if I find any improvement.

Solutions that may not work
=================

1. Increasing the power of the access point

Nope. You are solving half the problem. Unless you increase the power of both the AP and the devices, you don't gain much.

If you want better coverage, you can either try a high gain antenna or use a repeater (like me). Most newer APs support wireless repeating (I use a Rosewill n router as a repeater).

2. Upgrading to n

SB touch does not support n. If your PC too doesn't, you are unlikely to gain anything from an upgrade to n.

Figured out I already have N router 300 Mbps. My computer supports N.

I agree with you on the sound quality of the analog out. My CD player beats it by a considerable margin. However, instead of dumping it I am planning to buy a DAC and connect it to the SB. I love the UI. Far better than having to navigate menus in a Windows 7 box. And the internet radio.

I'm still stuck with Vista and I'm fine with its navigation. When I was using my computer with the DAC I find the foobar remote app on my android phone more convenient for basic controls when away from computer. Damn that app even accessed my computer drives for editing the playlists. You see the album art and also I can control the player volume too when necessary. It mimics as if I were playing it from the phone itself.The response was so spontaneous that it could leave the SB touch in the dust in navigation department

On the internet radio front I think there are apps like Spotify, Last FM etc. and there are android apps to control them while away from computer hyeah:

Coming from using the DAC + computer as one of the sources sometime ago I still wonder what I gained moving to a WiFi player in terms of convenience. Buying a pack of empty cd's and burning my favourite flac's into audio cd's could have made my life easier than inviting new niggling issues in an effort to connect my collection with my hifi. Its just my opinion.

 

[hydra]

...When I was using my computer with the DAC I find the foobar remote app on my android phone more convenient for basic controls when away from computer. Damn that app even accessed my computer drives for editing the playlists. You see the album art and also I can control the player volume too when necessary. It mimics as if I were playing it from the phone itself.The response was so spontaneous that it could leave the SB touch in the dust in navigation department

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.logitech.squeezeboxremote&hl=en

Maybe the Squeezebox Controller App will make things feel a bit better

 

[ravi_d]

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.logitech.squeezeboxremote&hl=en

Maybe the Squeezebox Controller App will make things feel a bit better

Thanks hydra for the advise. I installed the android app and surprisingly that is working a bit faster than using the SB Touch's own remote for me:clapping:
The app UI is almost same as the SB Touch UI but optimised for the phone screen.

When I use Touch's remote I don't get any sought of feedback other than wait for few seconds if it worked before I attempt again. But with Android remote app I do get some sought of feedback when I click on something and I'm assured that it gets done soon.
But still its way behind than Foobar app. Its so fast when I click on some thing that operation works even before I remove my finger.

 

[srinisundar]

Good that at the right time, when i landed on SB touch this discussion has cropped. Thanks for all and keep going

 

[srinisundar]

Srini: how about a AB compare with my player and DAC

Still i have not picked it up and still is lying in the other end of my area.. Will try bring this weekend.

Regards

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

ravi_d, you do know about the squeezebox forum?

If not, you need to! Squeezebox : Community : Forums

Whatever your problem, you are likely to find others there who also have it, not to mention the people who do stuff with squeezeboxes that you haven't thought of yet!

A real treasure trove.

 

[ravi_d]

I got it working well except those few niggling issues like 'Rebuffering...' and too slow to respond to remote/ touch sometimes.
May be I'm expecting too much from my SB touch which a wifi player can't do.

My heart is set on buying a good dac. I considered SB touch as an alternative to connect my pc to hifi and I thought Internet radio and external HDD connectivity is just a bonus.
I settled for SB touch just to give it a try reading those raving reviews as I don't have enough money for my favourite dac now.
May be I should stop being too fussy about SB touch's niggling issues and stick to my actual plan of buying a good dac :lol:

 

[TaureanBull]

Here are some of my tips:-

1. Reduce the number of devices using the router, prefearbly the only one using it while running SB.

2. The folders which its trying to access should not have anything other than recognized music files.

3. Reduce the number of album arts and in no case more than 150x150 size. SB Touch has poor RAM and big size picture will slower the speed.

4. The 2-3 sec pause will always be there inspite of whatever medium you use.

 

[GeorgeO]

I've got a Duet and a Touch, currently use both but prefer the former.