I have just uploaded a new-new version with the following changes:

• Icon for "Mac Sound" now shows... your Mac
• When starting a source in Video mode (Started from TV, DTV, V.TAPE, PC... or AV-N.MUSIC...) the source now shows the top level menu rather than starting the last played track.

I had not realised the icon for Radio was an old B&O radio. I googles Radio in google image, and found that was the best looking one

Downloaded and tried the new beta. Just found some issues in the preferences pane, under modules there seems to be something wrong with the icons. Can't get Spotify to work, have wait for a long while to see if Linkplayer will download my playlist...

I'm running Mac OS X Snow Leopard...

PhilLondon:

As you have a BS4, you should set AudioMaster to "The AudioMaster is N.MUSIC Compatible". (You'll need to restart LinkPlayer to take effect, and the LED should go Green)

Yes, it does.

A comment, the system now seems slower ... I am guessing that is because we now have handshaking operating between the BeoPort and the BeoSound.

Slower on start up and on selecting Music ... the music will start playing before the cover art etc appears.

PhilLondon:

>Restarting the system still leaves me with a Menu in standby mode, whereas the old Linkplayer always went to populating the menu ... this new behaviour means pressing [PC] once to turn on the BV8, wait a few seconds, press [PC] again to get the Menu display triggered

Oh? I'll test that, that is not normal.

It may be the delay, or it may be intermittent, but I had a real impression that the second [PC] command from the Beo4 was sometimes not picked up.  I will try to do more thorough testing once the family has gone to bed.

PhilLondon:

N.RADIO needs work - but try and increase the buffer for N.RADIO in the Preferences > Modules.

Will do.

PhilLondon:

> I found that a looong (GO) will trigger the voice announcement on my BV8 of the track etc etc. But it definetly does not work in the BS4 room

Re-download LinkPlayer, I have fixed this. I was sending the voice to the digital channel.

This is now sort of working ... the BS4's volume drops for a period of the announcement, but there is no voice; the voice is NOT mis-directed to the digital output, so it must be something else for you to dig into  

PhilLondon:

I have just uploaded a new-new version with the following changes:

• Icon for "Mac Sound" now shows... your Mac
• When starting a source in Video mode (Started from TV, DTV, V.TAPE, PC... or AV-N.MUSIC...) the source now shows the top level menu rather than starting the last played track.

I had not realised the icon for Radio was an old B&O radio. I googles Radio in google image, and found that was the best looking one

1. yes, I recognise my block of aluminium
2. yes, Video now behaves that way, thanks ... but the behaviour is also on Music as well which you may not have intended ... 
3. ... and when I exit (without playing) from the first level menu of Music I get presented with the text of a track but no music and no cover art 

Hi Phil,

at the first look a great work! gratulations!

But i have a problem. I have a BeoSound 3200 an Beolabs with Wireless 1 or beoaktives in the House. No TV. My Beoport ist connected with a imac via usb ans the line in about a airport express (i know thats not ideal for the sound, but in this way i can avoid that the mac sound is streamd to my BS3200 next to the musik). My favorit Playlist in iTunes ist iTunesDJ. Actually i can control everything with my beo4 over LinkPlayer1 and also when playing N.Musik with our ipads, iphones and ipod-touchs. The important think is, that i can edit iTunesDJ (erase a song, or make whichs) while it is playing.  And I can receive the Musik with non B&O Speakers (like B&W Zeppelin Air) over Airplay. Perfekt!

With LP2 i have two problems:

1) AirPlay is actually not supported

2) I can´t edit iTunesDJ with the RemoteApp on the different Devices

Maybe you can reconsider the iTunes-integration. It could be very helpfull for some of us.

spezializten:

under modules there seems to be something wrong with the icons

I just noticed that, and that will be fixed.

spezializten:

Can't get Spotify to work

I am now having the same issue when I installed LinkPlayer 2 on my other Mac. Now that I can reproduce the issue, I should be able to fix it... stay tuned.

elephant:

yes, Video now behaves that way, thanks ... but the behaviour is also on Music as well which you may not have intended ... 

Yes, that is intended for Music as well. I am trying to get all sources behave the same. So all sources that are started through a Video key (PC, TV, DTV, or using AV before an audio Key) will start with the top menu. (Note: this has not yer been implemented for Radio)

elephant:

... and when I exit (without playing) from the first level menu of Music I get presented with the text of a track but no music and no cover art 

Just press GO to start that song/track/video...

ChrisBerlin:

1) AirPlay is actually not supported

I have tried to support AirPlay, as this would be a perfect addition, but I have not succeeded yet. In the meantime, I recommend AirServer for Mac. It works for Audio, Photos and Video. So just start Music, press STOP on the Beo4 and then push your music from your iPhone to AirServer and that should work.

ChrisBerlin:

2) I can´t edit iTunesDJ with the RemoteApp on the different Devices

Here is a workaround until iTunes integrations comes back; Leave iTunes launched on your Mac. With your Beo4 start Music and then stop it. Use your iPhone to control iTunes.

PhilLondon:

elephant:

... and when I exit (without playing) from the first level menu of Music I get presented with the text of a track but no music and no cover art 

Just press GO to start that song/track/video...

Yes, I understand ... I did do that ... but my point was [EXIT] should exit back to Menu, not to the meta-data from some previous invocation

First of all many thanks for the new release!

N.RADIO works - at least any radio station plays. But I cannot switch the station. Which channels are tracked by LP2?

Is it normal that when playing N.RADIO the LP2 sidebar still shows "Standby"?

elephant:

Yes, I understand ... I did do that ... but my point was [EXIT] should exit back to Menu, not to the meta-data from some previous invocation

On a Beovision, [Exit] exits the menu and goes back to the playing source. [STOP] goes one level up. That's what I have tried to mimic in LinkPlayer. In addition [LEFT] goes one level up as well, this is to make it easier to use for Apple Remote and PUC users.

Currently, [LEFT] will allow you to go from a source's top menu back to the 'menu' module source list, but [STOP] doesn't. I'll fix that. I'll see what logical thing I can do about the meta data.

Another way to go from a source to the 'menu' module source list is to press [EXIT] when the sources's own menu is not displayed, for example when a track is playing.

p.

stampfki:

First of all many thanks for the new release!

My pleasure ;-)

stampfki:

N.RADIO works - at least any radio station plays. But I cannot switch the station. Which channels are tracked by LP2?

Currently it only tracks channels int the N.RADIO playlist that you should create in iTunes. I'll soon revert to the old way of being able to pickup radios in mutliple playlists.

stampfki:

Is it normal that when playing N.RADIO the LP2 sidebar still shows "Standby"?

Yes, the virtual remote now reflects what has been activated through the Virtual Remote itself. You use the View>Distribution menu to visualise the source beind distributed over Masterlink.

I just installed the last update, and with BeoPort set as audio master with no other video or audio master in my setup, I can only access and play local sources on the Mac Mini/BeoPort combination, but can't play anything on the link speakers (Lab 2000+3500). The setup display says "audio master/inactive".The link speakers turn on but there's no sound.

NRadio stations are played in alphabetical order, not by number stored in the NRADIO playlist.

Sound on all sources is not good at all (with volume set to 90% on the external DAC, there's some kind of "tube" noise).

When selecting "distributed source", I have no sources at all, they're all greyed.

I'm going back to LinkPlayer 1 for the moment..

Another thing: the volume level on LinkRemote doesn't sync with the one on BeoPort.

I have followed these threads about LinkPlayer with interest, and since you now have launched version 2, I’d like to give my feedback and hope for a little support as well, as I find this program absolute brilliant, and hope I can make it work on my system.

My setup: Room 1: BV8/26, BS3000, DVD2. Room 2: BC6/22. Room 3:MX7000. Macmini and PC2 in cupboard connected to BV8 and BC6 with DVI/HDMI for picture and analogue sound via audio jack, and Masterlink.

LinkPlayer 1: 

I can access N-Music and control it in all rooms. But it is only via BV8 I can use any of the vision commands. It will not respond to “PC” on my Beo4.  But as soon as the program has started in “MENU”, I can control it without problems, start PLEX etc. I can’t control it from my BC6.

LinkPlayer 2: 

The configuration:

• Beoport connected via Masterlink
• No IR Receiver
• Audiomaster is N.MUSIC compatible (Sources:Radio, CD)
• Mac can access VideoMaster Sources
• LinkRemote & Apple Remote enabled

- I can start the Menu using “PC” on Beo4 - but only once. When I quit using “Q” on my keyboard, it won’t let me start it again. I have tried to program “V.MEM” to start it as well, but it doesn’t work

- I can scroll through the menus, but when I press GO for MUSIC and VIDEO nothing happens. I can then continue to control it on my keyboard, but I have lost control with my Beo4. 

Again it is only on my BV8 I have this control. No response from my BC6.

If I press N.MUSIC on Beo4 nothing happens. If I press N.MUSIC with the mouse on the virtual remote nothing happens. But if I press N.MUSIC on the virtual remote with the mouse once, and then N.MUSIC on Beo4 it starts to play and I can control it with Beo4. And I can do that on either BV8 or the BC6.

Chrisreunion:

I just installed the last update, and with BeoPort set as audio master with no other video or audio master in my setup, I can only access and play local sources on the Mac Mini/BeoPort combination, but can't play anything on the link speakers (Lab 2000+3500). The setup display says "audio master/inactive".The link speakers turn on but there's no sound.

Please do this:

• In LinkPlayer > Preferences > General > AudioMaster, select This Mac is the AudioMaster.
• Quit and restart LinkPlayer. Go back to the Preferences window and check that the LED is green.
• Go to the Beolab 2000 room and press N.MUSIC, or whatever source that is configured on LinkPlayer.
• Go to Windows > Console and press Send.

I'll check that... Radio needs more work.

Chrisreunion:

Sound on all sources is not good at all (with volume set to 90% on the external DAC, there's some kind of "tube" noise)

In LinkPlayer > Preferences > Sound, make sure both boxes are ticked. I tend to use 100% for the first slider and 75% for the second, but I do not have a DAC. If you have an external DAC, usually the first slider (System volume) is ignored, so try and play with the second slider.

Chrisreunion:

When selecting "distributed source", I have no sources at all, they're all greyed.

This is normal, this allow you to monitor music that is distributed, but you cannot start the distribution from your Mac. Once it is started in the linkroom, you can see which track is playing and you can change the track.

Chrisreunion:

I'm going back to LinkPlayer 1 for the moment..

Remember this is a Beta version.

Chrisreunion:

Another thing: the volume level on LinkRemote doesn't sync with the one on BeoPort.

There will be a new version of LinkRemote when LinkPlayer 2 goes final, but for now LinkRemote 1 is not supported.

JohnDK:

Mac can access VideoMaster Sources

This is the wrong setting for you, you need to use: This Mac is connected to a Beovision.

Also make sure it is connected connected to SCART/Socket 3 in the BV8 menu.

You need to make sure the BV8 recognises LinkPlayer. To do so:

• Set LinkPlayer as above.
• Quit and restart LinkPlayer.
• In the BV8's menu, go to Connections, and remove the setting for SCART 3 and add it again. If you have the possibility to say a Beomedia is connected to Scart 3 then select that option.

Thank you very much for the reply.

I've changed the configuration for the LinkPlayer and reconnected it to the BV8. Rebooted the system and tried again. But I'm affraid with the same result. 

PhilLondon:

elephant:

Yes, I understand ... I did do that ... but my point was [EXIT] should exit back to Menu, not to the meta-data from some previous invocation

On a Beovision, [Exit] exits the menu and goes back to the playing source. [STOP] goes one level up. That's what I have tried to mimic in LinkPlayer. In addition [LEFT] goes one level up as well, this is to make it easier to use for Apple Remote and PUC users.

Currently, [LEFT] will allow you to go from a source's top menu back to the 'menu' module source list, but [STOP] doesn't. I'll fix that. I'll see what logical thing I can do about the meta data.

Another way to go from a source to the 'menu' module source list is to press [EXIT] when the sources's own menu is not displayed, for example when a track is playing.

p.

Thanks - I tried a quick test before heading to work; not quite the behaviour my BV8 gives me. I will document LinkPlayer and an alternative sources behaviour for you.  Thanks as always for your sterling work.

Thanks all for the feedback. There is lots of it, so I am taking things one at a time...

A new version is available from the same place.

Changes:

• It is now possible to navigate up the menu hierarchy, back up to the 'Menu' source list, by pressing STOP or LEFT.
• Icons corrected in Preferences > Modules.
• Spotify has been re-architectured. Please go to Preference > Modules > Spotify, enter Name and Password and press Connect to verify the credentials, and download the initial playlists. This needs to be done once only. After connection, if the status message does not say "Playlists loaded" please let me know what it says.
• Spotify now allow navigation by Albums and Artists.

Back from work .....

PhilLondon:

Changes:

• It is now possible to navigate up the menu hierarchy, back up to the 'Menu' source list, by pressing STOP or LEFT.

Yes, that works beautifully in the menu structure ... but once I have started playing a music track (did not try video ...) things break down. 

Once I have started playing a music track on my BV8/BeoPort/MacMini combination I find that [STOP] does not work ... yes, it stops as in pauses, but then things are stuck !

Also [<<] does not work once I have started playing music.

However now [EXIT] always works, but takes me immediatly to the highest menu where as before this new-new-new version it used to traverse the menu tree ...

elephant:

Also [<<] does not work once I have started playing music.

I'll check this tonight. Can you make sure you do not have Random, Repeat or Repeat one activated.

p.

PhilLondon:

elephant:

Also [<<] does not work once I have started playing music.

I'll check this tonight. Can you make sure you do not have Random, Repeat or Repeat one activated.

p.

Random was ON, I have turned it OFF.

Once a music track is playing [<<] changes playlists, and [STOP] pauses the track.

Same for Video.