In my last blog, I talked about the Squeezebox Radio, an internet radio from Logitech. In this blog, I will talk about the entire Squeezebox family and how it is so much more than a clock radio, it’s a whole house digital music streaming system.
The Squeezebox family
1) Squeezebox server
The squeezebox server is the central control for any squeezebox devices. All squeezebox devices will be connected to a server when working. There are 2 forms of server implementations: the first is a cloud based implementation http://www.mysqueezebox.com/index/Home . The second is an appliance based implementation that can run on most windows, mac or linux computers. It can also run on some of the NAS devices.
Both the cloud based and the appliance based servers are free and they provide you with the ability to manage your squeezebox devices, select what to play, set any of the features you want.
The squeezebox server can connect to your itunes or windows media library.
2) Squeezebox Media players
Squeezebox has been around for a while, the players come in several forms and have changed over time. The older ones, while maybe not having as nice a screen, still have all the same features as the newer ones. Currently you can get a squeezebox radio and the squeezebox touch, which is designed to connect to your stereo. You can see the current line at Logitech http://www.logitech.com/en-ca/speakers-audio/wireless-music-systems . You can also get a squeezebox media player that will run on you computer.
3) Remote control
You can control your squeezebox system (any of the devices) from every other squeezebox media player directly, using any of the remote control accessories or any computer, smart phone or tablet that is connected to your network.
4) Add in Apps
Another nice thing about this system is that there is a vibrant community of App builders, you can get apps to display the weather, the news, stock tickers, your own pictures, podcast, etc. This can be quite handy as your squeeze box is usually in an obvious place and having the current weather displayed by your bed is a real benefit.
How I use my squeezebox system
We have a media server which turns on automatically at 5:00 am and off at 1:00 am. This computer is used for backing up the various computers in the house and to run the squeezebox server. The squeezebox server has been running mostly painlessly for about 5 years now, I've been digitizing our CD, LP and tape collections slowly. We currently have 562 albums with 6826 songs on the squeezebox. Controlling the server and any of the squeezebox player is as simple as launching a browser, so from my blackberry, playbook, computer or any squeezebox player, I can turn on or off any component, select music or whatever else I want to do.
We have 4 squeezebox players: 3 squeezebox radios (sunroom, kitchen and bedroom) and a squeezebox classic in the library connected to the stereo. Each device can play independently or they can be synchronised (this is the number one feature of the squeezebox system IMHO) in any combination. On the main floor we have a squeezebox radio at each end and the squeezebox classic in between. They are all close enough to each other so that you can hear 2 or 3 from any point on the main floor. We have all 3 on the main floor synchronized so that when you turn one on or off the other 2 also turns on or off, and play whatever you selected. Usually when you are streaming anything each device gets the signal at a slightly different time so having 2 internet radios playing the same station would get cause irritating echoes. The squeezebox system takes care of this problem.
So in the morning, while preparing and eating breakfast we have CBC radio playing on the main floor and, as we move back and forth between kitchen and sunroom, it can be easily heard everywhere.
Squeezebox even takes synchronization to another level. It allows you to set one device as the left channel and one device as the right channel. Every now and then, I want a little louder music in the kitchen (usually it’s when I’m making Indian food and would like to play Indian music loud, they kinda go together) I found that the squeezebox radio did not quite do it for me and I was looking around at supplementing the radio with some self-powered speakers. I accidentally discovered this feature and tried it out. It turns 2 squeezebox radios into a very nice stereo. The radio in the sunroom has a rechargeable battery so all I have to do is unplug it and bring it into the kitchen and a few quick configuration changes and voila! instant indian music, in stereo and loud.
So if you are thinking about taking the plunge into a whole house digital music system, the squeezebox system is well worth a look
