Squeezebox Touch as a Home Music Server
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Contents
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Features
A Squeezebox Touch can be a music server for your entire home.
The basic functions of our Squeezebox Server software have been optimized and squeezed into every Touch, and nicknamed TinySC. Here's what it can do:
- Music server for a network with up to 2 additional players in the Squeezebox family -- Classic, Transporter, Boom, Duet, Radio, and Touch
- Its energy efficient design allows it be left on 24/7:
- 5 watts typical
- 6 watts peak
- Measurements do not include power consumed by attached USB devices
- Small but elegant form factor allows your music server to be placed inconspicuously on a shelf or on a home entertainment rack
- Operate using touch screen of Squeezebox Touch. Simple to operate -- only 3 commands
- Start Squeezebox Server
- Stop Squeezebox Server
- Wipe and rescan (database)
- Runs proven Squeezebox Server software
- Number of digital tracks in music library limited by size of USB or SD card storage
- Supports music formats previously supported by Squeezebox Server. See below for exceptions.
Built-in Server OFF Until Turned ON
The Squeezebox Server built into Squeezebox Touch is OFF unless one of these actions occur:
- Device inserted into USB port
- Card inserted into SD card slot
- Turned ON manually from menus (Settings->Advanced->Squeezebox Server)
Limitations
A Squeezebox Touch Server (STS) works great as a home music server. But it's not for everyone. It may be best for you to use a PC or Mac running Squeezebox Server software. The following sections provide further details.
Players
Only Players After Squeezebox 1
The original SliMP3 and Squeezebox v1 players are not supported by the Squeezebox Touch Server.
How Many Players?
We cannot recommend using Squeezebox Touch Server with more than 2 additional Squeezebox players. Above that, a PC or Mac running Squeezebox Server is recommended.
To ensure that your setup handles the maximum number of players, here are some steps you can take:
- The music library connected to Squeezebox Touch should be a fast USB hard drive
- If using a wireless network, try to configure it to use a lightly used channel. If your home is in an environment with a dozen wireless networks, such as an apartment building, you may have difficulty streaming uninterrupted music to even one Squeezebox player
- If possible use a wired connection for the Squeezebox Touch running Squeezebox Touch Server
Audio Formats
Supported Formats
Squeezebox Touch supports the same audio formats that Squeezebox Server does:
- MP3
- Apple formats
- AAC-LC (iTunes)
- AIFF (only simple PCM content)
- ALAC
- Microsoft formats
- WMA
- WAV (only simple PCM content)
- Open source formats
- Ogg
- FLAC
- HD-AAC
Format Restrictions
Older Squeezeboxes are less powerful than Squeezebox Touch, and they do not play some audio formats natively. But you never noticed? That is because Squeezebox Server has been transcoding them for you. Transcoding is the process of converting from one audio format to another.
Squeezebox Touch Server will not transcode them for you. Those tracks will not play on some Squeezeboxes when using Squeezebox Touch Server. If your library contains music tracks in certain formats and your Squeezebox collection includes a specific player, you should continue using a PC or Mac running Squeezebox Server.
Do not use Squeezebox Touch as a server if your configuration matches any of the boxes marked with X:
| Player | MP3, FLAC, Ogg, WAV, AIFF | WMA | High-bitrate* FLAC/Ogg | AAC-LC | ALAC (16-bit) | ALAC(24-bit), WMAPro, WMA-Lossless, Monkey's Audio, Musepack, Wavpack | AAC-HD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SliMP3, SB1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| SB2, SB3(Classic), Boom, Receiver(Duet) | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Transporter | > 24/96 | X | X | X | X | ||
| Radio | X | bug 16043 | X | X | |||
| Touch | > 24/96 | X | > 24/48 | ||||
| SqueezePlay Desktop | X | > 24/96 | X | X | X |
- FLAC and Ogg 24/88.2, 24/96, 24/176.4, 24/192 tracks
Note also that seeking is not supported for AIFF, AAC-LC and ALAC formats.
No Support for Tweaked Formats
The Squeezebox Touch does not support variants of some audio formats. These are generally created by music enthusiasts who rip their own music and tweak them:
- FLAC files encoded with a sample-rate > 48,000 and non-default high compression rates ("Best" or -8). Typical FLAC files work fine.
Music Library Storage
Less than 10,000 Tracks
Currently, there are no concrete recommendations regarding the maximum number of tracks in the music library supported by the Squeezebox Server built-in for Touch. However, a general rule of thumb is that a music library containing over 10,000 tracks should use Squeezebox Server running on a PC or Mac. It might work on the Touch, but performance could be less than desirable.
USB Storage
Any USB flash and hard drives sold within the last few years can be used to connect your music library to Squeezebox Touch. However, when connecting USB storage you must keep some considerations in mind:
Attaching AC Adapter to USB Drive is Required
Some USB drives require AC power to function. Other USB drives will be supplied with an AC power adapter, but appear to function if you do not use it. You must attach an AC power adapter to your USB drive if it has a connector for one.
Powered USB Hub Required for USB Drives WITHOUT AC Power Adapters
Some USB drives are not supplied with an AC power adapter, and are labeled as USB powered. Most of these drives will not operate properly with Squeezebox Touch because they can sometimes exceed USB power requirements. This is occurring if you see the Starting Squeezebox Server screen flash constantly.
To supply these USB drives with sufficient power, you can plug the drive into a self-powered USB hub and then plug the hub into Squeezebox Touch. When purchasing a USB hub, make sure an AC power adapter is supplied with it.
What You See When Configured Incorrectly
Despite the above warning, some users are attaching USB drives without AC power to the Squeezebox Touch or do not use AC-powered USB hubs. When you do this, you will experience problems running Squeezebox Touch Server. Some of the symptoms include:
- Attaching USB Drive and Starting Squeezebox Server screens pop up constantly
- USB drive makes the same noises as if you are constantly plugging/unplugging your USB drive into a USB port
- Scanning of music library on USB drive never completes
- Tracks or albums are missing from your music library
Do not Reuse Old Hard Drives
Squeezebox Touch Server works best with average or faster USB drives. Drives with these characteristics are NOT recommended:
- 4200 RPM drives
- PATA drives with PATA-USB adapters
SD Cards
Maximum Size of SD Cards is 32GB
SD cards of capacity 32GB or less are supported. Capacities of 64GB or more are not supported.
1% of USB Storage or SD Card Reserved for Use by Squeezebox Server
The Squeezebox Touch Server uses approximately 1% of your USB storage or SD card for internal housekeeping purposes. For example, on a 2GB SD card this would be 20MB, or a 500GB USB drive it would be 5GB.
Please make sure that your USB device or SD card has at least that much free space prior to the first time you attach it to Squeezebox Touch.
Music Library On First Device Attached Only
Squeezebox Touch Server looks for music only on the first storage device inserted, regardless of whether it's on the SD card or the USB port. It will not add tracks from subsequent devices attached until the first one is removed.
In general, it's best to always attach the device with your music library first, and a photo-only device or card second.
USB Devices or SD Cards Without Music Still Assumed to Contain Library
If you insert a USB device or SD card without music tracks first, Squeezebox Touch still assumes that device contains your music library. To recognize a device with music, you must first eject the music-less device. This limitation may be removed in a future software updates.
No Configurable Settings
Many of the configurable settings that users of Squeezebox Server on a PC or home server may be used to adjusting are not available with the Squeezebox Touch built-in server.
Maximum Playlist Length is 100 Tracks
The maximum playlist length is capped at 100 tracks. This applies to both playlists read from the Playlists folder at the top of the USB or SD media, and to the current (Now Playing) playlist.
Use Squeezebox Server on a PC or Mac to exceed this limitation.
No iTunes Integration
The capability of Squeezebox Server on a PC to import (scan) a library maintained by iTunes is not supported.
