Will naim consider the streaming product software upgrade through network ?

+1.  Naim components are sonically without equal, but the software--especially the update protocol--is pathetic.  RS-232--huh?  Look at the back panel of the HDX, it belongs in a computer museum.

That would likely make Naim exceedingly proud to have their HDX placed in a computer museum. Museums contain collections of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance don't they?

Naim must have a reason for being so positively archaic when it comes to computers. Perhaps they crave gentle and well meant ridicule/criticism from their forum members to help spur them into the bright light of the 21st century.

Yes it would be great and very convenient to upgrade software on these devices via internet connection. Let's hope it happens sooner than later but in the mean time try to enjoy the few modern luxuries we can afford ourselves in these worrying times.

Connon - fair points, but this forum is a tool for Naim to get feedback on its products and one topic that comes up time and time again is that the software lacks maturity compared to the hardware . It has done since the n-Vi.

As Naim digital hardware becomes more reliant on its usability and user interface via control points this is going to become more important.

James

Or ones that have become obsolete and prompt the visitor to say: "Why DID they do that?"

or, "gosh, did they really do things that way in their day and age?"

All reactions are possible. Even funny ones like you propose.

If the visitor says "Why DID they do that?" then either they didn't read the accompanying info or the curators failed to give proper context. 

Not much is done in the present that isn't considered modern by the people doing it and successful companies are usually the ones that push forward in knowledge and application. Of course you can find examples to the contrary but you know what I mean. There is also a lot of old technology that comes forward with new implementations. Look at the RCA connector. What century is this?

Try not to be too critical of slightly old and "cumbersome" technology. A lot of things still get done the old fashioned way. Consider your own conception, for example. 

I think you will all agree that technology is leaping at pretty impressive speeds these days and it is pretty easy to spend time on a forum slagging the manufacturers for this or that. But I'm going to stick with my assertion that Naim are a kind of modern day miracle. They could very easily have become irrelevant but instead they continue to grow in strength and quality and are one of the few companies on the forefront of the streaming digital front end. Well done.

Connon

For me the update way is not the issue. But the lack of updates is.

I would love to update my superuniti, but we have to wait till august

AFAIK Linn program their own DS software and so have complete control over it.

How is this with Naim? Do they build their own software or is it a contribution from an external company? If the latter that might limit what Naim can do about the upgrade process.

Naim builds its own software. They have made a big deal of having the foresight to recruit a programming team some time ago to meet the needs of computer-based audio. We are supposedly seeing the fruits of that now.

Linn also does its own programming - but makes it open-source so the outside community is free to add/improve etc.

It's a matter opinion which route works best - Apples and, er, some other fruit as they say.

Not all. The server software (UnitiServe, HDX & NS0x) is based on the DigiFi platform from Digital Fidelity, a London-based company (and complemented with the StreamNet protocol from NetStreams). The information about DigiFi on the Internet is long outdated, but it is possible that the basis for the DTC also came from them. I don't know how much of the DigiFi platform was customized for Naim needs, or how much of it they have brought in-house since the original deal was inked.

As for the streamers, I guess you may be right.

Hi,

You may well be right. I was going on Naim's own information.

Actually, it is quite interesting that Digital Fidelity have always majored on WAV replay. Which might well explain Naim's preference for this standard.

Perhaps it's a combination of DigiFi and some own in-house expertise?

It would also explain why Naim is not going the Linn route with open-source software.

Jon, I might be wrong but I suspect it might be an architectural/hardware issue rather than software that prevents the NDX and similar from being firmware upgraded over the network. It's probablysomething along the lines of not having enough spare memory in the design to hold the images, a bootstrap and recovery images. Perhaps Naim looked at other micro controller solutions and were not happy ar their features, performance or electrical noise they produced..

I also suspect the micro controller programming libraries might only be developed by the micro controller manufacturer to x86 which is why there is no MAC equivalent at this time.. If this is the case there might be some behind the scene lobbying. Pure speculation but it feels plausible.

Simon

Simon,

That seems plausible.

It is a shame still, though, that Naim doesn't make it clear what the reasons for the lack of network firmware upgrade are. If the reasons are valid then people will accept them.

Jon

Usually Naim allows you to download an iso from their site which you burn to a blank cd. Load  this into the unit and it will update itself. This should be operation system agnostic, I think.    

That is not correct for the streaming products, which this thread is about. Other than the original Uniti and Unti 2 there is nothing on them capable of reading a CD. Updates are via a proprietary binary file that requires a Windows-based serial installer, like everyone else did...in the 1990s.

In case you're interested, I've just read the piece on the NDS launch from WhatHifi again and it appears that the streaming part in the Naim streamers comes from a platform made by a swiss company named BridgeCo, acquired by a US company named SMSC in 2011.

This platform is named JukeBlox(R) and you can read more about it here.

The WH article mentions that Naim has done a lot of in-house development work on this platform since it was chosen for the original NaimUniti though, as we would expect.

HTH

Maurice

PS: Please forgive me for a shameless moment of excessive pride, but this sums up to two components of the NDS coming from Switzerland...

Oh, and by the way the current version of JukeBlox -- v3.0 -- provides AirPlay, streaming services like Pandora or Rhapsody, and... updates through the Internet.

It may well mean nothing at all for the current generation of Naim streamers though, as the software -- and hardware -- platform used for the streamers probably predates this version, and may have drifted a long way due to Naim in-house customization. But who knows ?

Maurice

Please can someone from Naim HQ pop across to Linn HQ to see how updates should be delivered. Whilst they are there they might also consider adopting Linn's approach to control software.

Tog