Apple AirPlay support for the Qute?
Posted by: Marko Vesterinen on 09 February 2011
I was just curious if someone has heard anything about Naim adding native Apple Airplay support to the Qute? Is this even a possibility hardware wise?
It sure would be a killer feature for us in the Apple Eco system.
/Marko
>If AirPlay comes to Naim where will that leave the Naim servers?
>If you have an AirPlay compatible renderer why do you need UPnP?
Airplay replaces UPnP or the other way round UPnP replaces Airplay. I like the idea to have a streamer which supports UPnP and airplay because the user can choose which technology fits best to him.
For Airplay you can also use a server.
Today you already can use an ipod touch and directly stream the stored music to an airplay enabled device. Therefor you do not need a dedicated server. But you also have the choice to use the apple remote app to tell an itunes server (on a Mac or NAS) to stream to an airplay enabled device. So these are the same scenarios you can do with UPnP. But until now you cannot mix them (or is plugplayer able to do this?): thus use a UPnP server and stream to an airplay enabled device.
Airplay is no replacement for UPnP. The idea behind Airplay is decentralization. The idea behind UPnP is a central server.
Apple of course wants everyone in the family to have its own Apple device (laptop, iPad, iPod, iPhone) each with access to a personal selection of music. With Airplay then any of these devices can stream its content out of any system in the house capable of receiving Airplay.
An Airplay-receiver is just like a DAC which just replay anything that comes in on the SPDIF connection.
I don't think anyone expect more of Naim than being able to receive an Airplay-stream and replay it (devices such as HDX/NDX etc.). Sure it would be nice to play the HDX-library out over the bedroom system but I am prepared to mess with UPnP to do this.
I have an Airport Express and 2 x AppleTV2 in my house right now. All radio is currently using various apps and sent via Airplay (many radio stations have very nice ipad/iphone apps).
I can shoot a video on the iPhone and then immediately come in and stream it to the TV. No uploads, no syncing, no cables. Airplay is so simple and so fun!!
Good points - well made
I really like Homesharing where devices automatically pick up the ability to add shared libraries. Once you have got used to a house full of Mac devices it seems strange to spend so much time discussing router issues or library scanning. It has also changed the way that I listen to music just as Ipad/iphone changed the way that I use computers at home. I work on the bed, or sat on a sofa but rarely at a desk. My music is streamed all over the house, since I rarely sit in front of the hifi. An iMac with B&W MM1s sounds great.
With behemoths like Classe building pre-amps with built in USB dacs and hinting at airplay I can see things getting interesting very quickly.
Qute with Asynchronous USB and AirPlay sounds good to me.
Tog