App for Windows 8

One of the challenges for Naim is that every time they upgrade the firmware, the apps need updating too, with all the testing that entails, to ensure that everything works seamlessly. That work was doubled when the android app was finally released, and a new windows app would increase the fork further. So while I'm sure a windows app could be developed, the question is whether it's viable for so few users.

Agreed, then what?

How about cross compile to Android, Windows and OSX.  There are systems that can compile to all these targets with very little change to the source code.

Sadly they didn't build it for 'phones, the UI design is for a larger screen (i.e. tablet or laptop) and I don't want to have to carry a 6 inch or larger screen around in my pocket, so I need another device.  For reasons previously stated due to the impracticality of tablets for many tasks, this has to be a laptop - and I'm not the only one in this position.

However, when I'm at home, my laptop is usually sitting by my HiFi, as I use it

1   to connect to streaming services to find new music

2   to download the music I buy to the NAS for HQ playback

HH, the answer to that issue is automated regression testing tools (and use a "develop for test" approach to really do it properly).

Huge

Sorry I don't follow what you mean by 'they didn't build it for phones'. It's on my Android Phone and works OK.

The app works fine in itself, but because of the layout used, the screen area on a phone is just too small to make the chosen UI model work well.

There are different layouts that could have been used to work better on 'phones, but these would have looked ugly on a tablet.  Naim chose to optimise for tablets:  I actually think this was the right choice - just not useful for me!

Ok understood. There is no doubt it is better on a tablet.

Have you tried Kinsky with a UPnP Server such as Asset on a Windows 8 Tablet I use this and it seems to be controlling my Superuniti.

I use the Naim App mainly but if SWMBO borrows the Ipad I use Kinsky

Yes I've tried Kinksy, but with the ND5 XS it plays one track from a playlist, then stops and waits for you to manually start the next track.

The DLNA server I have is Synology Media Server, but this shouldn't make any difference to the Control Point.

Huge,

If you have a Synology NAS, you can use your laptop to stream music.

Just bij logging in on your NAS and starting 'Audio station'.

I also prefer the DS audio app for my android smartphone.

Not any more. Total iOS and Android (AOSP and Google Play) devices overtook the total number of Windows devices some time ago. 

While I have sympathy with the request I can understand Naim's current position. Smartphones and Tablets are more popular than laptops as control points. Windows Phone has flatlined in terms of share and perhaps even more importantly for Naim, it's Android app is still somewhere behind the iOS version.

Hi Ken,

I tried using Audio Station as a control point, but I couldn't work out how to configure it to do gapless playback.

I use Bluestacks. It works. Problem solved.

Why all of you just talking about iOS vs Android vs Windows?

Is it to much to ask for a iOS, a Android AND a Windows app for more than 1000€?

I mean developing such a app for all these platforms is absolutely no problem. There are frameworks like xamarin,... Would be no problem.

+1. I've ditched laptops years ago and went for a hybrid Win8 tablet. An Windows App wild be nice. Or a browser version.

However, it took Naim ages to come with an Android version. In fact, Android was already marketleader on mobile devices for 5 years or so when Naim decided to come out with an Android version. So I wouldn't have too much hope for a Windows App. 

The suggestion to buy a Ipad or something is ridiculous off course. If Naim doesn't want to build a Windows version, at least a browserversion would be more than welcome. For all Win phone, tablets but also all laptop/desktop users out there. 

I struggle with it too.

But I only mind when I'm listening to a gapless recording (like a live concert).

So I am going to see if I can rip them as a single track.

In 2013 Sonos had revenue of 535,000,000 USD.  

In 2014 Naim had sales of 21,000,000 GBP.

The fact is that most people looking to buy a 1,500 USD "sound Bar" already own an iOS or Android device.  Windows Phone has only a 2-3% market share and is on a downward trend.

Let me be the one to advocate that anybody buying into a Naim streaming device should also acquire an iPad even if only to use as a remote.  They start at 249 USD.  A replacement Naim remote for the ND5 is about the same price.  Honestly, the iPad seems really inexpensive.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't belong in the Streaming Audio room, but as an outsider I think Naim limits themselves by not providing a Windows 8 app. I have a flip-phone. I use an Asus notebook PC happily running Windows 8.1, and it's not much bigger than an i-pad. It has a large harddrive, a keyboard, a touch screen, a touch pad, USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. I can download large databases, do word processing, crunch spreadsheets, make Powerpoint files, and anything else I need to do for work. I can download music, rip CDs with my external drive, and store them residently. I can also get the weather, and if I was so inclined, like all the folks on Facebook I want. It cost $350.

If I was to buy a Muso for $1500, why on earth should I spend any additional amount for a second device simply to control the music already on my PC? Despite the thoughts here regarding the market share of Apple tablets, the business world runs on PCs operated by Windows. I have no desire to buy a lesser device soley to act as a facultative remote control so I can stream music to Naim gear.

I'm talking about running it from a PC or laptop Kevin, not a windows phone. My office is stuffed full of them. I don't want to run my office system/pod/bar from my Galaxy or my iPad or Helen's iPod or iPhone. I want to run it from a PC. It's an expensive sound bar. It should be possible. I didn't have any problem running my B&W A5 from a PC either. Naim is behind the curve. Not that it makes any difference to me because if an office system can't be controlled from a PC it's not on the shortlist and it's not like there isn't a huge choice out there. But what I won't accept is that desiring a Windows control interface is somehow wrong or unreasonable. That's silly.

And a Logitech Harmony is half the price, as are some Android tablets.  The iPad is still a very expensive remote control.

+1 Joe,

I want a Windows control point for exactly the reasons you give.

Synology do have a web based control point (Audio Station), however it works because it talks directly to the Synology software on the NAS using http.

The problem with a pure generic browser solution is that the DLNA communication is via SSDP, SOAP, (and possibly GENA for events), rather than simple http requests for web pages.  These protocols require active code on the computer (rather than simple html commands), and require access computer resources that are usually not allowed for browsers (for security reasons).

A presentation layer (the UI) can be constructed using html, but the pages for this would still have to be generated by a web server running active code to do the DLNA / UPnP communications and then passed on to the browser.  This is basically what Synology do.

I use my Windows 8.1 laptop as a remote as well. Asset Control and/or AudioNet RCP work fine for me.

Foobar works okay too with the right plugin. 

Flo 

I'm using a NAD D3020 and some small Q Acoustics speakers in my office. It's hooked up via the asynchronous USB interface to my computer and occasionally I use the Bluetooth interface with mobile devices. In my opinion it sounds better than my Mu-so.