Unitiqute with Mac and EyeConnect

Posted by: scott_man on 23 January 2011

Dear all:

I am trying to set up a new Unitiqute with a Mac Mini running EyeConnect. I am using the latest version of Mac OSx with 1.6.3 of EyeConnect. All music on the Mac is in iTunes in Apple-Lossless. I am experiencing two problems (both may be totally on the EyeConnect side of things, but at this point, I am not sure and at a loss as to how to move forward):

When I set up iTunes in EyeConnect, it points to the empty iTunes folder on the internal drive and I can't figure out how to get it to point to the external drive with the iTunes library. (I can add a "Folder" to EyeConnect and point it to the file structure on the external drive and play the files, but navigation is via folders not albums or artists, or ... (iTunes). Is there a way to "point" EyeConnect to the correct iTunes folder?
uPnP stream is dropping out: The Mac is about 2 feet from the UnitiQute. They are both connected (using ethernet cable) to Linksys router. The router is set up as an access point (it is not the DHCP server on the system). The Mac is using a fixed IP address, the Unitiqute is getting its IP address via DHCP. Anyway, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through an album, the music just stops... The 'qute displays a "Connecting" message... and, sometimes the music picks up within about 30 to 90 seconds (right where it left off), other times, I need to force the 'qute to rediscover the uPnP sever. Is this dropout on the server side or is this an issue with the 'qute? And any ideas how to resolve... ultimately this is a show-stopper (I did not expect problems with a hard-wired connection).

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Airplay on the 'Qute would fix a lot of problems... I really like the one-box solution, but an older Nait with an AppleTV and the new Rega DAC may give me most of the sound quality without all the hassle... Whom do we need to lobby for AirPlay? Apple or Naim? (I thought that I saw Apple had released a 3rd party interface kit...).

PS FWIW: I was having firewall issues with EyeConnect on the Mac, but as a test, I disabled the firewall and immediately had sound.... I will sort the firewall if/after resolving these more pressing issues.

Thanks.

Scott B.

Posted on: 01 February 2011 by Tog

Building UPnP server software is comparatively straightforward, but as we have seen getting it right appears to be rather more challenging. IMHO only Asset UPnP gets it right on the PC platform, Rhythmbox/Coherence,- MiniDLNA on Linux and so far EyeConnect on Mac (just). There are others but they all have the feel of beta software in development and are flaky in performance.

eLyric looks very promising as it marks the first real attempt to get to grips with an audiophile server since Asset; the fact that it is intended to work with itunes is an added bonus. The key factor is the willingness of companies to develop their software quickly in response to issues. Problems with MiniDLNA's rendering of cover art were picked up on the Linn forums by Vortexbox and passed onto Darren Sterkenberg to find a solution. All this was completed in under a month and delivered by a simple press of an update button.

Small teams with outsourced consultants who listen to the users and make quick changes to the code in response.

Tog

Posted on: 01 February 2011 by 0rangutan

Maybe I'm missing something, but eLyric looks pretty poor to me.
It has a clunky fugly interface and no iTunes integration (that I could find).
If it is to be used in place of iTunes then each to their own, but for iTunes users, this is not a candidate for replacing your existing UPNP software.

Posted on: 01 February 2011 by Tog

Very early days ... work with itunes

Tog

Posted on: 01 February 2011 by realhifi

"Building UPnP server software is comparatively straightforward, but as we have seen getting it right appears to be rather more challenging. IMHO only Asset UPnP gets it right on the PC platform, Rhythmbox/Coherence,- MiniDLNA on Linux and so far EyeConnect on Mac (just)."

Just is right. I have to manually turn it off then back on every time my MacBook is turned on or none of my devices can "see" it. Agree 100% on Asset, works and works fast and well on PC.

I'll give eLyric a look.

Posted on: 01 February 2011 by likesmusic

eLyric is an interesting move - great that a hardware manufacturer is developing their own UPnP software, rather than hoping it will fall out of the sky.

edited 10 minutes later to add .. just downloaded eLyricm, it's very much a work-in-progess .. many features just aren't implemented at all

Posted on: 15 February 2011 by Martin S

Dear Scott,
did you resolve your issue "pointing" EyeConnect to the correct iTunes folder on an external drive?

I'm experiencing the same problem using UnitiQute / latest release of EyeConnect.

Thanks for any help,
Martin

Posted on: 17 February 2011 by scott_man

Martin:

I haven't tried the latest version of EyeConnect... Majestic just works right now.

I am hoping the iOS 4.3 will bring something new from Naim... and also that the PS Audio eLyric bit gets the transcoding upgrade... The PS Audio program is a work-in-progress, but at least an audio-based company is taking a shot at a uPnP server application.

Scott B.