2 Feature Request for Naim App

Posted by: Lorenz on 02 July 2015

Hi there, the feature requests I found for the Naim App are so old that I thout a new one might be a a good idea...

 

I would like to see two features:

 

1) HARDWARE volume control. Would be great to be able to turn the volume up and down with the hardware buttons of the iPad/iPhone or Android device. Would not interfere with the "swipe-or-touch-on-screen" mode. PS. Spotify has this feature and I really like it. 

 

2) HOME button/option for UPNP/iRadio. Would like to be able to go back to the root of UPNP (server selection) or iRadio with one click. Can be very bothersome to go up all the folders every time just to switch (e.g.) countries or servers. Any web browser has a (configurable) home button :-).

 

Best, Lorenz

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by ChrisSU

+1 to your suggestions, Lorenz, especially the volume control issue. It is handy to have it on the Spotify app, although this is a rather blunt instrument, as it adjusts the volume in 6 or 7 number increments on my Superuniti, which is really too much. 

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by Dave***t
+1 for hardware volume, certainly. IIRC this works with other software, such as bubble (though I stand to be corrected if it does not), so shouldn't be too difficult to implement. And yes, big jumps are less useful. 1 increment per press, hold for more would be best IMO.
Posted on: 02 July 2015 by Adrian F.

I would like to have an "auto stop stream" option in the settings for the iRadio.

 

If I switch from iRadio to another input (on NDS), I don't want to have to go into the "bottom bar" menu to stop the stream manually, every time before listening to something else. (Because I don't like the waste of internet bandwidth in the background, if the iRadio is not actually heard.)

 

Since iRadio connects automatically to the last used stream when switching to it, it should also disconnect the stream automatically when switching away from it.

 

This behavior would be more consistent for me. The user experience would be easier and more like the old radio (without the "i" in front), too.

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by garyi

Surely if you move away from iradio it stops, otherwise why does it reconnect when you switch back to it? I think you have yourself a bit confused there.

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by ChrisSU
Originally Posted by Dave***t:
+1 for hardware volume, certainly. IIRC this works with other software, such as bubble (though I stand to be corrected if it does not), so shouldn't be too difficult to implement. And yes, big jumps are less useful. 1 increment per press, hold for more would be best IMO.

Locked screen control, which the iPhone has for local playback and Airplay, would be good. Just stop, start and volume would be fine. It's a real PITA when the phone rings, and you have to unlock, open the app, wait for it to fire up, hit the bottom bar, drop the phone cos you're concentrating on the call on the landline in your other hand, swear, pick it up, start again, and eventually, turn it down.

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by Adrian F.
Originally Posted by garyi:

Surely if you move away from iradio it stops, otherwise why does it reconnect when you switch back to it? I think you have yourself a bit confused there.

The music - yes. But the data traffic - no.

 

So why does the port on the network switch with the NDS showing ongoing traffic when I switch away from iRadio (without disconnecting manually and nothing else active playing)?

But when I do disconnect manually, the flashing of this port stops.

 

Of course it has to reconnect, because I did disconnect manually before.

 

About confused - me or you?

 

Posted on: 02 July 2015 by Dave***t
Pretty sure it also says something about connecting when I switch sources away from iradio and (later) back again. I assumed that meant it'd disconnected when I switched source.

The port showing data traffic is interesting though. Hadn't noticed that, and can't check at the moment. If you're right that it continues to stream to data, that means my equipment has been connected to one stream or another for basically as long as I've had it.
Posted on: 05 July 2015 by Adrian F.

I just did the current Firmware update for my NDS, which did run smooth through, and had some additional observations.

 

The ongoing traffic on the NDS port stops as soon as I leave the Naim app! Obviously just having started and connected the Naim app to your device, creates enough (remote control) traffic to make the port flash.

Even though you are not actively changing something, and the device is switched to a non active input (like USB with nothing connected). Just the idle connection Naim app <--> Naim device is enough to show traffic on this port on the switch.

 

So most likely it's not iRadios fault, but it would take a nework scanner to make sure (which I don't have)...

Posted on: 05 July 2015 by Harry
Originally Posted by ChrisSU:
Originally Posted by Dave***t:
+1 for hardware volume, certainly. IIRC this works with other software, such as bubble (though I stand to be corrected if it does not), so shouldn't be too difficult to implement. And yes, big jumps are less useful. 1 increment per press, hold for more would be best IMO.

Locked screen control, which the iPhone has for local playback and Airplay, would be good. Just stop, start and volume would be fine. It's a real PITA when the phone rings, and you have to unlock, open the app, wait for it to fire up, hit the bottom bar, drop the phone cos you're concentrating on the call on the landline in your other hand, swear, pick it up, start again, and eventually, turn it down.

That's why you should have the remote control handy. The app isn't quite there yet. It won't be many more years now. Patience please.

Posted on: 09 July 2015 by peterks

May I add the ability to configure what tags to display?

Ideally, for each classical track being played, I would like to see track title, track artist, album and composer. For other genres, I would be happy with track title, track artist and album, but other users may want it differently.

/Peter

PS yes, I know I can add e.g. composer and album to the track title, but why not leverage what appears to be common (if not standard) tags?

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

+1 on the tags. I have requested this a few times before and even discussed the matter with TJ at a Naim event so it could do with a bump.  

 

BTW I like the current Naim App volume and would prefer not to have to use the hardware buttons on the phone/tablet.. So if such an option is introduced please also maintain the current method.

 

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by Mike-B
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

BTW I like the current Naim App volume and would prefer not to have to use the hardware buttons on the phone/tablet.. So if such an option is introduced please also maintain the current method.

 

+1 x somemore

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by ChrisSU
Originally Posted by peterks:

       

May I add the ability to configure what tags to display?

Ideally, for each classical track being played, I would like to see track title, track artist, album and composer. For other genres, I would be happy with track title, track artist and album, but other users may want it differently.

/Peter

PS yes, I know I can add e.g. composer and album to the track title, but why not leverage what appears to be common (if not standard) tags?


       
Another +1 from me. The stock answer to such requests seems to be that the streamer/app can only see what the server sends it, although my limited experience suggests that this is not strictly true. Still worth checking if you can configure these options on the UPnP server, though.
Posted on: 10 July 2015 by ChrisSU
Originally posted by Simon in Suffolk



BTW I like the current Naim App volume and would prefer not to have to use the hardware buttons on the phone/tablet.. So if such an option is introduced please also maintain the current method.


       
I would like to have hardware volume control, and/or locked screen control, in the way that Airplay has it. I'm not aware of any case where having this functionality precludes use of the in-app volume slider, so I can't see that it should be a problem.
Posted on: 10 July 2015 by Mike-B

Again a +1 on keeping what we have for volume control

Not sure about sliders as mine is a + & - touch (tap) screen ....

-  it ain't broke & does not need a fix  

Add hardware buttons if you like - but don't touch the screen control 

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by PG

I'd like to see the numeric value of the volume bar position, just like it is in Qutecontrol. 

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by Harry

The request was to add functionality not replace it, so fear for the present volume control is a red herring. I think it should be one level up though. It may work but it still looks broken to me compared to nStream.

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by Bart

If given the choice, I'd probably use the hardware buttons on my iPhone to control volume, especially if I can do that while the app is no longer active (meaning use vol. buttons while I'm checking email, web browsing, etc)!

Posted on: 10 July 2015 by Nick Lees

If the App sat within IOS instead of on top then we could use the soft audio buttons in IOS as well as within the App and the hardware. 

 

With full system automation engaged the App is increasingly an excellent remote tool, but waking the device up, scrabbling about for the volume controls when the phone rings is a bit of a pain.