Streamers with screens

[RosalieTheDog]

I don't wish to provoke, I am just curious. Why would someone prefer a streamer with a (touch) screen, rather than just using the smartphone everyone has to control the source? I see many audio companies continue to produce such devices. In the case of a nearfield set-up or headphone set-up, why not use the controls in the actual source (PC, or a phone closeby); in the case of a proper living room listening set-up: why look at the tiny screen in the distance?

 

[Berwhale]

One reason might be that smartphone apps sometimes get re-written with the new version missing many previous functions...

Sonos app update borks users' fave features and worse

Blind customers complain they've been forgotten in rollout of latest UI

www.theregister.com

 

[JunkHippo]

This is highly subjective, but here's my experience (streamer is a Pi with 7" touchscreen in an aluminium case).

• I like dedicated hardware and don't feel the urge to control everything on my smartphone. For example I might actually pause music from the streamer's touchscreen when leaving the room, instead of unlocking the phone and pulling up the app. I don't even mind walking up to the stereo to change volume or pick music to be played from the streamer's screen because I like interacting with audio hardware (also a vinyl enthusiast, not coincidentally).
• Having that little screen that's telling me what's playing also adds a visual component to music enjoyment, like displaying the cover of a CD or record. I could also stare at my phone screen instead, but I try to reduce screen time and not distract myself with the phone all the time.
• It might also depend on how you listen to music. E.g. when you're constantly building playlists or picking something new to play, it would be crazy to do so from the streamer's screen, assuming it isn't sitting on your lap. Whereas when you usually listen to whole albums, it becomes more feasible to pick that album from the streamer's screen and then sit back for 50 minutes.

None of this is strictly needed, but I like to have these options and would like to see more affordable streamers with good screens.

 

[Doodski]

I don't wish to provoke, I am just curious. Why would someone prefer a streamer with a (touch) screen, rather than just using the smartphone everyone has to control the source?

I have my doubts about the longevity of the touch & non-touch screens. Burn-in also is a issue that I am concerned about.

 

[Saponetto]

Some OLEDs we can see on device panels are way too prone to burn-in or fade away.
On the opposite side, any decent TFT panel will serve you as well for long time.
The ubiquitous DMP-A6 seems to confirm this trend.

 

[sergeauckland]

For me the answer is reassurance. I use an app to control my Squeezebox Touch, but like to see the display change to make sure that the commands have been executed. It also very much helps when something goes wrong, either with the app or my wifi so I can operate the device directly. I'm always nervous about equipment that's only remotely operated as there's no easy way of knowing if any faults are in the app, the link or the device.

Normally, my SBT is in a rack too far away to read the screen, but I can at least see what's happening if need be.

S.

 

[Roland68]

I don't wish to provoke, I am just curious. Why would someone prefer a streamer with a (touch) screen, rather than just using the smartphone everyone has to control the source? I see many audio companies continue to produce such devices. In the case of a nearfield set-up or headphone set-up, why not use the controls in the actual source (PC, or a phone closeby); in the case of a proper living room listening set-up: why look at the tiny screen in the distance?

This is exactly how Volumio works and you have a large selection of hardware, from under €/$ 40 to .....

 

[Petevid]

It's a gimmick, like VU meters....... I love VU Meters.

 

[melvinjames]

Darko published an article a couple of days ago on this very subject. I'm not a fan of John but, like him, I use Apple Music and an ATV 4K with my nice big 49" screen. I like it.

https://darko.audio/2024/06/does-a-streaming-dac-really-need-a-touchscreen/

 

[Hear Here]

I like dedicated hardware and don't feel the urge to control everything on my smartphone. For example I might actually pause music from the streamer's touchscreen when leaving the room, instead of unlocking the phone and pulling up the app.

Yes, but also if listening to internet radio, Paradise Radio, etc and you hear something you like, details are on the screen, often with the artwork. I prefer to use the IR remote than the app (specially grotty Android apps) to change volume, skip to next track etc, so the screen is very useful. Also I usually turn on my streamer from the unit itself and can select the input and sub-source (favourite streaming channels, radio stations, etc) while at the unit.

RosalieThyeDog - If you are against touch screens to control things locally, I guess you are also against volume controls on the unit too! Horror!

​

 

[Nopiano]

I used to think I wanted a screen, doubtless because my first streamer was a Logitech Touch which was practically all screen! However, once I swapped to a better sounding Linn Sneaky DSM, which was ’blind’ but used an iPad or iPhone as a remote, I never looked back.

Now I use a Linn Akurate DSM which does have bright blue display showing various snippets of info (user selectable) and then dims afterwards, I feel I’ve got the best of both worlds. Unfortunately the screens seem to be the least dependable component in many products, few of which have the 5 years warranty Linn offer.

 

[amper42]

The Wiim mini, an iPad and a decent DAC offer excellent sound and amazingly easy to use remote control. It's funny that many times streamers with screens cost so much more that you could have bought a dedicated iPad with the Wiim and still saved money. You could even leave the Wiim app open so all you had to do was push the on button for access.

 

[somebodyelse]

One reason might be that smartphone apps sometimes get re-written with the new version missing many previous functions...

Sonos app update borks users' fave features and worse

Blind customers complain they've been forgotten in rollout of latest UI

www.theregister.com

The same applies to firmware updates on the streamer, so if that's your reasoning you need to be careful!

 

[Berwhale]

The same applies to firmware updates on the streamer, so if that's your reasoning you need to be careful!

I think the velocity and scope of changes to a UI on a fixed hardware platform is unlikely to be as great as that on a smartphone app. That said, streamers like the Eversolo DMP-A6 are built on Android, so who knows?

 

[somebodyelse]

I think the velocity and scope of changes to a UI on a fixed hardware platform is unlikely to be as great as that on a smartphone app. That said, streamers like the Eversolo DMP-A6 are built on Android, so who knows?

Why? Code is code. It's not massively different whether it runs on a streamer or on a phone. You're at the mercy of the manufacturer either way.

 

[Berwhale]

Why? Code is code. It's not massively different whether it runs on a streamer or on a phone. You're at the mercy of the manufacturer either way.

Code gets changed for a reason and there are less reasons to change the code on a streamer than on a smartphone app. For example, the code on a streamer doesn't need to be updated to support multiple different versions of the OS or the OS owners new design or security requirements.

 

[Timcognito]

It's the bling. One shows off what is being played to others in a rack or on a credenza. I bought a dedicated Samsung 10" Android tablet for $99 for music, and have not looked back, finding everything on decent sized screen.. The phone fits in my pocket and is used away from home when it comes to music.

 

[somebodyelse]

Neither support for multiple operating systems and versions nor security requirements tend to drive feature removal. That's more likely to be driven by contractual changes (dropping a streaming supplier) or business decisions like Sonos deciding that support for new headphones is more important than existing customers keeping existing capabilities.

 

[Berwhale]

Neither support for multiple operating systems and versions nor security requirements tend to drive feature removal. That's more likely to be driven by contractual changes (dropping a streaming supplier) or business decisions like Sonos deciding that support for new headphones is more important than existing customers keeping existing capabilities.

Well Sonos was just an example, but in their case I suspect they decided to re-architect the app to support future products and reduce the overhead of maintaining the app. I think the real issue is that their product owner's MVP doesn't meet their existing customers MVP, i.e. the product owner failed in a core part of their role.

 

[somebodyelse]

Well Sonos was just an example, but in their case I suspect they decided to re-architect the app to support future products and reduce the overhead of maintaining the app. I think the real issue is that their product owner's MVP doesn't meet their existing customers MVP, i.e. the product owner failed in a core part of their role.

Who is the 'product oner' here, Sonos or the person who bought their product? Other examples are 'smart' TV manufacturers that fail to keep their OS up to date, so features that it was sold as having no longer work. Or Sony removing linux from the PS2. Or Spotify bricking the Car Thing. Or Google bricking various Nest products. The list goes on. It's one reason I prefer to stick to free software - LMS is still going after a corporate buyout, discontinuation of the product and finally corporate dropping of the software.