Have Zidoo's devs abandoned this forum?

Mirror mentioned on ASR that there would be an update this month.
Keith

 

A valid point. Didn't realize the Ultra was so close to launch. Looking forward to reading more details about it on Monday. Could be a possibility for my office. My hunch is there will be some kind of shortcoming(s) or miss, just like nearly every product. As wisely mentioned by other's in this forum, the pure nature of the software dev behind these streamers has got to be a very challenging and time consuming effort ensuring that everything plays nicely together. Also, what works today, could easily be broken in time based on 3rd party development and updates.

 

The WiiM Ultra looks to be an excellent streamer. But for me as far as features the Ultra is still lacking when compared to the DMP-A6. The lack of an HDMI output and the ability to install an internal SSD are among the biggest omissions.

Was there any posting of that information here? If not it would be nice if mirror posted that information here on the Eversolo forum.

 

That’s a bit dramatic. All i see is Wiim copying to catch up to A8…… lets see what that OS is like first, remember you have 1 years worth of development on Eversolo even if you think its not perfect…

 

I’ve always taken the view that the A6 release was naively early and have supported the Dev’s efforts to fix things (it’s a great Streamer after all!). That said, the lack of communication is becoming frustrating.

The outstanding issues don’t actually impact me that much as I just use the A6 for basic streaming. That said, It would be nice if the Dev’s could at least let us know if they’ve heard the issues we’re raising (for me, the loss of all playlist cover-art on restart).

With the greatest respect to the ASR crew, Mirror’s first priority should be to the people who have boosted Zidoo’s profits (no matter how moany or seemingly unappreciative we may be at times), not ASR members.

 

I second that, well said.

BTW, Auralic is also stepping into the 2K segment with the S1 range, getting shoulder to shoulder with the A8, with one of the best software I have seen so far and SOTA control app

 

Let me better understand what "stepping into the 2K segment" means:

- 2K for the streamer (Aries S1)
- 1K for the optional external custom PSU for the Aries
- 2K for the DAC (Vega S1)
- 1K for the optional external custom PSU for the Vega

, and compared to an Eversolo A8 (which is basically all the above combined) you still miss their best-than-ethernet-cable Wi-Fi connection, a quality preamp section provided with the A8, any line-in option, an Android App and, finally, good luck to show the same attitude which is here reserved to Eversolo to the "Apple-style" Auralic support.

Unless there will be any Altair S1 model, there is really no chance that even a Aries S1 and Vega S1 combination is able to go shoulder to shoulder with an A8 in terms of functionalities and value for the money at triple the price (all modules combined). Soundwise requires a comparison of course, but still... The only model which really competes with the A8 is the Altair G2 (even the Altair G1 is limited in comparison), again at triple the price, which still lacks some major feature (Touch display, Android App, etc.). Of course the Auralic lineup is a much more mature products offering and arguably offer better sound performance, that explicitly aim at an higher market tier, but I don't see the new S1 lineup from Auralic to represent a real alternative to the A6 and A8 from Eversolo for the segment.

 

The S1 is $3k … yikes !

Bk

 

I don't think it is a features contest, nor it's my intention to enter a contest.

Vega S1 has a Lighting server on board (confirmed on the Auralic forum by Auralic), hence also a streamer. It's equipped with a decent linear PSU too, so why would you buy an external PSU is beyond me. Many people don't use wifi because, IMHO, it is not better. I made comparisons, heard no difference.
It also got an analogue preamp and volume section. A lot of people value software stability and a great control app more than features that probably wouldn't be used.
Continuously developing and supporting software cost money, it has to come from somewhere. If you prefer features, fine, by all means buy an A8. If software is more more important than features? Vega S1 cost 2k, not 3k, it works fine without external PSU. Auralic has provided their first line up of products, launched in 2014 and 2015, with firmware updates until recently. I wonder if the A8 will be supported for that long.

BTW, I am still on an old control app release, 1.11.90, for my Samsung S23 because all those that came later can't show properly my music. I downloaded the APK and had to regularly reinstall it after each time I updated it to the latest version to check if the problem was gone.....alas, it isn't.

So yes, Auralic has entered the 2k segment. Up to the buyer if choosing for a reliable and well supported, even after 10 years, or for a bunch of features of which a good 50% won't be used.

 

I agree about the lack of communication here. Being an (almost completely Happy) owner here, I think the priority should be on fixing the basics. I know the definition of basics varies with usage with such a device delivering such a diverse range of use cases, as well as proper regression testing so that previously working features dont get affected. All of this is on the back of a statement where Eversolo have stated that they have recruited extra devs, so lets hope this long period without a release means that this might yield some results here. The proof will be in the next release. But basically unlike some other owners here, in not a stereo hopper, constantly looking for something else and judging the new cars the Smiths have arriving next door. Even if the software was to remain as it is, im still one happy camper.

 

@mirror - As you probably saw, I developed a windows application to control the A6 from the desktop. At least for me this is essential a "killer feature" since I do not know another server-streamer with such a tiny remote control program. (Program to control DMP-A6 from Windows Desktop (Version 2, free, inofficial DIY) | Zidoo forum)

I am using this API to start a track from either the playlist (the program can write M3U files) or the integrated SMB browser:
"http://" + ip + ":9529/ZidooFileControl/openFile?path=" + full_track_filename ;

That works, as long if the screen is not switched off. Enabling the screen starts the track, that appears to be a bug.

But I have a wish:
Can you implement an API to add a song to the start of the playing cue. This would make it possible to send a whole paylist to the playing cue so they are played one after the other. Or it would also make it possible to select the tracks to be cue from the SMB server.

I suggest just one additional parameter for the "openFile" API to manage playing cues.

cue="replace" // Clear the CUE and add the track
cue="start" // Add the track to the start of the cue (will be played next after the current)
cue="end" // Add the track at the end. This is useseful to add a whole playlist, track after track.

Of course you can contact me. I can also come to HighEnd Munich this Saturday to discuss this matter.