I was messing about with my SqueezeBox duet today (fantastic device by the way) and I decided to go on the hunt for new stuff to put on it.  The best place to do that is the Slim Devices forums (Logitech now owns Slim Devices and has done for a while).  I found out that version 7.3 of the Squeeze Center software is out.  It’s a neat update and it adds:

  • Free Deezer Webradio and Smartradio music service available for all Squeezebox users in France, Germany, and United Kingdom. This service is similar to Pandora and RadioIO in the United States.
  • Choose an Amazon CD of the song currently playing using the Duet Controller or Squeezebox player. You can browse the Amazon store and choose CDs too. CDs are placed in the SqueezeNetwork shopping cart and the purchase is completed on the Amazon web site.
  • Improved support for playing the same music from multiple Squeezebox players – “sync”.
  • Fast forward or rewind within a song.
  • Manage your SqueezeCenter plugins with the new Extension Downloader.
  • You can now download a ReadyNAS Pro version of SqueezeCenter.
  • Beta support for playing music from the Duet Controller’s headphone jack.
  • Now include iTunes album artwork in your SqueezeCenter music library.

The most interesting feature so far has been the last but one on that list.  This update to Squeeze Center delivers an update to the Duet controller that allows the Duet controller to become a player itself!  So with a couple of ear buds I can now walk around the house listening to the entire music collection, and any internet radio station I want.  One thing I did have to do was to enable the functionality, to do that I had to enable the feature in

Settings > Advanced > Audio Playback (BETA) then you need to restart the controller.

Syncing players is also better now, so with Softsqueeze on the Media Center and the Squeezebox in the kitchen, and the controller plugged in the the HiFi upstairs I’ve now got sync’d whole house audio.

If you’ve got a Squeezebox go get this update.  The controller playback is in Beta so occasionally it get a bit hinky but it’s worth it! 

Help!

One thing I really want to be able to do with my Squeezebox is to send a “now playing” audio stream from the Media Center around the house, anyone know of a way to get a http audio stream out of Media Center?

Posted by Simon May, follow me on Twitter or if you like email me
Simon's Blog @ thedigitallifestyle.com

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