Transcript
ANTIPODES MUSIC SERVER QUICK GUIDE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ANTIPODES AUDIO LIMITED
QUICK GUIDE Introduction Use this Quick Guide to get started with loading and playing music with your Antipodes Music Server.
Contents
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What to do if you have a problem during Setup Installation Turn On/Off Connect to the Server over your Network Connect to your DAC Play Music using SBS Add Music to the Server Adding Plugins Play Music from Internet Streaming Services Remote Control using your Tablet/Smartphone Warranty
What to do if you have a problem during Setup If something about your server appears to not be working, the first thing to do is re-do the setup described in this Quick Guide. This can be necessary occasionally, due to network issues and hand-shake issues with your DAC. It does not indicate a fault. If you still have a problem, take note of which setup step fails, and choose from the three options below. If you want help with advanced options like playing from a NAS or a USB disk, or synchronising with an iTunes library, setting up streaming services, etc, choose from the three options below. You then have three options: • Download the Reference Guide, by typing the following URL in the address bar of a browser www.antipodesaudio.com/ref_guide.pdf. This guide provides a full set of information for diagnosing any fault; and instructions for advanced options. • Contact Antipodes Support by emailing
[email protected] for online user support. • Contact the dealer you purchased your Antipodes server from. If you purchased the server second-hand then contact Antipodes Support - we will be pleased to help.
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Installation Ensure the server has adequate ventillation, and make 3 connections to the rear panel:
Many DACs need the ‘5v On’ USB port on the server. Use it the first time you setup the server.
Turn On/Off
• Turn the server on by clicking the power button on the front panel. • Turn it off by clicking the power button on the front panel, and it will power off after a few seconds. If the power light stays on for over 30 seconds, hold the switch in till it powers off. Never shutdown without clicking once first, and never shutdown using the rear power button.
Connect to the Server over your Network 1. Start the Server and wait 2-3 minutes. 2. Open an internet browser (eg. Chrome, Safari etc) on a PC or Mac connected to the same network as the server. 3. Opening the VortexBox GUI can depend on your network setup - in the browser address bar; • type antipodes1 • or type antipodes1.local • or type myvortexbox.com to display the IP Address of your server, and then click on it. This should open the VortexBox GUI, enabling you to setup your server. If none of the methods in step 3 above work, then you have a problem with your network setup. Refer to the Reference Guide or email Antipodes Support, to resolve this.
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Connect to your DAC From your PC or Mac, click on the ‘Configure Player’ icon at the VortexBox GUI. A USB DAC needs to be installed as an output device for your server; when you use any DAC for the first time; and some DACs may require you to complete this step every time you restart the server due to a minor Linux incompatibility. Step 1 Your USB DAC should show up as ALSA Device 1. You may need to restart the DAC and then refresh the browser screen shown below for it to be displayed.
Step 2
Setup a player giving it a name Select USB Device 1 Click on ‘Submit’.
If you wish to use either the SPDIF and/or stereo analog connections, set the Audio output device to “Auxilliary Outputs”. If you wish to use, or audition USB, SPDIF and analog, create one player with ‘Audio Device 1’, and another with ‘Auxilliary Outputs”. In SqueezeBox Server, you need to ensure you select the correct player from the drop-down menu. You can also synchronise the players using the dropdown menu, to play the same music simultaneously. This can be useful for A/B testing of your preference between USB and SPDIF, or an external DAC versus the internal analog outputs.
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Play Music using SBS From your PC or Mac, click on the SqueezeBox Server (SBS) icon at the VortexBox GUI. When SBS opens, check you have the correct player selected at the top-right of screen, or use the drop-down list to select the right one (see the image below). Select music in the left-hand pane, and click on the icons to play or add to the playlist. The current playlist will show in the right-hand pane. Make sure you can play music here before trying to play remotely from your tablet or smartphone. Music Library
Installed Music Services Are Found Here
Play Controls
Current Track
Current Playlist
Current Player
Save/Clear Playlist
Open Settings
SBS has a large range of settings. One setting you need to be aware of, is to enable DoP to play DSD files, if your DAC supports DoP. Open Settings, open the Player Tab, select ‘Play DSD Audio Files’ in the right hand drop down menu, tick the box and then click on the ‘Apply’ button.
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Add Music To The Server Rip Disks Insert a CD, and it will eject when it has finished. Check on progress by clicking on the ‘CD/DVD Ripper’ icon at the VortexBox GUI. At this screen you can eject a disk by clicking on the button ‘Restart Auto-ripper’. Ripped disks will be ready to be played shortly after they have ejected. Copy/Download/Delete/Edit/Backup Music Files You can do anything to the music files on the server as if they were located on your your PC or Mac. The server will show as ‘Antipodes1’, in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac). Your ripped music files are in \\antipodes1\files\music\flac. Copy/Delete or download to this same location using your PC or Mac. You can use tagging software (eg. JRiver) on your PC or Mac to tag your music files. Or use a backup program from your PC or Mac. Alternatively, at the VortexBox GUI you can backup directly to a USB drive, use the Bliss Tagger app.
Adding Plugins 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Open SBS Settings, Select the Plugins tab, Place a tick in the box beside the desired plugin, Click on the ‘Apply’ button at the bottom-right of the screen. You may be prompted to restart SBS - if so, wait 3 minutes to ensure the plugin has fully downloaded first, before restarting. Select the Advanced tab. Select the relevant plugin from the drop-down menu. Fill in any required details and your preferred settings. Click the ‘Apply’ button to save your settings. Refresh the SBS screen in your browser and begin using the new plugin’s capability.
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Play Music From Internet Streaming Services Some streaming service plug-ins are already installed for you - look under My Apps at the SBS main screen. Other streaming and radio services are available to be installed - see the Plugins tab. And you can access internet radio via the SBS main screen. Note that SBS includes a general purpose plugin called ickStream, and this provides you with a range of quality streaming services including TIDAL. Before using TIDAL you need a Premium account. Use the Advanced Tab (example screen above right), and in the drop-down menu select the ickStream plugin. You will need to accept the terms and then click to login to ickStream. This will display a list of streaming services supported by ickStream. Click on TIDAL to go to a TIDAL login screen and enter your login details.
Once logged in, you can use TIDAL within SBS. At the main SBS screen, expand ‘My Apps’ and click on the ickStream icon, and then on TIDAL. The process of setting up other streaming services like Spotify, QOBUZ, etc is very similar, and in most cases is simpler. Some may not show in the Advanced tab. For these, go to the Plugins tab and click on the link to the right of the relevant Plugin, to complete the setup. Remember that plugins to these third party music streaming services require you to have a paid account and not to be logged in on another device using the same login details.
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Remote Control using your Tablet/Smartphone We recommend that you use a tablet or smartphone to control playback. You can find, buy and download compatible applications by searching for ‘squeezebox’ at the application store for your device. Any squeezebox-compliant remote application will work. We recommend, for: • iPad/iPhone, use iPeng8 • Android Tablet/Smartphone, use Orange Squeeze or Squeeze Ctrl • Windows Tablet, use Soundicity. Because SBS is doing all the heavy database work on the Antipodes server, these applications are intuitive, light, fast and stable. You can only use these applications to manage playback and playlists. You cannot delete or change your music files through these applications. Use a PC or Mac instead. But if you only have a tablet, you can use a file management application on your tablet. The remote control applications work similarly to one another, and several can be used at the same time. Some key points: • Select the player you entered at the Configure Player screen in the VortexBox GUI. • Tap to drill down in your library, but press and hold on the desired music, for a playback options menu. • Tap any track in the current playlist to play it. • The current playlist can be saved and named, and re-loaded from any device later. • It can be faster to find music using the Search function rather than browsing a long list. • Visit the application author’s web site for guides.
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