Release of Beta Development Kits for Squeezebox Jive Target Hardware Platform

[Mark Lanctot]

Logitech never comments on release dates, and the JHB is still in *very* active development, with multiple changes daily.

[earthbased]

Is this also going to have IR to control other equipment with Harmony Activities?

[Mark Lanctot]

It does have IR and it's just been enabled in "testing" mode (it emulates an SB remote).

It would depend if Logitech business units compete with each other. If they do, then Harmony wouldn't want the remote doing what one of theirs could. But it could be developed as a plugin? Just a generic universal IR remote at first, it would depend if Harmony's web configurator allows 3rd parties to use it.

I must say I like the idea! Even just a simple universal remote plugin would be cool.

[Dean L. Surkin]

Would I be correct in saying that the Jive hardware is meant to compete with the Sonos system?

--Dean L. Surkin

[Balthazar_B]

No, not exactly. While the Jive remote will mostly eliminate one point of current differentiation between the Slim and Sonos systems, they are still architecturally (and functionally) very different, even though at a high level they are intended to provide similar services to largely the same market. In other words, the two systems already compete with each other, but the Jive platform is (IMHO) a relatively minor part of HOW they compete.

[Mark Lanctot]

It was mostly at the request of users on this forum from what I can tell. Some users did want what Sonos was offering so it's indirect.

[funkincubator]

I'm very excited about this, and I'm bummed that I dumped $350 into the Nokia770 a year ago. The Nokia is nice, but I got it to be a Slim remote on the patio, since I couldn't have a squeezebox outside. $350 seemed like a good deal at the time since I was comparing it to Sonos' $400 remote (and lame proprietary wireless access point).

I just thought I'd mention this as a great potential use for the Jive remote. I'm assuming it will be much faster than the Nokia, and you can control a listening zone without looking at the squeezebox display. Logitech should definitely highlight this feature...or send me one to beta and I'll shoot a demo and put it on youtube.

[socialxray]

This is what I've always wanted for my Squeezeboxes!

If it is anywhere near $50 I WILL BUY AT LEAST ONE MAYBE TWO!

I have 3 music zones and this device would solve so many problems.

I have always wanted a way for a guest to easily browse my music library. I get so tired of explaining how Lazy Search works and let's face it, the VFD does not convey the power of the Squeezebox to a newbie. It stirs the curiosity but does not have that WOW factor. Vain? YES!

It would also be nice to have something that is more intuitive for my wife and kids.

I have always wanted to control my outdoor music zone without having to lug the laptop outside. Once the battery dies its a trek inside to change the music or volume.

I have always wanted to have guests at parties be able to control the playlists without giving them access to my laptop.

The last one is a major problem since I have had incidents where rude people have started mucking around my laptop instead of just browsing my music selection.

I don't see why people are getting confused/perturbed by the current stand alone nature of the remote. I think there is room for both a stand alone remote and a harmony based one. I would actually get both if they were available. A harmony based solution would be great in my home theater but I do not want to carry my expensive Harmony remote around outside or lend it to people at parties.

[Mark Lanctot]

If it is anywhere near $50 I WILL BUY AT LEAST ONE MAYBE TWO!

Sheer speculation on my part but I bet the screen alone is worth more than that!!

It looks and feels like a ~$200 device to me. And it's competing with the Nokia 770/800/810, so I would expect to see it in that price range.

The Sonos remote is $399 IIRC. Hopefully Logitech can do better than that but $50 doesn't sound realistic based on what's in it - see the specs at the start of the thread.

[Bradley]

The Jive hardware platform was designed to control the Squeezebox/
Transporter/SlimServer/SqueezeNetwork ecosystem via a wireless network.

It was not designed to be a universal remote. I totally agree (and
our friends on the Harmony team will agree too) that a universal
remote needs more hard buttons and possibly a touch screen. For
controlling your music library, we think we found the right balance
of buttons (more than an iPod, fewer than a Harmony remote). Another
key driver was to make sure that ordinary folks could pick it up and
discover how to use it without being intimidated by a vast array of
buttons.

We threw in the IR emitter mostly to see what the community would do
with the functionality, based on the interest that folks showed for
the IR Blaster functionality in Squeezebox. There are a few other
hardware features in there that have yet to be exploited: SD card
slot, headphone jack, 3-axis accelerometer. They don't make it
harder for people to learn to use, but do make it easier for our
smart developer community to add cool new features.

Just like when we introduced SLIMP3 and Squeezebox, we didn't imagine
all of the neat plugins that would result (RSS readers, games,
screensavers, AlienBBC, etc.) and we think that we're only scratching
the surface of what's possible with the Jive hardware and software
platform now.

I'm wondering if there is a plan for Jive Remote/SB3 Wireless capability that could be set up to be a limited, secure wireless network for the sole purpose of communicating with the remote(s).

I currently have 6 SB3's in my residence, along with a hard-wired network. I don't have or want b/g/n wireless capability in my residence. I view it as a security vulnerability, as I live in NYC in a very congested area and it's extremely easy to monitor wireless network traffic from dozens of wireless networks, right from my doorstep.

However, I would permit a capability where Jive remote(s) could link wirelessly to SB3's provided the buck stops there. No other device could access the network through the SB3's nor would the SB3's broadcast any network packets other than those specifically targetted for the Jive remote(s).

Overall, I think the Jive Remotes sound like an intriguing platform and I am excited about them provided they do not open up my household to wireless security issues.

Dean (SD et al), what are your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance,

*Bradley