Do you think Airplay will ever get multi-room?

[admin_exported]

At present I use an ipod touch to stream music from the ipod to apple tv's and airport expresses, but want multi room. I know this can be done using the remote app to connect itunes and stream music from the computer to different rooms at the same time, but I prefer the Music app on the Ipod rather than the remote app due to the coverflow feature and speed of the Music App. Even though there is only a slight delay in bringing in album covers in the Remote App it still annoys me.

I am considering Sonos, but see Airplay as the future so am nervous about not buying a load of devices which don't have airplay.

My question is, does any-one think the Music app will ever get multi room option?

Is it a phyical limitation of this type of device that stops it transmitting to two or three apple tv's or just a protocol/feature that might change in the future?

 

[Lee H]

I am considering Sonos, but see Airplay as the future so am nervous about not buying a load of devices which don't have airplay.

Airplay is part of the future, but not the future. Sonos already supports multiple formats, whereas airplay is still reliant on using Apple software somwhere along the line.

 

[nads]

I cant see why someone would want to use an iPod as a source. But you can do what you want with Squeezebox and iPeng.

 

[Anonymous]

I actually really like the sonos systems, but I don't really care about the ability for Flac or spotify/lots of radio stations etc. etc.

The only things that really attract me to Sonos is the Multi-room ability, looks and sound. I don't even consider the price for S5 that expensive when compared to buying separate speakers, amp, aiport express or Apple TV.

It's just that I don't really want to spend a whole load of money on sonos just for the multiroom ability only to find that in 6 months Airplay will have mutiroom functionally built in which wouldn't limit me to sonos. I could then have an appletv connected to receiver in the lounge, an ihome in the kitchen, a B&W Airplay in the Dining room etc. etc.

If sonos had proper airplay built in (not from an analogue connection from an airport express) I would buy it instantly, but it doesn't and I wouldn't want to spend alot of money on something without it even though airplay isn't multiroom, which brings me back to my question what limits airplay having multi room ability?

 

[The_Lhc]

In the case of using an iPod as a source you could only multi-room (with or without Sonos) if you had all rooms playing the same thing (whereas Sonos can have every zone playing a different source or tune or whatever). This is a direct limitation of the iPod, it can only provide one stream at any time.

 

[Anonymous]

But why is a limitation? Is it just the fact that this feature hasn't been added or will iphones/ipod touches never be able to stream multiple sources. Surely if it's sending out one stream to an appletv, can't the protocol just be added to make other airplay devices pick up that stream as well?

 

[Anonymous]

I think the most accurate answer is I don't know. I for sure have no idea what ideas Apple have in the pipeline, and its unlikely that they will let on. If they did none of us would buy anything until we saw that the perfect product had arrived. This kind of technology is evolutionary and there is I suspect no end in sight as to what future possibilities are. In the meantime I am quite happy to take hold of todays technology now because thats what I have always done (and probably many others too). When I bought my first valve amp 30 years ago I could not possibly imagine where we would end up. Now 30 years later I am beaming music all round the house with a mobile phone app, and its great quality too. Not much help I don't suppose but basically I don't think anyone can accurately answer the question, save via a crystal ball

 

[professorhat]

I would think streaming different things to different sources is always going to be limited with current generations of the iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad (including the just released ones) - it's quite intensive on the processing side and Apple isn't likely to want other aspects / functions of the device to slow down when you're streaming as it looks bad. For multi-room, I believe Sonos will still rule the roost for a while yet since it's dedicated to that job.

I can't guarantee it obviously, but it's my gut feeling.

 

[bigboss]

I agree. Sonos isn't going anywhere. It's still the best multiroom solution in the market. It supports AirPlay as well. I can't see Sonos being phased out of the market anytime soon.

 

[The_Lhc]

But why is a limitation?

Because the iPod is a portable personal player, under what circumstances when listening to an iPod using headphones would you ever want to be able to play more than one tune at the same time?

That's what it's designed for, subsequent use as a multi-room home system source isn't really part of the original remit, there are much better ways of doing that (using the PC or MAC that you presumably have your itunes library stored on for example).

Surely if it's sending out one stream to an appletv, can't the protocol just be added to make other airplay devices pick up that stream as well?

I don't see why that couldn't be done, but that's not multiple sources, that's multiple destinations.

 

[Anonymous]

Your right it is a great system, but wouldn't the sound quality be a bit poor coming from an analogue input?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm talking about the airplay to sonos connection here.

 

[multiroom]

Hi benj,

sorry - it is my first post here.

I am using 3x AirPort-Express Stations, connected to speakers, an AppleTV and a SONY NS510 (AirPlay-included "standalone" speaker).

For a few days i have the same problems because i was not able to stream music to multiple speakers directly from the ipad.

Now i use the WHAALE Multiroom Player - and i am very suppriesed how it works. :dance: :rockout:

A small disadvantage is that WHAALE only supports playing tracks from your iTunes catalog, but it seems the developers are very ambitious to connect the usual streaming portals.

You should have a look to this - maybe it is that what you looking for.

Regards,

Tobi

 

[The_Lhc]

Multiroom, welcome to the forum, little tip, check the date on the post you're replying to, this thread is two years old...