(Nuvo Grand Concerto + Nuvo FM/XM Tuner + dedicated music server PC with Vista Premieum)


Hello everyone,

I am in a long quest for the ideal solution of using a music server PC with a Nuvo Grand Concerto. I have found a few solutions but no single solution fulfills all my needs. I have compiled a summary of all options I know with pros and cons for each one. I hope this will help some people to have a better understanding of the options available. I also hope that some people will provide additional solutions and tell what solution they
selected.

First, here is the list of functionalities of the ideal system, from my perspective:

- Music files on the PC in Windows Media Player or iTunes
- Support of Internet radio and online music services
- Web interface to control the sources and zones from another PC (laptop) . Display cover arts.
- Control from the Nuvo OLED keypads (by artist, by genre, etc.).
- Metadata on the Nuvo OLED keypads.
- Interface for the iPhone (nice to have)


Solution No 1 - Nuvo Music Port (aprox.: 600$)

Pros:

- Integrates iTunes and WMP libraries
- Full Nuvo OLED keypad support for control and metadata display
- Web interface in Flash

Cons:

- No iphone interface
- Web interface seems so so (reda complaints about limited navigation, freezing)
- Seems to be very resource consuming (require a dedicated PC).

Questions:

- Does the Music Port web interface allow control of sources other than the PC? For example, can it control a FM/XM unit?
- Autonomic improves its MCS product (which is the in fact at the heart of the Music Port). Can users of Nuvo Music Port install and take advantage of those upgrades? Their newest version is called Mirage and looks versy sharp ( http://www.autonomichome.com/MCS.htm ).


Solution No 2 - Casatunes software (350$)

Pros:

- Integrates iTunes (newly) and WMP libraries
- Nice web intercae
- Control from keypads (limited)
- Metadata displayed on keypads
- Nice support of internet radio and XM

Cons:

- Keypad nevigation is complicated and not performant (cannot use repeating keys, cannot use menu key, arrows, etc.). If you add NuvoNet Adapter (500$), those limitations are eliminated.
- No iPhone interface.


Solution No 3 - Sonos ZonePlayer as a source of the Grand Concerto (399$)

Pros:

- Integrates iTunes and WMP libraries
- Very nice web interface
- Very very nice iPhone interface
- Support for Internet radio and online music services

Cons:

- No control from Nuvo keypads
- No metadata from Nuvo keypads

Questions:

- Is there a way to work with Nuvo keypads and Sonos? I don't see how.


Solution No 4 - Logitech SqueezeBox Duet as a source of the Grand Concerto (500$)

Pros

- Integrates iTunes and WMP libraries
- Nice remote control with cover arts
- Support for Internet radio and online music services

- Cons

- No control from Nuvo keypads
- No metadata from Nuvo keypads
- No iPhone interface


Solution No 5 - iTunes on Music server PC and Apple Remote on iPhone (free ;-) )

Pros:

- Free (if you have an iPhone)
- Very nice iPhone interface

Cons:

- No control from Nuvo keypads
- No metadata from Nuvo keypads
- No support for Internet radio or online music services



My conclusion is that no solution offers everything I am looking for. Systems dedicated to playing music stored on PCs are interesting, especially Sonos. If I was to buy again, I would probably go with Sonos instead of Nuvo. Nuvo has been trying to promote its music server. But people want to play the music they have on their PCs. I think Nuvo is trying to catch up with the Music Port, but is it a good product? Instead of supporting the iPhone, they decided to develop their own remote which seems nice bu is so expensive. Russound is now offering an iPhone interface for controling their systems.

Enough said. Please add your own comments and share your experience.


Regards,

Jean-Robert Desbiens

My conclusion is that no solution offers everything I am looking for. Systems dedicated to playing music stored on PCs are interesting, especially Sonos. If I was to buy again, I would probably go with Sonos instead of Nuvo. Nuvo has been trying to promote its music server. But people want to play the music they have on their PCs. I think Nuvo is trying to catch up with the Music Port, but is it a good product? Instead of supporting the iPhone, they decided to develop their own remote which seems nice bu is so expensive. Russound is now offering an iPhone interface for controling their systems.



I am in the exact same boat as you. I have a Nuvo GC. Never installed the keypads because the mrs. stopped me dead in my tracks. I have used CQC to control the Nuvo for a little while now but I'm on the edge of swapping out the Nuvo for Sonos. I just don't have the time to make it all work anymore. I originally had my files in FLAC but once my family gave in to apple everything is now iTunes based. I wish there was a simple add on to the Nuvo system but there really isn't. So once I unload the Nuvo I'll probably start putting together a Sonos system (although I'll also consider the duet and squeezebox).

Hi,

I will evaluate CQC and add it to the summary. I understand from your post that CQC requires a lot of work to set up. Is it true? What kind of support for Nuvo GC does it offer? By the way, there seems to be an iPhone interface in the work for CQC.

Regards,

Jean-Robert

I am also at a stalemate between Russound, Nuvo, and Sonos. If Sonos would come up with a simple wall-mounted controller it would be a no-brainer. Their remote is unsexy, although the iPhone app looks good. But I don't expect everyone in the house to eitiher have to hunt for the remote or have an iPhone. The value of simplistic and attractive wall mounted controls (as opposed to black OLED's like on Nuvo) can be realized as in resale value/sex appeal. The Sonos lacks that since there is no visible indication that you have a system except for remote controls or iphone interpface. I wrote Sonos and asked them to consider repackaging their system into a multi-zone head end system with wall pads and suggested that they would decimate Russound and Nuvo. No word back yet...

The new Sonos controller looks interesting.

I am in the exact same boat as you. I have the exact same feature "must haves" that have listed.

I would love to hear some feedback on the MusicPort.... argggg.

I have a new home prewired with speakers installed. Does Sonos even offer a wired solution comparable to Nuvo (8 inputs, 8 zones)? I haven't seen anything like that.

Casatunes will control the Nuvo GC and has keypad integration with web control. You need to plug your PC into the GC with a serial cable and it works well. It is not perfect, but it does the job.

I was really hoping Nuvo would release a streaming-only version of their Music Server at CEDIA. Just plug it in, tell it where the media is stored on your network and you're done.

I have most of what you're looking for with a combination of a Nuvo Essentia E6G, JRiver Media Center 14 (http://www.jrmediacenter.com/), and AutomationEngine (http://www.johnnynine.com/).

Pros:
* Cheap: $50 for JRMC 14, free for AutomationEngine (at least while in Beta)
* Meta-data on keypads
* With a bit of rule scripting I have the ability to select from a list of playlists to play on the keypads
* Full control of music playing on any PC in the house via JRMC 14's tRemote feature
* Can add web/iPhone control using xpTunes or RiverMote plugins
* No overpriced MusicPort required

Cons:
* Some issues with AutomationEngine driver service locking up (it is beta though)
* No support for browsing music on keypads

Here's how my control works:
* Next, Prev, Play, Pause all work like you'd expect
* When you press and hold the Play/Pause button it sends a STOP command and also causes my AutomationEngine rules to change to to Playlist selection mode.
* In playlist selection mode, Next and Prev move through the playlists I've configured and pressing Play starts playing the currently selected playlist and returns to playback control mode.

Playback Control Display:
[track#] of [total tracks in playlist]
[Artist] - [Track Name]
The progress bar and playback mode indication also work at the bottom

Playlist Selection Display:
Playlist:
[Playlist Name]

-John

I just had the Nuvo GC system installed throughout my home, including outside in my backyard. With keypads everywhere, and Sirius T2 tuner and an Ipod dock. It is very nice system, and importantly, my wife loves it. Terrific sound, and very sharp looking wall keypads. It does, however, lack internet radio, Rhapsody, Pandora, etc. What a shame. I saw that Nuvo is coming out with a music port server that has all that. With that, it will be a perfect system. By the way, I had Sonos. It's very good. But if you are serious about an in home system, the Nuvo is the way to go.

Nuvo has the new media server with the Nuvo port ,all in one. gives you access to pandora, xm, sirius -via internet, etc; If you add the new Nuvo touchpad with art cover, - best solution.