Squeezebox Boom FAQ
From SqueezeboxWiki
Contents |
What can it play?
Q. What music formats are supported natively?
A. The same formats as the other Squeezebox family members: MP3, WMA, Ogg, FLAC, WAV, and AIFF.
Q. What other music formats can it play?
A. There is a transcoding engine built into the Squeezecenter software that can be used to transcode from an unsupported format to a supported one. This allows your Squeezebox to play many more formats. Of course, it requires enough CPU bandwidth to perform the transcoding.
Q. Can it play music purchased from the iTunes store?
A. It will play music from the iTunes store only if you purchased the iTunes Plus store (i.e. un-encrypted, DRM-Free). It will not play music that is encrypted with Apple's iTunes DRM encryption.
Q. What music sources can it play?
A. It will play music from your local Music library (see formats above), podcasts, any of thousands of internet radio stations, and from several music services. The music services differ by region, but here is a sample available in the US: Pandora, Rhapsody, MP3Tunes Music Locker, Last.fm, and Live Music Archive.
Q. Does it have AM/FM/DAB radio built in?
A. No, there is no direct support for terrestrial radio. The Squeezebox Boom is a streaming music player that can tune in to thousands of internet radio streams. Most traditional terrestrial broadcasters also make their transmissions available over the internet. There are even 6 preset buttons that allow you to set favorites to get to them quickly. If you cannot find the station that you want via the "Internet Radio" menu item then you can add your own link to it or ask on the forum for help from others.
Audio
Q. Why does Squeezebox Boom sound so good?
A. A combination of careful component selection, mechanical design and digital signal processing. Technical details about the innovative acoustic design can be found in this white paper.
Q. Can I plug in my friend's iPod or other MP3 player and listen to music from the external player?
A. Absolutely. There is a line-in jack on the back for this purpose, and there is even a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo cable thrown in for doing just that!
Q. Can I plug my computer's line output into the Squeezebox Boom line-input and use the boom as my PC speakers, while listening to streaming music at the same time?
A. Yep, you sure can. You have the choice to use the line-in jack exclusively, or mix streaming music and line-in. The line-in level is adjustable independent of the main volume. In fact, if you have an amplified microphone, you could plug that into the Squeezebox Boom and sing along with your favorite tunes!
Q. Is there a line-out?
A. There is a subwoofer/headphone output. The functionality is selectable from a menu item in the Squeezebox Boom. If you want to drive a stereo receiver or other amplified speakers, you can do that. There is a slight difference in the circuitry between headphone and line-out circuits, but it should work in nearly all situations. The worst case that will happen, in only some cases, would be that there is slightly more noise heard through your speakers. No damage will occur.
Q. Is the fact that there's a subwoofer output an indication that bass response of Squeezebox Boom weak?
A. Absolutely not. Squeezebox Boom has remarkable bass response for a product of its size and cost. Adding a subwoofer will enhance the very low frequencies at the loudest volumes. See the white paper for more details.
Q. I see that the subwoofer/headphone jack is a standard stereo 1/8" (3.5mm) jack. My subwoofer has an RCA connector, do I need a special cable?
A. Squeezebox Boom mixes down the subwoofer signal to mono, so any stereo or mono 1/8" or 3.5mm cable should work just fine.
Alarms
Q. Does Boom work well as a bedside alarm clock?
A. Yes! It has a snooze button on top of the unit, and the display shows the clock when you turn the Boom off. You can set up as many alarms as you want, and they can be set to go off every day or on any combination of days that you want.
Q. Can I make the Boom be completely dark when it is turned off?
A. Yes. You can set the 'While Off' brightness to be dark. If you do this, Boom will not emit any light at all when it is off.
Q. If I make the Boom be dark when it is turned off, can I still find out what time it is?
A. Yes. Just tap the snooze button on top of the unit and the time will be displayed for a few seconds. After this, the Boom will go back to being completely dark.
Until SqueezeCenter 7.2.1 comes out, you must also set your 'When Off' screensaver to None for this to work.
Q. Will the alarm still wake me up if the network is down?
A. Yes! There is a built-in real time clock (RTC) that keeps time when the network is down. It only remembers the next alarm though, so there will only be one alarm even if you have multiple alarms set in the Squeezecenter or Squeezenetwork.
Q. What if my power goes out and comes back, but my network does not come back up?
A. We've got you covered there too. There is a built-in super capacitor that will continue to run the RTC for more than a day with the power out. This means that you will still be alarmed. Again, it only stores the next alarm, so if you realize the power's out, be sure to wake up your spouse too.
Q. What if my power goes out, and is still out when the alarm is supposed to go off?
A. The Squeezebox Boom will not sound an alarm if the power remains off. It does need power to run the speakers.
Q. Where can I find out more about Boom's alarm clock?
A. See the Alarm Clock section in this wiki.
Where can I use it?
Q. Can I use Squeezebox Boom in the bathroom?
A. Squeezebox Boom is designed for 5-95% non-condensing humidity. It is not intended to be used in extremely damp environments.
Q. I want to mount one in my kitchen, under the cupboard like a microwave. Can I do that?
A. Yes. The Squeezebox Boom has 4 threaded studs in the bottom of the unit that are inteded to be used with our mounting kit. The mounting kit is available from www.slimdevices.com. The mounting bracket is adjustable to account for many different cupboard configurations. We even included a magnet in the remote control so you can stick the remote to your refrigerator.
Q. Can I mount it on my wall?
A. Yes. The same mounting kit can be used for both wall mount and under-cupboard mount positions.
Q. Can I clean Boom if it gets dirty in my Kitchen?
A. Yes, the Squeezebox Boom was designed with metal grills (as opposed to cloth) so that it can be cleaned up easily if it gets dirty.
Q. I want to use it in my bedroom, but I'm afraid that the bright display will illuminate my whole room.
A. There is an ambient light sensor built into boom, as well as special circuitry to dim the VFD display down very dim. This will help you sleep at night. The Squeezebox Boom display will get much dimmer than the Squeezebox Classic display.
Q. I'm a light sleeper, and am very sensitive to buzzing/whining/humming from electronic components. I want a Squeezebox Boom by my bed, but I'm afraid it will make noise.
A. We took special care in the design of Squeezebox Boom to ensure virtually silent operation. All sources of buzzing from the PCB itself, as well as the speakers has been removed. (A future software rev will mute the speaker amplifiers too). Boom really is designed to be right next to your bed.
Q. Can I use the Squeezebox Boom outside?
A. Squeezebox Boom is not designed for use in direct sunlight. It is designed for a maximum ambient temperature of 40 C (104 F).
Control
Q. Can I use the remote control from a Squeezebox Classic or Transporter with Squeezebox Boom?
A. Sure, the Squeezebox Boom works fine with any remote control from the Squeezebox family.
Q. Does the Squeezebox Controller work with Squeezebox Boom?
A. Yes, the Squeezebox Controller also works with any player from the Squeezebox family, including Squeezebox Boom.
Q. What different methods are there to control the music?
A. Front panel, IR remote control, Squeezebox Controller, web user interface, Nokia N770 or 800, iPhone (via iPeng skin)
Q. How do I change the battery in the remote control?
A. Opening the battery compartment is slightly tricky if you don't have the instruction manual. Here's a simple video illustration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoDWg0qzVBk
Power
Q. How is Squeezebox Boom powered?
A. Squeezebox Boom is supplied with an appropriate AC power adapter for your region. The power adapter is built into the power cord and measures approximately 9x6x3cm. Its power output is 12 volts DC.
Q. Can I power my Squeezebox Boom with batteries?
A. Using anything other than the supplied adapter is not supported and will void your warranty.
Q. How much electricity does Squeezebox Boom use?
A. Around 5.5 watts while idle. While in "off" mode usage is 4.1 - 4.5 watts (Firmware >= 43). Slightly more (typically 6-10W) while playing.
Misc
Q. How do I make the Squeezebox Boom display look like the one on the box?
A. Instructions are here: http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/Make_Boom_look_like_the_Box
Q. How can I assign one of the preset buttons on Squeezebox Boom to toggle between speaker mode and headset mode?
