Ok Roku lets have some update.

I dont want this strand to be a slagging session but the reason many of us brought the Soundbridge was to connect to Itunes (not Firefly or others)

I appreciate that issues arise - being a CTO of a global software development house fixing these issues when they arise take time and you cannot predict when the solution will be resolved.

However, you do keep customers informed and manage expectations.

So -

1. Have you identified the route cause of the issue ( not just apple change the way they do things) ?

2. IF the answer to 1 is Yes then is a fix to the solution in development ?

3. If the answer to 2 is YES then when do you expect the solution to go into internal unit test ?

4. If the answer to 2 is NO then when will the solution move into development

Please no more comments like " we are looking into it" you have a product to market that does not met its advertised requirements and at least here in the UK can within 12 months of purchase meaning that we can return the unit (with receipt proof of purchase) and demand by LAw the full refund of the unit. This is not good as that in turn will mean the suppliers will return them and so onto until they end up back with you which in large enough quantities can result in the company folding.


SO lets not beat up ROKU all you readers of this email but ask nicely for some customer service and management regarding what is a serious product issue which needs resolution.

Roku please respond and behave in a similar profession manner.

Roku please just because you dont like some bad feedback end this discussion unless people abuse it then fair enough.

Regards

Tony

was to connect to Itunes

and it does, to all versions. Roku provide a little server application that bridges between iTunes and SB and replaces the server part of iTunes that is activated when you check "share my library". Its called "Firefly". Best of all, if you just want to serve music from your iTunes library and do some other CPU hungry task at the same time, you don't have to keep the resource-hungry main iTunes application running all the time.

I'm curious, did Apple force their users into upgrading to iTunes v7?

basilisk wrote:

I'm curious, did Apple force their users into upgrading to iTunes v7?

Depends on what you consider "forcing"... I believe older versions of iTunes will prompt you to upgrade on a regular basis. I also think you have to have the latest version of iTunes to download music from the store.

It is interesting to note, however, that the original poster is from the UK. Since Pinnacle is the sole distributor in Europe, you can't buy an iTunes compatible SoundBridge there anymore, anyway (without ordering from a US distributor). So, even if Roku does release an update that fixes the issue, the majority of European users won't benefit from it anyway. I know that wasn't the point of his post, just thought it was an interesting observation...

TheEndless

TheEndless wrote:

Depends on what you consider "forcing"...

What I was wondering is if iTunes users could choose to not upgrade and still have full use of the previous version...

The reason being is that I find it rather interesting that folks didn't check with Roku or these forums first before upgrading. For example, I'm not going to upgrade to Vista until I'm certain that all of my devices and critical applications will still work after the upgrade.

I would think that a "CTO of a global software development house" would have the same understanding of such things. I wonder if the original poster's firm guarantees lifetime compatibility with 3rd party hardware/software that their products interoperate with, because this seems to be what he expects from Roku.

Honestly, I'm not trying to stir the pot, I'm just trying to get inside these people's heads and figure out where they are coming from on whole iTunes 7 issue. Seems like finger pointing should be in this order:

1) Apple for not working with their partners on ensuring compatibility with new software versions in advance of the public release.

2) iTunes users for upgrading to v7 without first checking to see if it will work with the Soundbridge.

Notice I didn't mention Roku in that list. Just my 2 cents...

Since Pinnacle is the sole distributor in Europe, you can't buy an iTunes compatible SoundBridge there anymore

really? see my post here

It seems to be iTunes compatible.

As has been posted elsewhere several times, we are actively working on iTunes 7 compatibility. However, there are both technical and contractural aspects to the process, and this affects the rate at which progress can be made. Progress, though, does continue to be made.

mr rusty wrote:

Since Pinnacle is the sole distributor in Europe, you can't buy an iTunes compatible SoundBridge there anymore

really? see my post here

It seems to be iTunes compatible.

Interesting... I missed that. I hope that doesn't end up being another advertising snafu.

TheEndless

basilisk wrote:

TheEndless wrote:

Depends on what you consider "forcing"...

What I was wondering is if iTunes users could choose to not upgrade and still have full use of the previous version...

I bought a new 80Gb iPod a month or so ago, and it says it requires iTunes 7.0 or later (ie that it cannot be managed by iTunes 6.x or earlier).

On the Mac at least, the Software Updates delivery of the iTunes 7.0 update is pretty compelling to users, and I'd guess that every Mac user who didn't read these forums first would have accepted the update when offered.

Also, as it seemed from my new 80Gbyte iPod, any of the new iPods released in the last few months (ie including the new Nano and new Shuffle) would appear to _require_ iTunes 7.0 or later to be able to sync, so I think a lot of people just won't have a choice sooner or later.


ted.h. (who uses Firefly on a NSLU2 which is working fine)

[quote="RokuMike"]As has been posted elsewhere several times, we are actively working on iTunes 7 compatibility. However, there are both technical and contractural aspects to the process, and this affects the rate at which progress can be made. Progress, though, does continue to be made.[/quote]

Mike thanks for this totally un-informative update.

We know you are working on iy and appreciate it takes time, I am not wanting point any finger of blame but lets have a proper update.

Patch still in delevopment or unit testing has begun I am not looking for a date though a plan of intented progress steps would be nice but get off the political no comment your a software / hardware company.. act like one and be counted. Sony / toshiba dont just say working on it they state what stage they are at and sometimes announce proposed patch beta dates but at least you know where they are.

Tony

Firefly is not a bridge to iTunes and wasn't even created by Roku. It is not running well on Intel Macs (the server is not universal). It is simply an iTunes replacement project that just happened to work for this application. When I bought my soundbridge I choose it over other products because it did not require any special software and just worked with iTunes. Now it doesn't and I will consider it broken until it does.

The usual comments from Roku about how they are working on the fixing the problem but cannot give us a date are upsetting but posts like the that one are even worse. Are you such a Person of Good Streaming Taste that you cannot accept that someone else wants to use the product the way it was sold to him?

If I needed to buy an MP3 streamer now it probably wouldn't have been soundbridge. Its not that it is a bad product but I can't take any more of the BS. I think Apple provides enough BS on 'we don't share product information before releasing it'. In their case there is at least a bit of a good reason given that MS actually copies them. In Roku's case it is simply BS. Many others already know how to do what the roku product like does. Just give us a pessimistic date and surprise us is possible. This is shaping to be the same as 'we are working on the next version of the photobridge' and 'we will call you as soon as we have some in'. I waited for a year!!!

mr rusty wrote:

was to connect to Itunes

and it does, to all versions. Roku provide a little server application that bridges between iTunes and SB and replaces the server part of iTunes that is activated when you check "share my library". Its called "Firefly". Best of all, if you just want to serve music from your iTunes library and do some other CPU hungry task at the same time, you don't have to keep the resource-hungry main iTunes application running all the time.

I'm in the UK, have a ROKU Soundbridge M1000, purchased before Evesham or Pinnacle came on board.
I'm running iTunes v 6.5, which works fine with my Nano (1st gen), and more importantly, no problems with my Soundbridge.

So no, you're not forced to upgrade to v7 unless you're using Apple's latest players.

You could always rollback to a previous version otherwise, google it tbh.

any_junk wrote:

If I needed to buy an MP3 streamer now it probably wouldn't have been soundbridge.

Have you found a different brand that DOES talk to iTures 7?

tonyrich wrote:

Mike thanks for this totally un-informative update.

Get off your high horse, Tony. It's clear that Roku has already given out all the information they're free to give out regarding the iTunes 7 firmware update. By continuing to prod them and disparage them, you're only managing to make yourself look bad. For all we know, Roku's development process may be completely covered by the NDA they have with Apple.

So - until they release the new firmware, do yourself (and the rest of us) a favor...sit back, relax, and wait it out.

No, but I did find better servers then Firefly (for other players)...

tps wrote:

any_junk wrote:

If I needed to buy an MP3 streamer now it probably wouldn't have been soundbridge.

Have you found a different brand that DOES talk to iTures 7?