Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Computer iTunes streaming to 228 Pianodisc?

I'm new to this forum and a new middle aged piano player as well (2 years so far). I have a Pianodisc 228 system and have been using my iPod connected to the system to play the piano instead of loading discs. This works great!

But when I plug my laptop (Mac Book) into the system and using itunes, The player pauses, glitches, etc. Any ideas as to why it works with the iPod and not my computer? If i can get my computer to play the system I would like to see if I can stream the music content to the piano with the use of an Apple Airport Express (wireless receiver).

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Jeff

I forgot to mention that when using the both the ipod and computer I had the volume levels turned up. .....Maybe the volume levels are to high when using the computer. I will see if turning the levels down works.

Hi Jeff,

Are you using an Airport Express to go from your Mac to the Pianodisc? If so, here is some info that Jeff at Grand Piano Haus gave me for my LX..it may help you here.

I don't know how the system works but I'd guess the the sound that comes out of the iPod is a series of tones that are decoded y the piano disk system.

First off, how have you transfered the CDs to iTunes? Are the files stored as MP3 or AAC and at what bit rate. I think you need to be using Apple Losses format. Don't use a "lossy" format.

It might also be that the MacBook's line-out jack is not well suited to playing these non-musical tones and you may need a better audio interface to replace the built-in one.

I looked in the preferences on my iTunes and my transfer setting are set to ACC Encoder. Again My ipod connected to the red/white CD input on the 228 works great.

ChrsA, I think you are right. I think it's an issue with my MacBook and that audio line out is not suited well.

I have an Airport Express streaming to my 228 and it works perfectly. It is connected to my existing network which does have security - haven't had any problems.

What I would love to be able to do is stream the piano portion to the piano and the music portion to the stereo system. Currently, I am sending it via the Airport Express to the 228 which plays the piano and outputs the music portion to the speakers under the piano. I know I could run the audio out from the 228 to the stereo, but they are not in physical proximity. Itunes can stream the music to 2 Airport express units, so 1 could go to the piano, and one would be connected to the stereo. But that would require a second 228 at the stereo system to make it work, so there must be a better (cheaper) way to do it. Probably the easy way is to use a wireless device from the audio out of the 228 (instead of going to the speakers under the piano)to the audio in of the stereo. Any suggestions?

TDS1,
What are you using for your computer/laptop? Is it's use dedicated to just the piano?

JNater,
Not using anything special right now. It's just a Dell Computer that I use for other uses as well. The nice thing about the Apple Airport Express is that you can send it songs via a free "Remote" app for the Ipod Touch. So I can use the Ipod Touch to select the song from Itunes, and it sends it wirelessly to the Piano via the Airport Express. Of course, this type of setup requires the computer to be on to be able to do this. So, to get around this I will be buying a Netgear NAS (Network Associated Server). Basically a 500 GB hard drive server that attaches to the network but doesn't require a computer. It will have a dual purpose. The first will be to store songs for my whole house audio system. For that I am using Sonos and the Sonos IPOD Touch controller. The second use of the Netgear NAS will be to store Pianodisc songs. So, with the Ipod Touch, I can easily select songs wirelessly for whole house audio, or select a song to send wirelessly to the piano. The Netgear NAS basically is active all the time, which gets rid of the requirement to have a computer on or have one dedicated for that purpose.

Hope this helps!

Sounds Sweet! Have you considered using Apple TV?
I think my problem lies in the audio output in my Macbook. My Ipod when connected directly to the 228 works beautiful.

Thanks for all your detail.