Hmm, I've only had 2 replies to my posts, but some of what I'm seeing from other posts makes me think that Rio should do a survey of its Rio Receiver users and how they use it. (At least those on the BBS or something). I suspect there might be some misses in their thinking to my actual uses. (Of course I might not be normal either ;-).

Questions might include:

Which room is your Rio Receiver in?

How do you use it?

Do you run it from an amplifier?

Describe what its hooked to (speakers, amp, etc.)?

Where's the server?

Is there server "always on"?

If so, is that because of Rio Receiver or another reason as well?

Is the server your main computer or a dedicated server? (Do you check e-mail and use word on it, or do you have a different computer for that?)

What OS is it being served from?

Do you use the HPNA or Ethernet 10/100?

Would you have preferred a different network connection?

Did you have a network in place before the Rio Receiver?

How many tracks do you have?

What format/bitrate are most of your tracks?

What do you use to create your tracks?

How do you organize your tracks?

What do you use to organize your tracks? (ID3 tags, playlists, etc.)

Are you picky about them? (I don't know how to ask this, but I try to make sure the artists, titles, etc. are correct. I know other people who don't bother editing whatever CDDB gave them, right or wrong.)

How do you normally select / play the tracks on your RIO? (Pick a song? Pick a Genre? Pick a Playlist?, Repeat, Continue?etc.)

How do you WISH you could play the tracks on your RIO?

Do you play your collection of tracks through other devices? (Computer at home, computer at work, etc.)

If so, which one(s)?

How do you select / play the tracks from other software/devices? (Like if you play them from your computer)

Do you have other related devices? (Portable MP3 players, Replay TVs, RioCars, etc.)

Are computers/electronics/audio equipment a profession or hobby?

- Shawn

Duh, I guess if I'm gonna bother to make the suggestion, I could answer the questions! :-)

- Shawn

Which room is your Rio Receiver in?
I have 4: 1st: Living/Dining (main floor), 2nd: Family/Game Room (basement), 3rd: Master Bedroom, 4th: Hot Tub (not yet installed)

How do you use it?
What did I mean by this question? I play almost all my audio from it. The only exception is new CDs, when my 2 1/2 year old explains what she wants to hear by pointing at a CD, or when I play a DTS CD in the basement.

Do you run it from an amplifier?
1st and 2nd run from an amp, 3rd & 4th are direct to speakers.

Describe what its hooked to (speakers, amp, etc.)?
1st is connected to a very nice but old 2 channel Onkyo integrated amp. It has smallish Polk bookshelf speakers.
2nd is connected to a 5+1 Channel Technics receiver with seperate DVD/DTS decoder (its obviously the amp for our home theater.) It has very nice Polk speakers, the front, center & subwoofer are fairly old, the rear are fairly new.
3rd has cheap bookshelf speakers that were hand-me-downs, although I haven't felt compelled to change them
4th has inexpensive waterproof speakers which I spent some time picking out to make sure they sounded OK to me.

Where's the server?
Server's hiding in the closet with the heater in the basement. PIII-500. No monitor, which really reaks when it crashes! I'd rather by another Rio Receiver than another monitor tho!

Is there server "always on"?
Yup.

If so, is that because of Rio Receiver or another reason as well?
It was a server before the receiver, but got a bigger HDD because of the receiver! It shares files and is Internet Connection Sharing for the DSL. Its also a Web server.

Is the server your main computer or a dedicated server? (Do you check e-mail and use word on it, or do you have a different computer for that?)
We have other computers, 1 for most business/e-mail/etc/games and 1 for the 2 1/2 year old.

What OS is it being served from?
Win2K Server. Soon to be Win XP Server beta.

Do you use the HPNA or Ethernet 10/100?
100 Ethernet

Would you have preferred a different network connection?
No, works for me 'cause: 1) I had fairly easy access to the electrical runs in the house. 2) The house is 1927 and needed the cable and phone fixed anyway and 3) (probably most important) I could do it myself, so it was cheap. Wireless may have been my next choice.

Did you have a network in place before the Rio Receiver?
Yes.

How many tracks do you have?
8000 and growing. Still have to convert a bunch of my discs. I expect 10,000 tracks fairly shortly.

What format/bitrate are most of your tracks?
Most are 128 KB MP3, but I'm investigating higher speeds & VBR.

What do you use to create your tracks?
Music Match.

How do you organize your tracks?
I try to pick genres that make sense to me. I make sure the artists/albums/track names are correct.

What do you use to organize your tracks? (ID3 tags, playlists, etc.)
Real Jukebox

Are you picky about them? (I don't know how to ask this, but I try to make sure the artists, titles, etc. are correct. I know other people who don't bother editing whatever CDDB gave them, right or wrong.)
I'm anal about them. If there's anyone more anal about it I feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for me, but I figure I'll only do this once.

How do you normally select / play the tracks on your RIO? (Pick a song? Pick a Genre? Pick a Playlist?, Repeat, Continue?etc.)
I normally pick a genre and let it play randomly. I don't bother with sequentially because its busted and doesn't play in order, so it may as well be random. That sometimes prevents me from listening to my musicals.

How do you WISH you could play the tracks on your RIO?
I like random, so that's good, but I'd like the track #s to work. I'd also like to be able to skip to a particular artist, album or song without getting out of genre mode, so that when that artist, album, whatever was done I don't have to walk over and make it behave.

Do you play your collection of tracks through other devices? (Computer at home, computer at work, etc.)
Computer at home. Office doesn't need a rio receiver because if I'm in there, the computer's usually on.
Computer at work. Although I admit trying to sync my collection is quite a challange. Esp. since I don't have the HDD space at work.
I'd like a RioCar, but its too expensive right now.

If so, which one(s)?
Computer.

How do you select / play the tracks from other software/devices? (Like if you play them from your computer)
On the computer I usually pick by genre or select all, and then scroll to the area I want to listen to (artist, album, whatever). If I get annoyed, I hit random to get to a different area of the collection and continue from there. (Once sequential's working on the Rio, playing sequential but having a random skip ahead might be cool)

Do you have other related devices? (Portable MP3 players, Replay TVs, RioCars, etc.)
No portable mp3 players. 2 Replay TVs. One in the kids play area (for the kids, duh), and 1 downstairs with Rio Receiver #2. The one with #2 has been hacked to have a big HDD. (And the kids was hacked to make it work 'cause it was a surplus sale over ebay and its software was too old)

Are computers/electronics/audio equipment a profession or hobby?
I'm a professional software engineer. Computers and electronics are hobbies, I wouldn't call myself an audiophile, but I do like a broad range of music and like it to sound good. I won't spend $10,000 for an amp or speakers, but I'd expect a good (for me) amp to cost me $1,000 and the same for a good (for me) pair of speakers. I returned my last $1500 amp though because I liked my cheap Technics' sound better, so you never can tell!

- Shawn

What format/bitrate are most of your tracks?
Most are 128 KB MP3, but I'm investigating higher speeds & VBR.
What do you use to create your tracks?
Music Match.

This might explain your complaints about sound quality.

___________
Tony Fabris

Which room is your Rio Receiver in?

Living Room / Study

How do you use it?

To play music

Do you run it from an amplifier?

In Living room yes,

Describe what its hooked to (speakers, amp, etc.)?

Living Room : Yamaha DSP-A1, KEF THX 5 speaker setup, however for audio, just running two fronts and sub

Study : Decent shelf speakers

Where's the server?

Study

Is there server "always on"?

Yes

If so, is that because of Rio Receiver or another reason as well?

File/Print sharing too.

Is the server your main computer or a dedicated server? (Do you check e-mail and use word on it, or do you have a different computer for that?)

Dedicated, except for one Game I play sometimes

What OS is it being served from?

WIn 2000 Server

Do you use the HPNA or Ethernet 10/100?

100 for one, the other is on Ethernet Wireless ( Orincoc Wireless Gateway gives a NAT bridge from Ethernet to the Wireless side, then Lucent/Orincoc PCMCIA/PCI wireless cards are used in Laptops etc . For the Empeg and DAR I have ethernet patch cable from the ethernet port on Empeg/DAR to a Lucent Box that you install a Wireless PCMCIA card into, making the DAR/Empeg a wireless client)

Would you have preferred a different network connection?

No

Did you have a network in place before the Rio Receiver?

Yes, Ethernet and Wireless

How many tracks do you have?

~15,000

What format/bitrate are most of your tracks?

MP3 VBR, High.

What do you use to create your tracks?

Audiograbber, with LAME encoder

How do you organize your tracks?

\artist\album\trackname-number. . .

What do you use to organize your tracks? (ID3 tags, playlists, etc.)

ID tags, as thats what DAR, Empeg, and iGo use.

Are you picky about them? (I don't know how to ask this, but I try to make sure the artists, titles, etc. are correct. I know other people who don't bother editing whatever CDDB gave them, right or wrong.)

No, had a month of encoding 1000+ CD's decided just to get it over and done quickly and one day will sort out tags. CDDB gave me at least atrist / track name / album - I hope !

How do you normally select / play the tracks on your RIO? (Pick a song? Pick a Genre? Pick a Playlist?, Repeat, Continue?etc.)

Album

How do you WISH you could play the tracks on your RIO?

Album, but with tracks in correct order

Do you play your collection of tracks through other devices? (Computer at home, computer at work, etc.)

Empeg car player every day

i2GO portable MP3 player when away from home

Very rare, but sometimes on Laptop when away from home.


If so, which one(s)?

Empeg mk2
i2Go Portable MP3 player
IBM Thinkpad 600X
IBM Thinkpad T21

How do you select / play the tracks from other software/devices? (Like if you play them from your computer)

Album

Do you have other related devices? (Portable MP3 players, Replay TVs, RioCars, etc.)

Empeg mk2
i2Go

Are computers/electronics/audio equipment a profession or hobby?

Profession in Computer things, not a developer or anything to do with music though


- --
Rod, UK Mk2 64gig Red S/N.341 Empeg 2xDigital Audio Receiver - one Wireless

Disclaimer: I work for Rio

Which room is your Rio Receiver in?

Bedroom.

How do you use it?

Er, I turn it on .

Do you run it from an amplifier?

Nope.

Describe what its hooked to (speakers, amp, etc.)?

Sony mini HiFi -- line in.

Where's the server?

Spare room, along with the other computers in the house.

Is the server "always on"?

Yes.

If so, is that because of Rio Receiver or another reason as well?

Other reason -- I rarely turn computers off.

Is the server your main computer or a dedicated server? (Do you check e-mail and use word on it, or do you have a different computer for that?)

Main home computer.

What OS is it being served from?

Win2k Professional

Do you use the HPNA or Ethernet 10/100?

Ethernet

Would you have preferred a different network connection?

Nope.

Did you have a network in place before the Rio Receiver?

Yes.

How many tracks do you have?

Approx 4000

What format/bitrate are most of your tracks?

192-ish VBR

What do you use to create your tracks?

Exact Audio Copy and LAME.

How do you organize your tracks?

Badly.

What do you use to organize your tracks? (ID3 tags, playlists, etc.)

Winamp, mv, id3lib command line tools.

Are you picky about them? (I don't know how to ask this, but I try to make sure the artists, titles, etc. are correct. I know other people who don't bother editing whatever CDDB gave them, right or wrong.)

I would be if I could find a decent tag editor.

How do you normally select / play the tracks on your RIO? (Pick a song? Pick a Genre? Pick a Playlist?, Repeat, Continue?etc.)

Pick a playlist.

How do you WISH you could play the tracks on your RIO?

By album, in the right order.

Do you play your collection of tracks through other devices? (Computer at home, computer at work, etc.)

Yes.

If so, which one(s)?

empeg car.

How do you select / play the tracks from other software/devices? (Like if you play them from your computer)

By using the empeg car's staggeringly good UI .

Do you have other related devices? (Portable MP3 players, Replay TVs, RioCars, etc.)

Yes. Rio 500, empeg-car.

Are computers/electronics/audio equipment a profession or hobby?

I work for Rio/empeg. 'nuff said.

Which room is your Rio Receiver in?

Livingroom, Master bedroom & Workshop

How do you use it?

By twidderling the knobs

Do you run it from an amplifier?

The one in the livingroom is plugged into AV amp.

Describe what its hooked to (speakers, amp, etc.)?

Yamaha AV amp, Small speakers on master bedroom one & PC speakers on workshop one.

Where's the server?

In my workshop

Is there server "always on"?

Yep

If so, is that because of Rio Receiver or another reason as well?

Home server for automation & Internet access.

Is the server your main computer or a dedicated server? (Do you check e-mail and use word on it, or do you have a different computer for that?)

Not used by anyone, dedicated server

What OS is it being served from?

Windows 2000 server

Do you use the HPNA or Ethernet 10/100?

Ethernet @ 100 Mbits switched

Would you have preferred a different network connection?

Gigabit switched!!!

Did you have a network in place before the Rio Receiver?

Yep

How many tracks do you have?

12000 ish give or take a few 100

What format/bitrate are most of your tracks?

128 or above, most at 160 or 192

What do you use to create your tracks?

Easy CD Extractor & LAME encoder

How do you organize your tracks?

c:\music\artistname - albumname\
or
c:\music\compalbumname\

What do you use to organize your tracks? (ID3 tags, playlists, etc.)

Using mp3-tag studio, Magic file renamer & Playboyster for creating playlists

Are you picky about them? (I don't know how to ask this, but I try to make sure the artists, titles, etc. are correct. I know other people who don't bother editing whatever CDDB gave them, right or wrong.)

Yep, trying to get all ID's & filenames in an unified way

How do you normally select / play the tracks on your RIO? (Pick a song? Pick a Genre? Pick a Playlist?, Repeat, Continue?etc.)

Album from playlist (tracks in order) or a playlist.

How do you WISH you could play the tracks on your RIO?

Would like to be able to add tracks to the end of a playing playlist.

Do you play your collection of tracks through other devices? (Computer at home, computer at work, etc.)

No

If so, which one(s)?

N/A

How do you select / play the tracks from other software/devices? (Like if you play them from your computer)

N/A

Do you have other related devices? (Portable MP3 players, Replay TVs, RioCars, etc.)

None but if a RioCar needs testing then I'll do it

Are computers/electronics/audio equipment a profession or hobby?

Yep both.

Vince, UK (DDAR x 3)