Yahoo (MusicMatch) Jukebox...

[HamletRL]

I don't know if this topic is better posted under "Wishlist" or "Troubleshooting"...

I enjoy listening to Yahoo's Music Jukebox (which apparently purchased MusicMatch Jukebox) at my computer. I have a subscription and love the ability to pick any artist, any genre, etc and play it without having to download the individual tracks. I purchased a Control4 system with the idea that I could take that music and play it in any to the seven zones I have in the house/pool. The technician connected a line from the Control4 rack to my Creative Labs SoundBlaster controller and we get an awful humm. His explanation is that the distortion is due to the power phase. He suggested running another power line, but no guarantees that this would solve it.

However, he successfully set up a shared folder and was able to play music stored on my PC throughout the house, i.e. the digital-transfer approach. Unfortunately, playing off another storage device, when I just purchased an 80GB storage device I'll never fill, is not what I want.

I've never had an original thought in my life. Isn't there a way to play subscription-service music through Control4?

Thanks.

Rick

[jbs]

Do you mean you are hearing the music from the Soundblaster but there's also an awful hum? Or that there's just the awful hum?

If it's music with a hum then you would want to look at options such as changing the volume output on the PC and the gain on the aplifier. The soundcard may have a line-level output (i.e. not subject to the PC's volume control) but I think most of them are headphone outputs where the volume control on the PC will determine the level of the sound coming out of the card. In this case, if the volume on the PC is very low and you're having to amplify it a lot on the C4 end, then any slight hum or buzz will also get amplified. On my machine it generally helps to have the volume on the PC higher and amplify it less.

You might also try taking the plug out of the PC sound card and inserting it in something like an MP3 player that you know has a good sound. If the buzz disappears then it's something coming from the PC / Sound Card. If the buzz is still there then it's likely something "downstream" from that connection.

And, if there's no music at all, just a buzz, it may be that the plugs are plugged into the wrong places (i.e. into the MIC instead of the EAR) or that the PC volume control for the line out is controlled differently than what you normally use . . .

Just a few ideas, hopefully one will apply to you!

--Jason

[Kirill]

You likrly expiriencing - "ground loop"

20$ device from Radio Shack may fix it.

[jbs]

You likrly expiriencing - "ground loop"

20$ device from Radio Shack may fix it.

ANY $20 device? Or did you have a particular one in mind :D:D

Just my sarcastic way of asking for a recommendation as I've had this problem as well! Do you have a description or RadioShack part number you could share? Thanks!!

--Jason

[jbs]

OK, maybe this one?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062214&cp=&sr=1&origkw=ground+loop+isolator&kw=ground+loop+isolator&parentPage=search

I've got this problem regularly with a laptop that I use at a desk at home, I may give it a try. Thanks, Kirill!

[read99]

Rick

Another solution that is coming is the use of a different subscription service. Control4 and Rhapsody have announced that starting this winter, Rhapsody will work on Control4 without a PC attached. You will be able to access Rhapsody directly. I am not sure how it compares with your existing service but you might want to take a look at it. Below is the announcement:

Control4 to Support Rhapsody Service, No PC Required

Users will be able to access Rhapsody tunes through Control4 touchscreens, remotes, and other user interfaces.

Sep

06

By Julie Jacobson

Filed in: News, Product News, Control Systems, CEDIA

Comments (0), Ratings (0/5)

Print | Email | RSS Feed

09.06.2007 — Around Q1 of 2008, you will be able to access the Rhapsody online music service through a Control4 home-automation system, no PC required.

The company demonstrated the new service at the CEDIA Expo, where Control4’s Jeff Thomas accessed Rhapsody through a Control4 wireless touchscreen, just as he might do from a PC. Consumers will be able to access Rhapsody tunes from any of Control4’s user interfaces, including keypads and handheld Zigbee remotes.

“You can have music on demand in any room of the house,” he says, adding that you can incorporate Rhapsody music into automation scenes, just as you can with content stored on a local server. “You can wake up to your favorite channel on Rhapsody,” he says.

Control4 CTO Eric Smith says the Rhapsody integration has not been an easy task, mostly because of DRM limitations.

He says, when it’s ready in early 2008, the system will enable users to create playlists that incorporate tunes from both stored and online content.

Users can access Rhapsody tunes through any Control4 interfaces including Web tablets (above) and lightweight Zigbee-compatible remotes (below)

[Kirill]

OK, maybe this one?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062214&cp=&sr=1&origkw=ground+loop+isolator&kw=ground+loop+isolator&parentPage=search

I've got this problem regularly with a laptop that I use at a desk at home, I may give it a try. Thanks, Kirill!

Please post you experience - chasing ground loop is tough task - google search on "ground loop" will keep you entertained for days.

[HamletRL]

Many thanks to those who provided troubleshooting assistance and info on the ground loop isolator to resolve my humm problem.

My Control4 contact reviewed your input and installed a Hum Eliminator in the line from my Sound Blaster to the Control4 rack. No humm.

The link to the Hum Eliminator (EBTech) is as follows: http://www.ebtechaudio.com/he-2des.html

Very good experience... and thanks again.

Rick