Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Apple iPad

What proportion of laptops sold today have RS232 on them? Only the larger Windows ones - with probably the smallest sales numbers. That's not just a matter of being "seen as obsolete". It means the port does not exist on a lot of machines currently being sold.

For a techy or an installer that is no big deal, but for the rest of the world it makes Meridian look a bit eccentric. But then I guess that is why we are all here. :-)

@Arcadia

"Meridian obviously sees the custom installer as their bread and butter, not the home enthusiast. If Meridian were to make Mconfig "Mac" simple, it would have a negative impact on the custom installer's revenues"

On one hand I see your point regarding the installer setting up all the products into the home. I think that this is a fantastic approach to customer service and personal relationship with the dealer and customer.

However,

On the other hand, How many of us on the forum had their HD621 installed? Now you may say that the majority of people on here would like to try themselves. I would be curious to see how many dealers "offer" to spend a few hours out of sales to install the unit. Perhaps many, but my hunch says that the majority of HD621 units sold were not installed by a dealer.

Therefor all I am saying is, consumers should be given the tools to correctly integrate their new product with the BEST experience possible.

A more straight-forward solution would be for Meridian to produce an iPad dock with RS232 interface - plus, if need be, HDMI and toslink (ala HD621).

However, all this may very well seriously undermine the Sooloos interface.

Yes, in an ideal world but where's the margin for the dealer in spending "a few hours out of sales" installing a HD621?

How many here would discretely pay to have their HD621 'installed'?

Zander

An IP ethernet solution would be most elegant. Best of all Meridian support or a Dealer could configure remotely, saving a visit to the customer's home.

But given that Meridian won't even take a direct customer support call in the EU, the odds of this solution ever seeing the light of day are slim...

Agreed, consumers should be given easily accessible support and tools. Unfortunately, Mconfig and the required RS-232 cable don't facilitate that.

As for the HD621, there are numerous lengthly threads trying to get HH HD621 users over significant issues configuring their 621s. As simple as the HD621 device is, it isn't seamless and installation can be complicated for the most knowledgeable users.

Agreed that the RS232 is a great low level interface, but my point is that it is near impossible for a typical consumer. I can't think of a single consumer device that requires RS232 today, besides Meridian kit. Imagine the outcry if Apple required an RS-232 for the iPod/iPad!!!

Meridian doesn't have to develop/support their own USB interface. All they need to do is include a cheap "Keyspan" style USB device in the box with the current RS-232 cable that they include gratis with Meridian kit. Better than Meridian's "consumer unfriendly" requirement that forces users to find an appropriate USB adapter in the wild (as we have learned, not all work) and having them figure out how to use it (with no documentation)...

As I said in my post, the USB maintenance port built into some kit (g series processors) is a good compromise. Shame if is not on other bits of kit but I wonder if there is bigger picture (possibly ultimately via speakerlink) where config may start being performed on one piece of kit and it is then distributed to other pieces.

I agree with Arcade. There is virtually no reason for M to deploy resources to building a iPad/iPhone/Mac MConfig. I've been an Apple user since 1983 so I AM a big Mac fan but sometimes you have something that works fine and that is M Config.

Meridian is a high performance piece of equipment and just like with a high performance automobile [sorry for bringing up the sore topic ] you better know what you are doing.

The current status quo of windows MConfig + USB->Serial adaptor is not that difficult for:
a- the enthusiast who is knowledgable
b- the custom installer

That probably covers just about everyone who has the job of configuring the gear.

The Sooloos iPhone app will work on the iPad. I don't want to have to buy an iPad to configure my Meridian processor.

Hello all,

I have been watching this post with considerable interest hoping that my queries might be resolved so that I didn't have to ask what is probably a stupid question and been answered many times before but alas the answer was only hinted at...

1. An apple tv into HD621 into G61 controlled by iPad sounds rather elegant to me as long as there isn't a significant compromise in standard red book CD quality over playing the CD direct from my current G91 (which I am looking to replace with a basic - no PC - server solution). But can the iPad control both Itunes and G61 controls (volume source power etc) at once - ie multifunction remote and Itunes?

2. I suspect not so can this be accomplished by using a Sooloos Ensemble controlled by iPad using the Sooloos app - ie does the Sooloos app also act as an M system remote? And does the creation of the iPad app mean all you need for a basic Sooloos system is an Ensemble and and iPad?

Either would be great and would certainly tempt me into a purchase.

One last query slightly off topic but if you were to plug a digital source such as the Ensemble directly into the new G61 processor would it still apodise/upsample when in Trifield mode or is it like my G91 that can only do upsampling or Trifield but not both? Something that may sway my purchase back to the Apple TV+HD621 route so I get both.

Cheers

Simon