2. digital
  3. 154436-20253

Streamers and bit rot.

In audio land, I see streamers as being complicated and subject to what we call "bit rot" in the software industry. It really means that over time, the code that used to work may no longer work because the environment around them is moving on. It doesn't mean the code becomes buggy, but fails to keep up. A modern streamer has three different areas where code must interface to the outside world:

  1. The services being streamed (Quboz, Spotify, Tidal, etc.)
  2. The USB DAC - Drivers must exist for each chipset.
  3. The user interface - iOS, Android, web
If you are an audio manufacturer, say, Parasound or Ayre and you want to make a streamer you have to solve all of these issues. Those require developers. OK, so you pay your Android and Tidal developer. They go away, and Tidal adds a new feature or a new service like Amazon streaming comes in. Got to go find developers again.  Apple releases a new iOS and your old Android app is now dead. What are you going to do?  This happens with some frequency and all but the most basic of apps "rot" over time.

This is very different than the software-less EE world in which your core expertise may lie in. I mean, even if you use some microcontroller to handle your inputs/levels and bass management it's still a lot simpler, and fewer lines of code to manage and keep up. 

So, my dear fellow A'goners, what brands to you trust to keep up and how did you solve this issue?
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
16,009 posts
 
@djones51

I use bluOS which is part of Lenbrook Group, which might not be the size of Harmon I don't know but they do a good job of keeping the app and OS updated.



That to me seems like a great idea, especially if they do Android at the same time as iOS. I didn't mention it in my original post but Android and iOS developers are two different people, or at least two different projects.

The idea of multiple companies licensing from outside vendors is a great idea to me. This means they can continuously develop.

Reminds me of seeing a Maserati at a convention, and the salesperson told me the dash display electronics were built by Chrysler. At the relative volumes, I'm much more comfortable with the reliability of Chrysler and their phone interfaces than Maserati. :)
big_greg
6,620 posts
 
Electronic devices that are still relevant five or ten years after purchase are the exception, not the norm.  Look at mobile phones, TV's, surround sound processors, tablets, PCs, GPS units in cars, etc., etc. 

It's great that I have some audio components (turntables and speakers primarily) that are still working great over 40 years later, but anything that has some kind of software interface, I pretty much expect it to have a limited shelf life. 

I'd like to get as much life as I can out of my electronics and appreciate that the brands I use for streaming (TEAC and BlueSound) seem to do frequent updates to their products and seem to both be viable companies. 
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Eric,. The Sony has a single USB in port that permits use of either an external hard drive or an external DAC.  I presume Sony could provide a firmware update that would permit other possibilities, were they motivated to do so.  DACs are stable in the sense of being usable, but not in the sense of holding market value.   What might have been a pretty good (and pricey)DAC in 2005 becomes a piece of junk sitting in a closet in 2020 that you can't give away.  So digital for me is not a buy and hold proposition.
erik_squires OP
16,009 posts
 
Eric,. The Sony has a single USB in port that permits use of either an external hard drive or an external DAC.


Right, but you can't use the Sony as a standalone DAC. :(

DACs are stable in the sense of being usable, but not in the sense of holding market value.


True!! 
erik_squires OP
16,009 posts
 
Maybe instead of talking about gear being stable we should talk about what interfaces have stood the test of time. For instance, these are proven and long lasting:

  • RCA / XLR Interconnects
  • Speaker cables
  • Digital audio: S/PDIF, AES/EBU
  • The Internet TCP/IP
  • Phonograph cartridges (many, but configurable)

The interfaces I see as less stable over time:
  • HDMI
  • USB
  • Music services
  • Telephone operating systems and software

So anything relying on the second group is to me in higher flux. I list USB because it's' gone through many versions, we're up to at least USB 3.0 as well as many different connector types.

More to discover