| For those of you who haven't come across Spotify | | | | This will let you play Spotify music on your hifi, but you'll |
| before you may well be asking what the hype is all | | | | still need your laptop/PC and it lacks the convenience |
| about? Well Spotify is a free music internet streaming | | | | of a larger integrated whole house system. What is |
| service that lets you play unlimited tracks with the | | | | possible, is to combine Spotify with a server application |
| addition of the occasional advert. The adverts are | | | | that integrates with any number of remote controls, |
| fairly unobtrusive, but for a monthly subscription ( | | | | keypads or touch-panels in the home. One solution is |
| £10 In the UK) you get unlimited tracks with no | | | | to build a stand alone box that acts as both a Spotify |
| adverts. The great thing about Spotify is you can | | | | client and a tcp server that can be controlled from any |
| create and edit your own play lists just like you can on | | | | number of ethernet devices throughout the home. The |
| iTunes but without having to buy the actual music. | | | | unit can be tucked away in a cupboard or even rack |
| Spotify have also introduced a new feature which | | | | mounted in an existing AV hub. The box can be |
| allows you to save your tracks to your computer so | | | | connected directly to a TV or hifi, but it can also be |
| you can play them without internet access. The new | | | | connected into a whole house AV system, whereby |
| Spotify iPhone app will even let you stream and save | | | | the Spotify music stream can be switched to any |
| free music directly to your iPhone! | | | | room in the house. |
| Sure, Spotify is great on your laptop or pc, but what if | | | | Many of the cool Spotify features can be easily |
| you want to play that music through your home audio | | | | incorporated into convenient hand held controls. |
| system? To integrate Spotify into a home audio | | | | Examples of what's possible include: a Spotify search |
| system you need a stand alone solution that can | | | | feature that lets you search by track,album and artist. |
| access Spotify without your pc. Fortunately,Spotify | | | | Also you can create a seamless menu system that |
| released their own api package that allows software | | | | lets you search between these categories. You'll also |
| developers to write their own custom Spotify | | | | be able to create and edit play list from your searches |
| software. What does this mean? well the api will let | | | | and even incorporate other people's play lists. Like the |
| you create custom software applications to interface | | | | Spotify internet browser, cover art, album and artist |
| with the Spotify client. Many great applications have | | | | information and even a list of recommended artists |
| already been created, most are based around sharing | | | | based upon your current music choices are all possible! |
| playlists between users but you can go further. For | | | | You can see an example of Spotify whole-house |
| example, there's an app that lets you stream Spotify | | | | integration here. |
| to your hifi via Apple's Airport and Airtunes adapter. | | | | |