I am looking at installing a Escient FP-1 for a commercial location. However i noticed that the two way driver for the XP8 does not do total track time or current position time.

I am wondering if anyone's customers have commented on this, if they noticed it. I am planning on installing a TP and would like song feedback displayed on the TP. But being a commercial location i think it would be handy to know how much time is left in the song, in case you want to switch songs, cut in, mix down... whatever...

RTi states its a hardware issue (FP-1) and not a driver issue.

The other option is trying to do a retro fit for the iPort, but with their lack of foresight and not being forward compatible or backwards compatible for that matter. Always switching RS-232 support I'm hesitant to buy (support) a company that doesn't have their act together.

It has to be a standalone iPod dock fyi.

I would do the iPort instead, much newer software.

You said this is for a commercial job, what kind of commercial job? Restaurant, bar, office building, retail? You better make sure you CYA, with what you install. ASCAP will come after you if you tell them that it's ok to play music from their iPod on gear you installed in their place of business, especially if it's a restaurant or bar.

I posted this about Escient VS-200 that may or may not help:

[Link: remotecentral.com]

The fp-1 is okay , but its got its drawbacks. The newest driver works well . The first driver would crash the xp-8. They fixed that but the first time u dock an ipod it takes a while before it starts playing it has to down load the info(5 mins for 3gs of music). I put two in at the same house the homeowner never said anything about the track time . I had Service calls for it.

Can i get a clarification for the iPort docks. which models do not support cover-art?


FP-1 = no track time.
iPort = no cover art. (unless that has been fixed, any confirmation?)

Why do i feel like a used car salesman some days. "Well sir, you can buy the car that has a broken engine, or you can buy a car that has no wheels..." lol

I use the FP1 all the time, with good results.
To be honest, does anyone really care about the track time? People set up a playlist or shuffle and let it go. I've never had a customer request tracktime.

And they love the i-radio built in.

FP1 does show the time postion where the song is but not the length of it.
When the song starts it counts from 1 sec to the end of the song.

Do you need the server for the i-radio functionality? Any limitations to the stations? Can we link to Radio Time?

The FP1 has a built in iradio server, nothing else needed.
It comes with a bunch of preloaded iradio stations. You can add your own as long as they are broadcast in
"Windows Media WMA or MPEG II layer 3 streams.
• Windows Media 9 or earlier."

according to the manual. I never have, the preloaded ones are a good mix for customers. I know prople have theor complaints on the FP1, but we have plenty of them out there, and they all seem to be working fine. We usually use a s-vid to component converter for about$120, and distribute the GUI over a component matrix. You can control it from an XP8 IR, RS232, or ip. And I have a part # for a custom MA rackshelf we had made for it if you need one in a rack.

hey fish i just sent you an email, i'm interested in seeing the rackshelf you built for the FP1..

I want to see it too. Link?

It's only 1.6" high so you could place it in a UD1 pullout drawer too.

Given the current choice of drivers the FP-1 is our only complete solution with cover art. The main drawback is that the iPhone must be placed into airplane mode. Cover art is served over wifi.

[Link: remotecentral.com]

does anyone know if there's a way to poll the internet radio screen and make it a macro from the home page, or do you have to access the ipod screen and manually touch the internet button radio??

If there is one please tell me because I would really like that feature. It might be possible . Escient has a macro feature but I don't know if It would work with the driver. I was tempted to buy a zp-1 and disable the i radio in fp-1 Because the client ask a hundred times why are they on same button.