Compatability Question

Hello all. I am wondering if anyone can help with this specific question: Would the following be compatible with each other, and if not, then can you recommend accesories that would do the same thing?

I would like to get a 5G video IPod (upgrade from my current iPod Mini) and use it with my existing JBL On Stage I. Finally, I would like to add an AirClick or IJet, so I can use the set-up for my magic performances.

Would I be better off not upgrading, and just using the IPod Mini with the JBL On Stage? If so, is the AirClick compatible with this set-up?

I really appreciate the help (I DID look for this particular question in the forum already, and did not see it and I apologize if it has been asked before---please direct me to the appropriate topic).

Sincerely,
Jay Rosenberg

Let me be the first to say there will be a rush of members to post "You should get a real show controller" blah blah blah
Someone will say "There was a new XYZ this weekend at a convention and it" Etc.

It can be very annoying when reponses to a thread ignore the question being asked.

Answer: YES you can use the new Airclick with the 5G iPod and it works fantastic.
Answer: YES you can use the older iPods and iPod Mini with the Airclick as well.

Rather than speculate, I can say from experience that the Airclick-iPod-Amp combo works wonderful for an unbelievable price. I have also used the Airclick USB to control a laptop with iTunes.

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/airclick/

Thank you for the great response! That is half of my questions answered!

Now, does anyone know if the 5G IPod fits into the JBL On Stage I (not On Stage II)?

Thanks again!

Jay

Jay,

The JBL On Stage should work with you AirClick just fine but doesn't have much power; however, you might be intending to use in small venues. The On Stage is more considered personal external speakers for the iPod but has a great rich sound for its footprint. The Air CLick attaches to the top where the On Stage connects on the bottom and it comes with various inserts to accomodate the different iPod sizes. The Bose may be a little louder but may also be underpowered depending on your setup. I use a different RF remote for for my iPod with my Fender PD150 and it works great. I keep the remote with one of those small retractable belt clips that many carry for work IDs.

I hope that helps.

Dan.

Thank you Dan, that helps a lot. So, my set-up (for small in-home parties) is going to be:

IPod Mini
JBL On Stage
AirClick Mini

Awesome! That JBL On Stage is quite loud for my purposes...with really good sound too. I appreciate all the help.

Still, though, no one has answered my question: Does the new 5th Generation Ipod Video fit into the JBL On Stage I ?

Jay

Jay

Jay,
Can you provide a link to the speaker so that we can try to help more? If you currently run a cable from the iPod Mini's headphone output to the speaker, then I can't can't imagine anything that would prevent you from doing the same thing with the iPod Video.

Here you go Dan:

http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=JBL%20ON%20STAGE&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=HMM&ser=HMM.

Dan.

Holy chowder! I was WAY off! I assumed this was something with which the interconnect was done using a cable. Well, when you "assume", you make as "ass" out of "Sue" and "me". I think Sue may have come out smelling like roses on this one, but I'm not so lucky. Someone with more specific experience will have to help.
Cheers, and sorry for the flase finish.

Well, you are correct in that ONE of the options for connecting the IPod to the speaker is to use a 1/4" cable from the headphone jack to the Audio In jack on the back of the speaker.

Here is what I have learned today:

1.) The 5th generation Ipod Video does fit into the JBL On Stage.
2.) The AirClick is compatible with the IPod Video.
3.) If you wish to use all three components together, you must use a 1/4" cable from the IPod headphone jack to the Audio In jack on the speaker. This is because the Airclick uses the dock connector on the bottom of the IPod and so (normally) would the speaker. This way, the IPod just kind of 'rests' near the donut shaped speaker rather than docking onto it. It ain't pretty to look at, but it supposedly works. I am about to go purchase the new IPod now, so I will update as to how it all fits together. Thanks so much for all the help.

Jay

Jay, I came to this party too late.

Your latest post is correct. With the new, 5th gen iPods, they got rid of the proprietary port on top (the extra hole next to the headphone jack) so most all accessories now are being revamped to use the 5th gen's dock connector area, rather than sitting on top.

So it is going to be virutally impossible to use any accessory with the 5th gen if you also want it docked or plugged in. That is, until they make accessories that have a dock pass-through capability.

Let us know how it works with the airclick and the ipod hooked via headphone/linein to the speakers.

Kevin

Thank you Kevin---If you would have posted that yesterday I would have slept last night

Jay

Alas, I just can't make it over here to the Café on a daily basis. Sometimes I come on a few times a day, other times I'm gone for ages. I wondered why my iPod-sense was tingling yesterday...

Kevin

Well, I went and bought a 5G Ipod Video (Man, is it pretty!) and also bought the AirClick. I attached the IPod to the audio in jack of the 'JBL On Stage' using the 1/4" cable. I attached the Airclick to the bottom of the IPod. The IPod just kind of "rests" inside the donut hole of the On Stage.

The test drive was fantastic. I mean, I only did it in my kitchen, but I had the thing cranked, and it was LOUD, with minimal distortion. No crackling or fuzzies. Crisp and tight sound. The bass is not tremendously rich, but I understand (as glodmagic alluded to above) that this is not really meant for an arena show. I predict it will be perfectly suitable for in-home birthday parties and the like. Thinking back on it, it would have been quite sufficient for the Blue and Gold I did last year.

I can send a picture of the set-up for anyone who cares.

Thanks for all the help, really...you guys are a wealth of information. I am still waiting for a response from the forum at ilounge.com...maybe they don't like newbies there.

Best,
Jay

Jay, for your future iPod and mac related questions, check out the forums over at http://www.macaddict.com I've found the folks over there to be pretty helpful, and very quick to respond.

Kevin

If you're interested in a very small system, which ties in nicely with an iPod, with a very handy volume knob, that will absolutely blow you away, try this:

http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIE......er_index

I'm pretty much exposed only to pro audio equipment, and am pretty picky with sound, but when I first heard this thing I couldn't believe it!
If you get a chance to listen to one, don't pass it up....and crank up that sub!

Why doesn't someone come up with a wireless remote for a Sony minidisc?

Regan

[/quote]
Why doesn't someone come up with a wireless remote for a Sony minidisc?
[/quote]

Development of new aftermarket products for these little players can be expensive, and depends entirely on high volume, low margin sales.
The reality of the Mini-disc is that we're far more aware of it here on the Café than most people, because so many magicians still use it.
In the "real world" Mini-disc sales are extremely low, and therfore no aftermarket manufacturer is developing things like remotes and other bits for it.

With Sony MD, what you see now is pretty much what you get, and will remain pretty much exactly like it is until sales for the unit cease.

I actually think MiniDisc is a pretty robusst format, and I've used it on some very large shows.
I've got a couple of very expensive rack mount Tascam MD's that I still have specific uses for.......so I'm not a MD basher by any means.
Although I would never reccomend that somebody who is currently happy with their MD ever change for the sake of change.....I also wouldn't reccomend that people continue to invest in more MD players, or pay large repair bills to get them fixed if broken.
As a magician using a MD player, I would have a short or long term plan in place to migrate from MD to a modern HD system.
Regardless of how many ways Sony tries to indicate that they're still behind the MD format, when sales slump to whatever their pre-determined number is, they will cease production, and a couple of years later, cease support for the MD player.

DAT and MD are barely alive outside of the pro user market (which magicians are in) and even the pro studio and venue users are migrating to HD and the like for their portable media requirements.

You're scaring me Silverking.

Sorry, I don't mean to spread panic about MD's!
If you're currently using Mini-Disc, and you're happy with it, you have nothing to be concerned about.

What I would start thinking about is, if you're buying something like a Virtual SoundMan system, I wouldn't purchase one that could ONLY handle MD, but one that already had support built in for something like an iPod....even though you're not currently using one.....it's relatively inexpensive to replace you MD with an iPod or equivilant, but you don't really want to have to replace your Virtual SoundMan as well.
I believe that currently there is a Virtual SoundMan product developed with support for both MD and iPod....this could be taken as VSM recognizing that MD won't be around forever. (or they could just be going after the iPod market as well as the MD market)

In reality we're talking about playback devices with prices rarely in excess of a few hundred dollars, so it's really not a big deal, even if you do have to eventually change players to something else besides MD.....in the meantime, use it and enjoy it.

It's not the cost I am so worried about. It is having to go through the process of getting my show and preshow music on a new device that I know nothing about.

I currently have all my show music on a disc, grouped and labeled. Plus, I have a group with many different 'blank' times on there. I have a group of special F/X recorded on there. I also have a group of Introductions, a group of audience chasers, etc... Many of these songs and pieces are layered with overdubs, and many have the volume level altered.

I also have preshow discs with all the music, announcements, etc... Some of these tracks overdubbed and the volume levels varied.

I have several copies of each of these discs, so it is a prtty easy task to line up my preshow and show music any way I need it. For instance, I have a gig where I have to do 3 shows in a day. Each show is different. I have enough discs of my preshow and show music to set up the music 3 different ways.

I don't know how to transfer all this to something like the IPod. The Sony software is not good, for me anyway. They limit the number of copies you can make and it will not allow you to manipulate the copy. I can't remember the details, it's been a long time since I messed with it. I tried it a few times and haven't been back at it since. Also, just the thought of labeling all this stuff is again is hard to swallow. Even if I could transfer it, I doubt it would pick up the labeling.

Can you label tracks for identification with an IPod?

Regan