I'm still not sure I get the difference between Rendu and Orbiter. Unfortunately, comparing them to PSA like Silent Server are not helpful, because I have no idea what that was supposed to be and it does not exist today.
vortecjr said: I have developed a Google spreadsheet comparing the two.
Thanks Jesus, sorry, I didn’t see that birddogthecat had already asked the same question. Interestingly, back when development of the original Bridge Controller first began, a couple of us on the beta team tried pushing Paul to the Logitech model. We didn’t get anywhere, but it was probably already too late anyway as the design for the Bridge was pretty much set in stone by then. Here we are still talking about it!
mikedc, this would not have been available back then…
Jesus R
And FWIW Istack I'll bet you could get some of the mods that are out there done to your Touch and it might be awfully close to the Bridge...
I found this link
http://www.audiostream.com/how-is-ted-coding-the-fpgaent/squeezebox-touch-mods-recommendations
and also a company called Bolder Cable Company used to do mods for the Touch.. not sure if they're still doing it since the demise of the the Touch...So I want to put this out there, and it’s not a slam on PSA but how come Sonore can come out with a pair of units that makes the PWD work up to it’s potential and PSA is still bumping along with wavestream, and no silent server etc?? I’m surprised that PSA doesn’t just work with Jesus to develope the Rendu or the Orbit into to PSA product? I could see the Rendu in a box like the Nuwave phono… It would seem to be a benifit to both companies… PSA gets funtionality so the PWD finally does what it should without the hickups, PSA makes their customers happy. Sonore makes more money, sells more product… and I’ll bet that if PSA made the units then with their larger production capacity the price might even go down a bit or at least stay the same with nicer cosmetics… I’m just sayin’ 
@erikm You have an excellent point and one that I attempted to address with Paul but apparently he thought I was speaking to the famous (infamous?) gapless issue - which I wasn’t.
I am getting the W4S MS3TB to replace the Bridge. My PWD2 came with the Bridge factory installed so I do not have the Bridge cover plate. I emailed Support on Monday & they are sending me a Bridge cover plate. When I get the W4S MS3TB I will remove the Bridge and use the cover plate to seal up the unit.
From what I hear, the latest edition of WaveStream is still replete with anomalies (errors).
Do you think there will be a market for a used Bridge? Christopher
I’ve seen used Bridges on A’gon for as much as $599.00 new, to I’d say $300-400 used…
ErikM - excellent post on the Sonore products and what PS Audio could’ve created.
birdog - I sent you a pm.
@erikm - a few of us have suggested a partnership as well in the context of the silent server idea. given that others had sorted out the gapless issue. PS’s hardware, in partnership with someone else’s software. I agree, the NuWave Phono case could make a nice server/player.
For my own needs I would enjoy having something like the following capabilities, and realise this sounds a lot like a Bryston BDP-2:
+HD bay (so any HD can be used…or not at all if the library is networked or USB attached)
+outputs: ethernet, I2S, etc…
+mountable third party software (eg JRMC)
+capable of taking a USB drive input and/or NAS over ethernet
+integrated NuWave Server and PWD app for android and idevices that controls basic functionality
I think there is still merit in developing wavestream, but it is a horse for a different course. Having heard it in the beta team, it offers a lot of promise to take a basic computer and turn it into a good sounding server. That will have a lot of appeal - and could perhaps be a nice cash flow for PS if they can get it used by all of the people out there using computers but not necessarily PS products to listen to their tunes.
@erikm - Paul’s intention, as I understand it, was to come up with a solution that he could supply free of charge to Bridge/PWD owners. I can’t imagine that would be possible with a unit that sells for the price of a Rendu, or even slightly less. I’ve complained a bit on occasion about the gapless issue, but I do want to acknowledge Paul for his willingness to provide a solution for his customers and sticking with this despite the difficulties; surely no one anticipated the time or ultimate cost of bringing WaveStream to completion. (I’m frustrated about WaveStream too, but still wanted to make this point.)
@David – I hope you’re right that WaveStream will ultimately generate some revenue for PSA.
magister said: @David -- I hope you're right that WaveStream will ultimately generate some revenue for PSA.
Agreed. The Bridge has a great reputation for excellent sound. A program/interface that serves as a robust, easy to use universal player would greatly increase its appeal.
But it is a bummer that the PWD display info and album art suffers.
Will there be a solution for that?