LMS Loss and Gains

With my usual obsessive behavior, I have been deep-diving into Logitech Media Server, now that its MySqueezebox intermediary service has been shut down. I am very pleased to have restored some long-lost streaming services.

Years ago, for whatever reason (probably non-technical), the TuneIn app for LMS that I relied upon dropped AAC codec support. The result was the loss of iHeart and BBC stations. The fact is, although my TuneIn account is needed when using a Web Browser, the phone app, and Roku, I shouldn’t have bothered with it for LMS.

Thanks to some plugins, iHeart stations and BBC Radio are back on my LMS network. The only iHeart station I care about on LMS is WBZ in Boston*, but the BBC is a variety-filled candy store of listening. By chance today, I caught this radio play with Prue’s old drinking buddy Norm Rossington.

There are two plugins for accessing the BBC stations. Shown above is the official, full-featured method, BBC Sounds. But take note below of the alternative selections I have set up for BBC Radio 2, and the Classical station, BBC Radio 3. Why the three ↑↑↑ arrows?

The answer is here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/about-bbc-sounds-and-our-policies/codecs-bitrates

The BBC Sounds stations, that are so nicely presented with images and descriptive text, run at Profile 3, HE-AACv1/96kbs (high efficiency). The other plugin I’m using accesses the raw audio feeds, including Profile 1, AAC-LC/320kbs (low complexity) that is not available outside of the UK on BBC Sounds. One arrow for good quality, two for better, and three for best. No fancy features, but the sound quality on headphones and IEMs is as good as streaming stereo audio gets.

* I listen to iHeart’s WZLX-FM, Boston’s Classic Rock, on the porch’s Bose Wave.

Breaking Dishwasher News!

The new dishwasher is broken. A defective unit with flashing lights and ringing bells indicating a bad power supply assembly.

I had to push very hard, but Lowe’s has agreed to a return and refund. I’m waiting for a call from the distribution center to schedule a pickup. The one good thing to happen from this mess was the electrician installed a new, low-profile power connection.

Dishwasher Update

I am waiting for the electrician or someone like him. He should be here this afternoon. The plan is to make the hole in the floor large enough to drop the junction box, then run the cable up to the new dishwasher.

Note the water damage on the floor in the second picture. I came home from one of my numerous Phoenix trips and saw water streaks on the wall downstairs in the finished basement. The Bosch dishwasher had sprung a leak, and it was replaced with the Kitchenaid that is now itself being replaced.

Broken Dishes

The dishwasher died yesterday. It’s a Kitchenaid that’s only six years old. The Bosch that preceded it lasted eight years, and so did the Bosch before it. According to Consumer Reports, Bosch is the most reliable brand. My definition of reliability is fifteen years, which happens to be age of the Maytag washer and dryer pair I bought for $700 on a no sales tax weekend in 2008.

Samsung is supposed to be one of the less reliable brands, but that’s what I bought today for $399 at Lowes. CA says it cleans and dries very well, and I like the handle. I’m less enamored of the door’s pulley mechanism as seen in the photo. Here comes the fourth dishwasher since starting this weblog!

Samsung DW80CG4021SR