Squeezebox (network music player)
Squeezebox 3 in Logitech housing
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| Developer | Logitech |
|---|---|
| Type | Network Music Player |
| Release date | 2001 |
| Introductory price | US$199.99 (€179.99) |
| Discontinued | 2012 |
Squeezebox is a network music player from Logitech. The squeezebox was originally discontinued in favor of the visually similar but simplified Logitech UE Smart Radio, but in 2013 Logitech added an official menu option to install the Squeezebox software on the Smart Radio, effectively turning it into a Squeezebox Radio.
Slim Devices was established in 2000, and was first known for its SlimServer used for streaming music, but launched a hardware player named SliMP3 able to play these streams in 2001. Although the first player was fairly simple only supporting wired Ethernet and MP3 natively, it was followed two years later by a slightly more advanced player which was renamed to Squeezebox. Other versions followed, gradually adding native support for additional file formats, Wi-Fi-support, gradually adding larger and more advanced displays as well as a version targeting audiophile users. Support for playing music from external streaming platforms such as Pandora, Napster, Last.fm and Sirius were also added. The devices in general have two operating modes; either standalone where the device connects to an internet streaming service directly, or to a local computer running the Logitech Media Server or a network-attached storage device. Both the server software and large parts of the firmware on the most recent players are released under open source licenses.
In 2006, Slim Devices was acquired by Logitech for $20 million USD. Logitech continued the development of the player until they announced in August 2012 that it would be discontinued. The online service mysqueezebox.com, needed to use a Squeezebox without a private server, is still being maintained by Logitech. Given the cross-platform nature of the server and software client, some users have ensured the continued use of the platform by utilizing the Raspberry Pi as dedicated Squeezebox device (both client and server).
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