Olive OPUS, MELODY User Manual

Welcome to Great sound.

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olive Home audio solution

- user manual edition 5, JanuarY 2009

Welcome!

Congratulations and thank you for purchasing an Olive OPUS and/or MELODY. Your Olive units

will provide you with a whole new concept of high delity listening throughout your home in this

era of innovative technology. Relax and enjoy the ease of your new OPUS and MELODY – and their beautiful sound!

• To ensure the best possible performance, please read this manual carefully. Keep it in a safe place for future reference.

• This manual applies for both OPUS and MELODY as they are part of an integrated Home Audio Solution, though they also stand very well on their own. In many respects they are similar in their operation, though of course the OPUS includes the storage and CD capabilit-

ies. Additional features or other differences are outlined in the text.

• Since the OPUS and MELODY software continues to be maintained and updated, the version on your OPUS and MELODY may differ from the one that is referenced here in screen messages or design. The most current version of this user manual can always be

found on the Olive website (www.olive.us).

Contents

1 Quick-Start Guide 04

1.1 Adding Music to Your Home 04

1.2 OPUS 06

1.3 MELODY 12

2 Playing Music 19

2.1 Playing a CD on Your OPUS 19

2.2 Playing Music from Your Music Library on both OPUS and MELODY 20

2.3 Listening to Internet Radio 28

2.4 Playing Music from a Networked PC/Mac/NAS 30

2.5 Playing Music from Your Apple® iPod™ 31

2.6 More on Using the Touchscreen and Remote Control 32

3 Making it Your Olive: Settings and System Services 38

3.1 General Settings, Alarm and Sleep Timer 38

3.2 CD Settings 39

3.3 Network Settings 41

3.4 System Services 45

3.5 Information about your Library and OPUS or MELODY 48

4 Editing Your Music Library 50

4.1 Information to Describe Your Music 50

4.2 Maestro Music Management Software (OPUS only) 58

4.3 Making the Most of Your Music: Shared and Private Playlists 62

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5 Importing and Exporting Music on Your OPUS 64

5.1 Importing CDs 64

5.2 Importing From a Computer 65

5.3 Burning CDs 66

6 Tips and Troubleshooting 68

6.1 Icons and messages explained 68

6.2 First aid 70

6.3 Networking Issues 72

7 Further Resources 73

8 Safety and Cleaning 74

9 Regulatory and Environmental Compliance 77

9.1 Legal Notices 77

9.2 Environmental Compliance 84

1. Quick-start Guide

1.1 Adding Music to Your Home

With Olive’s Home Audio Solution we bring together the components you need to make the most of your home network and HiFi system in an integrated solution. The key advantage is that you simplify your music listening:

•

You have one place to keep and manage your music – in high quality.

•

You have your music right with your HiFi system for immediate listening, there’s no

computer to start rst.

•

The way you browse and play music looks the same on the OPUS as well as on the

MELODYs, no new interfaces to learn.

•

OPUS and MELODY are made to work together. Once you have made them part of your

home network and HiFi system, it is all about the music and relaxing.

Layout

Here is a view of what a typical home setup looks like, with an OPUS to store all your music in the living room and as part of the HiFi system, and MELODYs around the home to extend your music library wherever you are:

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Floorplan Layout

Both OPUS and MELODY are intended for use with an existing stereo amplier and/or (active) speakers, with all the usual analog and digital connections to easily hook them up to your existing equipment. If you are installing both OPUS and MELODY(s), it makes sense to start with the

OPUS.

How many streams?

We test with standard networking gear available at the usual retailers, and look for reliable connection build-up and uninterrupted playback as key indicators. In our most recent test we

achieved the following:

•

Wired (Ethernet): 15 MELODYs playing the same album off one OPUS.

•

Wireless: 5 MELODYs playing the same album off one OPUS.

In both cases the OPUS was connected to the router per wired connection. Our benchmark test involves using a high-denition music stream of 4608 kbit/s throughput, which is equivalent to music sampled at 96 kHz and recorded with 24 bit depth, without any compression. This goes way beyond normal bit streams of uncompressed CD quality of 1411 kbit/s, or losslessly (FLAC) compressed music streams of between 400 to 900 kbit/s, and so depending on the music you

are streaming you will usually have a very safe margin of additional bandwidth.

1.2 OPUS

Step 1: Unpacking your OPUS

Your package includes the following items:

•

OPUS

•

Remote control (w/ batteries)

•

Wireless antenna

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•

Power cable

• Software: Recovery CD, User manual

Step 2: Setting up your OPUS

Backpanel OPUS

• Place your OPUS close to your stereo system, in a cool, well-ventilated place.

• Attach the wireless antenna to the back of the OPUS.

• Connect it via its RCA (analog) or digital output to the input of your stereo system.

• Plug the power cable into your OPUS and into the power outlet.

• Turn on the OPUS and your stereo system.

Your OPUS takes about 40 seconds to perform an initial start-up. It should then stay on or be in

power save mode to be immediately available at any time you wish, with a sophisticated power saving ensuring that it powers down components that are not needed. Please never unplug your device while it is turned on or in sleep mode, it might damage your device. Please make sure to

turn off a connected amplier or speakers before disconnecting the audio-out of the OPUS.

Step 3: Navigating your OPUS

Your OPUS provides the following navigational controls:

OPUS Frontside

•

Once the OPUS is on, you’ll be using the 5 navigation keys to get around the menu screens, and the play keys to control the actual playback like on any CD-player. Then there’s the ON/OFF key, that’s about it.

OPUS No4

Touchscreen/Display

Infrared

Navigation Keys

Play Keys

On/Off

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• Tip 1: Use the remote control just like the keys on the OPUS – while sitting down. It doesn’t

get much easier than that.

•

Tip 2: The touchscreen feature allows you to more directly point to what you want the

OPUS to do, the logic of the menu screens stays the same.

•

Tip 3: The menu screens start with the main menu. Then navigating to the right you get to the music. To get back is to the left again. With the double panel display you can easily tell where you are going and what options are available. Holding the left arrow allows to jump back to the top menu (“Home” on the remote control). Holding the pause

button allows to stop current playback.

•

Tip 4: The main musical genres are color coded to easily tell them apart. Some of the information that is shown on the track detail screen is different per genre to allow you to nd out more about what you are listening to.

•

Tip 5: The lower part of the display consists of a status bar that allows you to quickly view play mode (pause, repeat, shufe, etc.), alarm or timer set, track progress, volume level, background progress and network status.

To put your OPUS to sleep, just press the ON/OFF button shortly. When you press it again (or

any other key) the OPUS will turn on again in a couple of seconds and return to the spot where you left off.

Note: Within this user manual we will refer to screen menu options in CAPITAL letters for easier readability. Starting point will always be the main menu, the top most menu to which you can

always return by navigating all the way to the left.

Step 4: Play a CD

Insert a CD into the slot and choose play from the pop-up menu.

Step 5: Connecting your OPUS to a home network

This is an important step to access music stored elsewhere on your network, listen to Internet radio, use the web browser on a computer or PDA to browse your music, use the Maestro application to manage your music or to be able to receive online system updates:

•

Go to SETTINGS > NETWORK SETTINGS > NETWORK SETUP.

•

Select the mode that applies to your network, whether wired or wireless, automatic or manual hookup, and press SAVE to continue. In the wired case you are usually done at this point and will see a conrmation. In the wireless case you will have to choose the right network, WEP or WPA encryption and enter a KEY if your network is protected. Often wireless networks are quirky to set up, so be patient. If you experience problems we are always happy to help, please call us toll-free at 1.877.BY.OLIVE.

Your OPUS is now integrated into your home network.

Step 6: Getting music into your OPUS and start listening

To add and listen to music to your OPUS you can …

• … import from CD: Just insert an audio CD and select IMPORT CD from the pop-up menu.

The CD is ripped, tagged and archived automatically. You can import CDs in different qualities/formats. Go to SETTINGS > CD SETTINGS > CD IMPORT QUALITY and choose

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the format you want. We recommend FLAC to retain CD quality audio but reduce size at what is called “lossless” compression for the best compromise between quality and le size. To leave the music in its original format, choose WAV.

•

… transfer music from a PC: Under NETWORK SETTINGS > NETWORK INFORMATION you will nd the current IP-address of your OPUS. Use it on your PC to open a network connection to the import folder that is shown, and simply drag & drop music to the OPUS. Note: Only music formats that are supported by your OPUS can be imported (WAV, FLAC, MP3, AAC). The OPUS does not play stored music protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM).

•

… look under MUSIC SOURCES to nd other UPnP supported servers to browse and play music from these.

•

… listen to Internet radio: In the main menu select INTERNET RADIO and choose from a wide variety of stations that are sorted by genre, regions, public & information or favorites you have added (play will start immediately, you might have to wait a few seconds until their current stream information is loaded to the OPUS via the network).

Step 7: Creating playlists

Now that you have music on your OPUS, you can easily create playlists for every mood or occasion. There are two ways:

1) On the OPUS:

Go to MUSIC LIBRARY > PLAYLISTS, ADD PLAYLIST and enter the name of your play

list and save it.

Browse your music library and play the tracks you want to add to the playlist. Once a song is playing you press the OK button to get a pop-up that allows you to rst rate and delete a track, then on second press to add the track to a playlist, which you select from the list of available playlists. Or just hit the ADD button on the remote control.

2) Via the Maestro library management application: 1) Simply enter the IP-address of your

OPUS into a browser on your PC/Mac replacing the x’s:

o http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8163/maestro.php

The Maestro application allows you to conveniently create new playlists and drag & drop single tracks, albums or works to your list of playlists. The Maestro application is discussed in more detail further down in this manual.

Step 8: Burn your music to CD

Choose the playlist that you want to burn and press the OK button for a popup menu that allows you to initiate the burning process. Insert an audio CD and choose CONTINUE.

1.3 MELODY

Step 1: Unpacking your MELODY

Your package includes the following items:

•

MELODY networked player

•

Remote control (w/ batteries)

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•

Wireless antenna

•

DC power supply

•

User manual

Step 2: Setting up your MELODY

Backpanel MELODY

•

Place your MELODY close to your stereo system, in a cool, well-ventilated place.

•

Attach the wireless antenna to the back of the MELODY.

•

Connect it via its RCA or digital output to the input of your amplier or active speakers.

•

Connect the power supply to the MELODY and the power outlet.

•

Turn on the MELODY and your amplier or active speakers.

Your MELODY takes about 40 seconds to perform an initial start-up. It should then stay on or be in power save mode to be immediately available at any time you wish. Please make sure to turn off a connected amplier or speakers before disconnecting the audio-out of the MELODY.

Step 3: Navigating your MELODY

Your MELODY provides the following navigational controls:

MELODY Frontside

MELODY No2

Touchscreen/Display

Infrared

Navigation Keys

Play Keys

On/Off

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• Once the MELODY is on, you’ll be using the 5 navigation keys to get around the menu

screens, and the play keys to control the actual playback like on any CD-player. Then there’s the ON/OFF key, that’s about it.

•

Tip 1: Use the remote control just like the keys on the MELODY – while sitting down. It

doesn’t get much easier than that.

•

Tip 2: The touchscreen feature allows you to more directly point to what you want the

MELODY to do, the logic of the menu screens stays the same.

•

Tip 5: The lower part of the display consists of a status bar that allows you to quickly view play mode (pause, repeat, shufe, etc.), alarm or timer set, track progress, volume level,

background progress and network status.

To put your MELODY to sleep, just press the ON/OFF button shortly. When you press it again the

MELODY will turn on again and return to the spot where you left off.

Note: Within this user manual we will refer to screen menu options in CAPITAL letters for easier

readability. Starting point will always be the main menu, the top most menu to which you can

always return by navigating all the way to the left.

Step 4: Connecting your MELODY to a home network

This is an important step to access music stored on your OPUS, elsewhere on your network, listen to Internet radio, use the web browser on a computer or PDA to browse your music, or be able to receive online system updates:

•

Go to SETTINGS > NETWORK SETTINGS > NETWORK SETUP.

•

Select the mode that applies to your network, whether wired or wireless, automatic or manual hookup, and press SAVE to continue. In the wired case you are usually done at this point and will see a conrmation when successful. In the wireless case you will have to choose the right network, WEP or WPA encryption and enter a KEY if your network is protected. Often wireless networks are quirky to set up, so be patient. If you experience problems we are always happy to help, please call us toll-free at 1.877.BY.OLIVE.

Your MELODY is now integrated into your home network.

Step 5: Listening

To listen to music you can …

•

… browse the music stored on your OPUS: If there is an OPUS in your home network the MELODY will automatically select it as the main source. Simply select MUSIC LIBRARY and browse and play your music as if you were directly navigating your OPUS.

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• … look under MUSIC SOURCES to nd other UPnP supported servers to browse and play

music from these.

• … listen to Internet radio: In the main menu select INTERNET RADIO and choose from a

wide variety of stations that are sorted by genre, regions, public & information or favorites you have added (play will start immediately, you might have to wait a few seconds until their current stream information is loaded to the MELODY via the network).

Step 6: Creating playlists

Now that you have your MELODY connected, you can easily create playlists based on your library in the OPUS for every mood or occasion. There are two ways:

•

On the MELODY:

o Go to MUSIC LIBRARY > PLAYLISTS, ADD PLAYLIST and enter the name of your playlist and save it.

o Browse your music library and play the tracks you want to add to the playlist. Once a

song is playing you press the OK button to get a pop-up that allows you to rst rate and delete a track, then on second press to add the track to a playlist, which you select from

the list of available playlists.

•

Via the Maestro library management application that looks onto your OPUS: 1) Enter the

IP-address of your OPUS into a browser on your PC/Mac replacing the x’s:

o http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8163/maestro.php

The Maestro application allows you to conveniently create new playlists and drag & drop single tracks, albums or works to your list of playlists.

All playlists created on the OPUS are available for all MELODYs or other networked receivers

to see. Playlists created on the MELODY are private in that they are only relevant for that room and only seen on that MELODY, e.g. if you have the MELODY in the bedroom you could have a special “wake-up” or “sleepy” playlist there that you don’t need in the living or other rooms.

Keep in touch

Please register your Olive products online at our website (www.olive.us) to activate your warranty

and stay up-to-date with our latest product releases.

Great, now you can get back to your music!

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2. PlaYinG music

2.1 Playing a CD on Your OPUS

When inserting a CD a pop-up menu will appear giving you the options to either play the CD, select a particular track from the CD, or to import the CD. If you choose to play the CD it will be played back directly from the CD drive. The top menu will change to include an additional item CD IN DRIVE, which allows you at a later time to go back to your CD.

The OPUS takes a couple of seconds to recognize the CD and to look up the matching metadata as to album, track titles etc., which is not stored on the CD itself:

•

In almost all cases the metadata is available in the OPUS-internal CD reference database and taken from there. Sometimes several CD information are returned for one CD, in this case an additional online check can often nd the right one, so being online is an advantage. Even then in rare cases you may end up with the wrong information being pulled for the CD you have entered.

•

If the CD can’t be found in the internal database and your OPUS is connected to the Internet, the information is searched for in the online database.

•

If the CD cannot be found at all, generic titles for the album and titles are assigned, e.g. “CD_08c342g” and “Track 01”, other elds are lled with “Unknown”. This information can then be added manually via the Maestro application (see further down in this manual).

The CD is then listed on the main menu as the top item CD IN DRIVE, ready for play. As on any

CD player, the play keys below the CD slot give you the options to play, skip forwards or backwards, pause or stop play. The Eject button returns the CD to you.

2.2 Playing Music from Your Music Library on both OPUS and MELODY

Your music library at your ngertips

There are different powerful navigation options available under MUSIC LIBRARY to quickly nd the artists, composers, albums/works, playlists or track(s) you want to play.

•

GENRES: Here you will nd your music organized or classied by musical genre. There can be up to three levels of hierarchy to each main genre, e.g. you could start with “Classical”, have “Opera” and “Symphonic” underneath, and have “French Opera” and “Italian Opera” underneath “Opera” again. This takes a little more navigation until you get to your music, but it is very worthwhile as with large collections this classication rewards you with only a short list of relevant artists or composers.

Once you have reached the end of the genre hierarchy the screen will then show

available artists, then albums and then tracks. Classical by its nature will show available composers, works and then movements.

•

ALBUM ARTWORK: Flip through the album covers to nd the album you are looking for, just like in old times.

•

ALBUM NAME: Get an alphabetical list of all albums, and drill down to nd the tracks of a specic album.

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•

ARTISTS: This option reveals an alphabetical list of all artists in your music library. Under

each artist you will nd the list of his/her albums and the respective tracks.

•

TRACKS: Here you nd an alphabetical list of all tracks.

•

PLAYLISTS: Here are all the playlists you’ve dened in alphabetical order. Choose the one

you like, or use your cursor to select the tracks to be played.

Tip: For long lists such as all artists, albums and tracks, press and hold the OK button to make use of the “Alphabet Jump”, where you point to the rst letter of what you are looking for and the menu screen will show you the selection of relevant items.

Starting playback

Pressing the play button starts the music playback, with the result depending on what you are currently highlighting on the menu screen:

•

A track: The specic track will start to play and if the track is part of an album or work the

rest of the album or work will complete.

•

An album or work: The complete album or work will play. If you have merged a set of CDs (e.g. greatest hits compilations) into one album, tracks will be played back by CD number and then by original track number. The CD number needs to be maintained by you as part of the metadata before merging.

•

An artist or composer: All of the albums of an artist or all the works of a composer will play.

•

All albums: When on the ALBUM NAME selection, pressing play will start playback of all

albums. As all music is sorted into an album in some way, this is an opportunity to play your

whole music library from beginning to end!

Gapless playback

For WAV and FLAC les as well as for CD playback the OPUS and MELODY recognize if tracks are meant to be jointed – such as e.g. in an Opera where one scene reaches into the next – and

will play back the audio tracks as if they were one as intended.

Screens during playback

Once you are playing back a song or movement two screens are used to show you all relevant information about your music. When you rst come to a track as part of your selection process, a rst screen shows as much metadata as is available about the music. It serves to conrm you have arrived at what you were looking for with the whole range of metadata and album artwork, it shows the sound quality, your personal rating if you’ve added one, which track it is as part of its original album, and which part it is of your current selection.

Sound quality is determined by a combination of bit depth, sample rate and bit rate:

•

One bar: compressed audio of low quality

•

Two bars: compressed audio of acceptable quality

•

Three bars: CD quality, either in FLAC lossless encoding or WAV

•

Four bars: HD music of higher resolution than the CD standard, in general with a sample

rate of 96 kHz and a bit depth of 24, either in FLAC lossless encoding or WAV

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Play Screen With Details

Personal

Rating

Album

Artwork

Main Body

Metadata

Status Bar

Track Duration Track as part of

original album

Track as part of

current selection

Quality

Track

Title

Long names may be truncated. After 8 seconds this screen is replaced with one that has large letters and is intended to show just the key information from further away, like from your couch, once your selection is made and conrmed:

Play Screen - Couch View

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What is shown on each genre screen

Each music genre is different. That is why your OPUS and MELODY provide music context information specic to each genre, and in a much more detailed level than available from mainstream music databases:

•

ROCK/POP, BLUES, SPOKEN WORD, OTHER: This can be considered the minimum available metadata, with information on artist, album, and when the album was published

and originally recorded.

Rock/Pop/Blues/Spoken Word/Other Play Screen With Details

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Olive OPUS, MELODY User Manual

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Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual