HomePod User Manual
User Manual MP-100 HomePod — Wireless Network Digital Audio Player with FM Tuner Copyright Copyright © 2003-4 by Xsense Connectivity, Inc. (dba Macsense Connectivity). All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any directive work (such as translation or transformation) without permission from Xsense Connectivity, Inc. Xsense Connectivity, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Welcome...................................................................................... 1 2.0 Before You Start.......................................................................... 3 2.1 Package Contents..................................................................... 3 2.2 System and Other Requirements .............................................. 3 3.0 Getting to Know Your HomePod ............................................... 5 3.1 Setting up Your HomePod............
1.0 Welcome Thank you for purchasing a Macsense HomePod. Your HomePod gives you access to digital audio files stored on your computer from anywhere in the house or office.
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2.0 Before You Start 2.1 Package Contents Prior to setting up your HomePod, make sure your HomePod package includes the following items: • HomePod Unit • Stereo Audio Cable • Power Adapter • HomePod CD • Remote Control • Quick Start Guide • Ethernet Cable • User Manual 2.2 System and Other Requirements • Wi-Fi (802.
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3.0 Getting to Know Your HomePod 3.1 Setting up Your HomePod HomePod streams digital audio files stored on your computer, over the local network (either by wired Ethernet or over a wireless Wi-Fi network). Most of the time, HomePod will be used in a wireless environment. A typical wireless network setup involves a computer connected to a wireless router (or an access point) to form a wireless network. HomePod would then connect wirelessly to this same network.
3.2 Front Panel Power Button Infra-red Receiver irDA Receiver Display Screen Jog-shuttle Dial and Enter Button Navigational and Action Buttons Built-in Stereo Speakers Volume Control Buttons HomePod Front Panel 3.3 Side Connectors HomePod is equipped with a rich set of input and output ports for interfacing with other audio systems and devices.
Right jacks need to used at the same time. Coaxial Output SPDIF Output For connecting to high-end digital surround sound system. Only one of the other is used.
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4.0 Server Software Installation A small server program, called HomePod Audio Server, must be installed on each computer that contains audio files that you want to play through the HomePod. Use the HomePod CD and follow instructions below to complete the software installation. 4.1 Windows Installation On the PC, insert the HomePod CD and run the HomePod Audio Server->Setup.exe. HomePod CD Content for PC HomePod Audio Server is based on Java.
Contents of the Windows HomePod Audio Server folder 4.2 Macintosh Installation On the Mac, insert the HomePod CD and run the HomePod Audio Server.pkg installer. Contents of the HomePod CD You will need to have the administrator password in order to proceed with the installation. Follow the instructions on screen to complete the installation.
When the installation is complete, you should see a new “HomePod” folder in the Applications folder.
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5.0 Audio Server Control and Configuration To launch the Windows HomePod Audio Server configuration program, double-click on the HomePod Audio Server icon or select Start->Programs-> HomePod->Audio Server->HomePod Audio Server. HomePod Audio Server configuration for Windows To start the HomePod Audio Server program on the Mac, go to the Applications menu and double-click on the HomePod Audio Server icon.
5.1 Server Control Click on the HomePod icon in the left side frame to bring up the main server controls. This window allows you to monitor and configure the server settings. The “Audio Server Name” field defines a specific name for your audio collection that will be displayed on the HomePod. Examples of some good names are, “John’s Audio Collection”, “Bedroom Collection”, or “Living Room Audio Library”. Once you have named you audio collection, you need to define the contents of your collection.
activate the Audio Server. Starting the Audio Server 5.3 Configuring iTunes Audio Library If you are using Apple’s iTunes software to manage your audio files, then you should select this method as the preferred way of configuring your audio collection so that the HomePod shares the iTunes song and playlist information.
Locating the iTunes .xml file To share an iTunes Music Library with the HomePod, the iTunes program need not be running. After the configuration is complete, click the HomePod icon on the left side frame to return to the main server control frame. Press the “Start” button to activate the Audio Server.
6.0 HomePod Setup There are two ways to connect the HomePod to your network, wired (with an Ethernet cable) or wirelessly (through Wi-Fi). The two methods are mutually exclusive at startup time, i.e. when one is enabled the other will become disabled. When HomePod is first powered up, it will try to detect if an Ethernet cable is attached. If it is, the Ethernet connectivity will have priority over wireless connectivity.
review the Wireless Settings Page details in the Web Configuration section of this manual.
7.0 HomePod Basic Operation 7.1 Turning HomePod On and Off To turn on the HomePod, press and release the Power button. You should be prompted with a startup screen that displays “HomePod Wireless Audio Services”. To turn off the HomePod, press and hold the seconds. Power button for two 7.
Each audio collection can be navigated by categories based on their ID3 tags. The category menus are designed to facilitate easy location of songs, artists, or albums form a large audio library. A typical audio collection can contain hundred or thousands of songs. By using the category menus, you can find what you want in a few quick steps. The categories include: song title, artists, albums, artists/albums, genres, and playlists.
FM Radio Screen Settings Menu lists the settings that you can either check or set from the HomePod. The Network Settings menu displays important settings that are crucial to network connection. The Speakers item controls the sound coming out of HomePod’s build-in speakers. The menu item toggles On and Off with each press of the key. The Contrast item controls the brightness of the LCD. Rotate the center dial to turn the contrast value up or down.
+ + + + + - The Way You Were Artists Albums Artists/Albums Genres Playlist Use the rotating dial to navigate up and down any list. button to select an item in the list, or press the Press the to come out of a list. button 7.4.2 Functional Buttons To play a song, press the highlighted on the list. button or the To pause a playing song, press the resume play. button when the song is button.
8.0 Web Configuration HomePod includes a built-in web configuration page that you can access from any browser (Internet Explorer, Apple Safari, AOL Netscape, etc.) on a computer connected to the network. You can set many of the advanced functions using this configuration. To access the web configuration page: Launch your browser and type in the IP address of the HomePod; e.g. if your HomePod's IP address is 192.168.1.3, then type "http://192.168.1.
8.1 IP Settings Page This page sets the basic TCP/IP settings for your HomePod. HomePod Hostname is useful in identifying your HomePod on the network, especially when you have more than one HomePods on the network. The hostname you defined here will also appear in the DHCP IP table of your router or access point.
8.2 Wireless Settings Page This page enables you to configure basic wireless settings to allow your HomePod to connect to an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi wireless network. Network Name (or sometimes referred to as the SSID) is the name of the wireless network that HomePod should connect to. The network name is defined by the access point. Any wireless computers or devices (such as HomePod) that connect to the same network name will form one network.
To set the network mode, click on the appropriate button. In the ad-hoc mode, the Channel defines the frequency at which HomePod will communicate with the other ad-hoc device, in this case another computer. Both the HomePod and the other computer must operate in the same network name and channel. The channel field is not used if the network mode is set at infrastructure. To set the channel, pull down the list and select a channel from 1 through 14.
continue to play while the LCD goes into sleep mode. Pushing any buttons on the HomePod will turn the LCD back on. This function is designed to protect and extend the life the LCD when it is not needed for viewing. The default setting is "Never". To turn on the LCD Sleep function: 1. Access the web-config page of HomePod. 2. Click on the Miscellaneous tab, and set the LCD Sleep time to either 1, 5, or 15 minutes. 3. Click on the "Submit" button to save the settings. 4. Reboot HomePod. 8.3.
8.4 Radio Stations Page This page allows you to preset twenty FM radio stations. The stations you define here will appear in the FM Radio list on the HomePod. You can define up to 20 FM radio stations. The stations you defined here will allow you to jump to these stations quickly with the press of the and buttons on the HomePod. Twenty local FM radio stations in San Francisco have been set up in the Radio Stations page as default. You can change the stations for your location.
8.5 Firmware Upgrade Page This page displays the current version of your Firmware and Boot ROM, and enables you to upgrade your HomePod firmware to new versions as they become available. For tech support service, it is often needed to know which versions of Firmware and Boot ROM you have installed in the HomePod. The versions info is displayed in the format of a version number followed by a date time, as below: Current Versions: Firmware version: v.1.0.5, 01/28/04 BootROM version: v.2.
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9.0 Extras Programs and Utilities HomePods provides extra programs and utilities that you can use on your Mac, PC, or Linux computers that provide additional functions. 9.1 HomePod Audio Server in Java Another pure-Java version of the HomePod Audio Server is included on the HomePod CD. If you are using Mac OS 9 or a Linux computer where the native version of the HomePod Audio Server is not available, you can use the Java-version of the server.
Documents\My Music\ directory, or any folder or sub-folder with your audio files that you'd like to make available to the HomePod. When all configurations are done, press the "Start" button to activate the Audio Server. To stop the audio server, click the Stop button. 9.2 HomePod Audio Server in Shell Command HomePod Audio Server is also available as a GUI-less command line that you can run from a command terminal.
The “Players” field in the bottom half of the window lists all the HomePods located on the network. Select one from the list that you wish to control. The “Libraries” field on top of the window is a pull-down menu listing the available Audio Server on the network. Use the buttons to navigate the list or play and stop songs as you would control the HomePod using the physical HomePod unit.
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Appendix Taking Care of Your HomePod (Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or damage to your HomePod.) • Use only a soft, dry cloth to clean the outside of your HomePod and any peripherals. • Do not use any solvents, chemicals, or cleaning solutions containing alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives. • Do not allow liquids to spill on the unit. • Do not use sprays near your HomePod. • It is best to keep HomePod out of direct sunlight or other sources of extreme heat.
HomePod is connected wirelessly to the network and it does not see any audio servers. (Continued…) Check the access point to make that it is working properly. Check to see if you have basic TCP/IP settings setup correctly, such as IP, subnet mask, gateway IP, SSID, WEP keys. Move your HomePod closer to your access point to see if range could be an issue. Check to see if your access point is set to broadcast the SSID. Enable it if it is not.
HomePod is connected via Ethernet to the network and it does not see any of audio servers. Connect the Ethernet cable before turning on the HomePod. If the Ethernet cable is not connected at boot-up time, wireless connection will be enabled instead. Check to make sure that you have a green light on the HomePod’s Ethernet port. Check to make sure that the HomePod is getting a proper IP Address by selecting the “Settings->Network Settings” item on the main menu.
WEP does not work. 64-bit and 128-bit WEP Encryptions are supported. Make sure that your access point is set to accept "Shared Key" and the hex key is typed in the HomePod web config page in the Key #1 field. Only hex keys are accepted. Turn ASCII key to hex before using. Make sure the hex key is entered correctly as a continuous stream without spaces or hyphens. Buttons are slow to respond under wireless mode.
Songs purchased from Apple Audio Store do not play. Songs purchased from Apple Audio Store are protected in a special AAC-DRM format and are not playable on HomePod. Apple does not allow third party products aside from iPod and iTunes to decode and play these songs. Unless Apple changes this policy, AAC-DRM playback on non-Apple players such as HomePod will not be legally possible. Remote control does not work. Make sure the plastic protective slip insulating the battery compartment is pulled out.
Contacting Macsense For additional information in solving problems with your HomePod, contact Macsense Tech Support. Technical Support Hours: 9am – 4:30pm PST Phone: 1-800-642-8860 x100 (Free Support) Email: support@macsense.com Web: http://www.macsense.com/knowledgebase Register your product online to be informed of the latest product upgrades and promotions. http://www.macsense.com/registration/ We upgrade firmware periodically to include support on new functions and bug fixes.
Software • Firmware and desktop software. Powered by GLOOTM open media platform. GLOO is an open, Java-based media platform that handles the discovery, request, transfer, and control of audio content on HomePod. • FM radio tuner with 20 preset stations. Station name and frequency can be defined by user through web interface. • Unicode. Support for English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other languages. Specifications subject to change without notice.
Limited Consumer Warranty Macsense Connectivity (“Macsense”) warrants all HomePod products sold (“Products”) to be free of defects in material and workmanship, subject to the following conditions. The duration of Macsense’s warranty with respect to Macsense HomePod product is limited to one (1) year from the date of sale to the original consumer purchaser. No other express warranties are made with respect to any Product.
Getting Service To obtain warranty service during the first thirty (30) days after the date of purchase, you must return the defective Product with the original receipt to the original place of purchase. To obtain warranty service during the remainder of the warranty period, you must contact Macsense by phone at (650)552-9110 or by fax at (650)552-9250. When contacting Macsense by fax, please include a letter detailing your complaint and provide a daytime phone number where you can be reached.
