These initial packages emphasize jazz and classical and include top artists such as Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie, Johannes Brahms and Felix Mendelssohn.

Automatic Dual Encoding (ADE) creates MP3 files for the songs, allowing customers to listen to the music in their home and sync it to an iPod, iPhone, or any device supporting MP3 files.

“These DRM-free collections from MusicGiants sound spectacular,” says ReQuest CEO Peter Cholnoky.

“Our servers are designed to leverage the quality of these high fidelity albums, cover art, and extended metadata such as composer, conductor, and performance.”

ReQuest’s NetSync technology syncs collections and playlists between multiple homes.

If you have an iPod, NetSync can upload iTunes playlists to ReQuest servers, automatically selecting the MusicGiants’ version of the songs when listening in a home.

“We are extremely excited to be delivering our high-definition collections directly into ReQuest customers’ homes,” says Scott Bahneman, CEO of MusicGiants.

“ReQuest’s superb music systems create the ideal audio environment to enjoy our high-quality music.”

With a library of more than 2 million songs and compositions, compiled from major and independent music labels is available through Finetune. Finetune delivers powerful yet virtually effortless customization that empowers listeners to “fine tune” their streaming listening experience with impressive quality and total freedom from commercials, DJs, or interruptions.

“Finetune is a powerful new value-added feature that can only help to further ReQuest’s position in the whole house audio world,” says V.P. Sales & Marketing Bill McKiegan. “Now a customer can manage their own collection plus have access to millions of additional songs.”

Subscribers can easily create individual playlists, discover new music and revisit well-loved classics with equal ease through one of the world’s largest licensed online music catalogs. Unprecedented in the industry, Finetune also offers expert-guided editorial recommendations with community-driven suggestions further enhancing the music experience for every individual music lover, driven entirely by personal tastes. The Finetune discovery engine incorporates accumulated listener data, almost 200 million listener hours and over 600,000 user-created playlists.

The ReQuest Finetune user interface is entirely intuitive and self-prompting, and is accessible by way of any iQ touchscreen or on-screen controller, including third-party custom-integrated solutions.

About Finetune

Finetune is the ultimate digital music service – two parts personal player, one part social network. Create your own playlists and discover new music through one of the largest online catalogs of licensed major and indie labels. Music you didn’t know you love is just seconds away through Finetune’s expert- and community-driven discovery engine. Never complicated and always free, Finetune comes with no strings attached. No downloads. No questionnaires. Lean back and listen, or sit up, spin and share. Just type in an artist and the experience begins – on your browser, on your desktop, on your blog, and beyond. What music do you love? www.finetune.com.

ReQuest’s Classical Mode is a feature of the new version 4.6 of its Serious Play Media Manager software, the user interface that commands all ReQuest hard disk-based music servers via touchscreen, wall-panel, handheld, or wall-panel controllers. Available as an optional three-year subscription for the full range of ReQuest models, Classical Mode allows listeners to organize, access, and enjoy their collections using metadata of Composer, Conductor, Orchestra, Artist, or Performance.

This may seem a subtle distinction, but it’s critical to classical fans, who listen not to individual tracks but to complete performances; symphonies, sonatas, and concertos consisting of multiple movements (sections), and who are as concerned with the composer and conductor as they are with the players. Consequently, Classical Mode works by default organizing recordings into “performances” that make it easy to find, program, or play a particular four-movement Haydn symphony that originated from a disc containing five such, with a total of 20 tracks.

Or, with Classical Mode’s versatile search abilities, a user can quickly locate a work by Gustav Mahler, a favorite performance conducted by Seiji Ozawa, a piano sonata performed by Rudolf Serkin, or even search for all performances of the Beethoven violin concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by someone other than George Szell.

What’s more, because Classical Mode organizes music by performances rather than tracks or songs, grouping all the movements of a symphony, sonata, dance-suite, or other work together in order, classical listeners can now enjoy the pleasures of “shuffling” a playlist while preserving the internal integrity of works—perfect for setting up an evening of musical enjoyment with a fresh twist.

Classical Mode seamlessly incorporates full album art and provides browsable on-screen views that show complete classical metadata plus recording and release dates, catalog numbers, durations, and more, plus individual screens for album or track details with complete track and time information. It acquires metadata for a complete collection, and automatically updates as new data becomes available—plus, Classical Mode gives collectors easy access to data whether for editing, adding comments or listening notes, making additions or corrections, or merely for study.

Classical music enthusiasts can now easily manage, play, and enjoy their collections to the fullest extent. The Classical Mode is a premium feature available by subscription only for $750.00 for three years and accessible for all ReQuest music servers running Serious Play 4.6.

“Freedom proved hugely popular among iQ-system owners and designers almost immediately,” says ReQuest’s V.P. of Sales & Marketing, Bill McKiegan. “So it was imperative that we extend the benefit to all ReQuest owners.”

ReQuest’s Freedom transforms a Nokia N800 handheld tablet—which means roughly 6x3x0.5 inches and is equipped with a full-color, 800x480-pixel touchscreen into a full-function WiFi controller for all ReQuest music servers. The user simply inserts the Freedom SD card into an N800’s SD memory slot, runs the included installer, and is immediately ready to enjoy a portable, full-function touchscreen system commander. The Freedom/N800 delivers full control, communicating via 802.11b/g WiFi over a home network, and then to the ReQuest server using IP.

Running ReQuest’s award-winning Serious Play Media Manager, Freedom delivers the complete music server experience including music selection, volume control, and playlist creation. Serious Play makes it easy to select a favorite artist, album, track, or playlist, with Album Art for the entire collection and fingertip highlighting/dragging make programming and selection completely intuitive. And if an exact song title or artist name escapes the user, Serious Play’s search engine can track it down instantly. Playlist creation is equally simple: the user simply drags the desired track into position and drops it onto the playlist. Freedom requires zero programming, discovers the network and the ReQuest host automatically, and populates Album Art and complete music metadata without user intervention.

Of course, Freedom retains the underlying Nokia N800 functionality: Users can browse the Web or answer email (just two examples), and when it is time to change the music simply select the Freedom application. Its “discovery” ability automatically runs whenever the Freedom returns to the home network; come home from the coffee shop, open the Freedom application and once again, the N800 is a ReQuest controller.

The ReQuest Freedom delivers full control of rooms, volume, and media-selection, and with one Freedom/N800, customers can access a ReQuest music server from different rooms or zones.

"Serious Play 4.6 adds exciting new options," says V.P. Sales & Marketing Bill McKiegan. "The Freedom wireless controller leverages homeowners’ existing wireless networks to deliver the full power of ReQuest music management throughout the house, without expensive programming and with amazing ease of use, while Classical Mode adds yet another powerfully useful inducement to draw serious music fans to ReQuest."

In addition to the Freedom touchscreen wireless controller, which runs on Nokia’s inexpensive N800 handheld tablet, and Classical Mode, a subscription-based system that brings classical music fans and collectors full music-server power and convenience for the very first time, Serious Play 4.6’s improvements include:

• Improved web server layout with extra columns of data
• Additional options for library/playlist sorting by Artist
• New "Sort by Last Name" option
• New, more complete player controls on web-server page
• CD Ripping feedback for existing albums

Several new features are exclusive to the iQ Intelligent Media System:

• New song-queuing options: Play Now, Play Next, Play Last, and Add-to-Playlist
• Full-keyboard GUI added to the interface of ReQuest’s TS35 touchscreen controller Press Release
• Support for three new zone tuners: Marantz ST7001, Russound ST2 AM/FM, and Rotel RT1080

Serious Play 4.6 is included with all new ReQuest server shipments and is available for download to existing installations at no charge, from ReQuest's web site, www.request.com.

The Plaza Private Residences are equipped with various lavish amenities, including ReQuest, to provide a solution to store and play music. The F.Series server features multiple audio outputs from a single unit, allowing family members to listen to different songs in different rooms of the residence.

With Serious Play Media Manager, ReQuest's easy-to-use user interface, the F.Series can be controlled from the ReQuest 15" touchscreen or from any computer connected to the Internet, allowing effortless navigation of the music collection by title, artist, album, genre or playlist.

Another important feature is the patented NetSync™ for iTunes, an easy-to-use synchronization between the F.Series server and iTunes. This technology allows users to update songs, playlists, and metadata on iTunes while seamlessly updating them on the ReQuest server, or vice versa. What’s more, via the Internet, owners can sync their entire music collection to a second music server anywhere in the world.

Bill McKiegan, VP of Sales and Marketing for ReQuest, says "We are delighted to have our F.Series servers installed in the historic Plaza. Our partnership with Concierge Direct further reinforces ReQuest’s position as a leader in the music-distribution industry."

Original posted on Residential Systems Online:By RS Staff

Oct 2, 2007, 12:03Ballston Spa, NY–ReQuest has been granted a U.S. patent for its NetSync technology. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted ReQuest, Inc. patent no. 09/884,661 which covers the synchronization of media including audio, video, and digital photos from a central media server to additional media servers and portable devices over a LAN or the Internet, via wired or wireless communications. The patent was filed on June 19, 2001, which predates by several months Apple Computer’s original introduction of its popular iPod.

NetSync is ReQuest’s proprietary, key enabling technology that allows its music servers and other audio-video component designs to share and exchange audio-video entertainment, setup and operations data, and to interact under the control of external "clients" including personal computers and personal wireless devices. Titled "Multimedia Synchronization Method and Device," the ReQuest patent’s overview describes:

"A system for synchronizing a multiplicity of devices in a multimedia environment, comprising: at least one central storage and interface device, wherein audio, video, and photographic information including content information and content management information, relating to at least one user, are stored in digital form; and a plurality of zones each having a zone specific storage and interface device being capable of storing or interfacing with information stored in the central storage and interface device, wherein audio, video, or photographic information, relating to at least one user, contained within each one of the plurality of zone specific storage and interface devices and the central storage and interface device, are updated in relation with other zone specific storage and interface devices and the central storage and interface device, whereby the at least one user can be situated at anyone of the zones and access substantially identical audio, video, and photographic information related to the at least one user."

"We’re very happy to have received our NetSync patent," said company CEO Peter Cholnoky, "and we look upon this as an important milestone for our company. The patent validates ReQuest’s place as an innovator in home entertainment overall, and we look forward to actively marketing our technology to third-party providers and marketers of media devices and solutions, offering the opportunity to leverage our technology to add sharing and syncing of music, playlists, and movies or videos, to their own designs."

Using NetSync, customers can easily access their content, create playlists, change metadata, and add new music to their ReQuest server, and all other devices are automatically updated. NetSync for iTunes adds automatic synchronization from ReQuest servers to iPods and iPhones.  "NetSync allows content to flow seamlessly across multiple device platforms," added Cholnoky. "Customers can now create a playlist in iTunes, and when they arrive at their vacation home, the playlist is available on their whole-house audio system in-wall touch panels. NetSync technology makes it easy to keep media files in sync between multiple homes, iPods, and other devices."

"An affordable, WiFi, handheld controller puts the full power of iQ in the palm of your hand," says ReQuest’s V.P. Sales & Marketing, Bill McKiegan. "Nokia’s slick N800 mini-tablet offers exactly the hardware we needed, with a good deal of fringe-benefit functionality—and it’s widely available at very accessible prices."

The ReQuest Freedom solution transforms an N800, a handheld tablet roughly 6x3x0.5 inches and equipped with a full-color, 800x480-pixel touchscreen, into a full WiFi controller for iQ. The user simply inserts the Freedom SD card into the N800’s slot, runs the included installer, and is immediately ready to enjoy a pocketable, portable, full-function iQ System touchscreen commander. The Freedom/N800 communicates via 802.11b/g WiFi in a home network, and then to the iQ Intelligent Music System, delivering full control in every way. And since Freedom utilizes precisely the same software and graphics underpinnings as ReQuest’s own TS.35 three-inch in-wall touchpanel controller, new owners will find themselves already familiar with its simple and intuitive user interface.

Freedom delivers full control of rooms, internal and external sources, volume, and media-selection, via the interface identical to the iQ.TS35 in-wall panel—no stylus required. Up to four Freedom/N800 clients can access an iQ System: for example, there might be a Freedom controller in the master bedroom, another in the family room, one by the pool, etc. (These four can coexist with up to 8 TS35 in-wall touchpanel controllers.).

The ReQuest Freedom software is automatically updated whenever it successfully connected to an iQ System, so users always have the latest software. What’s more, Freedom automatically re-connects to the iQ whenever users depart the local WiFi network: take the Nokia N800 to the local Starbucks to browse the web or read email, return home and Freedom auto-finds the iQ System and automatically re-connects, ready to control.

Availability:

Suggested Retail Price: $500.00 (Customers supply the Nokia N800—retail price is $399.00)

The total solution is $899.00 for a high-resolution, widescreen-display touchpanel wireless remote that can also be used as a powerful, highly versatile, and fun pocket-sized tablet computer, wireless web-browser, email client, game console, Skype phone, and dozens of more possible uses.

The Network Touchscreen Client is a slim, compact, hardware solution designed to be mounted to the back of a free-standing TS.15 touchscreen, or it can be tucked away in a nearby cabinet or shelving unit. The NTC connects to the touchscreen via USB and VGA cables, while its RJ-45 connector accepts conventional, thin, Ethernet cable, linking it to the home network. Alternately, a wireless home network can be utilized via a "gaming bridge," a wireless adapter widely available from manufacturers such as dLink, Linksys, and Netgear, to deliver full TS.15 functionality via WiFi 802.11b/g wireless connection. As many as eight TS.15/Network Touchscreen Client combos, communicating to the home system via wired or wireless/bridge connections, can be used on a single ReQuest iQ, Audio or Video System.

Availability: September 2007

Suggested Retail Price: TS.15 $1,500. NTC $1,000.

ReQuest’s iQ.RCK Radio Connection Kit seamlessly integrates Polk’s XM (XRt12) Satellite Radio tuner, NuVo’s Dual AM/FM (NVT2DFG) tuner, or NuVo’s Dual AM/FM and XM (NVT2XFG) tuners into an iQ Intelligent Music System. The iQ.RCK kit includes USB-serial and data cabling to interface one or more NuVO or Polk units with the iQ Intelligent Music System. Simply plug a tuner into the iQ.RCK, click on Detect in the iQ configuration utility, and the radio controls, station and RDS data is instantly available on all iQ touchscreens—no custom programming is required. The iQ.RCK supports full two-way communications of station/stream selection commands, and or track/artist. Users can configure up to 30 favorite presets simply by holding down a Preset icon on the touchscreen.

Another new ReQuest option, the iQ.NIRE Network IR Extender brings iQ Intelligent Music System retroactive access to older components that rely on non-networked infrared (IR) protocols. For IR control of conventional components such as cable boxes or CD players, the ReQuest Network IR Extender provides three IR “blaster” outputs that deliver IR commands to multiple components. Commands originate from the iQ server and travel in IP format over the home network cabling to the ReQuest IR Extender. Consequently, this can reside physically in any room or location on the local net, simplifying the solution of even the most challenging wiring obstacles. Programming IR commands is easy and intuitive, using pre-built templates and commands, with the result that even classic older components can participate smoothly and intelligently in an iQ system.  

Both the Radio Connection Kit and Network IR Extender are available immediately.

Manufacturers Suggested Retail Prices:

The iQ.RCK $150.00

iQ.NIRE $500.

Effective immediately, iQ contains two additional, dedicated sources, over and above the four music-server “sources” already inherent in the iQ family design. This makes the Intelligent Music System the first server-based whole-house solution to offer six independent music sources out of the box, ready for plug-and-play enjoyment in up to eight rooms or zones. Users may stream any of the thousands of MP3 Internet-audio sources scattered across the Web, simply by entering the URL or IP address; “stations” can then be identified by an attached icon, or an image such as album-cover art or a user-selected photo, for easy graphical access from the iQ system’s in-wall and freestanding touchscreen controllers. And of course, either or both streaming source can be enjoyed from any or all of the Intelligent Music System’s rooms or zones.

Dual-stream Internet audio is included at no additional charge in all new shipments of iQ Intelligent Music System servers: models IMS.400, IMS.600, and IMS.800. Existing Intelligent Music Servers can be retrofitted with dual-stream capability by Request at a cost of $500.

Widgets are small, interactive software programs that run on the iQ Intelligent Media Server and can be viewed and controlled from any room or zone equipped with a ReQuest touchscreen, tabletop touchscreen controller, and computer.

	Stock Ticker allows users to view and monitor their selected equities, funds, or other investments, with automatically updated information. On the larger TS.15 Touchscreen Controller, the user may also chart performance over time-frames, choosing day, month, year, or five-year displays.
	WebCam (available via the 15-inch TS.15 Touchscreen only) lets iQ owners add up to six individually named webcams, monitoring locations around their property or around the world. For example, the WebCam widget might offer visual access to the front door at home, the boat-dock at the lake house, the warehouse floor at the plant, and a child’s room. What’s more, any publicly available webcam can be integrated into the display, providing up-to-the-minute views of weather at your favorite ski resort, or the traffic on your work commute and more. (Webcams are assigned simply by entering each one’s unique URL.) Users can set the size and refresh intervals, monitoring activities live as they happen.
	Weather Display live/updated two-day weather forecast for any U.S. city or town, or any location in the world with graphical conditions, high/low temperature display.
	Calendar Display browseable calendar by month while showing images from user-selected screen-saver file in slideshow format.

Users select a widget from the icon strip visible along the bottom of either screen. Any of the four different widgets can run simultaneously on different screens, and of course have no impact on music streaming. Essential iQ server and system functions always remain instantly available via the Touchscreens’ always-on volume, mute, and navigation soft keys, and of course the iQ home page is never farther away than the touch of a finger.

ReQuest’s software Widgets for its iQ Intelligent Music System are available immediately and are automatically installed on iQ systems connected to the Internet.

The contents of any ReQuest server can represent countless hours of disc-loading labor, and considerable thought and effort put into organizing a library through selection, metadata grooming, and playlist creation. Nevertheless, the seemingly mundane issue of backup can, and all too frequently does escape the attention of end users. The ReQuest Echo is an essential add-on for any ReQuest music server bringing peace of mind to consumers who will know that their collections and efforts are protected against loss.

"Our customers’ music collections represent important investments in both money and time," says ReQuest V.P. of Sales & Marketing Bill McKiegan. "Protecting them is a responsibility ReQuest takes seriously. Our new ReQuest Echo system signifies an important step in our effort to make library backup easy, transparent, effortless—and economical."

The ReQuest Echo backup systems are slim, 1U rack-dimensioned components available in capacities of from 200 to 1,200 CDs, and starting at just $750 (M.S.R.P.). Each Echo system complements all of ReQuest’s S.Series, N.Series, and F.Series music servers, as well as its iQ server based multiroom system. Removable hard drives make real-time replacement a snap.

Installing the AudioReQuest Echo system is as simple as connecting a USB cable from the Echo to the ReQuest music server or iQ Intelligent multiroom system. On initial connection, the Echo backs up the entire media collection and subsequently updates changes (if any) once per day with absolutely no inter-

vention, by or even the awareness on the part of the owner. And because all ReQuest music servers feature removable hard drive components, in the unlikely event of failure the owner can be immediately up and running, fully restored via the Echo archive.

Availability: March 2007

Suggested Retail Price: $750 to $2,500, depending on capacity.

According to Bill McKiegan, the company’s VP of Sales & Marketing, ReQuest music servers will be revamped to be more powerful, more affordable, and more accessible than ever before. "Each of the ReQuest product lines will feature greater functionality and increased CD storage capacities—all at lower prices," says McKiegan. "All ReQuest servers will now come standard with NetSync™ for iTunes^®, including our entry level model, the N1.200. We have increased storage capacity 50 percent on this model alone and we’ve dropped pricing more than a third to an exciting and very accessible $1,500 price point. We’re confident that our new 2007 products will make it easier for music lovers to enjoy a ReQuest music server than ever before."

ReQuest’s four music-server families, the N-Series, F-Series, ARQIVE, and flagship S-Series, now feature models with minimum CD-equivalent capacities of 200 discs, topping out on the flagship S-Series and ARQIVE back up systems at a mind-boggling 2500 discs (more than four months’ of no-repeat, full-fidelity music). Of course, all ReQuest music servers continue to feature the audiophile-grade circuitry and compression-free format WAV and FLAC options, and thus the truly high-end sonics for which ReQuest servers are well known, as well as the full range of data-efficient MP3 formats that maximize storage for streaming and portable listening.

Just as significantly, all ReQuest music servers now utilize the new Serious Play operating system, which brings numerous performance improvements as well as some important new features. A new "NetSync™ for iTunes®" plug-in automatically locates the music server on the home network and transfers music and playlists (and any user-edits of music "metadata") from iTunes to the ReQuest server. Conversely, recordings and playlists added to the ReQuest are seamlessly integrated into the iTunes library and ready for automatic synchronization to iPods®. Also among the many new powers is ReQuest’s Automatic Dual Encoding (ADE), which can be selected to transparently make two copies of each selection: one at a higher bitrate (or uncompressed) for full-resolution, serious listening at home, and a second, lower-bitrate encoding for ready transfer to iPods in compact size, and for streaming off-site over the Internet for listening at remote locations such as the office, a second home, or during travel.

For the first time, families with multiple iPod’s can use their ReQuest server as a hub to share libraries and enjoy their entire music collections anywhere—in another room of the house, in the car, traveling, at work or even streamed over the Internet onto a personal computer in a hotel room or office. Additionally, owners of one or more ReQuest servers can sync music collections to each system whether it’s located across town or anywhere in the world using ReQuest’s patented NetSync™ technology.

Continuing, VP Bill McKiegan said, "Since ReQuest introduced the world’s first music server to the industry, we have continued to provide innovative technologies designed to enhance the user experience. For the coming year, we plan on making several announcements and introductions that will reinforce our leadership role in this category."

"With the popularity of the Apple iPod®, our customers requested a seamless way to transfer music from their AudioReQuest whole house music systems to their iPods® and make playlists in iTunes® that would instantly be available in any room in their house," says John Reine co-founder of ReQuest. "The result of version 3.0 is the power to take your entire music collection with you anywhere you go; in another room in the house, in the car, while you travel with your iPod®, at work streaming over the Internet, or at your second home with another AudioReQuest system using NetSync™."

AudioReQuest v.3.0 is user-installable via an online update at no cost to owners or dealer/installers. The new version works with a new downloadable "NetSync™ for iTunes®" plug-in for Windows that automatically locates the AudioReQuest music server on the home network and transfers music, playlists, and edits in music metadata to the AudioReQuest. In addition, new media and playlists on the AudioReQuest will be available to the iTunes® library and ready for automatic synchronization to the iPod®. Version 3.0 also sports a new feature called Automatic Dual Encoding (ADE) that automatically makes two copies of each song, one in a higher bitrate and one in a lower bitrate . This allows AudioReQuest owners to listen to higher quality lossless WAV and FLAC music on their whole house audio systems, while making their entire collection available in 192 kbps MP3 to transfer to iPods® as well as streaming over the Internet with the newly updated AudioReQuest web server.

Another highly anticipated feature is NetSync 2.0, which adds additional intelligence and two-way synchronization between multiple AudioReQuest music servers in the home and over the Internet. In addition to allowing customers to scale up the number of discrete independent zones per house, customers can also synchronize their entire collection between multiple homes. When new CDs are ripped in either location, the music is automatically added to every AudioReQuest music server connected to the Internet.

A powerful new feature is an updated touch screen interface which adds drag-and-drop capabilities for easy playlist creation, AlbumArt browsing, and advanced searching. With the new intuitive user interface layout, an affordable touch screen from ReQuest can be added, providing fully interactive full screen control interface. The new interface is also accessible from any PC, Mac, and web pad using the built-in web server control.

Additional features include:

• Metadata lookup with All Music Guides extensive database.
• Updated Web Server user interface
• Expanded Health and Remote Diagnostics over ARQLink
• Significant performance improvements