Is the Squeezebox Touch complicated?

I've been using a SB Classic and Transporter for 5 or 6 years and find it to be pretty much set it and forget it. Problems have been virtually non-existent.

It takes a minor degree of computer skill to get the initial setup done, but I'd say not much more than setting up your iPod with iTunes.

The payback has been far greater than the learning curve involved, which I'd say is probably more of a paradigm shift than learning curve.

I agree that gauging a device's ease and reliability by posters to product forums is like asking a cop how crime in his precinct is, you'll always see a concentration of somewhat jaded opinion.

I have a couple of Squeezebox Touches and one Duet. More trouble with the Duet. I think the Touch pretty much got it right. Just use mine as tuners.

Easy and I love it. I use Pandora and Spotify and could not be more happy. Never an issue and fun to the max. Spotify is like TV cable, but for music. I pay just over $10 month to play most any album that has been released anytime I want. Wow!

If you do a music server, there are some general complications that have nothing to do with Squeezebox or server.

One is getting metadata tags correct when ripping. SB system does not do ripping. You have to pick a program that rips to a compatible format (usually lossless .wav or FLAC for audiophiles) and makes it easy to get tags correct (song name, artis, album, etc.). HAving to edit tags after the fact is a real drag and downer. You learn to avoid it at all costs, but there will always be cases where some manual tag editing is needed. Best to do during the rip to get it right at the outset.

The other is backups. You have to maek sure you have something in place to quickly and reliably backup the files you rip. The worst is to lose a disk drive and have to rip (and tag) everything again. VERY IMPORTANT. Backup is another area that the SB system does not address, so you have to put this in place separately. Not hard to do, but not all backup programs are created equal and you gotta get it right.

in a nutshell, too complex and unstable... love it when it works...then suddenly stops...even from SD...requires reloading of music/ erasing of server files on SD...nowhere any explanation...

great potential... but need to be computer savvy