Customer Reviews

Denon Networking Client Dock with WiFi for iPod

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Though expensive it is worth every penny! Hook-up was fairly easy and connecting it to my wifi was simple. Having a menu of all my music on screen and being able to control it by remote control is so cool! Streaming internet radio is simple as it is built in to the menu system. Click the "Browse/Remote" button on the remote and you can listen to Pandora or Slacker radio through your stereo. Start up Microsoft Media Player on a networked computer and it automatically detects the Denon dock and allows you to setup a media server with an on screen menu. It is well built and sleek looking. I love this device almost as much as my iPod Touch.

I had a similar problem to M.Stevens as explained in his review. Mine is a little worse. This is quite annoying. I bought a brand new Denon AVR-1910 just a couple of months ago. It is not one of Denon's top-shelf AVRs, but it is current and up-to-date. This AVR has connections for ipod docks in the back, including a Dock Control connection which helps your ipod dock communicate in a user-friendly way with the AVR. What better idea than to get the new Denon ipod dock 51W to go perfectly with your new Denon AVR? The big advance of the 51W is that it has a digital audio output. Snazzy!

However, here is the issue. With my AVR, and M.Stevens', you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you use the digital audio connection, you cannot use the ipod dock control wire. You have to use your ipod as though it is just some other component. Now, here's where it gets worse.

With my AVR-1910, as opposed to M.Stevens, not only do I lose the ipod dock control, but I lose the video signal all together! That's right. If I want a digital output from my ipod dock, then I have to disconnect the ipod dock control wire, no big deal. BUT in my AVR-1910, the S-Video input is ONLY associated with the ipod dock control. Therefore, my S-video wire is never recognized, and the video is lost. So what, do I need video? Well, it's not just that it is a nice menu to look at. Without the video, I am unable to access the menus that connect to internet radio and in-home network.

In other words, the digital output is virtually useless with my AVR. I can simply go back to analog and get full functionality. If your AVR is higher-end than mine, you may very well have NO PROBLEM, in which case you will have a very nice ipod dock which could warrant a very high review. However, MAKE SURE WITH DENON first!

I guess I will try to find a way to convert the S-video signal to HDMI or component and go straight into my TV. That might solve my problem.

The annoying thing is that my AVR is brand new. It is not some previous-generation unit. The new dock should go with a new AVR. Or at LEAST, Denon should make it clear that the digital output is only compatible with certain model AVRS.

The Denon web site [...] mentions the compatibility with iPhone but it's only when you check the compatibility chart (which I did not do prior to purchase) you realize that it does not work with the newer iPhones and iPod touches - I find it appalling that Denon does not make it clearer the limitations of the device.

Additionally, many features are Windows only - again it should be made clear that the Mac is not supported. The wireless set-up is not particularly straight forward. All in all a unhappy experience and I now will try and get a refund from the supplier. I had been really looking forward to this product, esp for Pandora and some of the other streaming services through my iPhone 3GS. I've been happy with other Denon products so this was a huge disappointment.

Buy with extreme care.Denon Networking Client Dock with WiFi for iPod

This is definitely an awesome, feature-filled iPod dock. Solid construction, good looks, and it is the only dock I've seen that has a digital audio output to take advantage of my receiver's superior D/A converters. I've confirmed full compatibility with iPod Classic 160GB, 4th- & 5th-gen Nanos.

I had some trouble hooking it up properly with my new Denon AVR-2310, though. The receiver's iPod input allows you to "assign" the dock on that input, which then shows the iPod menu/playlist/track info on the receiver display; however, it seems when you make that assignment, the receiver forces it to the L-R analog inputs only. The only way to get the digital input to work is to remove the iPod assign, and it seems the only drawback is not seeing the info on the receiver display. But since the OSD on the TV is so cool, I don't need it on the receiver anyway.

I admit that is more of a receiver issue than with this dock, but you would think Denon would have that little issue worked out between their dock and receivers. The Denon Dock link works fine -- my remote controls the iPod as it should. The sound is great, and out of the box it gets a huge number of Internet Radio stations from all over the world. The wireless connectivity was a snap. The only other issue is that it keeps saying there is a firmware update available but when I try to do the update it never works succesfully. Luckily I don't seem to be missing anything by not having it.

01/15/12 UPDATE: In less than two years, my dock is dead. Powers up and then just shuts down again without even trying to connect the iPod. Reset button doesn't do anything. Pretty annoyed that I dropped almost $250 on this and it didn't last. There are better options now (not by Denon) with digital out but without WiFi for a lot less money. The Internet radio was a conversation piece but I never spent any real time listening because the audio quality is typically very poor.

I recently purchased the Denon ASD-51W specifically for connection to my iPhone 4s. I have a few issues:

My home computer is a Mac. I didn't realize, nor can I find any information that specifically notes this unit is a PC only device (really Denon??) The place I bought it from noted I would also be able to stream movies through this device to my TV (I was thinking Nextflix) but never mentioned the compatibility issue with Mac. Seems very odd the box/manual/web site include specific list of iPods this unit is compatible with, yet it's not Mac friendly. The box and manual show a graphic of a laptop and it's labeled PC/PC. I guess one is to assume from this 'description' that Mac is not supported...

Also when I first dock my iPhone the unit starts playing my downloaded music; not the song thats current but from the beginning of my playlist, each and every time. My phones screen grays out when it plays downloaded music so you cannot select a playlist or song via your iPhone screen, rather you have to forward, song by song, blindly, to find what you wish to listen to. If you have a lot of music on your iPhone, it's a deal killer.

When I have Pandora called up to play, the device will start playing my downloaded music, from the beginning, each and every time, and I have to hit the play button on my iPhone after which downloaded music fades out and Pandora fades in. If you are listening to Pandora the iPhone screen, as one would expect, does show the graphic of the music playing, controls etc...

So... as long as you use your iPhone 4s to listen to Pandora, the device works great! Other than that I'm disappointed the engineers who designed this device couldn't have thought through some of these issues before sending to market, but it was probably the bean counters forcing a schedule on them.

This device works great and is a great addition to a Denon AVR. Works great with iPhone or iPod. Somewhat expensive but well worth the cost for the functionality.

The product (Denon Networking Client Dock with WiFi for iPod by Denon) would not stay on after a couple of months. It initially worked. I Contacted Denon after a few months before the warranty expired and was told that since I didn't buy it from Denon, or an authorized reseller, the product was not covered under warranty. The customer service individual was rude and kept asking for a receipt number. I tried explaining that I bought it on-line through Amazon. I litterly spent 20 minutes on the telephone with customer service and getting no where.

My recommendation, DON'T BUY DENON! products, they are garbage and Denon will not stand behind the warranty.

I purchased this unit with reasonable hopes of a quick and easy setup.
Nope, didn't happen that way. Connecting the unit to my DENON AVR-592 was a breeze, as expected.
The IPod Touch worked well, sounded great, clumsy but funtional menu on the tv was easy to use as well.
However... when I tried to connect the unit to my wireless network I ran into a couple of issues.

The first is that the unit simply would NOT locate any of the wireless routers near by, not mine nor any neighbors, zero , nada. After wasting much time I finally did a reset of the unit by pushing the reset button on the bottom of the unit.
When the unit re started it then could see my router and two others. LOL, with my computer I can see eight. (btw, I live in a typical neighbor hood of single family homes.)

Ok = so now I could finally see my wireless. Problem #2 begins. I enter my security key and then try to connect. Nope, no connection. What?! I go back and review my security key, it's gone! I repeated this process several times and then called customer server. The individual I spoke with was very helpful. However, the security key kept disappearing and we never got it to work. He suggested I exchange the unit for another and declared mine defective. I think I'll just try something else.

Oh! Also, even if I ever did get it to work I would have another, all be it minor, problem. That is that my wireless router uses the 'N' standard while the Denon ASD-51W uses the 'G' standard. You have to stop and ask yourself, "Why is Denon behind on this?"

I am returning the unit today and will rethink the Denon brand for this purpose. I really do like my Denon AVR-591 receiver. It's a terrific value and does a great job. But I am very disappointed in ASD_51W. Sad.