r/playdeadapp

Maybe more of a general nugs question rather than specific to play dead, but why are some shows listed twice? Thinking specifically about the Europe ‘72 shows, but there are a bunch of others. I can’t see anything in the app that explains why/if they’re different.

Is it possible to download shows, playlists, songs, etc on your device for when you have no cell service?

I’m close to pulling the trigger, but frequently travel and canoe camp in areas without service.

How many people are using a DAC with the app? Which DAC are you using? I got myself a Fosi DS2 as it was affordable, had lots of great reviews on Amazon and all the reviews I watched on YouTube also gave it good review, I'm digging it, I'm no audiophile expert (not even close) but I can definitely notice the difference the DAC has made to my listening experience

Does anyone know when new Dave’s Picks will appear on the Play Dead app? My delivery is scheduled for May 7th, and I wanted to stream it while I waited for the CDs to be delivered.

“How come things are so strange around here?”

I may be in the minority, but I think some of the criticism of the Play Dead app misses the larger point.

Nothing has been taken away from longtime fans. Relisten still exists. The Archive still exists. Lossless Legs still exists. Personal collections still exist. If you had access to all of that two weeks ago, you still have it now. Play Dead is not replacing those resources; it is adding another option.

For me, that matters. I own nearly every major Grateful Dead archival release, and even then, the app gives me real value. It gives me access to the last box I didn't buy, the initial batch of new/unreleased shows, and the ongoing weekly additions. At $9.99 for a month, that seems like a pretty easy trial, especially for anyone who wants to hear what is actually there before dismissing it.

I also think the convenience factor is being underplayed. Relisten and the Archive are invaluable, but they are not the same experience. They do not provide the same official release framework, playlist creation, curated display, or consistently mastered presentation. Archive and Lossless Legs can be incredibly rewarding, but fully exploiting them requires some technical comfort: choosing sources, downloading files, understanding formats, organizing metadata, storing files, and then getting everything into your preferred playback system. Many fans can do that. A lot of casual or newer listeners cannot, or simply do not want to.

Play Dead removes much of that friction. It presents the music in a cleaner, official, performance-date-oriented way. It makes out-of-print releases and vault material much easier to browse and hear. The sound quality is excellent. The interface is improving. I have already noticed small display changes, such as how some of the June 1974 Road Trips material is presented, suggesting the app may continue to refine how complicated multi-date releases and bonus material are mapped.

That last point is important. Dead releases are often messy from an archival standpoint. Road Trips releases, bonus discs, partial shows, box sets, compilations, and multi-date releases do not always fit neatly into a standard album model. If Play Dead keeps improving the way these shows are displayed by date, release, and source, it could become much more than a streaming app. It could become a useful official listening archive.

I understand why some Deadheads are wary of another subscription. I also understand the instinct to defend the Archive and the tape-trading culture. But I do not see Play Dead as an attack on that culture. I see it as a premium layer sitting beside it. The free and fan-driven ecosystem remains intact. This simply gives listeners another way in: official, convenient, high-quality, and easier to use.

For serious collectors, it fills gaps and adds unreleased material. For newer fans, it lowers the barrier to exploring the live catalog. For people who listen in the car or want playlists without having to manage files, it is a major convenience. And for $9.99, trying it for a month seems more than fair.

Play Dead is not perfect, and it does not replace the Archive. But as an added option, I think it is much more valuable than some of the early criticism suggests.

For someone really just discovering the majority of the Dead’s live catalogue should I pony up for the app or just stick to Apple Music/Relisten/YouTube?

I want to play this on my home theater system but was reading about the quality when casting from phone. Looked into the WiiM Ultra but read the app does not support Play Dead. Tried the Nugs app on Roku and the content is not there. I'm looking to play this app at the highest quality and am jot sure the best way.

Add your custom playlists to share with others and/or create a separate post with the “playlist” flair to make it easier for others to find!

I'm loving the app so far

I visited a sports shop two days ago to find fitness swimwear. I wanted something affordable and comfortable. But when I checked the swimwear I felt disappointed. Some were cheap but low quality. Some were good but expensive. I could not trust them. I could not decide confidently.

Then I visited another shop in the same area. Some swimwear looked better but prices were still high. Some were affordable but not supportive. Some seemed perfect at first but wore out quickly. I remembered I used swimwear before that was not good for training. That made me hesitate even more.

To check more variety and options while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba I found many fitness swimwear options. Some were affordable and durable. Some were simple and low price. Some had better support and comfort. There were many options available. This made me excited but also confused again.

it feels that I go out of mind when I have huge number of options. Now I am thinking should I trust online fitness options or local stores for real training use? What would you do in my place?

That’s the post

I created a sub r/playdeadapp for people to just discuss the app. Maybe the developers will take it over. Maybe you want to take it over? I do not know what I’m doing but I see posts about the app on r/gratefuldead and r/nugs and thought it would be nice to have a deadicated spot to share feature requests, playlists, Dead Drops, and the like.

I’ve listened to three of these MSG dead drops so far, and it’s a decent run! I’m glad I’m finally liking late-period Dead as I imagine the Dead Drops will lean toward the later years. Looking forward to tomorrow's drop.

In an absolutely abhorrent move, Nugs has implemented Widevine DRM to protect the PlayDead streams. This is what HBO and Netflix use to encrypt their video streams. What this means is that folks who use devices with open Android systems (Almost every hi-res digital audio player) like Fiio, iBasso, Shanling, etc. are excluded from using the service. For a service that’s biggest flex is the 24 bit hi res masters, the decision to ice out the customers trying to use the service to its full potential is.. a choice. Not a single other major music streaming service does this, I can use Apple Music, Qobuz, and any other app I can name on my DAPs without issue. All except the Grateful Dead app. Everyone who takes hi res audio seriously should avoid this service.

Hello, has anyone been able to confirm the actual sample rate the play dead app will stream at? Thanks