I'm looking to stream music from my computer to my home theater via wireless. Anyone else already doing this with some advice? I'm looking closesly at these two items:
Roku Soundbridge M1000:
http://www.rokulabs.com/products/soundbridge/
Slim Devices Squeezebox:
http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_squeezebox.html
Both are reviewed here:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6531_7-6509113.html
Thanks for any thoughts on these or other devices.
Network Digital Media Players
I haven't used those models, but they should both do what you want. If you want 5.1 sound and video as well be aware that not all the media servers out there do all the formats. Also alot of higher end Consumer units are coming out with media servers of their own such as Integra;
Linkage to good info.
I've used the D-Link DSM-520 and for simplistic use it's a great deal. It also upconverts your lo-def signals to 480P and has optical out as well as SPDIF.
Downside is it's crappy menu system, and it's lack of format support, (pretty limited in the codecs it recognizes), also DRM slows things down, (even Microsoft admits it sucks). Otherwise its pretty good value for the money. It responds to standard Media Center remotes as well.
Myself I would just build a PCHT system, get an wireless RF mouse/keyboard combo, and use a wireless card, (which I did). Streaming Hi-Def over WiFi is iffy at best... so I'm going to wire the PC to the Network for better transfer rates.
Hope this helps.
Linkage to good info.
I've used the D-Link DSM-520 and for simplistic use it's a great deal. It also upconverts your lo-def signals to 480P and has optical out as well as SPDIF.
Downside is it's crappy menu system, and it's lack of format support, (pretty limited in the codecs it recognizes), also DRM slows things down, (even Microsoft admits it sucks). Otherwise its pretty good value for the money. It responds to standard Media Center remotes as well.
Myself I would just build a PCHT system, get an wireless RF mouse/keyboard combo, and use a wireless card, (which I did). Streaming Hi-Def over WiFi is iffy at best... so I'm going to wire the PC to the Network for better transfer rates.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the thoughts. I think I'm looking for a simpler and perhaps less expensive solution than you're involved with. I'm just looking for sound, so I went ahead and ordered the Squeezebox. I'll let you know how it is in about a week (I ordered it 2-day and it's going to take 10 days...um, yeah).
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Mobius
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Hey Genghis, I run an MP101 from Netgear, and a Dynalink Wifi 802.11g AP.
Let me start by saying that I have ditched the Wifi part of the equation, as it is dodgy when you require a 100% connection 100% of the time. The MP101 has a tiny cache, and only retains about 5 seconds of music.
This means the thing kept falling off the network, and stopping in the middle of songs occasionally.
Believe me when I tell you that a music playback system which is not 100% reliable is a pain in the neck.
So, today, I have a \"media server\" which is an ITX platform running the 550MHz VIA processor and a 250GB HDD. It's a silent (fanless) box, and draws 12 watts on average. (As opposed to 160 watts for my old Athlon 650 media server.)
The media server sits underneath the MP101, and is connected via a crappy old 10Mb HUB, but the media server is connected to my network by a WIFI PCI card.
That seems to be very reliable: the system starts and connects much faster via a wired connection than with a WIFI one. There's no drop-offs, and I simply use VNC to connect to the media server if I have to administer it.
Let me start by saying that I have ditched the Wifi part of the equation, as it is dodgy when you require a 100% connection 100% of the time. The MP101 has a tiny cache, and only retains about 5 seconds of music.
This means the thing kept falling off the network, and stopping in the middle of songs occasionally.
Believe me when I tell you that a music playback system which is not 100% reliable is a pain in the neck.
So, today, I have a \"media server\" which is an ITX platform running the 550MHz VIA processor and a 250GB HDD. It's a silent (fanless) box, and draws 12 watts on average. (As opposed to 160 watts for my old Athlon 650 media server.)
The media server sits underneath the MP101, and is connected via a crappy old 10Mb HUB, but the media server is connected to my network by a WIFI PCI card.
That seems to be very reliable: the system starts and connects much faster via a wired connection than with a WIFI one. There's no drop-offs, and I simply use VNC to connect to the media server if I have to administer it.