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Wireless Solutions
This is a great alternative to the sound card. Wireless media servers transmit audio signals via your wireless internet connection. You connect the device to your stereo with analog or digital cables and you have a quick, simple, good quality audio server. Prices are comparable to a good sound card, with advantages being that you don't need to wires running from computer to your stereo, and your computer doesn't need to be anywhere near your stereo. You need a home wireless network(aka 802.11b/g "Wi-Fi") in order to use these devices.
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Apple Airport Express $129 at www.Apple.com
Plug this guy into an electrical outlet near your stereo, and then connect to your stereo with either a digital toslink or analog cable. Then use iTunes to send music from your computer to your stereo. Can also be used as a wireless router/extender for you home wifi network, and a print server. Third party add ons such as remote control and display are available. Compatible with Mac and Windows.
Formats Supported: Mp3, AAC, AIFF, WAV, Apple Lossless.
Read More: Pro Review - Consumer Reviews
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Slim Devices Squeezebox $249 at www.slimdevices.com
Similar in features and price to the Roku Labs M1000, including the display, analog and digital outputs, remote control, etc. but with better native format support. Companion SLimServer software is a powerful opensource tool, offers great flexibility for tweakers and hackers.
Formats Supported: MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC or uncompressed audio (WAV and AIFF).
Read more: Pro Review - Consumer Reviews
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Roku Labs M1000 $249.99 at www.rokulabs.com
Similar Concept to the Airport express, but adds a built in display, remote control, and supports more compression formats, as well as more playback software, including SlimDevices powerful open source SlimServer software. Roku Labs also has several other offering for varying prices.
Formats Supported: WMA, AAC*, MP3, AIFF, WAV, Rhapsody encoded files. *AAC DRM files purchased from the iTunes Music Store (a.k.a. "FairPlay") are not supported. Apple Lossless, FLAC and Ogg-Vorbis supported through third-party SlimServer software.
Read More: Consumer Reviews - More Products from Roku Labs |
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