Solutions for Streaming Music Throughout Your Home
Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:47PM EDT
See Comments (7)
Reader Bob Rice writes: "I am looking for PC based software which can interface with a whole-house automation system to provide music-on-demand on a room by room basis in our home. I have an MP3 music database on hard drive which I would like to access from multiple points throughout our home. Any recommendations?"
Bob and I actually corresponded for a while over this question, but unfortunately I've come up short on answers. There are many solutions for beaming music from a PC to home theater system. You can check out all kinds of media streaming hardware online (here's a top model), or you can do what I do: Use your TiVo to snag music from your PC. (It also handles photos, great for showing off baby pictures and vacation snapshots.)
But I've come up short on software that integrates with a whole-house automation system, though theoretically this shouldn't be too difficult to pull off. The problem of course is that these kinds of applications exist in rarefied air. People pay big bucks to consultants to set up remote control systems that can open the blinds and turn down the thermostat from anywhere, and there's no reason they shouldn't have a music solution, too.
Bob mentioned DigiAny Gold as a possible solution, and it looks like it might be a possible solution in this case. The key feature is that the program can run as a web server that serves your music to any other system. If your automation system can access a web server, this could work. But, again, we're a little out of my expertise on this one.
I can, however, recommend one solution that lets you play music throughout your home with only one remote, and that's the Sonos Digital Music System. Just place Sonos boxes in every room you want music, along with speakers and an amplifier (or use a Sonos box that has an integrated amp). The awesome Sonos remote lets you access all the boxes individually and supports up to 32 rooms. If your house is bigger than that, well, you ought to be paying someone for tech advice.
My colleague Becky Worley, over at Hook Me Up, has more info on this very issue. Check it out!
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2 Posted by ninjitsui1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:39PM EDT Report Abuse
Terry: Thats probably the cheapiest solution but is not efficient enough to be useful...well for Bob, in this case. I believe that Bob and Chris, out of assumption, are trying to achieve music-on-demand in any room, without 1) having to move the computer/laptop/hard drive to within stereo reciever distance, 2) still have reasonable sound quality as Fm transmitters are not exactly famous for clear sound all the time, 3) You forget that with no remote, means no control of the music without manually changing it at the source. I agree though, $1100 is a high price to pay, and I probably would not get it. Perhaps this is the precursor to someone building a product that does this. By the way, I don't normally respond to comments like this but next time, try making a suggestion without "bashing" the expert. He recommended a solution, its his job, and I'm sure he doesn't mind other suggestions...omitting the bashing.
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3 Posted by mcmillen66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:13PM EDT Report Abuse
I wonder if anyone considered spending around $400 on a good quality wi-fi enabled PDA, then fitting it with a headphone. As long as you have an access point on your main PC and plenty of tunes, you can access them and play them over the PDA. If you want speakers, I think you can get an AC powered portable speaker set that will connect to most PDAs.
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4 Posted by henri_solanki on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:18PM EDT Report Abuse
hmmm im going to tackle this issue on friday and will keep you guys posted on how it turns out.
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5 Posted by cswigginton on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:31PM EDT Report Abuse
Why not look at TwonkyMedia. You can install it on a NAS device or even a Sony PS2 (linux only). For more information, check out: http://www.twonkyvision.com. On the client end, drop a few Roku Soundbridge devices or go dirt cheap with a Netgear MP101. Each room can have total control over what they hear and you'll have the flexibility to implement a wired or wireless lan setup. Plus, the Roku's (http://www.rokulabs.com/) support Internet radio for added variety.
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1 Posted by terryt5231 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:01PM EDT Report Abuse
You guys are completely out of your minds...forget about the Sonos whatever thing...THEY'RE $1100 A PIECE!!! Here's all you need, and you'll only spend about thirty bucks, tops! FM Transmitter. Plug it into your audio out on your PC (or headphone jack) and there ya go. As long as your computer is close enough to your stereo receiver, you'll pick up clear audio from the PC. We're talking about MP3's here right? Who needs $1,000+ equipment for low quality audio files?!? You buy that Sonos thing, you're wasting your money BIG TIME, and you're a sucker. FM Transmitters are the solution to everything! I don't normally respond to articles like this, especially at 1:30 AM, but I couldn't believe what I was reading from this "expert" (^^^)