INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 11 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: Jonathan DA on April 27, 2005, 02:32:05 pm

Title: Wireless audio streaming and multizone
Post by: Jonathan DA on April 27, 2005, 02:32:05 pm

Hello all.  I'm new to MC, but loving it so far, great program.

I want to extend my audio outside the HT to two other zones, and I need to do this wirelessly due to construction issues.  I've gathered that the way to do this is with the UPnP plugin, however I see a lot of issues being reported.  Has anyone found a wireless device that works as advertised 90% of the time?  The Netgear MP101 and Roku devices all seem to have problems.  I haven't seen any comments on the Squeezebox or Linksys Media Center Extender.

Also, when using UPnP and wireless streaming, does multizone audio syncing work?

TIA

Title: Re: Wireless audio streaming and multizone
Post by: Jonathan DA on April 28, 2005, 07:04:58 pm

Bump.

Does no one have a multizone system working with wireless streaming?

Title: Re: Wireless audio streaming and multizone
Post by: rpalmer68 on April 29, 2005, 10:51:38 am

I'm using a Dell Optiplex machine running MC11 in theater view as a  remote zone via a wireless connection.

I have 2 zones (audio cards) running off this PC, the MC library stored locally (I copy it from my server when it changes) and the audio files (WMA lossless) stored on my network server.

I rip all my CD locally on the serer to X:\MUSIC\WMA  and have the X: drive mapped to the same location on the remote PC (so the library can just be copied over).

This works well, you just have to manually update the library, but this isn't  major issue.  I thougt this would work better than trying to use uPnP as it keeps everything in native MC11.

I certainly can't see any reason why you couldn't run 2 PC's each running MC11 pulling ther files off a central server.   

Might be slightly more expensive than getting 2 uPnP devices (although I got my Dell 2nd hand here in Australia for about AU$350 which is cheaper than a uPnP device) , but this solution will provide much more flexible in the future.

Richard

Title: Re: Wireless audio streaming and multizone
Post by: dcpete on May 07, 2005, 02:12:27 am

I've tried the Netgear mp101 and wound up dumping it after getting the HomePod (http://www.macsense.com/product/homepod/).  I really love the HomePod.  It's very well designed.  It looks like an Apple product, but works fine with my Windows system.  Advantages over the mp101 are

1. Built in speakers (although these are not very good)
2. Digital outputs.
3. USB input (1.1).
4. Many Internet Radio stations for free.
5. FM Tuner built in.
6. Open interface for 3rd party developers.
7. It just works better.

I got really lucky and picked one up in a closeout deal for $69.  But now I want another one and can't find them for under $200.

Chris