INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: joh on July 18, 2008, 04:12:42 am

Title: Advice for deck music...
Post by: joh on July 18, 2008, 04:12:42 am: Hello lovers of this absolutely incredible piece of software supported by a great development team and fantastic user group!

I am planning to extend my music outdoors. I would like to have a small box, preferable wlan connected, by the door to my deck on which I'd like to be able to either somehow stream audio from my main MC computer (running a separate zone) or possibly run a client to the MC library server. I plan to connect this "box" to a separate amp and speaker setup for the deck.

All advice on what equipment to buy and how to set it up in MC is very welcome!

Thanks,
Olle
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: adamsp70 on July 18, 2008, 04:35:33 am: IMHO - don't bother with a whole PC + amp setup.

Buy an Airport Express and plug it into some AudioEngine A5 speakers (it has a socket especially for it).

Then install Airfoil on your indoor PC running MC and stream music to the speakers.

Control your tunes using xpTunes (still in beta, but very good) on any web browser (e.g. iPhone, iPod Touch, Windows Mobile device etc).

Looks cool - and sounds fantastic....
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: John Gateley on July 18, 2008, 07:53:26 am: Get a Roku audio only UPnP client, use MC's UPnP server.

j
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: joh on July 18, 2008, 10:14:16 am: Quote from: John Gateley on July 18, 2008, 07:53:26 am
Get a Roku audio only UPnP client, use MC's UPnP server.

Thanks for advice.
I have all my music in APE format - does it work well to have MC convert to something supported by Roku 'on the fly'?
/Olle
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: zxsix on July 18, 2008, 02:02:39 pm: joh. I don't use it often, but I have a Netgear MP101 device. My library is all flac. It converts on the fly just fine prior to streaming. MC's UPNP implementation is darn good, as long as the hardware device you choose follows the standards and doesn't come up with some modified bastardized alteration of a standard (cough) linksys (/cough).
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: JONCAT on July 19, 2008, 11:26:45 am: Can the Audioengine speakers sit outside? Do they make an outdoor model?

Even under a covered deck, if you live in Florida, for example, near a body of salt water, you might want to consider some dedicated outdoor models.

DC
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: glynor on July 19, 2008, 12:25:09 pm: Wow... I hadn't really looked before. That Roku Soundbridge Radio (the wifi one with the built-in speakers) looks pretty nice.
Title: Re: Advice for deck music...
Post by: JONCAT on July 19, 2008, 12:31:09 pm: Quote from: glynor on July 19, 2008, 12:25:09 pm
Wow... I hadn't really looked before. That Roku Soundbridge Radio (the wifi one with the built-in speakers) looks pretty nice.

I was eyeing that a year ago and came close, but went with another airport for the bedroom. It does look nice. I just prefer the front end of the MC gui.....but maybe I'll take another look ;D

dc