Notebook to SN wireless conn, what do I need?

Airport express, appletv or Squeezebox.

Thanks Garyi.
I am only not sure if my router support Airport Express 802.11n standard. I think it's only 802.11g. Also, can I use AE with Windows platform?

Thanks,
Oz

Any of the devices I mentioned will happily work with your router.

All will work with windows just fine, however AppleTV and Express needs itunes.

The squeezebox will also need server software on the computer.

For my money and express with an ipod touch to control is a pretty impressive package for a couple of hundred quid.

Thanks Garyi.

I've checked on the internet and I understand the whole thing.

I see couple of options, but if I could find them in one product, that would be great.

I also have an external 500GB USB hard disk with loseless format music on it. So, from what I see on Apple and Squezeebox, it would be fantastic to have an option in which I can connect my hard disk to some unit like Apple offers in Airport Extreme AND not need to use computer for any operation, but only a remote like from Squezeebox Duet combo.
As Squeezebox is closer to that, can I connect hard disk via USB to Squeezebox?

Am I too optimistic?

Thanks,
Oz

No, you cannot do this with any of these devices. There is a device from Netgear that will allow you to do this, but I cannot vouch for its quality.

Squeezebox can work with some NAS (network attached storage) devices, but this is not what you own.

The apple tv can store 160gigs of music on its internal harddrive. All you would need to do is sync it the once with your itunes on your computer then the computer would not need to be on.

The downside to this is itunes does not recognise FLACs so you would have to convert them to use in itunes.

quote:

Originally posted by garyi:
The downside to this is itunes does not recognise FLACs so you would have to convert them to use in itunes.

I understand, thanks.
Look what I found http://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/windows/
This thing allows you to send any audio format to Airport Express

Oz

Yup, very handy application which I purchased.

If you have a flat screen TV in the room the AppleTv will do a whole lot more for 200 quid as well

Sure it is.

Well, all this is really a bit too complicated. I found wireless router with digital output
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2...mon%2FVisitorWrapper

It cost only 25$. Problem solved, no need for all this expensive, complicated and limited solutions.

Oz

meh, maybe, but you will still need your computer on all the time in order to use it, something you were unsure on.

Moreover you are going to have to be infront of the computer in order to pick the music you want to play as well.

I think you are going to be very disappointed with that device, typically the cheap things are what put people off doing anything worthwhile!

Yup, Airfoil is great. I use it to watch movies on my laptop and stream the audio wirelessly and in sync with the picture (very important!) to my hifi.

Lefty

FWIW, one of my more tech-savvy friends has the linksys music bridge (which effectively functions like a wireless soundcard I believe, which in and by itself is annoying), and is not happy with the performance at all. Buggy/slow software, takes forever to buffer, tends to drop the stream often, etc. He's tried two different ones now (incase the first one was faulty), but same issues cropped up both times.

I use a dell laptop with windows vista to stream music to an airport express, and I think that it works really well. I use the ipod touch remote app if I have guests and don't want my laptop lying around on my coffee table. My music is on the laptop's HD (but backed up on an external HD).

I like garyi's appletv idea - but if the 160gb storage isn't enough or you don't have a TV near your hi fi, what about using a wireless harddrive/router like apple's time capsule in conjunction with an airport express? The time capsule can function like the base station for your network and then the AE will stream to your hi fi. This is something I'm considering doing if I ever get around to ripping all my CD's in a lossless format.

My CDX2 is still my primary source though. The streaming thing is typically used for background music, internet radio, parties, etc.

Unfortunatly to use it in that configuration you need a computer on somewhere. The time capsule can store the music, but the computer acts as the server.

Thanks a lot guys for putting this up.

One thing comes to my mind in the meantime and that is HDD media player. It's actually a hard drive box in which can fit any HDD. Enclosure have a lot of outputs on the back like HDMI, RGB, LAN, dig. audio out, additional USB ports and so. What is important is that the box have also LAN support, so you don't need to move HDD around if you want to update the archive. Also, to exclude use of any monitor, TV or computer, HDD box have display.

What do you think of that option?

Oz

Well its getting pricy now though. If you are in that territory I would recommend a mac mini with XMBC installed on it.

There are plenty of devices out there but make sure you get the shimmy on them because it comes down to the interface, and if the interface is crap you will not have a good experience.

If the primary impediment is not wanting a clunky computer lying around your living room, what about buying a small, unobtrusive one dedicated to music duties, which you can just leave on in the sleep mode permanently? Just needs to run windows and have wi-fi. I was thinking one of the 8-9 inch "netbook" type machines. I believe HP and Dell make some in the US$500 range.

It basically becomes a slightly oversized remote - all you have to do is give it a few seconds to "wake up" once you pop open the lid and away you go. Acts as the server while all the music resides on your time capsule etc type device.

But then this is all getting very expensive indeed...

hello oz, i have all my music on a 2TB NAS drive. its streamed wirelessly via airport express and a small toshiba tecra M9 laptop running vista bussiness premium

all my wireless network is 802.11N rated and works very well. i have recently upgraded my nas to a netgear SC101T which is a gigabit NAS drive. the router is a netgear DG834N and with the latest firmware it supports WDS which allows you to connect the airport express as an access point to extend the wireless network.

i dont have a computer running all the time. i just start the laptop up but the NAS is running 24/7 which goes into sleep mode after 15mins of no interection. you can get this nas drive for £110. i have two 1TB samsung spinpoint HDD which cost £110 each also the AE is £65. the laptop is around £500 - which i got for free through work and use this like a remote. you could always get something much smaller that has a 6" touch screen and runs windows XP or vista as you dont need to store anything on it but you'll need to get an external optical device to rip your discs with.

funnily the netgear router was also £110 so all in the network media playing solution will be around £400-500 without the laptop

just transfered my tunes over to the new NAS mentioned above. just tried ripping wirelessly and it has without any error or loss of data.... seams this new nas is very very good. well worth the £110