October 2004
Based on evidence like the RIAA's apoplectic reaction whenever someone utters the term "MP3," and the huge popularity of devices like the iPod, we've come to the conclusion that many of our PC-owning readers couldn't care less about processing words, crunching numbers, or presenting PowerPoint slides. Instead, they -- and maybe you -- view the system's hard drive as a particularly space-efficient place on which to store music that would otherwise be weighing down a wall's worth of floor-to-ceiling shelves.
Getting the music on to that hard drive is, at least within the context of this story, your business. Getting it off the drive is what we're about here, for as good as your PC's speakers might be, it's probable that you've got better ones connected to a full-fledged stereo or home theater system. The goal, then, is to move the music from the PC to that system, so you can enjoy it in the comfortable surroundings usually associated with stereo systems and home theaters.
One way to do this is by running a standard audio cable from the sound card's output to the system's input. That will work, but it's a little too "mom's basement" for our tastes. The better approach is to extend the reach of your network--Ethernet or WiFi--so that it includes your audio or home theater system. We tested ten streaming media receivers designed to do just that. Most of the receivers we tested are designed to connect to the system using either WiFi or a standard Ethernet cable. There are, however, exceptions: one is cable-only, while another is WiFi-only. Two use PC Cards rather than onboard WiFi modules; one of those requires that you supply the PC Card.
In addition to streaming music, some of these receivers can deliver video and/or still images to a TV screen. What's important to know about these audio/video models is that they must be connected to a TV in order to work. That's because they use the TV as part of the user interface. The streaming video aspect of these receivers works reasonably well, but our inclination would be to spend $100 on a DVD burner and create disks of any material we wanted to view on the TV. For music, though, a streaming media receiver provides the ideal means to get those tunes out where you can listen in comfort.
ADS Tech Media-Link
The ADS Tech Media-Link experience begins badly, with a setup procedure
that's the most complex we've encountered in a streaming media server. This is
due in part to the inherent design, and in part to its mediocre instructions.
Fortunately, procedures that would likely stump the average user should be well
within the coping capabilities of anyone reading a magazine called PC Upgrade.
Once the setup ordeal is completed, the Media-Link transforms into one of the
better streaming media servers we've reviewed.
The Media-Link is an audio/video receiver, and as such must be connected to both a TV and a sound system. The screen is an integral part of the user interface, and in addition to displaying drive-based media it can deliver internet-sourced streaming content and web pages. Multiple data streams can be sent to the Media-Link, allowing it deliver a slide show to the screen, and background music to the audio system.
ADS Tech equips the Media-Link with a full gamut of outputs: composite, S-video, component, and DVI ports deliver video to the screen, while the standard RCA analog audio outputs are augmented by both coaxial and optical digital ports. The roster of supported audio and video formats is equally impressive. It can play WAV, MP3, ACS, WMA, and AAC audio files, display JPEG, BMP, GIF and PNG still images, and stream MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MOV, AVI, DivX, and Xvid video files.
The Media-Link's streaming video capabilities are enhanced by its high-speed 802.11g transceiver, which is delivered as an upgrade-friendly PC Card. An Ethernet port is also available, for hard-wired connection to the network.
Once past the setup stage, the ADS Tech Media-Link is a first-class performer. It's easy to use, has a comprehensive feature set, and works flawlessly. Better documentation would eliminate our reservations about recommending it to computer novices, but once you've set it up for her, even your mom will love the Media-Link.
cd3o c300
cd3o's c300 sits at the top of a three-model line of streaming audio-only
receivers. If you've an Ethernet cable near the stereo system, the wired-only
c100 drops the price to an impulse-friendly $99. Upping the ante to $149 buys
the 802.11b-capable c200, while the top model's premium brings an extended-range
antenna and two digital audio outputs to the party.
The nature of the c300's interface requires that it be hard-wired to the network during its configuration. An Ethernet cable is provided for that purpose, and the well-written Quick Installation Guide makes setup a snap. Once the c300 is configured, you unplug it from the network, connect it to the audio system, and let the 802.11b transceiver do the talking.
The PC-based software works very smoothly, searching the hard drive for music files and creating a library that can be browsed using the standard tag-based criteria. If you've already got a music player, the c300's software won't interfere with its operation and can used any standard playlist files you might have already created.
The need for a hard-wired connection during configuration is rooted in the c300's lack of an onboard visual interface. In its place, cd3o has provided Voice-Guide audio feedback, which is delivered through the sound system's speakers. When you make a selection using the remote control unit, it is confirmed by a comforting voice. Thanks to the remote's thoughtful design, this process--which seems awkward in the telling--works very well. Dedicated buttons provide one-touch access to the ID3 tag-based categories, while alphanumeric browsing within categories is facilitated by an excellent pattern-matching routine.
The c300 worked very well during our tests, streaming MP3, WMA, and WAV files without a hitch. The interface takes some getting used to, but it responds quickly and without surprises. If your stereo isn't too far from the wireless router, and you don't care about digital outputs, save $50 and go for the c200. Either way, though, cd3o delivers the goods.
Creative Wireless Sound Blaster
As the best-known player in the PC audio arena, Creative must have felt a
strong urge to make its first streaming media receiver something special.
Cutting to the chase, we can say that the company succeeded in meeting this
supposed goal. The Wireless Sound Blaster is an 802.11b-based receiver whose
setup and operation are as close to foolproof as you're likely to encounter.
Setup is, in fact, automatic if there's only one wireless network available, and
it's not encrypted. Otherwise, you'll have to connect the device to the PC via
the USB channel in order to select the network and enter the WEP key. This is
the only odd aspect of the Wireless Sound Blaster's design. Had Creative
provided an Ethernet jack instead of the USB port, the device could be used in
either wired or wireless model.
The Wireless Sound Blaster connects to the audio system via its RCA analog or S/PDIF optical digital outputs. Its software searches the hard drive for MP3 and WMA files, but doesn't play WAV files or internet radio streams. What sets the device apart from the competition is the user interface. Where the majority of receivers use either an onboard display or a TV screen, the Wireless Sound Blaster places a large 132x64 pixel LCD panel on the remote control unit. This eliminates the visibility issues inherent in onboard displays, and allows music selections to be made while you're lounging on the sofa, rather than squatting by the receiver. In fact, the receiver doesn't even have to be in sight, for the remote communicates with it via RF--with a 32-foot range--rather than the more common infrared spectrum. Music can be chosen based on standard ID3 tag fields or by selecting playlists, in standard format, created at the PC. The Creative software also generates its own "smart" playlists, based on previous selections.
The Wireless Sound Blaster passed all of our ad hoc usability tests with flying colors. The display is very legible, the remote's controls are arranged with reasonable logic, and the system responds very quickly. We might prefer the option of a wired connection, and hope that Creative updates the software to support internet radio, but otherwise we have no complaints.
D-Link MediaLounge DSM-320
D-Link's attractively priced and enormously flexible DSM-320 is an
audio/video receiver that communicates with the WiFi network via an onboard
802.11g adapter. The device can handle just about any video, audio, and image
file you might have on the hard drive. The video list includes MPEG1/2/4, AVI,
and Xvid formats; audio compatibility encompasses MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG Vorbis, and
AIFF formats. You can create slides shows from images in the JPEG, JPEG2000,
TIFF, GIF, BMP, and PNG formats.
Beyond playing disk-based media, the DSM-320 was the first device in its class to be able to stream the 175 stations that make up Radio@AOL. Subsequent firmware updates have expanded the DSM-320's online capabilities to include the Rhapsody and Napster services. Owners of early samples will be glad to know that these updates occur automatically. As Digital Rights Management schemes become more and more intrusive, questions arise about playback compatibility. To deal with this issue, D-Link has endowed the DSM-320 with Microsoft's PlaysForSure certification. This guarantees that any purchased media carrying the PlaysForSure logo will be usable through DSM-320. The device also complies with Intel's Intel's Networked Media Product Requirements (INMPR) standard. When used in conjunction with another UPnP AV media device (such as D-Link's own DSM-604H Ethernet drive) that device can act as a server, eliminating the need for a PC.
The DSM-320 can connect to its associated TV via S-video, component, and composite outputs. The audio is delivered through standard RCA analog outputs as well as both types of digital output. Should your plans call for a long-term stay in, say, England, the DSM-320 can be switched to PAL operation. Setup is a snap, thanks to wizard-based PC software and excellent screen-assisted hardware configuration. Our test unit recognized the presence of three wireless networks, but it took just a moment to select the appropriate one and enter its password. Everyday operation is equally simple, thanks to the unit's fine remote and well-designed menus. An on-screen keyboard can be invoked for text entry. Given its attractive price, exceptional flexibility, and ease of operation, we can't imagine anyone being unhappy with D-Link's MediaLounge DSM-320.
Hauppauge MediaMVP As you might infer from its two-digit price, Hauppauge's Media MVP connects to the network via a standard Ethernet cable, or directly to a host PC via a crossover cable. It's an audio/video receiver, intended for connection to a TV for both user interface and display purposes. Hauppauge makes the point that the MediaMVP is Linux-based device, which will be moot for most users. However, the design of the box allows the more technically oriented user to create custom interfaces for display on the TV by making HTML pages on the PC. As might be expected in a receiver at this price point, the MediaMVP has a limited port complement. Composite and S-Video outputs are provided for the TV connection, while the audio output is limited to a pair of stereo RCA jacks.
The MediaMVP can play MP3 and WMA files on the hard drive, along with any internet radio station that's directly accessible via a URL. The list of compatible video formats, formerly limited to MPEG-1 and 2, was recently expanded to include DivX movies.
Setup is a snap, and once the PC-based software indexes the media on the hard drive operation is smooth and quick. You can bypass the indexing process and select media directories using the MediaMVP itself, but doing so can be very time-consuming as thumbnails images must be created before the media can be accessed. You can choose to play all of the songs in a folder, or select individual songs by their file names. Oddly enough, you can't select music using ID3 tag data. This is odd because the device has to use that data to display the title, artist, and album of the song being played. Fortunately, the MediaMVP supports standard playlists for music selection.
The MediaMVP works very well, delivering rock-solid video and still images, and smooth audio to the home theater. It's got some operational quirks, but those are more than mitigated by the low price.
Hewlett Packard ew5000
HP's beautifully crafted ew5000 Digital Media Receiver connects to the network
using an onboard 802.11b adapter. It streams MP3 and WMA music, and still -- but
not moving -- images to the connected entertainment system. RCA outputs sends
the signal audio to the receiver or amplifier, while composite and S-Video
outputs are available for the video signal. The PC-based software (which can be
installed on as many PCs on the network as have files you want to hear or view)
is easy to install and configure. By default, it uses the My Music and My
Pictures folders on the PC, along with the Playlist folder of MusicMatch
Jukebox, if that program is on the system. Up to five folders (and all of their
subfolders) can be selected for synchronization with--and, thus, access by--the
ew5000. Once all of the hardware and software is installed, an on-screen setup
wizard makes it simple to configure the network settings, including WEP
passwords.
The compact remote control works in concert with the onscreen display to provide access to music. You can scroll alphabetically to find an artist, album, or genre, but that gets old pretty quickly if you're a big Widespread Panic fan. A better way is to take advantage of the on-screen keyboard. Ideally, though, you'll have created lots of playlists, and use them to initiate playback.
The slide show feature plays files back in alphabetical order. If slide shows are going to be a big part of your life, a better approach is to create "theme" folders and copy the appropriate images to them, renaming them with numerical prefixes. At the same time, you could resize them to VGA resolution, so they look better on the TV. Bonus: during a slide show, pressing the remote's print buttons delivers the current picture to the host PC's default printer.
The ew5000 does a terrific job with music, and once you've dealt with the file name situation, a good job with slides. If music is your primary concern, similar dough will buy a receiver that doesn't require the use of a TV to operate. Conversely, if you're connecting to a TV, you might as well get a receiver that can stream movies as well. In all, the ew5000 is very good at what it does, but what it does is either too much or not enough.
Linksys WMLS11B
What we have here is a streaming music receiver that can do double duty as
an AC- powered boom box. In the latter connection, it uses a pair of clip-on
speakers of mediocre quality, but which are certainly be adequate for backyard
barbecue background music. When connected to a sound system, either via analog
or Toslink digital cable, the sound quality is fine, and given the reasonable
price of the package it's best just to think of the speakers as a bonus.
The WMLS11B connects to the host PC using its onboard 802.11b adapter or an Ethernet cable. Thanks to good, step-by-step instructions, the challenge of setting up the receiver will be well within the capabilities of anyone who's already established a wireless network. The PC-based server uses MusicMatch Jukebox as its core application, and can stream WAV, MP3, and WMA files that are selected using ID3 tag fields or standard playlists. The WMLS11B also plays internet radio, using a Vtuner that can access more than 1,000 stations. It also supports the fee-based Rhapsody service, which adds an every-increasing list of songs--which now approaches a quarter-million titles--to the library.
Our experience with the WMLS11B was highly satisfying, as we were able to use it outdoors, in stand-alone mode, on some of the last temperate evenings of the season. It moves easily between environments, and even when placed relatively far from the WiFi hub maintains a firm lock on the signal.
NetGear MP101
Network specialist NetGear has come up with a reasonably priced 802.11b
receiver that offers good basic performance and a couple of nice extras. Its
setup and configuration are aided by good documentation, and once the server
software had identified and indexed the songs on the host PC's hard drive
operation was simple and quick. Connection to the sound system is analog-only,
via RCA outputs. There's also a mini-jack which allows direct connection to
headphones or even a set of self-powered speakers. The omission of a digital
output is not a big deal considering that the source material is going to be
less-than-pristine MP3 files anyway. If you don't have enough of those files on
the hard drive, the MP101's support for Rhapsody could be of interest. A few
bucks a month for that service increases the size of your library to include,
well, almost every song ever.
A four-line display on the front panel is used to select music. It's legible enough from a few feet back, but isn't conducive to sitting across the room and playing DJ. Dedicated buttons on the remote make it simple to select playlist, artist, and track. In fact, the remote is among the best we've encountered.
The MP101 performed very well during our tests. Once a connection was established, it was never lost, and the music stream sounded fine. On a couple of occasions the receiver wasn't unable to find the server, but forcing a reboot by unplugging the power for a few seconds always fixed it. We suspect that a firmware update will eventually solve this for good, but in the meantime it shouldn't be a major concern.
Prismiq MediaPlayer
The Prismiq MediaPlayer differs from the majority of its competitors in two
important respects. The first is that its support for wireless connectivity
requires that you buy a WiFi PC Card, choosing an 802.11a, b, or g model from a
list of more than 24 possibilities. On one hand, this makes the MediaPlayer one
of the costlier models in its class; but on the other, it means that if you can
conveniently run a standard Ethernet cable to your home entertainment system,
you don't have to pay for a radio that's not being used. The MediaPlayer's
second unusual characteristic is the availability of a wireless keyboard. This
means that the MediaPlayer can be used for web surfing as well as media
streaming. Its bag of tricks also includes the ability to stream internet radio
feeds.
We plugged a handy 802.11g PC Card into the MediaPlayer and wired it up to our home theater system for testing. It connects to the TV via composite or S-video, and to the sound system using analog RCA outputs or a coaxial digital output. No component video or optical audio outlets are provided. Thanks to good instructions and well-designed on-screen menus and prompts, we had the system up and running in a very few minutes. The PC-based software creates an index of all the audio, video, and still image files on the drive as part of the setup process. The remote control is used to move a cursor arrow on the TV screen, making it very easy to select material to be streamed. If the PC has a broadband connection, you can also set up an ongoing feed of news, local weather, and stock market prices.
The MediaPlayer delivered rock-solid video playback, with nary a hiccup, and breezed through our music and still images without working up a sweat. Prismiq didn't send a keyboard, but we'd be inclined to buy one: there's nothing quite like surfing the web from a comfy recliner.
Slim Devices Squeezebox
The Squeezebox is an audio-only streamer whose ease of setup and operation,
rock-solid reliability, and obvious high quality easily justifies its relatively
high price. The receiver itself is housed in a beautifully crafted matte black
enclosure whose front panel is dominated by a bright dot-matrix fluorescent
display. The display's text can be set to any of four sizes, and the brightness
is adjustable so as not to be overwhelming in a dark room. The receiver's output
complement consists of standard RCA analog jacks and both optical and coaxial
digital ports.
The SlimServer software which streams music to the Squeezebox must be downloaded from Slim Devices' web site. This assures that the latest version will be installed on the host computer. The installation process will, if necessary, also update the receiver's firmware. The software automatically finds music and playlist files that are in Windows' default folders. You can specify a different location, but only one folder hierarchy is supported directly. Files stored in other folder hierarchies can be made part of the Squeezebox library by placing shortcuts to those locations in the main folder. The software's capabilities go far beyond simply delivering music to the Squeezebox. It can, for example, stream the music library over the internet to another PC, where it can be heard using iTunes or Winamp. It also links to iTunes, so any file placed in that program's library is automatically available to the Squeezebox. In addition to disk-based files in the MP3, WMA, AAC, Apple Lossless, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WAV, and AIFF formats, Squeezebox can play MP3-based internet radio stations.
Hardware installation and configuration is as close to automatic as matters. The receiver recognized our wireless network, prompted for a password, and was up and running in less than 90 seconds. We could select music by song, album, and playlist, and could add more items to the playlist on the fly. Playback was clear and free from stutters: the absence of a nearby CAT5 cable was the only way to know the device was operating over WiFi. Slim Devices has gotten it right with the Squeezebox.