Mark Fontana
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Aug 26, 1999
- Messages
- 83
- Real Name
- Mark
If you've been looking for a solution to transmit digital music from your computer to your home stereo system, you should check out the RCA Lyra Wireless RD900W, which is currently on closeout for under $25 at buy.com and overstock.com (search for RD900W). It's been the top-selling electronics item on buy.com since last week. Rumor has it that RCA is discontinuing this product.
I've bought several of these already, and they work great. The transmitter side plugs into your computer's USB port and presents itself as a new USB soundcard. You select it as the output device for Windows or in your player software (WINAMP etc.) -- no device drivers are needed. Then, you plug the receiver into your stereo using RCA cables. Alternatively, you could plug a set of powered speakers directly into the back of the receiver.
The resulting signal quality is terrific... as an engineer, I've done some poking at this device and believe it transmits the audio digitally (not as an analog broadcast) as 16 bit stereo samples at rates of up to 48 KHz.
The RD900W also comes with an RF remote control for controlling playback from anywhere in your house. The remote also has infrared support to double as a non-learning universal remote.
There are some downsides-- no display of song titles on the receiver side, no coaxial or optical output, etc. But for under $25, this thing is a great deal.
As shipped, the remote only works with a limited number of apps, such as MusicMatch, but I've reverse-engineered the protocol and plan to write a plug-in for WINAMP. The same could probably be done for iTunes...
I've bought several of these already, and they work great. The transmitter side plugs into your computer's USB port and presents itself as a new USB soundcard. You select it as the output device for Windows or in your player software (WINAMP etc.) -- no device drivers are needed. Then, you plug the receiver into your stereo using RCA cables. Alternatively, you could plug a set of powered speakers directly into the back of the receiver.
The resulting signal quality is terrific... as an engineer, I've done some poking at this device and believe it transmits the audio digitally (not as an analog broadcast) as 16 bit stereo samples at rates of up to 48 KHz.
The RD900W also comes with an RF remote control for controlling playback from anywhere in your house. The remote also has infrared support to double as a non-learning universal remote.
There are some downsides-- no display of song titles on the receiver side, no coaxial or optical output, etc. But for under $25, this thing is a great deal.
As shipped, the remote only works with a limited number of apps, such as MusicMatch, but I've reverse-engineered the protocol and plan to write a plug-in for WINAMP. The same could probably be done for iTunes...
