Media Receivers (1 Viewer)

[mackie]

Anybody using a media receiver? I'd like to get one so that I can listen to my music files on my PC hard drive on my home theater rig. Any suggestions or experiences. Most of my files are saved as WAV files, so the media receiver needs to support this format.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tekara]

I really like the squeezebox, it's fairly effective and it has some great additions like the ability to use a notworked pc as a streaming server and the ability to use a pda as a remote with proper software.

http://www.slimdevices.com

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

The squeezebox is a pretty good drop-in music player for the network.

Another option, although not sure how practical it is for you; I use my Xbox as a media receiver. Unfortunately it requires both that the BIOS on the Xbox is patched to allow you to run unsigned programs (or achieving the same effect with a "mod chip") and finding the software you need for it, Xbox Media Center (http://www.xboxmediacenter.com). If neither of those things frighten you, then you get a truly superb media receiver with an Xbox.

In the US, mod chips may be illegal nowadays, I don't know, so that's worth checking first... It probably is, anything that may potentially be used for copyright violations these days seem to be prosecuted about at the level of genocide and mass murder over there, it seems. But that's another post, on another board.

Not only does an Xbox with XBMC play MP3, wav etc files via a digital out on the Xbox (with the proper HDTV kit for the box), it shows virtually any type video from DVD via DivX, Xvid, MPG... even in 720P if you have a screen that can handle highdef.

XBMC even has a HTTP server built-in via which you can remote control it, ideally from a handheld device with access to the network via Wifi for example.

But of course, all this require a little work to set up, but once you do... bliss.

 

[mackie]

Thanks for the links. I'm not familiar with x-box, but it sounds interesting. The squeezebox looks like a winner. I've been looking at the Roku receivers which has almost the same features as the squeeze box for about the same price. Anyone use a D-Link media receiver?