Wireless audio

[RogerS]

Thought I'd share this magical little gizmo with you.

The missus spends a lot of time in the garden listening to the radio but often we miss out on programmes. The BBC offers a Listen Again facility for many programmes. Problem...how to get it into the garden and playable on the tranny.

Solution...USB wireless stereo audio transmitter...for £20..plug it into the computer, navigate to the BBC and away you go.

And, of course, you can listen to any music you've got on your PC as well.

Brilliantly simple.

 

[Noel]

Roger, more details please. Sounds very handy.

Noel

 

[RogerS]

Happy to oblige

 

[AndyBoyd]

In the same way I'm now hooked to BBC Radio podcasts - sysnched to my iPod via Itunes.

They have even started doing old Paxers and the crew on Newnight, very handy for us away from home Brits.

I presume on your system you must go to the PC play the audio file then rush to the radio tuned to the appropraite frequency - the price is certainy cheaper than my 60GB Video iPod!! :roll:

 

[andrewm]

Of course, if you have a WiFi network you could alway use one of these. Expensive but good for all those 'just want to look it up on Google but can't be bothered to boot up the PC' moments.

And, no I don't have one but have been tempted on several occasions. Unfortunately it fails the 'is it more expensive than a Lie Nielsen' test

Andrew

 

[RogerS]

Just did a quick and dirty range check. Signal in the car finally went about 300 yds away so be warned what you play!

 

[stewart]

Hi Roger
this is the perfect solution for my wife - simple question coming up....do you only need to use an ordinary radio and if so how do you tune it in.
Feeling a little confused

Cheers Stewart

 

[RogerS]

Stewart ..it's dead simple to use.

Computer (PC or Mac) > USB port > Linex wireless audio device >which broadcasts on one of seven selectable FM frequencies from 88MHz to 89.2MHz > FM transmission > any FM radio tuned to the same frequency.

The only little niggle I sometimes get, and nothing to do with the Linex, is that my USB hub introduces a tone and so I have to plug the Linex directly into the Mac USB port.

Works a treat.

 

[stewart]

Many thanks, Roger
will order one today!
Cheers
Stewart

 

[RogerS]

Wondered how many of you have got one of these? The problem that I have is that the Swann powered USB hub that I use sometimes introduces an audible background tone and so I have to plug the wireless gizmo directly into the Mac..bit of a pain.

is anyone else using a powered USB hub and if so any problems? Recommendations?

 

[chiba]

Drifting off topic a little, my wireless audio solution is to use an Airport Express behind my hi-fi, then a cool little bit of web server software on my Mac that lets me control iTunes from my Playstation Portable, complete with album art. So, you now know the total overkill, utter geek solution, eh? :roll:

 

[ByronBlack]

Chiba - sounds like a great solution!

I'm currently running apache on my macbook - will that work or do you use a different web server?

 

[chiba]

I'm currently running apache on my macbook - will that work or do you use a different web server?

I paid a few quid and use CoverBuddy. I think there are some free versions now though.

If you don't currently have an Airport Express lying around, then you can just run a cable. If I hadn't, I'd have probably got a Squeezebox. Seems like a cleaner solution, albeit without the album art. They even give away a software version of the Squeezebox to play with, which I have on my iBook so I can stream music from iTunes on my iMac. Works fine. You basically just need to run their (free) server on your iTunes machine. If you then poke a hole through to your LAN you can even listen to your iTunes library while you're at work... ahem.

 

[ByronBlack]

Chiba, that squeezebox looks like a nice solution.

Does anyone know if you can get wireless speakers? I.e no cable from the amp to the speakers?

 

[chiba]

Does anyone know if you can get wireless speakers?

Yes, you can, but they're not hi-fi quality as yet. IIRC, Logitech make a surround sound set that includes some.

Urk. Really must sleep!

 

[RogerS]

iTunes 7.0.1 - warning.....loads of people (including myself) have had major problems with this upgrade ..as in losing the library, losing your purchased music, unable to communicate with your iPod.

I've reverted back to 6.0.4...Apple can keep their video add-ons :twisted:

 

[ByronBlack]

Roger, sorry your having problems with the new itunes, i've been running it for a while now and so far so good - some of the interface seems a little slow to work sometimes, but other than that its been great, love the new album art views on the library now, and the podcast and ipod sections for me have been great.

You do have a backup of your music I hope?

 

[RogerS]

It was renamed as part of the iTunes upgrade so i was able to revert back without any problems. I also use iMusicLiberator to copy from my iPod.

 

[user 2070]

It might be a little unclear what the legal status of these devices is.

It seems that (according to OFCOM) you can buy (specifically i-pod f-m adaptors "i-trip") but would be a criminal offence to use one until they say so - which is not yet!

Here is their page: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/mofaq/rcomms/itrip/

Curious?....that the law permits sale of things whose use is regarded as illegal!

However, having said all of that, it seems OFCOM appears confident it will say "yes" in time for Christmas.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39283881,00.htm

The sting in the tail might be that OFCOM only permit certain models (which comply with their low power demands).

Simon