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Linux Based MP3 Stereo
An anonymous reader noted a story running at LinuxDevices about a vaporous device called Hi-Muse.
It's got its problems (not being available, ugly design) but it's got a lot of potential (a 15 gig hard drive in such a small form factor, built in FM tuner, ethernet port). Personally I'd rather see a standard stereo component sized box, a UI that operates through your television and normal remote, and 30+ gigs, but this one is looking like a great start.
The ability to more directly connect the average music consumer to the people producing the music is always a good thing. The consumer gets music from a wider variety of sources then they would otherwise, and the artist doesn't need to give up as much money to a label or distributor. I don't know about you, but I'd rather buy CD's under those terms then at any outlet at the local mall.
"You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help" -- Calvin
You might want to look at an AudioRequest. It has ethernet, a TV- or front panel-based UI, 30 GB of disk, plus ethernet, etc. etc. The remote works just fine as well. It also does things like automatic freecddb lookups, automatic encoding and catagorizing, plays CD-Rs burned full of MP3s, and lots more.
It's a QNX-based device. But it's all about the right tool for the job, right? I could personally care less whether my AudioRequest runs Linux or not as long as it actually runs. Worth mentioning, I guess.
-B
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Why have an internal hard disk at all? It requires you to distrute the music to the edge. You don't have a backup and what you end up doing is paying for a very expensive hard disk.
/audio or /my music
What you want is the Audiotron.
For the same price, you could put several of them around your house and connect them to the linux computer you already have, which could be the central music server.
Basically, you plug it into your network through it's ethernet port and turn it on. It scans all SAMBA shares for mp3 music in
and lets you select from the IR remote. The output is a SPDIF jack, RCA stereo jacks and a headphone jack. The list price is $299 (cheaper other places).
The only other thing I found was the dell digital audio reciever, but it's totally tied to windows and I think it requires real player installation. It's inexpensive though - $199.
Another interesting one is the harman kardon/zapstation. It can do the same thing, but with video as well. However, if you look deeper into the specs, it's another pile of crap: they try to control everything about the device. You can't load DVD's onto the hard disk, and it incorporates most of the other controlware tactics.
The Ucentric box goes further by allowing you to control the music and other features from a TV UI, or any browser interface. So, you don't need to overhaul the technology that is currently in your home in order to take advantage of New Things. The screen shots on info on Ucentric's homepage isn't very end-user friendly, but if you poke around enough there are some screen shots and additional informations.
There is also DHCP/firewall/router/etc functions built into the box, and the ability to interact with a video feed, plus a handful of other applications built-in.
And, of course, the Ucentric box is based on linux :)
I guess some of it comes down to a mindset of the end-user. Personally, I've got a few nice stereo's or boom boxes in my house, I'd hate to have to buy a new compoent (Hi-Muse, Kerbango, whatever) for *each* one, the Hi-Muse seems like a set-top box for your stereo. Not for me, but maybe others will go for it.
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You must not have heard of the Apex AD-600A and similar products. While it's primarily a DVD player (one that's easily made region-free and Macrovision-free), it also plays MP3 CDs. It looks like any other DVD player, so it blends in with the other stuff in your A/V stack.
20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
Running Linux?
Fully open platform?
I think you want the Nokia Media Terminal - which btw, isn't vapourware and is fully supported by one of the largest companies there is ...
it's in my head
People want standard stereo-sized MP3 components. I agree. What I don't get is why none of the few that I've seen are like this: -Built-in CD-ROM (so it can replace your CD player if you feel like it) -razor-thin (like 4cm) form factor. You don't need much for this thing. -Option of front-panel and TV control. -Built-in ripping capability and a USB port to add a burner. Apart from the form factor, you could just as easily do this with a pizza-box-case PC with a TV-out card, but it would probably be more expensive than would be practical. Come to think of it, that would be a great way to build your own Ultimate Jukebox as well -- all you need is a coinbox and a touchscreen... /Brian
I want something like Scot Hacker described in this article (Be's BeIA-based Aura device, aka HARP, aka Home Audio Reference Platform). Aside from doing everything else that's cool, it will either hook up to it's own LCD panel, or to your TV set, to have full visual GUI for navigation.
Plus you gotta have wireless ethernet, so you and your entire family can stream all their MP3's -- AT THE SAME TIME -- to their Wi-Fi "net speakers," located throughout the house and underwater in the swimming pool. Each net speaker set can be controlled by any Wi-Fi webpad or computer system on your network, of course.
And some people think there's no market for IA's... what visionless morons!
"And like that
Oh great, someone has a walkman / clockradio that more powerful than my PC at home. Geeks have the coolest shit.
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I love the smell of Karma in the morning
I think many geeks, myself included, have been looking for quality MP3 players for our home audio shrin^H^H^H^H^Hsytems for quite some time. All the big audio producers have been so far unwilling to produce such a thing because of the current IP-rights clusterfuck going on between RIAA and the computer industry. While the technology is available and in demand, you can be sure as hell that Sony sure won't produce an MP3 stereo compononent.
This new development is letting the genie out of the bottle, so to speak, even if it is vapour. It lets the people who would otherwise hold off on such a product in favor of handhelds and portables realize that they're about to lose out on a new market. Who's going to be next to make a MP3 component? Diamond? The folks who brought you TIVO?
Sony may never come out with an MP3 component for your stereo system, but you can sure as hell bet that once a demand is evident, it will be met one way or the other.
The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
Maybe not the optimum solution for Uncle Pete in the retirement home, but this *is* 'news for nerds' isn't it? Now if only I wasn't so *nix-impaired, I might be able to keep it from rebooting every week or so :)
Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
The most important thing being, unlike a standard stereo, this may be upgrade friendly. I'd rather buy something where I can take the drive out, and add a larger one later (1TB mp3player/stereo anyone?) than buy a standard component that eventually just gets replaced.
"I want the white stuff, baby! In the middle of an Oreo!" -- "Weird" Al Yankovic