5.1 Sound Card Delivers 3 Streams of iTunes

An anonymous reader writes "How do you distribute simultaneous streams of DRM-protected iTunes from a single computer to multiple rooms of the house? Autonomic Controls demonstrated a unique solution at the recent Electronic House Expo (EHX). The company's Media Control Server EX software turns a PC with a 5.1 sound card into a three-zone music distribution server. (Add a second card for six outputs). At EHX, the solution was demonstrated with a multiroom audio system from NuVo, whose keypads could be used to browse and select songs, playlists, genres, artists, etc. The Autonomic software merges WMA and iTunes files into a single library for easy access." I have mixed feelings about this: on one hand, this is a really clever idea and a cool hack. On the other hand, the fact that DRM makes something like this necessary is truly infuriating.

Comments

Time is on our side... yes it is.

[imstanny]

I have mixed feelings about this: on one hand, this is a really clever idea and a cool hack. On the other hand, the fact that DRM makes something like this necessary is truly infuriating. DRM has never been a road block to innovation. At worst, it is a nuisance that will eventually be bypassed.

Re:Time is on our side... yes it is.

[Entropius]

I'd rather make my own music than jump through all those DRM hoops.

You can buy a decent used piano, or a nice guitar, for the price of all that stuff. Want music? Go play some.

Re:Time is on our side... yes it is.

[MadnessASAP]

Right because everyone who buys music on iTunes is a retard right? According to Wikipedia iTunes has sold over 4 billion songs and out now the 2nd largest music provider. (Walmart was first) Now I couldn't find the # of individual users but I think you've just called quite a few people idiots. My guess would be they just don't care, they have an iPod and they have iTunes and everything just fucking works they don't care about backing up or fair use they just want to buy some music and put it on their iPod.

Re:Time is on our side... yes it is.

[SlashWombat]

By definition, 50% of the worlds population has an IQ that is "less" than ordinary ... So, yes there are a LOT of idiots out there. Obviously, a fair percentage have also managed to post on various forums out there. :-)

Simple

[jpmorgan]

Whatever happened to the right tool for the right job? Screw iTunes and buy DRM-free music from Amazon.

Re:Simple

[Anonymous Coward]

Or buy DRM-free music from ITMS.

Re:Simple

[stewbacca]

Once you hit that limit, you better hope you have access to the other machines to de-authorize them, otherwise you are stuck with resetting your auth completely (which you can only do once per year, if I remember correctly). This has bitten me more than once. You have to be kidding or exaggerating. Since the first iPod and iTunes v.1.0, I've owned seven iPod devices and six computers with iTunes installed and have never come close to needing to reset my authorizations completely. Five computers and an unlimited number of iPods is MORE than plenty for the overwhelming majority of users out there. Resetting an account one time a year is also very reasonable, in case of that rare time I go through FIVE computers in one year and forget to deauthorize them.

Re:Simple

[mcpkaaos]

You have to be kidding or exaggerating. No, and no. Your use case is not my use case.

Re:Simple

[His Shadow]

You have to be kidding or exaggerating.

There is no amount of whining that is sufficient for some people. If an iPod gave you no strings attached sex for the rest of your life, dorks would complain because it didn't make your breakfast.

Rear 5.1 outputs

[dj245]

The sound chips for those rear 5.1 outputs are often lower quality than the front on many 5.1 sound cards. Something to think about.

Re:Tech just isn't here yet...

[russellh]

I have music throughout my house. . Lots of ceiling speakers indoors, and six outdoor speakers as well. Two amps - one run via iPod, one connected to a computer. It's wired up the good old fashioned analog way. But I suppose you mean and with the ability for any room to have its own different audio. That is still very expensive. And the fact is, I think it is absurd because it just cannot be cost justified versus a bunch of second-hand iPods each sync'd to a common computer. Ok, maybe you have a terabyte of music: well, then, have a few iPods. While I'd love to splurge on some fantastic super automated remote control solution, the bunch-of-ipods solution is still by far cheaper. It's easy and reliable to sync an iPod. Plus you don't need a media server running 24/7 when that one time you really, really need to access it, the network is down or it's crashed. You know it.

Re:Duh!

[Z34107]

Generally, I:

1. Buy a track from ITMS or other DRM-crippled store. (Meh, I'm lazy.)
2. Pirate the same track from a torrent site. I want a better-quality, unencumbered recording.

I argue that they have my $.99, so I should get to listen to what I paid for. Better than just skipping to #2, I think, though it's a legal gray area.

DRM doesn't make it necessary

[mmkkbb]

On the other hand, the fact that DRM makes something like this necessary is truly infuriating.

It's convenient because you can buy one computer and one sound card and have music in three rooms, instead of buying multiple computers or really expensive Sonos appliances.