Music offered by name, artist, album, genre, etc, etc.
Actually, the AudioTron does do all those things by itself, without server software running.
The only real gripe I have with the thing is trying to control it from its remote & reading an LCD 10ft away, but that seems to be a problem common to all non-TV-connected media players.
One other option is to control it via an 802.11 wireless PDA. The AudioTron designers were nice enough to have it serve up a PDA-sized web interface screen in addition to its standard web interface. (note: my AT is connected to a separately-purchased wireless bridge).
There's also a support community (probably nowhere near as big as the SliMP3s', but still) creating apps to make control easier.
Point is, the AT is definitely not a dumb share-scanning device. And after all my research, I hadn't found another no-server-software-req'd alternative with better features. But if someone has found one, I'd love to hear about it!
The reason I went with the Turtle Beach Audiotron instead of this device is because it does not need any kind of back-end server running in order to access music files. This is an issue for me, as all my media is stored on a home NAS (Linksys Gigadrive).
The cool part about the Audiotron is that you simply point it at any SMB shares (thru its built-in web interface) and it'll scan for music on those shares. Works great - with no need for a separate PC working as a middle-man to point to the files.
I also saw Reloaded at the Sacramento IMAX theater. Yes, it was worth it - an awesome experience. Unfortunately, when you blow up the picture that big, you get to see all the bad with the good... like a closeup of Laurence Fishburne's complexion. Ugh.
The money-sucking battery issue led me to buy the MXP100 from E.digital (available from Newegg for 60 bucks). http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-players -mxp-100. html
It has a small, user-replaceable Li-ion battery pack that lasts a good long time (~12hrs).
Note for anyone who has this toy or is considering it: The web page & instructions tell you that music *must* be transferred directly to the device via USB using their software. This was unacceptable to me, and after plenty of email harassment, their tech support told me the trick to make the player recognize music copied directly to the flash card by another means (such as a USB CF card reader): Simply hold the scroll wheel DOWN (not IN) while turning on the device. It will re-scan the CF card and all music will be accessible. The only problem is that this breaks the voice recognition feature (yes, the damn thing can find song names that you say into the microphone! -- but only if music is transferred using their software). On the up-side, I'm sure that this workaround also breaks any DRM "features" that their software could have introduced.:)
Anyway, I've been using the MXP 100 for about 4 months now & highly recommend it. Definitely worth the small price tag.
You're right. It couldn't have been anything "THAT" serious.
Want to know why? Do a google search on SIPRNET.
There's a nice, safe air-gap between your local Internet connection and anything "THAT" serious on military networks.
Definitely "Yawn".
This tech is not that new, and it's really only an issue in the _immediate area_ where the lights are installed.
It's not like a huge jamming device for all the home LANs in the neighborhood.
About a year ago, I was working with some folks who considered putting a 2.4GHz wireless inventory system in a warehouse. We were told the place had this "electrodeless RF lighting", and that there would be interference issues.
That simply eliminated the option of 2.4 systems in *that* building.
Use of 2.4 (phones, etc.) in the surrounding area never became a problem...
-Steve-san
Slashdot Mirror
Music offered by name, artist, album, genre, etc, etc.
Actually, the AudioTron does do all those things by itself, without server software running.
The only real gripe I have with the thing is trying to control it from its remote & reading an LCD 10ft away, but that seems to be a problem common to all non-TV-connected media players.
One other option is to control it via an 802.11 wireless PDA. The AudioTron designers were nice enough to have it serve up a PDA-sized web interface screen in addition to its standard web interface. (note: my AT is connected to a separately-purchased wireless bridge).
There's also a support community (probably nowhere near as big as the SliMP3s', but still) creating apps to make control easier.
Point is, the AT is definitely not a dumb share-scanning device. And after all my research, I hadn't found another no-server-software-req'd alternative with better features. But if someone has found one, I'd love to hear about it!
The reason I went with the Turtle Beach Audiotron instead of this device is because it does not need any kind of back-end server running in order to access music files. This is an issue for me, as all my media is stored on a home NAS (Linksys Gigadrive).
The cool part about the Audiotron is that you simply point it at any SMB shares (thru its built-in web interface) and it'll scan for music on those shares. Works great - with no need for a separate PC working as a middle-man to point to the files.
I also saw Reloaded at the Sacramento IMAX theater.
Yes, it was worth it - an awesome experience. Unfortunately, when you blow up the picture that big, you get to see all the bad with the good...
like a closeup of Laurence Fishburne's complexion. Ugh.
The money-sucking battery issue led me to buy the MXP100 from E.digital (available from Newegg for 60 bucks).s -mxp-100. html
:)
http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-player
It has a small, user-replaceable Li-ion battery pack that lasts a good long time (~12hrs).
Note for anyone who has this toy or is considering it:
The web page & instructions tell you that music *must* be transferred directly to the device via USB using their software. This was unacceptable to me, and after plenty of email harassment, their tech support told me the trick to make the player recognize music copied directly to the flash card by another means (such as a USB CF card reader):
Simply hold the scroll wheel DOWN (not IN) while turning on the device. It will re-scan the CF card and all music will be accessible. The only problem is that this breaks the voice recognition feature (yes, the damn thing can find song names that you say into the microphone! -- but only if music is transferred using their software). On the up-side, I'm sure that this workaround also breaks any DRM "features" that their software could have introduced.
Anyway, I've been using the MXP 100 for about 4 months now & highly recommend it. Definitely worth the small price tag.
You're right. It couldn't have been anything "THAT" serious.
Want to know why? Do a google search on SIPRNET.
There's a nice, safe air-gap between your local Internet connection and anything "THAT" serious on military networks.
Definitely "Yawn". This tech is not that new, and it's really only an issue in the _immediate area_ where the lights are installed. It's not like a huge jamming device for all the home LANs in the neighborhood. About a year ago, I was working with some folks who considered putting a 2.4GHz wireless inventory system in a warehouse. We were told the place had this "electrodeless RF lighting", and that there would be interference issues. That simply eliminated the option of 2.4 systems in *that* building. Use of 2.4 (phones, etc.) in the surrounding area never became a problem... -Steve-san