Wireless home network to share music
Much to the chagrin of the recording industry and musicians -- although they only receive a tiny percentage of the royalty -- MP3 players are everywhere nowadays. As advancements in audio digital technology has caused much loss in revenue for the industry, the public acceptance of the MP3 audio compression standard has brought music piracy to new heights.
As has happened repeatedly, there is not much people can do to stop the evolution of technology: On our personal computers we can now watch TV broadcasts and listen to radio programs online, play back MP3 files that we have downloaded from the Internet. There is no limit to our options when it comes to technology and entertainment.
Most of us are probably familiar with the MP3. This audio compression technology can reduce the size of an audio file to only one-tenth to one-fifteenth of its original size -- which is a CD-ROM can carry more than 100 song titles.
The MP3 player has gone down in price while its storage capacity keeps on expanding. MP3 playback is even available as an added feature on cheap, made-in-China VCD players; MP3 players also come with Flash memory products like thumb drives.
The MP3 has also been installed as a feature in automobile stereo systems, and more and more cell phones come equipped with the MP3 function, too. While stand-alone MP3 players like Apple's iPod and Creative Nomad have become widely popular, MP3 players are continually being added to almost every other entertainment and productivity tool.
Now, people want MP3 audio and music throughout their homes. While we may think that connecting our home stereo system with the multimedia entertainment PC in the family room doesn't add much value, this capability is already emerging and is expected to be the next bandwagon for home entertainment customers.
The home and small office/home office (SOHO) networking leader LinkSys (www.linksys.com) is a case in point. During the CeBIT 2004 digital technology expo in Hanover last month, the company introduced its range of media-centric wireless networking products.
With these devices, we can stream music -- and even film and video -- from our computers to our stereo systems or TV sets, regardless of their placement in the house. There will be no need to install cables through every room and on every floor.
What if we want to listen to digital music -- or any one of the thousands of radio stations -- online in a room where there is no hi-fi system? All we need to do is add a speaker to the Linksys' Wireless-B Media Link for Music (WML11B), and presto.
LinkSys is a division of Cisco Systems, which makes networking products for large corporations, Internet systems and telecommunications operators.
A similar product is available from SlimDevices (www.slimdevices.com) -- the Squeezebox, which comes complete with a remote control for browsing through our digital music selection. This device has its own built-in display, so we can browse through our collection directly on the device, without having to go to the PC where they are stored.
Portable MP3 players that come with Wi-Fi are also beginning to emerge, such as Aireo from SoniqCast, which can download MP3 files from the Internet without a USB cable. In addition, the 1.5GB MP3 player can also transmit digital music via an FM frequency to our home or car stereo.
A Wi-Fi wireless network for sharing music is just beginning to penetrate homes, and is still in its infancy.
Nevertheless, it seems that in the near future, if you have a wireless network in your house, you can play the same music throughout the house without having to install unsightly, dust- gathering cables. Or, you can have a truly rowdy party at home with a different music for each room -- through a single PC. -- Zatni Arbi
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