(Wandering off topic for a moment...) Cat5 isn't a bad thing -- for some applications it is better than wireless (it'll take a long while to get as much bandwidth over wireless as you can do right now with 100base-T, and there's not the security concern with a hardwired connection). A lot of commercial buildings use Cat5 for both voice and data, partly because it gives you flexibility later (you could convert voice to data if you needed to and switching to voice over IP for the phones would not be a problem, for example) and partly because it's not really much additional cost (especially if it's installed in conduit or spaces where you don't need plenum-rated). I would probably not run Cat5 everywhere, but I might drop in select places with a run or two (entertainment center, office/study, spare rooms, and/or bedrooms) since there shouldn't be much additional cost -- and you can terminate it all yourself and save some cash, too. For existing homes and notebook computers, though, wireless is absolutely awesome.

------------------
Gonk

Gonk, the problem is this:

(1) ALL the computers "stray too far from the hub" and there are a lot of them. They're all in the same place, though, so it makes sense for them to have their own wired hub and a single wireless link to the place where the cable modem is.

(2) By far most of my IP traffic is from computer to computer (with one acting as a fileserver, another as a print server, etc.) and for both performance and security reasons I'd rather this traffic not go over the air.

(3) Some of the computers do not support 802.11b cards.

(4) There's still the IR1000, which can't take an 802.11b card, unless it has a built-in PCMCIA slot, which I highly doubt.

Hmm... I wonder if the IR1000 will suck PCM or MP3 files automatically off a PC, or if it requires a streaming connection from a "radio station" to do its magic...

I was seriously considering the Audiotron-
http://www.audiotron.net from Turtle Beach. Looks like a killer product, but is missing the wireless connection. That was before I knew Outlaw might be entering the market. I think I'll hold off for a while and see how things shake down.

Actually, my builder had already planned on home runs of CAT5 for the phone lines to two rooms. All I did was pay to have outlets (and their associated home run CAT5) to all other rooms (4 at $135 ea). I then was able to later talk them into running a *PAIR* of CAT5's instead of just one to each outlet. The second one will be terminated with RJ45's. Due to a screw up on their part regarding my foundation & plot plan (in short its a raised ranch and the grade was supposed to be low enough to allow full size windows in back of the ground floor ... didn't happen), they ended up giving me the extra wire & jacks for free.


------------------
pat----

email: pat@sklenar.info ---===--- home page: Grumpy's Lair

Get an Audiotron!!!

It is a killer product.. I own one and I have been nothing but happy with it. Streaming Internet Radio Stations with an entire collection of MP3's.. Can't beat it.

It looks just like another piece of Audio equipment in my home theater rack. I had archived my entire cd collection to archival bitrate MP3's and I had my computer hooked up to the home theater system.

I decided the computer was taking up too much space in the living room and I went searching for something that would play my MP3's from my computer WITHOUT having to copy them over to a standalone MP3 jukebox (I am already storing them on the computer) The audiotron was the answer. I can stream my MP3's over my home network right to my hometheater rack. An added bonus is when they put in streaming support for Internet Radio Stations, playlists, favorites... Its kind of like a virtually unlimited CD jukebox plus (Its current physical limit is about 30,000 MP3's).

http://www.audiotron.net/audiotron.asp for all the details... I'd be glad to answer anyones questions about it... Its the SAME price factory direct as the IR1000 for $299

Jeff

Jeff,
Does it currently support internet radio stations?

Thanks,
Kent

Yes.

The Audiotron is a fully-fledged internet radio station receiver AND a network MP3 streamer. Go to www.turtleradio.com for more info. Its a free service through TurtleBeach.

On a side note: Nice part about the Audiotron is when they update firmware, its a matter of downloading the newest version and letting the onboard update utility update the firmware. New features are added all the time.

Jeff

Looks like a decent product. And, it has SP/DIF output, which the Outlaws seem to lack; a serious omission. Also, it looks like the Outlaws don't support MP3 yet. Interesting that they chose WMA to implement first, I would have thought that the open standard would have come first and the proprietary stuff later.

I seem to remember a Windows CE sticker on the back of the Outlaw internet radio. If they are using the ce operating system, then the WMA support makes perfect sense.

Kent

The SP/DIF was one of the most important selling points for me. I wanted a digital connection to my receiver. No other digital music appliance had that. I guess the trend continues. You would have thought the guys at outlaw would have put one in.

FYI: The Audiotron runs on windows CE as well.