Roku question - mr_bill 15:30:19 10/22/04 (6)
 Re: Roku question - ...G 17:08:48 10/22/04 (5)
 Re: Roku question - mr_bill 09:03:16 10/23/04 (4)

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 Roku question - mr_bill 15:30:19 10/22/04 (6)
 Re: Roku question - ...G 17:08:48 10/22/04 (5)
 Re: Roku question - mr_bill 09:03:16 10/23/04 (4)
 Re: Roku question - ...G 16:23:04 10/27/04 (3)
 Re: Roku question - eieio 20:54:54 11/23/04 (0)
 Roku vs Airport Express for internet radio - eieio 20:47:07 11/23/04 (0)
 Thanks for the help! nt - mr_bill 09:16:51 10/28/04 (0)
 One word.... - SFDude 15:03:12 10/22/04 (1)
 Re: One word.... - kuma 22:56:24 10/22/04 (0)
 You should have used Crutchfield - 3 days! - EdM 07:09:09 10/22/04 (3)
 Re: You should have used Crutchfield - 3 days! - kuma 10:24:46 10/22/04 (2)
 Re: You should have used Crutchfield - 3 days! - EdM 12:58:31 10/22/04 (1)
 yep.... - kuma 22:50:45 10/22/04 (0)

A local BB or Tweeters did not carry it. So, i've ordered direct.
At any rate, i'm curious if this gadget works as it promisses.

(I was gonna say Squeezebox but you probably already suspected!)

I wish iTunes was integrated with Squeezebox rather than having to go through SlimServer. Maybe there's an idea for a plug-in to be written to iTunes which will serve out music to the SB!

Anyway, sure you'll enjoy it through whichever DAC you're pluggin the Roku through (the Chord? Bel Canto?).

I use the coax digital out streaming full resolution AIFF, connected to a Monarchy Audio DIP for re-clocking, then balanced XLR to an MSB Gold DAC III. It sounds great. There's nothing that immediately strikes the ear as different from CDs, but I haven't done extensive A/B'ing yet. No real need to. I'm happy.

To have the power of iTunes and the sound of my audio system together is fantastic. Finger touch access to my whole collection. No more lost or misfiled titles, no more manual CD shuffle madness, no more dud tracks if I want them gone. Playing music by genre or with playlists I've created is the way to go. I have a whole different perspective on my collection now, broken up and reassembled according to my liking.

And I went out and finally got broadband Internet just so I could stream radio to my system through iTunes and the Soundbridge. Suddenly, there is a constant flow of new music coming into my house, focused in on some specific genre in a way only the Internet can support (e.g., downbeat electronica). I try to stay on stations 128kps or higher. The quality, though less than CDs, is still surprisingly good. It's not for serious listening, but for casual sitting, puttering, exploring new music, and so on, it's great.

I guess I'm a convert---computers meet home entertainment. My stereo is on the Internet. I think that's very cool.

...G

If Roku works, this is a great way to route the music in my main rig.
A cost of storage is getting cheaper, too. ( Lacie lowered the cost on tb HD recently )

I am most curious to see how it does against my CD player.

I am hoping Roku to work.

I'll be using 47Lab's Shigaraki DAC with Dumpty PS, Krell kps25s OR, I will borrow a Naim AV2. ( the only naim kit with a built-in DAC )

Also, you're doing all the things that I want to do!

I want to wirelessly stream internet radio through Itunes and then to the
Roku - is that how you're doing it? I see that Itunes has some radio
stations under 'radio' - are you getting other internet radio to stream to
the Roku in addition to the Itunes default stations and if you are, how
hard is it to get that to happen.

I don't see any reason to get an XM or Sirius for the home with the set up
you have!

Thanks,

Bill

I didn't really consider the AE, for several reasons. The Soundbridge has an RCA digital out, while the AE only supports Toslink via a mini adapter. I have lots invested in RCA cables and I haven't heard good things about the sound of Toslink anyway. Next, the AE has no display nor remote, the Soundbridge has both of these. Further, the AE is only wireless, and I wanted a choice between wireless and wired. I finally went for wired, dropping a CAT5e cable from my upstairs office to my livingroom where my audio system is.

The Soundbridge's real competitor at this point is the Slimdevices Squeezebox. I considered getting one, especially since I saw you could use a PDA as a remote, but I had already ordered the Roku when I found out about it. I'm quite happy with the Roku and will stick with it.

>SIRUS

I'm not familiar with these satellite services. So far, at least, Internet radio is free, of decent quality, mostly reliable, and offers really varied choices.

> I want to wirelessly stream internet radio through
> Itunes and then to the Roku - is that how you're doing it?

Partly. I’m streaming Internet radio through iTunes, but with a wired connection

> are you getting other internet radio to stream to
> the Roku in addition to the Itunes default stations and if you are, how
> hard is it to get that to happen.

I’ve added other radio stations, in addition to the default ones. It’s not difficult at all. There are two ways: The first is go to Advanced>Open stream, then add the URL for the stream. The second way I’ve found, which is easiest, is to find a station’s .pls file. I get this by right clicking on the play button, and use Save Target As to save the .pls file. I drop these into a folder I’ve created for Internet Radio (name it for the station). Then just drag and drop the .pls file into iTunes. First time you click on it within iTunes, it loads the station name, etc, and begins to play. Very easy.

i called Roku and they are a total mess. they don't have a telephone number for tech support: strictly via email and they can call you if they wish.

any comments? thanks!

then again, when i called Roku yesterday, they were a total mess. they have no tel number for tech support: strictly by email and they have the discretion to call if they wish! no dates for delivery. they don't seem to know much of anything! try calling them and asking basic questions. this is BEFORE you become a customer! imagine what happens after you become a customer.

then again, the Roku's feature set is pretty great. so...

any comments? thanks!