Slim Devices Squeezebox 3 Wireless
Discussion
I'm thinking of setting up some music streaming from my PC to my home cinema system, and have been looking at the beautifully named Squeezebox 3 Wireless - or alternatively a Roku Soundbridge. I'm leaning towards the Squeezebox, due to wireless G over the Roku's wireless B....
Anyone got any experience of either, and any advice where I might be able to find a good deal on either?
Anyone got any experience of either, and any advice where I might be able to find a good deal on either?
I've been using the Squeezebox 3 since Christmas (thanks Santa!) and it's fantastic. It handles all formats of music, internet radio (BBC requires a plug in for the software) RSS feeds and other cool stuff.
All controlled with very good software (Slimserver) and there's an excellent forum + wiki available here: http://forums.slimdevices.com/
However, a recent group test in Stuff Magazine favoured the Roku Soundbridge because it did the same thing for less money. Didn't realise they used different flavour Wireless though...
All controlled with very good software (Slimserver) and there's an excellent forum + wiki available here: http://forums.slimdevices.com/
However, a recent group test in Stuff Magazine favoured the Roku Soundbridge because it did the same thing for less money. Didn't realise they used different flavour Wireless though...
I'm pretty sure that the Roku is Wireless B, while the Squeezebox is G - and hence presumably capabale of handling faster data streams, hence better sound quality? The DAC in the Squeezebox also appealed - not really sure why, but it sounds good!
Thanks for the info - best get writing to santa myself....!
Anyone using a Roku Soundbridge with any other views?
Thanks for the info - best get writing to santa myself....!
Anyone using a Roku Soundbridge with any other views?
I have 3 Squeezeboxes in different parts of the house, one using an external DAC the others using the internal DACs. All receiving unompressed WAV or FLAC files from my server. Great pieces of kit, but mine are all wired. I live in an old house with thick walls and don't find wireless very reliable (to anything that isn't in the same room)
Great pieces of kit, good support as well through their very active forums. The CEO often contributes which is a nice touch.
Sound Quality can be improved with a better external PSU (and some internal mods if you feel up to it)
davidy
Great pieces of kit, good support as well through their very active forums. The CEO often contributes which is a nice touch.
Sound Quality can be improved with a better external PSU (and some internal mods if you feel up to it)
davidy
Another long-term, 3 squeezebox household here. Nothing can touch them, absolutely cracking bit of kit.
Sonos is nice looking and the WiFi remote is a cute idea but much more expensive than a Squeezebox system. Also, with Sonos, you have to have the first player in your system physically connected (by wire) to the PC that has your music on. Not as elegant a solution, IMHO.
Sonos is nice looking and the WiFi remote is a cute idea but much more expensive than a Squeezebox system. Also, with Sonos, you have to have the first player in your system physically connected (by wire) to the PC that has your music on. Not as elegant a solution, IMHO.
I looked at all of them as a sales proposition for retro fit jobs.
Roku, has Window Media Connect, has uPnp capability. Bit clunky in operation, MS link is both a plus and a minus.
Sonos way over money for what it is, smart interface though. Linux enthusiasm in a posh frock.
Squeezebox lack of uPnp capability is a downside for me specifically, general playback capability and massive feature set more than make up for it though.
Settled on the Squeezebox, its bloody good on the whole.
Roku, has Window Media Connect, has uPnp capability. Bit clunky in operation, MS link is both a plus and a minus.
Sonos way over money for what it is, smart interface though. Linux enthusiasm in a posh frock.
Squeezebox lack of uPnp capability is a downside for me specifically, general playback capability and massive feature set more than make up for it though.
Settled on the Squeezebox, its bloody good on the whole.
Well i have a couple of Squeezebox's AND now SONOS as well. The Squeezes are excellent for the money but now mostly gather dust due to the ease of use of the SONOS. I think it would depend on how many zones you intended to cover. For just one or two then SONOS is expensive, but for whole house coverage the SONOS becomes more cost effective.
Miles_stylus said:
re the connection of SONOS to the PC - this is not necessary, all that you need is for the first one to be connected to your router and to have the music files on a NAS
Well, I used "PC" to be simplistic. It still needs to be physically connected though, as opposed to wireless.
pontypool said:
Slightly off topic but seems the right place to enquire...
I want to set up a media centre PC in a cupbaord with ordinary telly going into it (proabably Sky in a few months time), can I then stream it to differnt LCD screens around the house easily? And will it work well?
I want to set up a media centre PC in a cupbaord with ordinary telly going into it (proabably Sky in a few months time), can I then stream it to differnt LCD screens around the house easily? And will it work well?
No, in short.
Media Centre is a PC with PVR functionality.
You can get extenders for devices like the XBox360 but its not a rebroadcast system as such.
If you used something like a loftbox and dropped CT100 coax in everyroom you wanted video then you could though control would be an issue. You maybe able to repeat the MCE Remote signal over Coax using Sky eyes but I'm not sure as I havent had to do that as yet.
pontypool said:
Right, so there is no tv equivalent of one of these Squeezeboxes?
Not packet switched, yet, though a proper IPTV rebroadcast residential system is coming, its not available quite yet.
Its to do with video bandwidth, which is massive in comparison to audio. Wireless IPTV is a comparatively long way off for this reason.
You can distribute a media centre front end over Cat5e along with HD content (in fact 8 ins to 8 rooms) using a proper matrix switch but the price goes up sharply at this end of the market.
Plotloss said:
pontypool said:
Right, so there is no tv equivalent of one of these Squeezeboxes?
Not packet switched, yet, though a proper IPTV rebroadcast residential system is coming, its not available quite yet.
Its to do with video bandwidth, which is massive in comparison to audio. Wireless IPTV is a comparatively long way off for this reason.
You can distribute a media centre front end over Cat5e along with HD content (in fact 8 ins to 8 rooms) using a proper matrix switch but the price goes up sharply at this end of the market.
You should check out mythtv, it does this rather cheaply using a centralised server encoding your content and supports multiple clients. Free too (apart from teh boxen of course)
I was going to go this way but then found xbox media center.. had an xbox lying about anyway.. very impressed with it!
Forgot to add.. pontypool .. i was born there... lovely place :P
Edited by MooSchmoo on Thursday 10th August 22:57
MooSchmoo said:
Plotloss said:
pontypool said:
Right, so there is no tv equivalent of one of these Squeezeboxes?
Not packet switched, yet, though a proper IPTV rebroadcast residential system is coming, its not available quite yet.
Its to do with video bandwidth, which is massive in comparison to audio. Wireless IPTV is a comparatively long way off for this reason.
You can distribute a media centre front end over Cat5e along with HD content (in fact 8 ins to 8 rooms) using a proper matrix switch but the price goes up sharply at this end of the market.
You should check out mythtv, it does this rather cheaply using a centralised server encoding your content and supports multiple clients. Free too (apart from teh boxen of course)
I was going to go this way but then found xbox media center.. had an xbox lying about anyway.. very impressed with it!
Forgot to add.. pontypool .. i was born there... lovely place :P
Edited by MooSchmoo on Thursday 10th August 22:57
Yep you can have multiple myth clients on one back end but each client needs a PC to run on.
Its not an IPTV rebroadcast server or a live video streamer as such.
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