Showing posts with label media server. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media server. Show all posts
Friday, June 19, 2009
Yamaha have announced a new version of their home audio streaming system, the MusicCAST2. Set to take on Sonos in the high-end audiophile market, MusicCAST2 currently consists of a touchscreen LCD controller, the MCX-RC100 Network Music Commander, and two types of Network Music Players, the MCX-A300, which has an integrated amplifier, or the MCX-P200, which is non-amplified for integration with an existing AV setup.
The whole system uses WiFi b/g to communicate and stream, and can access both music stored locally – on a NAS, PC or MAC, USB stick, Bluetooth device or shared network folder – or streaming from Rhapsody and other internet radio services. As well as the 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD, the Commander remote control has a trackpad and offers independent or joined control over up to 32 different zones.
In addition to controlling distributed audio, the MusicCAST2 system can be used as a universal remote control; the Commander has an IR port, and Yamaha offer IR blasters to fit to your existing AV rack. Supported file types include MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC and WAV, though no DRM-encryption is supported (nor lossless files other than FLAC).
As for pricing, you’re looking at $500 for the Commander remote, then around %$400 for the zone players.
The whole system uses WiFi b/g to communicate and stream, and can access both music stored locally – on a NAS, PC or MAC, USB stick, Bluetooth device or shared network folder – or streaming from Rhapsody and other internet radio services. As well as the 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD, the Commander remote control has a trackpad and offers independent or joined control over up to 32 different zones.In addition to controlling distributed audio, the MusicCAST2 system can be used as a universal remote control; the Commander has an IR port, and Yamaha offer IR blasters to fit to your existing AV rack. Supported file types include MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC and WAV, though no DRM-encryption is supported (nor lossless files other than FLAC).
As for pricing, you’re looking at $500 for the Commander remote, then around %$400 for the zone players.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
PopcornHour have revealed their latest media streamer, the C200, and compared to the previous-gen models it’s a significant step up. As well as a new 667MHz processor, the Sigma SMP8643, the PopcornHour C200 gets an HDMI 1.3 port, two SATA connectors, and a user-accessible drive bay for a HDD, DVD or Blu-ray drive.
Slotting in a Blu-ray drive either requires an internal hard-drive or 1GB USB drive be attached, but we imagine most owners will do the former anyway as it seems a shame not to use the C200 to its full extent. Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 (plus another inside), component/S-Video/composite video, stereo analog audio and S/PDIF optical and coaxial digital audio, gigabit ethernet and a miniPCI card slot that’s intended for an optional draft-n WiFi card.
The standard remote uses 2.4GHz RF, though an IR version is available, and the list of codecs the C200 supports is so long it’d probably be quicker to say what it doesn’t play. There’s also RSS and web video/audio/image support, including YouTube, Flickr and Veoh. No word on pricing or availability, but this is one very capable machine.
Update: According to the press release, below, the PopcornHour C200 will be available in July 2009, priced at $299.
Slotting in a Blu-ray drive either requires an internal hard-drive or 1GB USB drive be attached, but we imagine most owners will do the former anyway as it seems a shame not to use the C200 to its full extent. Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 (plus another inside), component/S-Video/composite video, stereo analog audio and S/PDIF optical and coaxial digital audio, gigabit ethernet and a miniPCI card slot that’s intended for an optional draft-n WiFi card.
The standard remote uses 2.4GHz RF, though an IR version is available, and the list of codecs the C200 supports is so long it’d probably be quicker to say what it doesn’t play. There’s also RSS and web video/audio/image support, including YouTube, Flickr and Veoh. No word on pricing or availability, but this is one very capable machine.
Update: According to the press release, below, the PopcornHour C200 will be available in July 2009, priced at $299.
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