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How to Get Internet Radio Through the House?

J

John1

I'm not sure if there's a better R-I board to ask this, but since there's some formats not available in the Philadelphia market (classic country, alt rock, Americana, easy listening, real oldies, standards, etc.) you may have answers.

My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other parts of the house, either through stereos or portable speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere? I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has a set up they can share.
 
> I'm not sure if there's a better R-I board to ask this, but
> since there's some formats not available in the Philadelphia
> market (classic country, alt rock, Americana, easy
> listening, real oldies, standards, etc.) you may have
> answers.
>
> My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other
> parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there
> ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
> I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has
> a set up they can share.
>
I don't know about the net, but at my home I run MC from the digital box to receivers I have throughout my home. I just plugged the left and right inputs to the box. Then I ran the leads to receivers in every room, the only thing is you can only tune into one channel at a time, PER BOX. I have three digital boxes so its easier to chose different programs, you just turn on the box and tune from 400 on, thus leaving the television off. MC is not the best for music but it beats whats on the airwaves in this city...YUCK...I have to thank a poster on this board, when I asked the question awhile back, and they had the answer. I wish cable would switch to XM or Sirius the way the dish services are, but not with Comcast owning a piece of MC.
 
> My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other
> parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there
> ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
> I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has
> a set up they can share.

You can achieve your desired result with a product such as the C. Crane FM Transmitter. You should then be able receive whatever is playing on your computer on any radio or stereo in your house on the frequency you set the transmitter to. Also, this product is a little cheaper than buying a good set of wireless speakers, and you can use the radios and stereos that you already own.

This should work fine, unless, of course, you reside in a large and lavish estate; in which case you may wish to pursue operating your own Part 15 radio service. :)

Hope this helps!<P ID="signature">______________
FPXMedia: TV, Radio, and Anything Else
Be Mused...</P>
 
Thanks for the information - sounds like what I need! If I'm reading it right, all you do is connect it to the computer earphone jack, tune to an unused FM frequency, then tune any radio/stereo to that frequency? Great!

Years back when cable was new I had some transmitter device that was supposed to send the signal to tv's not hooked up to cable (back when each hookup was a separate cost) and I got it to watch ballgames on the porch. It was a disappointment - shaky picture sensitive to positioning & scratchy sound - so I have been wary of "transmitter" devices, but this says it's digital tuning and FM quality sound.

And there's no "large & lavish estate" here in the outskirts of Hatboro, so it should reach all parts of the house & yard (as long as I don't interfere with the transmittions of our own downtown station WRDV!).



> > My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> > could get streaming radio from the computer to play in
> other
> > parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> > speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are
> there
> > ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
>
> > I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who
> has
> > a set up they can share.
>
> You can achieve your desired result with a product such as
> the C. Crane FM Transmitter. You should then be able
> receive whatever is playing on your computer on any radio or
> stereo in your house on the frequency you set the
> transmitter to. Also, this product is a little cheaper than
> buying a good set of wireless speakers, and you can use the
> radios and stereos that you already own.
>
> This should work fine, unless, of course, you reside in a
> large and lavish estate; in which case you may wish to
> pursue operating your own Part 15 radio service. :)
>
> Hope this helps!
>
 
I got an FM transmitter and did not have very good luck with it. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find really open frequencies around here (same problem occurs with satellite radio receivers that play through FM radios).

Radio Shack offers wireless transmitter/receiver outfits. They are intended for sending cable TV to TV's in other rooms but they work just fine for radio. They operate in the same bands that wireless phones use. Wireless headphones might also work for you.

There was also a gizmo called Sonicbox which not only had a wireless transmitter/receiver but a remote control device so you could change stations away from the computer. They went out of business but you might be able to find one on eBay or some such.




>
> You can achieve your desired result with a product such as
> the C. Crane FM Transmitter. You should then be able
> receive whatever is playing on your computer on any radio or
> stereo in your house on the frequency you set the
> transmitter to. Also, this product is a little cheaper than
> buying a good set of wireless speakers, and you can use the
> radios and stereos that you already own.
>
> This should work fine, unless, of course, you reside in a
> large and lavish estate; in which case you may wish to
> pursue operating your own Part 15 radio service. :)
>
> Hope this helps!
>
 
I turn up my computer speakers really really really loud and then click on to:

www.y100rocks.com

I can hear it all through the house just fine.



> I'm not sure if there's a better R-I board to ask this, but
> since there's some formats not available in the Philadelphia
> market (classic country, alt rock, Americana, easy
> listening, real oldies, standards, etc.) you may have
> answers.
>
> My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other
> parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there
> ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
> I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has
> a set up they can share.
>
 
John -

Check out Ebay. I bought a little Emerson FM part-15 transmitter for 3 bucks brand new from some guy. It's not digital and fancy like the C Crane one (it has a little analogue knob) but it covers my house just fine. Some parts of the house are spotty, but just make sure you're using a good receiver. My PC is on the sunporch and I can get the signal upstairs and downstairs in the garage just fine. For 3 bucks! I got lucky on Ebay that day. :)
 
> I'm not sure if there's a better R-I board to ask this, but
> since there's some formats not available in the Philadelphia
> market (classic country, alt rock, Americana, easy
> listening, real oldies, standards, etc.) you may have
> answers.
>
> My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other
> parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there
> ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
> I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has
> a set up they can share.

Buy a part 15 FM modulator and use the FM tuner on your radio. Either that or run stereo cables from your PC's sound output to the tuner. I use a FM tx to get my tuneage around the house. <P ID="signature">______________

AOL IM: wnjoldies or jamminoldies105
CBS-FM lives at http://67.83.125.155:8010
Oldies Board co-moderator</P>
 
Didn't see anyone mention this one, $150.00 at Radio Shack and can be either hard wired or if you have a wireless setup it operates with a wireless card. Not to mention it also can access all the music on your hard drive as well as internet radio. I operate it wireless and it is a good 200 feet from my computer and downstairs and does a great job. Check this link

http://www.rokulabs.com/products/soundbridge/index.php

Nock
 
I use the Radio Shack Audio/Video wireless device to transmit the audio from my pc to my stereo system downstairs... I like to listen to VirginRadio.co.uk online.... however, the fidelity isn't as good as I had wished or as good as it is on the speakers connected directly to my pc. I recommend the Radio Shack speakers that are wireless (don't know the model number). I have used these in the past, the only problem is that you are sending the signal directly to speakers not a complete system. This can be good if you want to move the speakers around the house or into the yard for cooking out our doing yard work.

However, if you have the room in the walls/floors/ceilings... go ahead and run the wires...


> I'm not sure if there's a better R-I board to ask this, but
> since there's some formats not available in the Philadelphia
> market (classic country, alt rock, Americana, easy
> listening, real oldies, standards, etc.) you may have
> answers.
>
> My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other
> parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there
> ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
> I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has
> a set up they can share.
>
 
I use a wireless FM USB FM Transmitter. A little toug to find locally, but I got mine on e-bay with excellent results. However, since it is an International item it only works on even frequencies (88.0, 88.2, 88.4, etc) But if your radio tunes to even frequencies it works great. I've been able to pick up the signal as far a quarter mile from my house (when I put it in my window). Nearly as good as my PC speakers.


http://cgi.ebay.com/LineX-USB-FM-Tr...Z8715391771QQcategoryZ175QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
> I'm not sure if there's a better R-I board to ask this, but
> since there's some formats not available in the Philadelphia
> market (classic country, alt rock, Americana, easy
> listening, real oldies, standards, etc.) you may have
> answers.
>
> My computer is on our 2nd floor. What is the best way I
> could get streaming radio from the computer to play in other
> parts of the house, either through stereos or portable
> speakers, or what? Is anyone doing this and how? Are there
> ways with or without having to run cords/wires everywhere?
> I plead ignorance on the subject. Thanks to anyone who has
> a set up they can share.
>
There are two ways to play internet radio throughout the house (that I know of). One is to add a computer network device (often called by names like "Network Music Player" or "Wireless Media Player") to your home computer network, if you have one. These are devices like the Roku SoundBridge. There are several others out there as well:

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=318#
http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=438 (high-definition video version)

These products send audio (either music stored on the computer's hard drive or streaming audio from the internet) and/or video (like digital photos stored on a home computer or streaming video from the internet) to your home audio/video system by adding to your home computer network. The limitation of this is that you can only play the audio (or video) through whatever is connected to the media player (typically your home audio/video system).

The other way (which I currently use) is to connect an FM transmitter to the headphone or speaker output of your computer. Problem is, several of these transmitters (like Belkin TuneCast) have limited range (like 10 feet) and chew up batteries. For about five years now, I've had good luck with a somewhat more durable FM transmitter from a company called Broadcast Vision. I got the idea from my gym, as they were using about 5 of them to transmit the audio from 5 different tv's throughout the gym, so you could listen on your own Walkman while running on the treadmill.

This unit was a little more expensive ($200+), but it has good quality stereo sound, digital channel selection and a range of 100-300 feet, depending on your receiving radio. The nice thing about this is that you can listen to internet audio clearly on your home audio system, any other FM radio in the house, a radio out on the driveway or deck, and on your Walkman while you cut the yard as well. In my opinion, the more powerful unit with the extra range and better quality sound was worth the added cost.

Here's the link to the current version of the unit I have: http://www.broadcastvision.com/pdf/bv_fm_sales.pdf. They probably sell mostly to gyms, hospitals, etc., but they sold me one 5 years ago. Of course, you'd only need their transmitter, not the receivers they also sell. And this method is limited to audio only.

I'm sure there are other better quality FM transmitters out there as well, from other manufacturers.

Hope this is helpful...
 
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