Roku Soundbridge

[mgraham333]

rostasi mentioned this briefly in a thread about the iPod.

I was wondering if anyone here has a Roku Soundbridge and what their experience has been.

Does it have good range?

Any hiccups during transmission?

How's the sound quality?

What connection are you using? (digital coax, optical)

Which audio server are you using on the PC?

Is it easy to select and play music via the remote?

[Jim Alfredson]

UP, because I'm thinking of getting one of these for myself for my birthday next month. All the reviews I've read have been positive. Does anyone here have one?

[tjobbe]

Hi Jim,

not sure if it helps although not using a Roku but other gear but sharing some "basic thoughts":

I've started to use a media server based on a Linksys NSLU2 NAS (running a stripped down Linux with two USB-drives attached) to avoid my PC being up and running all the time. The Media Server is from Twonky and runs on PC as well as on some specific stand-alone NAS.

Right now I'm using a TG100 for Audio/Video in my living room but searching for an "HighEndAudio" Streamer. I've decided there to look for one that allows both a Digital OUt as well as playing LossLess Formats /in that case FLAC) and found the Slim Devices gadget being a neat but slightly more expensive toy than the Soundbridge.

All modules are connected through W-LAN 54Mb/s with WPA enabled and it works well at my place but I hear from others that specially the encryption can cause trouble. One thing you want to check when using wireless streaming clients here is that they support WPA/WPA2 properly in case you run that with your laptop or PC: Note that the encryption might not be that important for Audio data but you can set-up your access point only in one operation mode.

Hope that helps for now (as myself still being in a "play-with-that-toy" phase)

Cheers, Oliver

[andybleaden]

I am afraid that I ended up just connecting my MP3 player (Creative Juke Box) to the Hi - Fi through the headphone socket and tend to stick it on shuffle.

What better selection than Radio Bleaden .........a mixture then of Blue Note /ECM/Classical stuff then fill s the room

OK ....I do need a telescope to read what tracks are playing .....from my chair but I know most of them

I must admit though a connection to the pc would mean even more Radio Bleaden but then that is up stairs and my telescope will not work then. I could always get the children to stand next to the player and shout out the tunes...DJ training in the making.

The trouble is the pc has alot of stuff that would not be so hot on the stereo so maybe I will stick with the MP3 connection for now

[Jim Alfredson]

So nobody has one? I'm kinda surprised.

I have no problem leaving my office machine on all the time, since that's what I do anyway (I have three computers). They are also making a radio with built-in speakers, which would be cool for our new kitchen!

[wordsandsounds]

I sold quite a few in my previous job. Not to say anyone was a hi-fi man but I heard good things about it from customers I knew who purchased it with no problems of interference or anything (though this is always a potential issue). I have thought about picking one of these up as well, but ulitamtely I have an old laptop hooked up to some external hds and my stereo so everything is piped that way using a pcmia sound card (nothing fancy, just a 50 buck soundblaster card). Cheaper than the Roku.