Cisco-Linksys WMA11B Wireless Digital Media Adapter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)...
First Impressions:
Nice packaging. Nice looking device, it's not much bigger than a four port hub. It has both the Cisco and LinkSys logos on the face. Vertical or horizontal mount. The package contained the device, quick setup poster, and a CD.
Installation:
I have an existing server, running Win2K Server, that I store my MP3 collection on. This product works by installing an agent on a PC and then connecting the device over a hard wired LAN or WiFi (802.11b). My setup allows me to use either LAN or WiFi and of course I chose the wired setup for max bandwidth and so I could actually listen to music and use my phone or microwave without dropping packets and thus songs. The agent installation was flawless and the media adapter and my server were talking within a few minutes after cracking up the box. Once the agent is installed on a PC, you really only have one option: Point the agent to your media. So of course I decided to point it to my entire (29 gig) mp3 collection which began in a single MP3 folder. Well, it starts to "Search" and then simply would disappear. No error, no nothing. Ok, maybe my collection was too big, so I start dragging my genre folders which were maybe 1 gig a piece...same thing happend. Ok...so I decide to drag a single album over to the agent and finally it seems to take the 6 songs in the folder and I rush over to my TV to fire up the device...it was able to play three of the songs and then the entire folder disappeared and thus I had no music to pull up anymore. After a few reboots and trying different folders I had similar results. My trade, I'm an IT guy...so there were no 'technical user' issues...I can assure you of that. To this day the device is flakey. It forgets entire folders for no reason at any given time. I've even loaded XP with similar results.
Audio:
The sound is on par with my expectations, though I wish for the price the device would have at least coax digital out. Your stuck with a pair of RCA, which I hooked a pair of Monster cables up to for optimal sound. The unit is equipped with an Intel StrongArm 400 MhZ (The same processor the latest PocketPCs use) and thus is pretty good at decoding and playing the MP3/WMAs.
Display:
The menus are sloppy. There is absolutely no customization on for menus either. There are NO visualizations while songs are playing. You can't see anything important like bit rate or most of an ID3 tag (genre, year, etc.). You are stuck with an unsizable screen that shows you the track name and album name and running time. That's it. Plus they use such a huge display, that a band or song title with a long name (13 chars +) gets lopped off. Sloppy stuff all around on the visuals. Again, I expect more.
Photos:
Photos are displayed well. No real problems here. The device sure could flip through them faster though with this processor. One plus is the ability to play MP3s while viewing photos. However, some lag does occur on larger photos. Whether this is due to bandwidth, processor, or a combination I'll leave up to the "engineers" over at Linksys to figure out and hopefully fix over the next decade or so...
Support:
This is where the stars began to seriously dive. ... I doubt the engineers who designed this paper weight released this as a stable product under their free will. It's a joke.
Conclusion:
... I would recommend looking at the new Gateway DVD/MP3 network device or waiting as this market opens up more. We will all want to stream over DivX movies, MP3s, and every other type of media soon. I'm just going to wait a few years while they refine this technology better.

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The Linksys Wireless-B media adapter lets you bring the digital pictures and music stored on your computer to your home entertainment center, without running cables through the house. Using a wireless connection, the media adapter displaysyour digital photographs on the TV for the whole family to enjoy. And your digital music collection is finally freed from those little computer speakers and can play in full glory through your stereo system.
The Wireless-B media adapter sits by your home stereo and television and connects to them using standard consumer electronics cables. Then it connects to your home network by Wireless-B (802.11b) wireless networking or, if you prefer, it can be connected via standard 10/100 Ethernet cabling. Using the included remote c ontrol and the user-friendly menus on your TV, you can browse through the digital pictures on your computer by folder, filename, or thumbnail. You can view pictures one at a time, or watch an automatically created slideshow of all the pictures in a given folder. The media adapter supports five popular picture formats: JPG, GIF, TIF, and BMP. Use the remote control's Zoom button to get a close-up of the details in your pictures. You can also use the remote to browse your MP3- or WMA-formatted music collection by title, artist, genre, folder, or playlist. Choose the music you want, and let the Wireless-B media adapter play it through your stereo system. You can even let music play in the background while you browse your pictures.
Power and Simplicity

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Griffin Technology BlueTrip Wireless Bluetooth Audio for iPod Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)OVERVIEW:
First of all, it has awesome sound quality, it blows away any FM transmitter that I've heard of. It sounds better than any FM receiver also.
The hardware is stylish and the base is removable.
It comes with gold plated audio cables to connect to your stereo system.
It pretty much just works, out of the box.
You just turn on the receiver, and plug the transmitter into your iPod, when a connection is established, you iPod will start playing!
MY USE OF THE PRODUCT:
I keep my iPod on my body, that way I can't leave it anywhere.
I really got tired of the wire that connects my iPod to the car stereo.
I selected this model because it runs on 12 volts for my car.
I purchased a separate 12 volt adaptor from Radio Shack
MY ONLY RANT:
The only problem is that the transmitter unit must be removed, in order to use your iPod normally, when it is out of range of the receiver. This is a hassle for me because I just want to pop in my earbuds in, and walk away from the car. However the stupid code in the thing does not allow the iPod to continue to play. Please keep in mind that most people would not encounter this problem, that's why the rating is still 5 stars.
COMPATIBILITY NOTES:
Also the Dock Connector unit only works with click-wheel based iPods (personally tested with iPod Mini, 5.5G & 3G iPods.) It failed on the 3G unit, if you have a 3G iPod, you must get the model that plugs into the top!
There are cheaper solutions, but for my car's safety, I will never dock an iPod in a car because of the chance that I may leave it there, and walk away.

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Wireless Bluetooth Audio for iPod

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Acoustic Research AW877 900 Mhz Indoor Wireless Speakers (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't consider myself an audiophile but I know the difference between good sound and bad sound. I live in a city and I guess there is just too much RF bouncing around for these speakers to work well. I setup the speakers per the manufactures specs and tried the troubleshooting. Even with the speakers 10 ft away I still hear audible pops and hiss. Just for giggles I moved one of the speakers to the bedroom 40 ft away. Maybe the old Victorian I live in has too many layers of lead paint but I could barely hear the music playing and a constant level of hiss almost as loud as the music. The speakers may work better in an environment with less RF inference but they did not work for me. I did like the styling and the front large volume controls and the battery option for the speakers.

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Wireless indoor speaker with up to 250 foot range through walls and floors or windows and celings

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RCA WHP141 900MHZ Wireless Stereo Headphones Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is our second set of these headphones and we have been very happy with the quality. At this price we expected some minor "issues" but they have performed well. My husband has hearing loss as does a friend. The two guys each put on a set of the headphones and they run off a single base (you can't charge while using headphones though!). When you first turn them on ... you hear hiss but once you have sound coming through it disappears. These have very good range as well. I have a split level home and we can go up a set of stairs and to the opposite far end of the house (even behind a closed door) and the sound comes through! They hold a charge very nicely but when they go ... they go with a pop and that is it. I love to use them late at night to watch our big screen without bothering those sleeping in the house.

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RCA, WHP141B, Wireless Headphones let you experience the full freedom of wireless, personal sound, with no line of sight limitations, thanks to the RCA patented RF transmission technology. The headphone cradle and transmitter use double Phase Lock Loop technology, which maintains a clean and consistent audio signal so you can roam almost anywhere in your house while enjoying crystal clear music or TV sound. And the compact, comfortable design of our wireless headphones provides full, rich sound without the bulkiness of most other full size headphones. The WHP141 RCA Wireless Headphones transmits audio signal up to 150 feet, through walls, floors and ceilings although the range may vary depending on environment and surrounding structures. Phase-Lock Loop technology locks in frequency to prevent signal loss. 40mm speakers provide outstanding sound performance with a three channel selection on the headphones and transmitter for easy tuning. Headphones charge on the transmitter for easy storage and use. Ideal for dorm rooms, bedrooms, home entertainment centers and is compatible with almost any audio source, such as DVD, CD, DBS or HDTV.

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Soundolier Duo/Maestro Speaker Lamp & Wireless Transmitter Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been hooking my tv up to my stereo since the seventies. Yes that means I'm an old fart! I'm one of those guys that has enjoyed electronic gadgets and good sound since we called it Hi-Fi.
This speaker system had a number of things going for it right away. It requires a small amount of assembly, little or no setup, it is about as stealthy a system as you'll find while performing fantastically, it was reviewed favorably by the people that write about home theatre, and the price through Amazon was incredibly low.
The hidden bennie is that because it's wireless, and they're very stylish, they can be the first step in redecorating the living room ( happy wife) as well as the final step for putting together the home theatre without really looking like a surround setup. What a concept!
Because of their stylish good looks, and superior performance as speakers, you won't find a better one for the average living room (mine is only 11.5 ft X 15 ft). One speaker can do both channels if you're on a budget. I bought 2 (both with wireless maestro transmitters) so once the new wears off I'm gonna do some experimenting.
The only shortcoming (and this is only probably in my setup) is the floor switches and power to the speaker amps is on the same cord (I'm going to set them up on an X-10 setup for convenience) and the floor switches seem to attract the admiration of my dog. I got them zip tied to the stems right now.
In closing, the looks and wireless archetecture make these a sure thing ticket to wedded bliss, and outstanding performance make them a must buy.

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Soundolier's Duo is the world's first wireless speaker lamp.This unique blend of sound and light brings the rich beauty of wireless audio and the warmth of light to your home.Duo's sleek silhouette complements any decor and fits the vision of any decorator.This full-featured speaker offers volume and signal controls and can be configured as a single stereo speaker, a stereo pair, or as part of a home theater.A foot-controlled power and dimmer switch offer convenient control of the lamp for room lighting, theater style dimming, or anywhere in between.Maestro is the ingenious wireless audio transmitter that sends audio from any source throughout your home to Duo and other Soundolier wireless audio devices.This kit offers both a Duo Speaker Lamp and Maestro wireless transmitter in one convenient package.Duo Lamps work in conjunction with Maestro Wireless Transmitters, which are required for wireless operation.

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