The resident Partnow Manse Geek (that would be me) is at it again.
Last year for Christmas (yes, that would be 11 months ago), I got Peter the Creative Wireless Soundblaster which is a ridiculously long name that provides no clue as to what it is. I could also tell you that it is a Digital Audio Receiver, but that wouldn't help much either.
Basically, here's what it's all about:
- I'm sure that many of you have a gazillion MP3 files on your computer that you've either ripped from your CD's, legally downloaded, or if you're Maggie you've actually recorded your own compositions. Whenever I buy a CD, I immediately rip and encode it (at 320 kbs I might add) into MP3 files and upload them to my iPod. As a result, my computer is the repository for my CD collection.
- Well, wouldn't it be nice to be able to play those MP3's on your home stereo system? Wouldn't it be total heaven to have your entire MP3 library accessible by your stereo system?
- The answer to this dream is a digital audio receiver. A wireless streaming device that, on one end talks wirelessly to the host computer (the one with all the MP3's) which can be anywhere in the house. The other end is hooked up into your stereo system. It's very slick in concept.
Anyhoo, I did quite a bit of research last Christmas, and Creative's Wireless Soundblaster came out at the top of the list. It was rated as quite reliable, good sound quality, and most importantly, it has a fabulous wireless remote that allows you to select the music you want to play from anywhere in the house. So, you don't have to always run either to the wireless receiver or the computer to pick the music. Definitely a killer little appliance.
Well, being the busy Slat Rat that I am, I didn't actually get around to setting it up until a few weeks ago. I was bad - I admit it.
Attempting to set this puppy up was the last straw of many in regards to our malfunctioning Linksys Wireless router. The Soundblaster is pretty touchy in regards to the wireless network connection. The wireless router network hub needs to put out a strong reliable signal. And the Linksys router wasn't doing it. The only place I could get the Soundblaster to work was in my office, about ten feet away from the network router. So, that's when I decided we really needed to upgrade on the wireless network router front. Hence, the new Buffalo 802.11g wireless router with the repeater (although the repeater won't do much good until I can get a power cord for it...).
Tonight, I reconfigured the Soundblaster to work with the new Buffalo wireless router. One hint that Buffalo router is actually a huge step on the router front was that Soundblaster was actually able to get an IP address from the Buffalo. I had to actually assign an IP address to the Soundblaster when we were on the Linksys router.
So far, the Soundblaster seems to vastly prefer the Buffalo. The wireless remote works much more cleanly. Under the Linksys regime, the remote lost contact with the host computer mothership which necessitated drastic actions like popping the remote's batteries so it could reset itself.
The one major thing that I have discovered is that some functionality is lost when the host computer happens to be on a VPN connection - a second secure network connection that I use to access my e-mail and files at work. Music still plays and the remote works - although it's a tad more balky. But, the host software on the computer no longer can speak to Soundblaster. Which if you think about it, is not surprising. We'll see what happens when I download the Soundblaster's software and firmware updates. That problem may get fixed.
So, at this point in the game, I've come to some conclusions. I think it makes great sense to have one's music on a central server - one that can be accessed by all the computers in the house. That way we would have access to both Peter's music and my music too. I also think that it may make sense to have a wireless network devoted to just streaming music. That way, you wouldn't bog down the house's central network by streaming music. I would also be able to run a VPN connection without impacting the tunes.
I realize this all sounds very complicated. And in actuality it is. It's not for the faint of heart - all very bleeding edge. However, within eighteen months, the technology will be much more straight forward and even non-tech folks will be climbing on board. It makes so much sense to be able to just play music and never have to swap CD's...
Gads, I remember putting an album on, playing one side that would last maybe 30 minutes and then, if I thought about it, turning the album over to play side 2.
8:16:56 PM 
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