MP3beamer Released 191
An anonymous reader writes "MP3tunes, Michael Robertson's new music venture, has released a snazzy linux music appliance called MP3beamer. The $399 box auto-rips CDs and imports MP3s and then connects to iTunes, Java devices, media receivers, web devices even WinCE units with handy feature to "sync" songs from server to remote machine for offline playback not just streaming - see screenshots. Last time Robertson launched something with "Beam" in the name it led to avalanche of lawsuits and more then $150MM in legal payments with BeamIt from the old MP3.com." It'd be excellent to get a review of one of these machines; looks like a good one.
WOW! (Score:5, Informative)
Almost perfect (Score:2, Informative)
Slimserver (Score:5, Informative)
Still, looks like a nice box.
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Does MSN censor search results? [buffalo.edu]
And for $100 more... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Worth a look (Score:2, Informative)
Slimserver (Score:4, Informative)
This is actually pretty interesting... (Score:3, Informative)
The only box that has to be running Linux is the main beamer, so you could easily work this right into an existing home M$ network.
It even looks like you can beam your collection remotely to work.
Also, different users can play different tunes at the same time.
It seems pretty cool and useful at first glance.
Re:Overpriced, underpowered, and dumb. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:CPU choice? (Score:2, Informative)
MOD PARENT DOWN. (Score:5, Informative)
The CPU is a 2.4Ghz Celeron. It's not an expensive P4.
Re:Very interesting concept (Score:5, Informative)
For example, the server that I use for development, storage, MP3, SMTP, IMAP, HTTP, SMB, etc is an AMD 2600 with two (2) 200GB 7200 RPM drives and 1 GB RAM.
Even though it has a 400W power supply, I've measured [smarthome.com] that it uses 140W.
Regardless, your point still stands as the server costs about $15 / mo to run.
Re:CPU choice? (Score:2, Informative)
Here are the torrent MPG links :) (Score:2, Informative)
MP3tunes purchase and loading MP3s to MP3beamer - 10:18 mins
Mpeg Low-Res - 43.5MB [simplecache.com]
Mpeg High-Res - 60 MB [simplecache.com]
iTunes streaming, Home Stereo use - 10:39 mins
Mpeg Low-Res - 40MB [simplecache.com]
Mpeg High-Res - 55MB [simplecache.com]
iTunes syncing, iPod loading, PDA playback - 11:30 mins
Mpeg Low-Res- 39MB [simplecache.com]
Mpeg High-Res - 49MB [simplecache.com]
Re:Beamer? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Very interesting concept (Score:4, Informative)
Re:WOW! (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Sync to iTunes - How? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:WMLS11B support? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:$150MM?!? (Score:2, Informative)
By the way, I'm a little scared that my "Roman emperor Maximus who was known for having thousands" [slashdot.org] explanation was called "Insightful." I must be new here.
Re:AAC Support (Score:3, Informative)
I currently run SlimServer on an old Dell Optiplex, and it supports AAC -- via re-encoding on the fly with faad2. I don't know if the Roku Soundbridge uses this method (it also uses SlimServer) or if the hardware natively supports it, but it makes sense that the MP3Beamer ALSO supports AAC via re-encoding on the fly, given that their software is based on SlimServer.
However, setting up to re-encode on the fly is likely outside the scope of the MP3Beamer's target audience (plug in, turn on, forget about it) -- as is explaining why they can play their own AACs, but not those they download from iTunes.
Oh, and for those considering the SlimServer/old boxen approach, I had SlimServer originally running on an old Pentium II 450 with 384mb of memory, which was also running web/mail/ssh/samba/NAT services. It could even do the re-encoding on the fly, unless someone hit a web site, at which point there'd be a slight hiccup in playback. I moved to a Pentium III 800 with 512 of memory, and now everything's peachy.
Note: I do my listening with a Slim Devices Squeezebox, which I love. YMMV with Soundbridge, et al.
Re:where are the clients? (Score:3, Informative)
1. The box is barely wider or taller than the display, and it's not very deep, either.
2. The output is analog or digital stereo, not 5.1 or 7.1, but it doesn't funnel video anyway so there's no need for surround sound support (unless there's 5.1 and 7.1 non-movie audio out there?)
3. You can use the remote and the surprisingly large and bright screen to configure your player, search through your music, build playlists, adjust the volume, change the screensaver, pull up internet radio streams, play pacman and tetris...okay, those last two might be gratuitous.
4. You can use any computer on your network to change the playlist on and control all aspects of every player you have. Not only can you start Ben Folds and Beastie Boys playing on two different players from a computer in another room (or over the internet), you can also sync them so that they both play the same music AT THE SAME TIME in both rooms.
I highly recommend the wired version, because it's cheap, in stock, and reliable as hell.