How can I wirelessly hook my PowerBook up to my stereo?

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
You see I have this PowerBook, but I'm afraid those little speakers just don't do it for me. However, I don't want to have my PowerBook hooked up to speakers with wires because I like to sit on the sofa/bed/etc with it, yet I still want to listen to my music over good speakers. I would really like to get those iSticks or something. There must be some way to wirelessly stream music. Does anybody know of a way to do this?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    cosmocosmo Posts: 662member
    Maybe one of those FM transmitters?

    I'm not sure what kind of range they have, but apparently they work well for playing an ipod through a car stereo.
  • Reply 2 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    yea that could work, but I was thinking more like a bluetooth or airport connection.
  • Reply 3 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    Can I get a bluetooth PC card?
  • Reply 4 of 20
    Buy an iPod and hook it up to your home stero permanently, update it periodically with your laptop. Kinda an expensive solution though...
  • Reply 5 of 20
    bartobarto Posts: 2,246member
    http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=140984



    Available for $30 at the AppleStore. l33t.
  • Reply 6 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Barto

    http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=140984



    Available for $30 at the AppleStore. l33t.




    That's not really what I was thinking about. I was hoping for more of a built in solution. Maybe there is no other way other than using FM transmitters...
  • Reply 7 of 20
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Well, you need a way for your stereo to download the stream, and stereos don't come with 802.11.



    If you're so inclined, it wouldn't be outrageously difficult to built an 802.11 receiver for your stereo from bolt-on parts. You'd have to roll your own firmware and built some hardware, but with bluetooth and or 802.11 system-on-a-chip devices available, it shouldn't take more than 40 hours to design and build if you happen to be an EE. . .



    Then you can sell the product.
  • Reply 8 of 20
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Splinemodel

    Well, you need a way for your stereo to download the stream, and stereos don't come with 802.11.



    Actually I have seen a radio with a ethernet port. You could probably hook up a wireless hub to it. I have been trying to fiind it again. No luck yet.
  • Reply 9 of 20
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Francisco_G

    Buy an iPod and hook it up to your home stero permanently, update it periodically with your laptop. Kinda an expensive solution though...



    That's what I've done. Works great.
  • Reply 10 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    I can't believe there is no device for sale right now that uses BlueTooth to wirelessly send mucis to your stereo! You guys sure there is no way to do this without building one myself.
  • Reply 11 of 20
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    [nevermind]
  • Reply 12 of 20
    defiantdefiant Posts: 4,876member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Algol

    I can't believe there is no device for sale right now that uses BlueTooth to wirelessly send mucis to your stereo! You guys sure there is no way to do this without building one myself.



    Ah, common now. Bluetooth has a range of 10 (!) meters, and is with 1Mb/s way too slow. Got to know the standard before you can complain.
  • Reply 13 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Defiant

    Ah, common now. Bluetooth has a range of 10 (!) meters, and is with 1Mb/s way too slow. Got to know the standard before you can complain.



    Forgive me. lol
  • Reply 14 of 20
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    You need to get something like SliMP3. It's a MP3 stereo component that can stream over Ethernet. Hook it up to your AcessPoint/BaseStation/Switch/Hub and then use Wireless with your laptop, and it will stream. It's a little on the more expensive side, especially if you don't have any of those networking components (basestation, airport card, etc), but I believe that is the only way you'll find.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pyr3

    You need to get something like SliMP3. It's a MP3 stereo component that can stream over Ethernet. Hook it up to your AcessPoint/BaseStation/Switch/Hub and then use Wireless with your laptop, and it will stream. It's a little on the more expensive side, especially if you don't have any of those networking components (basestation, airport card, etc), but I believe that is the only way you'll find.



    Yea we have an airport network up here and all of our Macs have airport cards. Where can I get this SLiMP3?
  • Reply 16 of 20
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    I was too lazy to google for it the first time. Heh.



    http://www.slimdevices.com/



    It works with everything since the software is written in Perl I believe (for the streaming).



    You do realize that the player itself is not wireless? It used an ethernet jack. You could plug that into your basestation or whatever, or get one of those Linksys thingies that is a Cat-5 to 802.11b converter.
  • Reply 17 of 20
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    How does pluggin this thing into my airport station help it communicate with my stereo? I read all the info about it and it seems like I have to hook it up directly to my stereo. So if my airport station and my stereo are not in the same place I'm screwed...?



    mmmmm



    Any other ideas?
  • Reply 18 of 20
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Algol

    How does pluggin this thing into my airport station help it communicate with my stereo? I read all the info about it and it seems like I have to hook it up directly to my stereo. So if my airport station and my stereo are not in the same place I'm screwed...?



    mmmmm



    Any other ideas?




    What the hell do you want then? Do you want to play you mp3s from your computer on your stereo? Or are you trying to control your stereo from your computer? The SliMP3 is a device that you add to your stereo, just like you add a turn-table or a CD player, or a tape deck to your stereo setup. It streams the music from your desktop/laptop. It has a remote control and a web-interface from which to control it. I can even stream from internet radio stations. I don't know what more you are looking for. And no you are NOT screwed if your Airport Basestation is not in the same place as your stereo. If you read my previous post I said there are ways of turning a Cat-5 cable into wireless. namely something like this. All you do is plug the ethernet cord into this bridge and it will seamlessly add the device to your Airport network. Lots of people have used this for PS2s and xBoxes that they have turned into streaming media devices (with mod chips) instead of running Cat-5 cabling all over their house just to plug it into the network.



    Read my previous post:



    Quote:

    You do realize that the player itself is not wireless? It uses an ethernet jack. You could plug that into your basestation or whatever, or get one of those Linksys thingies that is a Cat-5 to 802.11b converter.



    Then all you have to do is plug the SliMP3 into your stereo and into the ethernet bridge and viola! You have the SliMP3 hooked up and ready to go. But of course, maybe next time you should ask to clarify if you don't understand my idea instead of just telling me it's useless. It hurts my over-inflated ego.
  • Reply 19 of 20
    gargoylegargoyle Posts: 660member
    If your in the same room as your stero, surly you can just use the original CD's of your songs.
  • Reply 20 of 20
    defiantdefiant Posts: 4,876member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Algol

    Forgive me. lol



    Yeah I do.
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