Stream music wirelessly – on the cheap
If you’re interested in streaming your digital music collection around the home, but a product like the Sonos S5 ZonePlayer is a bit out of your budget, the Orb Music Player is a much more affordable solution. Here’s what you need to know about this $69 gadget.
I’ve gushed about the Sonos S5 ZonePlayer system in the past – as it delivers exceptional audio, reliable wireless performance and smart apps to control it all — but at $400 per room I concede it’s a premium-priced product that might be out of reach for some.
An inexpensive but effective alternative for streaming music around the home is the new Orb Music Player from Orb Networks ($69 each). This product, however, requires an existing stereo system.
The aptly named Orb is a small, round gadget about the size of a hockey puck. When connected to your stereo or speakers, it can wirelessly pull music from your computer’s iTunes library or favorite online radio service, and – like the Sonos – it’s controlled via a free app for iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, as well as Android-powered smartphones.
Setup takes about five minutes. After downloading and installing the Orb Caster software, you’ll first be prompted to connect the Orb to your computer’s USB port. Then you can take the Orb anywhere in your home, plug it into the line-in jack on your stereo system or speakers, and also connect it to an electrical outlet (all cables included). Note: You also have to have a wireless (Wi-Fi) network. The last step is to install the free app to control your music remotely.
An intuitive iTunes-like interface on your smartphone, media player or tablet lets you use a fingertip to switch between songs stored on your computer’s hard drive, or you can stream from various online services, such as Sirius Satellite Radio, Pandora (for U.S. users) and others. The Orb Controller app also lets you control volume, pause tracks and access programmed playlists from iTunes.
As with the Sonos, you can connect multiple Orbs to as many stereos or speakers in your home as you like, and stream different music to each room — all at the same time, if desired.
This affordable and easy-to-use device is an ideal bridge between your computer’s music – whether stored on your hard drive on from an online service – and your stereo.
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I’d highly recommend the Wireless Media Stick from HSTI. http://hsti.com/wirelessmediastick/overview
Easy and works great – all USB – no power cables, no new remotes, no software AND you can stream movies. No live internet streaming yet, but works great with stored movies and torrent files.
This sounds great, especially for the price. I’ve been connecting my iPod directly to the stereo using the line-in, but then I can’t use it for anything else while listening to my music.
Is this available anywhere else besides ordering from Orb Networks (and paying $10 shipping)?
[...] your music collection, an inexpensive solution for delivering audio around the home is the Orb Music Player from Orb Networks ($69 apiece). The aptly named Orb is a small round gadget about the size of a hockey puck. When [...]
[...] your music collection, an inexpensive solution for delivering audio around the home is the Orb Music Player from Orb Networks ($69 apiece). The aptly named Orb is a small round gadget about the size of a hockey puck. When [...]