Looks like there's no end to ways in which sound can travel. This time it's going wi-fi.
If you have a secret wish to have a music system which does not require you to change discs, drives or tapes, then the Logitech Squeezebox will fit the bill.
The need to wire the hard drive to wi-fi, however, is something that Indian users are yet to familiarise themselves with. It's a wireless streaming box for audio only, which can be either integrated into a home theatre set-up or simply plug into cheap speakers or headphones.
The Squeezebox supports WEP and WPA security encryption too, so users should have no worries about the neighbours crashing in on their wireless music-driven joyride.
There have been wi-fi units equipped with hard drives, but nothing can beat a personal computer when it comes to ripping and managing an audio collection.
Actually, the product might seem too complex in its functions to many. Setting it up involves downloading the Slimserver software to your computer (it is both Mac and Windows compatible) then with the aid of a wizard Squeezebox teams with the wireless network. The device tracks down all the music on the user's hard drive through a simple and intuitive system of cascading menus.
Where the Squeezebox differs from the Sonos system (other than the cost) is that it doesn't operate on its own wireless mesh network -- it simply integrates with your existing setup, whereas the Sonos system can stream music from a network attached storage box with the PC turned off.
It is hard to fault the sound quality and the vacuum fluorescent display of the Squeezebox. The rear of the device sports the connectors including a headphone jack, RCA audio connectors, an Ethernet connector and S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface is a standard audio transfer file format which allows the transfer of audio from one file to another without the conversion to and from an analog format, which could degrade the signal quality) with optical audio out.
And the only way to control Logitech's Squeezebox is via the remote -- lose it and you have a problem. For Rs 19,995, it seems like a costly affair. Also, the remote has no 'Stop' button. You can 'Pause' music but can't stop it.
While the Squeezebox is primarily a music streaming device, it also does a few other nifty things. For instance, it has an alarm clock as well as the ability to read RSS news feeds in ticker tape format. Internet radio stations can be accessed through sites like live365.com, which also plays music through PC Realplayer application.