Playing PC streams through home stereo

December 25, 2008 3:50 PM

I'm trying to find the best/simplest wireless solution for playing music/streams from my PC through my home stereo. Currently, I'm doing it the wired way: headphone line out (from laptop) to auxiliary input (using a cable that is adapted to rca plugs) on my Kenwood receiver. I'd like to buy a wireless solution and need advice on where I can find something that is both functional and affordable. I don't need anything fancier than what will work for streaming the PC output.
posted by zephyrbill to technology (10 comments total)

Perhaps you'd be interested in a Airport Express and use AirTunes? Or a Sonos System?
posted by miasma at 4:25 PM on December 25, 2008

If you rfeeling rich you could get a Request system.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 4:42 PM on December 25, 2008

A RocketFM may be the way to go if you want something functional and affordable. They have been discontinued but there are plenty of them under $20 NIB on eBay.

I've had one for about four years and it works great and sounds as good as my MP3s do. It is unobtrusive on the PC side, USB bus powered, and requires nothing to be installed on the receiver side. An added bonus is that of course you can use it with any FM receiver (think portables, alarm clocks, boombox on the porch etc).
posted by quarterframer at 5:20 PM on December 25, 2008

The Airport Express is pretty simple to setup, and if I remember correctly is not expensive. iTunes on your PC sends audio to the Express over WiFi, and the Express has an audio out (standard mini headphone jack with lineout, I believe) that runs to your stereo.
posted by zippy at 5:42 PM on December 25, 2008

There's the Linksys wireless music bridge.
posted by god hates math at 6:11 PM on December 25, 2008

I use a Squeezebox. It's great.

The older ones you can find on eBay are just fine.
posted by quarantine at 7:05 PM on December 25, 2008

I'd second the Airport Express. It's $99, and as long as you use iTunes, there's no simpler solution.
posted by laradar at 9:53 PM on December 25, 2008

If you have an Xbox360 and a wireless network you already have everything you need. If you don't have that, a $30 FM transmitter plugged into the out jack of your sound card works too.
posted by COD at 6:24 AM on December 26, 2008

Do NOT NOT NOT buy the Linksys music bridge. I just spent three days failing to get it to work and, apparently, I am not alone. I feel like a schmuck for buying it even after reading all the nightmare reviews. It WILL NOT WORK. Argh. Anything else. Seriously.

Now I'm going to check out that nifty looking RocketFM gizmo, which is also for sale on amazon.
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:36 AM on December 26, 2008

I just got my rocketfm - and it totally rocks! (if any mefite wants a free music bridge to try, memail me - it blows and you can have it.)

One caveat - I think this is only a good solution for someone like me, who is NOT an audiophile. The sound quality appears pretty basic radio-standard even to me. (I don't mind, but others might.)
And technologically, all I had to do was plug one end into the laptop and tune my stereo to 88.1. Didn't even have to use the included CD.
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:19 PM on January 5