Linksys Intros Multiroom Wireless-N Home Audio System

[malware]

Cisco today announced the Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio system at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. From the world leaders in networking, the Wireless Home Audio system utilizes Wireless-N technology to deliver a rich audio experience to any room in the home. Users can create a party atmosphere with immaculate synchronization when listening to the same song throughout the entire home, or send different music to customized “zones”. The Wireless Home Audio solution also puts millions of songs at your fingertips through integrated Internet services such as Rhapsody, AudioLounge, and RadioTime. An optional Docking Station for iPod enables your content on Apple iPods, including Podcasts, Audio Books, and purchased iTunes content, to be played through any Wireless Home Audio device on the network. Wireless Home Audio products also work great with the newly announced Linksys by Cisco Media Hub that gathers and presents the available media on a network.




Facts/Highlights:

Complete Solution
The Wireless Home Audio product family includes three available options for playback devices that allow consumers to bring wireless audio to any room – the all-in-one Conductor, the Director with powerful amplifier and the Player which is the ideal addition to existing sound systems. A Wireless-N Controller enhances the Wireless Home Audio experience by providing touchscreen access to all available audio from anywhere in the home. Consumers can easily unleash audio from their iPods by simply slipping it into the available Docking Station for instant access to all of the songs, playlists, and other audio content on the device. In addition, with millions of songs available from Rhapsody in the US and AudioLounge in Europe, Wireless Home Audio users can search for tracks, discover new artists, and create playlists to be sent to any room. A “Favorites” function gives one-touch access to any content from any source.

Great Audio Quality, Precise Synchronization
Cisco, the world’s leader in networking technology has applied its years of knowledge and expertise to develop an amazing lossless digital audio delivery solution that preserves the full depth and richness of the recording, as originally intended by the artist. Through distributed decoding technology, each Wireless Home Audio device receives unmodified audio source material without any trans-coding or compression. The audio is then reproduced and synchronized to within microseconds, virtually eliminating echo artefacts so often evident in other wireless audio systems.

Wireless Simplicity
With Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio, music can be unleashed from existing digital libraries that are stored on a PC or other device, integrated Internet services, or even an iPod, with no need to run new wires around the home, or undergoing complex home renovation to install the devices. As a complete wireless solution, Wireless Home Audio products enable consumers to fully equip their homes with a world of music that is at their fingertips.

Standards-Based Compatibility 
Following Cisco’s standards-based approach to networking, the Wireless Home Audio products utilize Wireless-N technology to provide greater value to the consumer by allowing each device to achieve its full potential as an extension of the solution rather than requiring that one of the devices be hard-wired to a router. Wireless Home Audio products have been built to utilize the DLNA 1.5 standard, extending the value of the solution by making it accessible to and from a broad variety of devices. The products are compatible with standards such as HomePlug, Wireless-G, and Ethernet to allow consumers to choose the mix of networking technologies that is right for them.

Products

Conductor DMC350 Wireless-N Digital Music Center
The Conductor is a complete, portable, self-contained wireless music system with integrated speakers that can be used to bring music to any room of the home. All it needs is a power outlet. It features a seven inch LCD touch screen for easy navigation through your music library and an integrated CD player to play those songs that you have not digitized yet. An individual IR Remote is included.

Director DMC250 Wireless-N Music Player with Integrated Amplifier
Features a 50-watt per channel integrated amplifier powerful enough to be placed in any room as a more permanent solution to access digital music, and includes a line in and out to connect to speakers. Its full color LCD display makes navigating through your music library simple. An individual IR Remote is included.

Player DMP100 Wireless-N Music Extender
Allows you to access digital music from existing stereo or surround sound systems in the home. Its compact design allows it to blend well with any décor making it an ideal option to extend music to any room in the home utilizing your existing audio equipment. An individual IR Remote is included.

Stereo Speaker Kit DSPK50 
designed to compliment the Director - Wireless-N Music Player. Pair them to create a complete, high-quality wireless sound system and experience your digital music all around your home, at your control.

Controller DMWR1000 Wireless-N Touchscreen Remote
Designed to control the complete Wireless Home Audio system wirelessly. It features a large, color touchscreen, thumbwheel, and engaging interface designed to let you easily control any one or every one of your Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio devices, including a docked iPod, from anywhere in your home, even when they’re out of sight.

Docking Station for iPod MCCI40
Allows consumers to extend their available Wireless Home Audio library to include all of the content on their iPod, including Podcasts, Audio Books, and purchased iTunes content.

IR Remote DMRIR500
Comes standard with the Conductor, Director, and Player. Its simple button layout and slim form factor allows you to easily control your audio devices when you do not have a Controller nearby.

To simplify the purchasing process, three Wireless Home Audio kits are available:

Premier Kit:
A two-room starter kit that includes Director and IR Remote, Player and IR Remote, and Wireless-N Controller.

Trio Kit:
A kit for consumers looking to add the power Wireless Home Audio to their existing audio systems, the Trio Kit includes 2 Players, 2 IR Remotes, and a Wireless-N Controller.

Executive Kit:
An easy way to add a Wireless Home Audio capabilities to any room, the Executive Kit includes a Director, IR Remote and matching speakers.

Pricing and availability:
The Wireless Home Audio products are available in the United States from authorized Linksys by Cisco retailers, authorized resellers, and VAR partners. Cisco anticipates availability in stores in Denmark and The Netherlands during the first quarter of 2009. The Conductor will be available in the first quarter of 2009.
Estimated street prices are as follows:

Premier Kit - $999.99/ €999.99
Trio Kit - $849.99/ €849.99
Executive Kit - $549.99/ €549.99
Conductor – Pricing available at launch
Director - $449.99/ €449.99
Player - $299.99/ €299.99
Stereo Speaker Kit - $149.99/ €149.99
Controller - $349.99/ €349.99
iPod Dock - $79.99/ €79.99
IR Remote - $29.99/ €29.99

Source: Linksys

[Easy Rhino]

this idea has been around for some time now and it looks like linksys has finally capitalized on it.

[MRCL]

*looks at kit* *drools*
*looks at prices* *faints*

[HolyCow02]

Originally Posted by MRCL

*looks at kit* *drools*
*looks at prices* *faints*

bingo! This system would be awsome! But holy balls expensive! It's probably because there isn't a decent competitor yet. Hopefully someone else will come out with something similar and then we can have price battles!

[Easy Rhino]

the speakers are suspect. the networked media system idea has been around for a long time but nobody bothered because they didnt think it would sell. obviously linksys thinks it will sell now. im sure that this could be done with a homebrew set for less than half the cost if you get decent speakers and amps on ebay and just use something like harmony system to transmit all your music.

[Cold Storm]

Parent's would love to have a set up like that.. Easy is right on the fact that homebrew could do it cheaper and probably better. Better being the fact that you can grab the right style of speakers for yourself... Maybe they will also come out with just the network set-up... But in all, it's a good idea to come out. Could of got even more money if done earlier!

[MRCL]

Originally Posted by plm2e

i already have 2 xbox 360s that i use for putting media all over my house. and im a poor college student who needs the money.

Uh... poor student and two 360s?

[PP Mguire]

Originally Posted by MRCL

Uh... poor student and two 360s?

Exactly my thoughs on the matter.

This seems like it would be better for like bars and restaurants.

[plm2e]

Originally Posted by MRCL

Uh... poor student and two 360s?

thanks for your input, but that really does not help me. cheap 360's are not that hard to find. i hope everyone on this forum is not "better than everyone"

[MRCL]

Originally Posted by plm2e

thanks for your input, but that really does not help me. cheap 360's are not that hard to find. i hope everyone on this forum is not "better than everyone"

Well to come to your original request; You can put it in the B/S/T section here. Might be a little hard to sell it tho. An auction wouldn't be the dumbest idea.

[Easy Rhino]

Originally Posted by MRCL

Uh... poor student and two 360s?

lmao good catch!

[Easy Rhino]

Originally Posted by plm2e

i have the Director - Wireless-N Music Player with Integrated Amplifier (DMC250), Player - Wireless-N Music Extender (DMP100), Wireless-N Touchscreen Remote (DMRW1000), and the Stereo Speaker Kit / Wired Accessory (DMSPK50)

i opened it when i recieved it on 7/3/09. I just checked to see if everything worked properly. It does work very good and its an impressive little system.

i want to sell it because i already have 2 xbox 360s that i use for putting media all over my house. and im a poor college student who needs the money. I saw that you can get items cheaper by buying the bundles, but you still cant get everything i have for less than $1150. i will sell it a lot cheaper than that. i just need to get rid of it quick. i dont like ebay, so please dont suggest that.

i listed it on craigslist in nashville, but i dont think anyone knows what to think about this new product.

anyone have any ideas of how to sell it?

if i knew you i would give you $100 for it.

[plm2e]

really. i guess i picked the wrong forum. you guys are very pleasant. it was a simple question and you pick out the 2 360's to talk about. i payed $250 for both of them if that makes you feel any better. please stop acting like fools.

[PP Mguire]

How are we acting like fools? We pointed out the contradictory in your statement. You said your a poor student but yet you have 2 360s. Then again im with you because i live in a tent, own 2 AMD rigs, have SSDs, 24" lcd, and a Gateway laptop.....i feel ya.

[Easy Rhino]

Originally Posted by plm2e

really. i guess i picked the wrong forum. you guys are very pleasant. it was a simple question and you pick out the 2 360's to talk about. i payed $250 for both of them if that makes you feel any better. please stop acting like fools.

well you dont have many posts here so it is a little strange for someone to say he won something and would like to sell it. why would you turn to this forum for advice on selling the item?

[erocker]

Please stay on topic and refrain from feeding the trolls.

[PP Mguire]

[plm2e]

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

well you dont have many posts here so it is a little strange for someone to say he won something and would like to sell it. why would you turn to this forum for advice on selling the item?

other than the linksys website, this is the only forum i could find on the web that had what seems like reliable information on this system. I thought it may be an intellegent way to ask. I did win it from a sweepstakes for free bonaroo tickets. i won 2 tickets, all this and a TB hard drive. if anyone has any advice, i would appreciate it!!! thanks

[MRCL]

Originally Posted by plm2e

other than the linksys website, this is the only forum i could find on the web that had what seems like reliable information on this system. I thought it may be an intellegent way to ask. I did win it from a sweepstakes for free bonaroo tickets. i won 2 tickets, all this and a TB hard drive. if anyone has any advice, i would appreciate it!!! thanks

You're lucky, do you knwo that?
Well I know there are a few Hi-Fi Magazines published here, and knowing America, it must be a couple thousand of them over there. They sure have some ad section in the magazines, maybe its best you place your ad there, where the main audience is listening... I mean reading.