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View Full Version : Make Your Own Internet Radio For Some Geek Cred


Hooch Tan
09-09-2010, 08:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://lifehacker.com/5631984/how-to-make-an-inexpensive-wi+fi-radio-with-an-asus-router-and-usb-sound-card' target='_blank'>http://lifehacker.com/5631984/how-t...-usb-sound-card</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Want a Wi-Fi radio that can play just about any audio source and you can control from your smartphone? Video blogger Tinkernut details how to make one. In the video above, Tinkernut shows us how to take an Asus WL-520GU and a USB sound card to make a Wi-Fi radio for under $50."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1284041408.usr20447.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>There are a lot of options for streaming or playing back music and streaming Internet radio around the house.&nbsp; The problem is a lot of them tend to cost a fair bit of money.&nbsp; With standalone Internet radios edging below $100, and far more when they are on sale, this kind of solution is not extremely cost effective, but where Internet radios usually limit to what you are able to play, either from a list of radio stations they provide, or possibly from your computer, a solution like this, using MPD, allows you to play almost anything you come across.&nbsp; The only thing that is missing from this kind of solution is that it acts as a single device, instead of something you can use in multiple rooms with synching.&nbsp; For that, you likely do have to shell out a bit more money and go with something like a Squeezebox.&nbsp; I am in the process of figuring out how to stream music around my appartment and this caught my eye, but I think I want something a bit more sophisticated than this.&nbsp; What do you use to stream music?&nbsp; I have already mentioned Squeezebox.&nbsp; I know that Creative Labs has a solution, then there is Apple's AirTunes and there's Sonos as well.</p>

gdoerr56
09-10-2010, 05:39 PM
Sonos for me.

It's a bit on the expensive side but their stuff just works. The WAF is high.

They update their firmware regularly and are always adding new music sources. I've not tried the Logitech stuff but know several people who have. It works but needs more care and feeding than Sonos.

EscapePod
09-11-2010, 05:18 PM
Thanx for the tip on the Sonos, gdoerr56. I'm ready to dump my ASUS for something that works well, and is maintained by the manufacturer. I'd say it was a waste of money, but it does work (usually ... when its not silent while feeding its tiny buffer). It was a good, relatively cheap, introduction to Internet Radio. Time to move on to something better.