Send wireless signal from laptop?

Fit a wireless access point to the ethernet connection your laptop is connected to and have both laptop and internet radio working from the access point.

Either change that router out for one that has WiFi features or hang a WiFi access point (essentially a dumbed-down router) off one of the exsting router's ethernet ports. That way you'll have you own local wifi network. Usable for the internet radio (pretty useless gadgets if you ask me) as well as your laptop (assuming it has a wifi card in it).

-Bill Kearney

Hi, the current set up i have is a wireless Ethernet bridge which is then connectted to my laptop via an ethernet cable. This is a bit confusing as this bridge must be picking up a strong signal?! thanks again.

To restore balance to the world Bill Kearney wrote in gK-dnTaq3McoTKTVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@speakeasy.net

Why is your thinking a internet radio is a pretty useless gadget?

What's the wireless ethernet bridge talking to? Your Internet service provider or.....?

As others are suggesting, hang an AP off of the ethernet bridge. Then your laptop and radio will have a wireless connection that works locally.

I'm wondering the same thing also. I have a Dell SX260 computah configured mostly for streaming audio and video from the internet. I like it because the build in fans are VERY quiet. I'm almost constantly playing one of an assortment of internet radio stations depending on my mood and interest. Favorite player is Winamp, although I have a mixed mess of others depending on what I want to play. It also has a DRM (Digital Radio Monodial) decoder and may soon have an HD Radio (IBOQ) receiver attached. I recently gave up on the SCPC (Single Channel Per Carrier) receiver, when spring arrived and the trees decide to grow in front of my satellite dish.

While this may sound like a geeks idea of a hi-fi, it has become almost indespensible. I've also duplicated the setup for a few non-technical friends and customers, with variable results. Watching YouTube on a large screen HDTV is somewhat tacky, but functional. When not watching TV, it's tuned to the local internet radio (no commericals) station.

We're currently experiencing a large brush fire in the mountains. The various CDF fire channels are being streamed over the internet. That seems to be a popular use for internet radio. Since I have multiple sound "cards" (i.e. USB dongles) on the SX260, I can listen to music and the scanner at the same time.

However, one owners wife put everything in a cardboard box and ordered me to drag it away. Can't win them all. Anyway, my crystal ball says that the entertainment console of the future is going to look something like that, with streaming internet audio being very high on the list of features.

I'm not saying streamed audio is the problem, just that most of the single-purpose "internet radio" gadgets end up having so many limitations as to make them useless compared to using an actual PC. Sure, it's a bit of a hassle having a PC setup for the purpose and a "box" might seem easier. But by the time you torment yourself tring to "type" long URLs into the radio's crippled user interface you then find the stream can't be decoded due to an ever-upgrading series of new codecs. PC players can download new codecs but those "radios" end up needing all new firmware. And since they didn't sell well the companies stop updating the old versions, leaving you with an orphaned pile of junk. The "idea" of an internet radio seems pretty cool, but most implementations stink.

-Bill

Indeed, that is why I like using ultraportables (high-end PDA, tiny notebooks like the Zipit V1) for this; these have the size and weight commensurate with a portable radio and with a well-designed user interface, are as easy to use.

Michael

Yeah, that is a problem. That's why I went with an overkill PC instead of an "appliance". I had some experience with streaming A/V in a friends car using both some appliance (I forgot the name) and a PC. There wasn't that much "typing" of URL's on the remote control. It came with a pre-loaded set of internet radio stations sorted by genre that could be edited or updated. It could also scrape Shoutcast. Not too horrible but also rather limited. There was a rather long list of things it would NOT do, such as handle more than one external input.

The PC was much better, especially with a touch screen. My friends car setup was much the same as what I previously described except that we added Wi-Fi for downloading and synchronizing media with my home or office PC and a GPS mapping program. Also Bluetooth. Interestingly, my friend found himself using it to display PDF files (he's a general contractor) and is now wanting to add a printer.

There's also the issue of power consumption. The Dell SX260 (which incidentally runs off 12 VDC) sucks about 35 watts in standby and 65 watts when playing a DVD. A laptop would be about the same. I wanted something that could be left on continuously. The few "appliances" I looked at drew about 30% the power of a PC.

Most appliances have external keyboard inputs or you can use an HTML or telnet interface for programming. Not ideal, but good enough to avoid typing on the screen. There are also VST plugins for Winamp that make touchscreen operation easier. I use the ancient Windoze 3.1 "recorder.exe" to automatic and script macros. Plenty of options, but also plenty of room for improvement.

Incidentally, try: start -> run -> osk OSK is "on screen keyboard".

True. Human factors and user interfaces are still being worked out. I've been watching what little progress there is and am generally encouraged. I have some ancient experience in IVR (interactive voice response) and suspect the next bit lurch forward will be in that area. You can have an animated conversation with your appliance. This is actually happening with some higher end TV remote controls. Meanwhile, it's touch screen, keyboard and mouse. Yawn.

Sorry. I forgot the URL:

There are others, but this one integrates nicely with Winamp.

To restore balance to the world Bill Kearney wrote in xcGdnfjXgoGnmqHVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@speakeasy.net

I personally use a

and my cheap and cheerful single-purpose box that also wakes me for work .. I also feel you are a little dated in your concept of the internet as a media carrier,but then we are all allowed our own thoughts.

Chris

Your nuts Bill! Check out Sangean wfr-20. I've got 2 of 'em. Super radio. Reciva web site. Got a 5mg broadband connection wireless. Have no drops. The times are chging. The radios already have.