MP3elf is a network attached MP3 player. It can stream MP3s from your hard drive or connect to internet radio stations. The design is BSD licenced so you can download all of the plans and build it yourself if you want. They’ve got kits available as well. The server portion is written in Java so it should run on your operating system of choice.
[thanks Default]
Way too expensive for a mp3 streamer. I would rather buy a spare Ipod and hook it up directly to the stereo. Or i could connect up a 20-50 foot audio cable from the computer to the stereo for much cheaper. The streamer is a cool idea, but have to be realistic with the cost. Too expensive.
Posted at 1:00 pm on Mar 17th, 2006 by Tim
this has been out a long time i was looking at this a while back to do a stream mp3 player like this its pretty cool but like the 1 post i think you can do almost the same thing with the slim device — or even maby a used via 500 or via 800 from ebay or other sources (since its a small form computer ) do all the programming with kebaord mouse and monitor and have some script work on scanning your main box with all the mp3 on it and out put to your home theater come powered speakers or headphones small power supply to run the via unit i think you can doo all the same things with a little less money
hell i might just try this
DM
Posted at 5:29 pm on Mar 17th, 2006 by digitalmaddog
hell i just forgot you can use the slim devices free software to do the same thing i think there is a developers option to write your own script ( here is the link http://slimdevices.com/su_downloads.html) you just nee to write some script to auto load and auto play and use the come or printer port to have some buttons to activate play pause ff rw and volume!!!
i still might try this
DM
Posted at 5:33 pm on Mar 17th, 2006 by digitalmaddog
While I think all custom hardware is cool, I just think this is one of those things that just doesn’t make sense in the real world.
If you go to their FAQ, one of their goals with this device is to be low cost, so you could have one in every room.
Well, that is cool and all, but for $140 for the complete kit, and $210 for the prebuilt, you could go out and buy an XBox and install XBMC to end up with an infinitely more capable device for less money.
I understand the size of the thing is also a drawing point, but as others said, there are other devices available to come close to the required form factor.
Posted at 1:57 am on Mar 18th, 2006 by TJ
@#8
This lets the user control the music remotely.
Shoot, and see what song is playing too.
It’s awesome.
Your friends will be impressed.
And your mother will be proud of you.
Posted at 11:59 am on Mar 18th, 2006 by joelanders
joelanders, using ethernet as speaker cable only uses four wires. Therefore you have four left: two for a serial connection back to the computer and two for power. Then just plug in an LCD and some buttons to a microcontroller and you’ve got a UI. Just need to interface it with wmp/itunes/winamp and you’re sorted. LCDSmartie can do that for free.
ch424
PS: Why don’t capital letters work?
Posted at 1:56 pm on Mar 18th, 2006 by ch424
When using cat5 as speaker cables you should only run one speaker per cable and tie the 2 pairs together for each conductor. Your going to loose alot of power in the cable and you risk starting a fire if your pushing it hard enough on a single pair.
Cat5 is like 24 gauge wire, I wouldn’t use anything smaller than 16 on mid/hi speakers, 12 on subwolfers.
A better way to use CAT5 for audio is use transformers or OPAMPs to ballance line level signals and then run into a power amp in the room with the speakers. Run RS485 on 2 pair for control and run left and right audio on the other two pairs. The common mode rejection should take care of the crosstalk.
Posted at 2:26 pm on Mar 18th, 2006 by Chris mcdonald
i didn’t think of that ch424… that would be pretty slick.
saw this thing below on del.icio.us and thought it was kinda related. it’s an easy to make, cheap, standalone mp3 player.
kinda… related…
http://butterflymp3.sourceforge.net/index.html
Posted at 11:24 pm on Mar 18th, 2006 by joelanders
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Very cool- I’ve been looking for a small mp3 player (a la the slimp3) but without the damned display. I don’t use it so why should I pay for it? That said $110 for the kit plus LCD plus TINI modules puts you in the ballpark of a slimp3 player so why not just get one to begin with? Would have been nice to do away with the TINI module and just get ethernet up and running on a small ARM core.
Posted at 12:18 pm on Mar 17th, 2006 by don