Cheapest way to hook up a stereo to my PC

Hi everybody,

I'm lookin for the cheapest possible way to connect my stereo to my PC.

The PC is a laptop which I hung on my wall, I'd like to be able to play
music from that laptop on my stereo.

On the internet, I've already found some solutions but most of these are
rather expensive. Most of these solutions offer a lot more than I need,
such as iTunes integration (I don't use iTunes), their own music player (I
don't need one, I've written my own) and other features that jack up the
price but are useless to me.

Any ideas or suggestions? I can get a wireless router and 2 wireless access
points for roughly 50 to 60 euros, so that's about the budget I'm willing
to spend. Solutions mentioned above cost 180 euros or more, so that's way
to expensive.

Thanks for all suggestions!

Ikke

Ikke wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> I'm lookin for the cheapest possible way to connect my stereo to my PC.
>
> The PC is a laptop which I hung on my wall, I'd like to be able to play
> music from that laptop on my stereo.
>
> On the internet, I've already found some solutions but most of these are
> rather expensive. Most of these solutions offer a lot more than I need,
> such as iTunes integration (I don't use iTunes), their own music player (I
> don't need one, I've written my own) and other features that jack up the
> price but are useless to me.
>
> Any ideas or suggestions? I can get a wireless router and 2 wireless access
> points for roughly 50 to 60 euros, so that's about the budget I'm willing
> to spend. Solutions mentioned above cost 180 euros or more, so that's way
> to expensive.
>
> Thanks for all suggestions!
>
> Ikke
What distance do you wish to transmit?
Does your Stereo have a FM receiver?
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=140984

Kev <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

<snip>
> What distance do you wish to transmit?

Only 5 meters within the same room, no walls in between to block the
signal.

> Does your Stereo have a FM receiver?

Yes, it does.

> http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=140984

The price is right, that's a fact! But alas, I've noted the following:
"The TuneCast is only available for use and sale in North America"

As I'm not in America, that's a bit of a problem

Thanks, though!

Ikke

Ikke wrote:
> Kev <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:(E-Mail Removed):
>
> <snip>
>> What distance do you wish to transmit?
>
> Only 5 meters within the same room, no walls in between to block the
> signal.
>
>> Does your Stereo have a FM receiver?
>
> Yes, it does.
>
>> http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=140984
>
> The price is right, that's a fact! But alas, I've noted the following:
> "The TuneCast is only available for use and sale in North America"
>
> As I'm not in America, that's a bit of a problem
>
> Thanks, though!
>
> Ikke
I only went to the "Belkin" web site but it is available in Europe.
e.g. http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...43TY&InMerch=1

Rob <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:4f-(E-Mail Removed):

<snip>
> I only went to the "Belkin" web site but it is available in Europe.
> e.g. http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...43TY&InMerch=1

I've had a look at the Belkin website, and have found the device.

Is there another solution available, without having to go through the FM
receiver?

Ideally, it would be some sort of mini-device which connects to the stereo
via an RCA jack, and which connects wireless to the laptop.

Also, it would be nice if all my stereos in the house could be connected.

Ikke

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:14:33 GMT, in alt.internet.wireless , Ikke
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The price is right, that's a fact! But alas, I've noted the following:
>"The TuneCast is only available for use and sale in North America"

Nope, you can buy them in the EU. Check on amazon.co.uk f'rinstance.


--
Mark McIntyre

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:59:51 GMT, in alt.internet.wireless , Ikke
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Ideally, it would be some sort of mini-device which connects to the stereo
>via an RCA jack, and which connects wireless to the laptop.

Its not so simple.

If you plan to use the wireless network, your PC needs to have some
s/w to convert music into a stream of IP packets that it pushes out
over the network.

Your stereo needs some s/w and h/w to capture and convert the IP
packets back into analogue signal to feed in the RCA/phono ports.

The Tunecast and similar units do the above using FM radio rather than
802.11 and TCPIP, which is simpler and saves money as the reciever is
free.

You might find this works for you:
https://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/...?hau-01004&P=4
I know its designed for video, but it works fine for audio too, and it
works with the GB-PVR software which is much neater than the Hauppauge
stuff.

>Also, it would be nice if all my stereos in the house could be connected.

You're looking for
http://www.simplysonos.co.uk/acatalo..._Brochure.html
.... and a 2nd mortgage...
--
Mark McIntyre

> Only 5 meters within the same room, no walls in between to block the
> signal.
>
> > Does your Stereo have a FM receiver?
>
> Yes, it does.

Search eBay for "linex fm". I've got one of their units (an older model).
It's a USB soundcard that transmits on an FM frequency. Your PC sees it as
another soundcard.

Works reasonably well.

"Ikke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns98BCDFEA16E87ikkehierbe@195.130.132.70...
> Rob <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:4f-(E-Mail Removed):
>
> <snip>
>> I only went to the "Belkin" web site but it is available in Europe.
>> e.g. http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...43TY&InMerch=1
>
> I've had a look at the Belkin website, and have found the device.
>
> Is there another solution available, without having to go through the FM
> receiver?
>
> Ideally, it would be some sort of mini-device which connects to the stereo
> via an RCA jack, and which connects wireless to the laptop.
>
> Also, it would be nice if all my stereos in the house could be connected.
>
> Ikke

Hi,

Just to throw something else into the wind. (I have two of the following
gadgets and make use of them often.)

The FM receiver idea is definetly the easiest (and cheapest) way to go,
_but_ :

- Since you said you were looking to put a network together and wanted to
run something through a network

- They are cheap, if you can find them.

- Not only will it give you audio over a network, but also video. You can
do other things like stream internet radio stations and get all sorts of
data as well. They also are small enough to travel with. I take one with
me in my laptop bag when I am on the road and use it to stream stuff that
coming from home.

- Catch: you'll have to be willing to tinker a bit to get the most out of
them. There is a great open community built around these providing software
and forums though.

The animal is the Hauppauge MVP player.
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ..._mediamvp.html

The open project is GB-PVR.
http://www.gbpvr.com/
(A number of folks there are from Europe. The MVP player can be found in
Europe. Hauppauge is European company even.)

I bought my players from Radio Shack when they were being cleared out. The
second one, I only paid $25 for. First one was $30-something. Dig around
and ask on the forums, may find a source over there for cheap...

If you are a "golden ear audiophile", you probably won't be impressed with
the audio, but I find it works just fine with me with the one I have hooked
up to an HDTV and DD/DTS receiver...

Just another idea to throw out and, admittedly, not the best one -- unless
you like playing around with things...

Eric

Ikke wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> I'm lookin for the cheapest possible way to connect my stereo to my
> PC.
>
> The PC is a laptop which I hung on my wall, I'd like to be able to
> play music from that laptop on my stereo.
>
> On the internet, I've already found some solutions but most of these
> are rather expensive. Most of these solutions offer a lot more than I
> need, such as iTunes integration (I don't use iTunes), their own
> music player (I don't need one, I've written my own) and other
> features that jack up the price but are useless to me.
>
> Any ideas or suggestions? I can get a wireless router and 2 wireless
> access points for roughly 50 to 60 euros, so that's about the budget
> I'm willing to spend. Solutions mentioned above cost 180 euros or
> more, so that's way to expensive.
>
> Thanks for all suggestions!
>
> Ikke

Do you have input jacks on your stereo? If so, they make stereo cables (not
sure what store there, I get em at radio shack in the us) for about $8 that
go from the headset plug on your laptop to the rca stereo aux input jacks on
most stereos.. Fraid it may be extremely cheap and simple to do it wired,
instead of wirelessly....