iPod I want music in my kitchen!

[notjustjay]

... and elsewhere in the house, too.

Suppose I have a server or NAS where my iTunes library will reside (still to be built, but anyhow). I want access to my iTunes to, say, provide music in the kitchen, or living room, etc.

Here are the options I am aware of:

* Put a Mac in the kitchen.
* AppleTV (but this would require an HDTV of some sort)
* AirPort Express (but this would still require a Mac elsewhere to control it)
* Stream over a PSP using various iTunes-RSS or iTunes-web tools
* Roku Soundbridge
* Logitech / Slim Devices Squeezebox
* SONOS or equivalent music server system

Most of these are expensive solutions. What system do you like, and what would be the best for someone on a budget?

 

[kuebby]

I can't speak for most of your solutions but I can tell you that streaming music to a PSP over a wireless network never worked well for me. The music would stop every 10-15 seconds as it buffered.

 

[3nm]

i'd get airport express. it works, and it works well. it's elegant and you can use it for multiple locations.

 

[iMouseHD]

Ill second the airport, we have a few around the house and they work great.

 

[CanadaRAM]

$5.50 worth of lamp cord run around the floor, ceiling, or through the basement to the kitchen from the stereo in the living room, and some bookshelf speakers.

 

[notjustjay]

Yeah, I guess those would definitely be the cheapest solutions. (I also flirted with the idea of buying an old stereo amp from a garage sale or someplace and hiding it in one of the deep cupboards).

At the other end of the scale, I've also been looking for a nice little radio I could put in the kitchen, something compact, that doesn't cost a fortune yet doesn't look like an abomination of cheap plastic. I'm surprised by how difficult it is to find something. Sony's "The Radio" looks about right but costs way too much.

Thanks for the tips guys. If anyone else has other ideas, I'd love to hear them...

 

[notjustjay]

An update.

I found out my local Future Shop and Best Buy both carry the Roku SoundBridge M1001, so I picked one up to try. This thing is really slick, although a bit expensive ($250 Cdn, I see from the Roku site you can pick one up refurbished for $150 USD). You still need to hook up external speakers, so add a few dollars for a good set. Still, it works great as a way to play my iTunes music and also internet radio stations (meh?).

I was thinking of setting the module over my fridge (where there is a gap between the top of the fridge and the cabinet above it) and hiding the speaker setup on top of my kitchen cabinets where they would be hidden by crown moulding.

 

[shipdestroyer]

FM transmitter and a radio would probably be the cheapest with lowest cost:work ratio.

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

why not just get a 80gb ipod (everyone should have one anyways) and just buy a couple ipod dock with speakers? They'll look great and sound decent too.

 

[DCBass]

why not just get a 80gb ipod (everyone should have one anyways) and just buy a couple ipod dock with speakers? They'll look great and sound decent too.

i second this option. i have a pair of mm50s that i'm always taking around, especially to my kitchen. i love how it can run off of its own rechargeable battery, no cords and great sound for a small amount of mulah.

Hope this helps.

DCBass

 

[davidg4781]

I'm not too familiar with the Airport Express, nor do I know if your library is protected or not, but that SoundBridge doesn't support protected AACs.

I'm maybe thinking the Airport Express, if you already have a an Airport Extreme. Sure, it's $100, and you won't be able to change songs (at least I don't think) but it's small and looks easy to set up.

Another option I'd consider is maybe an iPod shuffle or Nano, depending on the size of your library, along with some kind of docking speaker system. You could carry the Nano around the house and plug it in, or buy a few.

Or, just turn your speakers on your Mac up really loud .

 

[mkrishnan]

why not just get a 80gb ipod (everyone should have one anyways) and just buy a couple ipod dock with speakers? They'll look great and sound decent too.

My girlfriend has an iHome thingie in her kitchen that she plugs a nano into. I tend to agree... If you want something prettier... the Tivoli one, etc, are options. Unless your music changes so frequently that the iPod is a limitation, it seems not too bad to me.

 

[rainydays]

Do you have a bluetooth cellphone? If you are able to connect to your mac with it from the kitchen then Salling Clicker is an excellent remote control for iTunes.
That together with the airport express would be a great solution.
An even cheaper one is Salling Clicker + lamp cord

 

[notjustjay]

Heh. Good tips all, thanks.

Yeah, I might just go for one of those mm50 or iHome things. My iPod is under-utilized anyway

Either that, or the SoundBridge option. It's pretty cool, but might fit better in a living room where there's already a good audio system (well, not yet in my case, but soon )

 

[bearda]

I'm maybe thinking the Airport Express, if you already have a an Airport Extreme. Sure, it's $100, and you won't be able to change songs (at least I don't think) but it's small and looks easy to set up.

The Griffin AirClick USB remote can actually plug into the USB printer port on the AirPort Express and let you control iTunes from the AirPort.

 

[epiphany]

I don't like things taking up counterspace or in splatter range in the kitchen personally, so I'd go with something like the under-cabinet mount iHome ($69 this week at Target) http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...-8139305?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000EA0DEO

or, for a few bucks more, the Spacemaker (also at Target) with CD player.

I'm leery about sound quality on some of these devices, so you should have her check them out first. If going counter-top, I'd also look at the $99-$129 JBL systems out there...

 

[shu82]

How about networking an old g3 imac. The speakers are wonderful. I have one on my kitchen counter. I put in a 40 gig to sync my ipod to. Works great. They can be had for less than 50 now.

 

[notjustjay]

Funnily enough, I have access to an old G3 iMac if I want it. They're kinda big, though, I don't think there'd be room in my kitchen for it.

Maybe an old G3 iBook....

 

[shu82]

You would have to have external speakers for the ibook. The size is a little bit too much if you have a small kitchen. But it does fit into a corner nicely. Its just a great cheap way to have music in the kitchen. I might upgrade to a g5 when they come down in price, and mount it on my wall. But that is a few years off.

You can't go wrong with free, its worth a try

 

[waterskier2007]

i'd get airport express. it works, and it works well. it's elegant and you can use it for multiple locations.

definitely second on that. i have three airport expresses in my house and they work amazingly

 

[danny_w]

I just sold a Roku Soundbridge on eBay for $125 in perfect condition. I loved it, but got an TV instead so that I could control it via the tv interface. But I liked the search capabilities on the Roku much better (until Apple fixes it...). And I think that you will need an external amp or powered speakers to use it.

 

[notjustjay]

I just sold a Roku Soundbridge on eBay for $125 in perfect condition. I loved it, but got an TV instead so that I could control it via the tv interface. But I liked the search capabilities on the Roku much better (until Apple fixes it...). And I think that you will need an external amp or powered speakers to use it.

Dang, I should have talked to you Is this what they go for on eBay nowadays?

Yeah, I'd use a set of computer speakers hidden up amongst the crown moulding.

The other advantage of having an iMac/iBook in the kitchen would be for storing recipes, checking email, etc.

 

[danny_w]

Dang, I should have talked to you Is this what they go for on eBay nowadays?

Yeah, I'd use a set of computer speakers hidden up amongst the crown moulding.

The other advantage of having an iMac/iBook in the kitchen would be for storing recipes, checking email, etc.

As I recall I paid $149 for it from Best Buy; they were supposed to be $199 but it was marked as $149 for some reason, and it rang up that way too so I bought it. Got most of my money back after 1+ years of use. I've seen them on eBay for anywhere from $75 to $200.

 

[Keebler]

well, i'd go the airport express way using speakers from audioengineusa.com. they have an ac outlet right on the back...connect the airport express...plug the speakers in, connect the stereo wire from express to speakers... BOOM....awesome sound.

only problem is that they are larger type of bookshelf speakers.

myself...i'm looking to wallmount a g5 imac in the kitchen for this purpose (and calendar, address book and recipe stuff). they should be cheaper if you can find one. i think only the 24" intel imacs can be mounted and that's slightly overkill (both in price and size) for my needs.

i plan to boost the ram as much as i can and add a 750 GB HD and giddy up.

there was a post about the ikitchen, but i have to run so i can't post. search in mac hardware i believe. very inspirational.

the main reason for my imac kitchen want/need is calendaring... if you have kids and both work.... oh..the scheduling needs will be plentiful!

good luck with whatever you do btw.
Cheers,
Keebler

 

[notjustjay]

As I recall I paid $149 for it from Best Buy; they were supposed to be $199 but it was marked as $149 for some reason, and it rang up that way too so I bought it. Got most of my money back after 1+ years of use. I've seen them on eBay for anywhere from $75 to $200.

Yeah, they sell here for $249 Cdn at Future Shop and Best Buy, plus in Ontario 14% total sales taxes on top of that. Even though the Canadian dollar is forecasted to be at par with the US dollar by the end of the year, we pay way too much for our electronics.

I think it may be time for a road trip.