X10 Corporation has done it
again. It's given one of its older products a new purpose in life. First it was DVD
Anywhere; now it's MP3 Anywhere.
The idea behind any of these products is to combine the musical
capabilities of your computer and your stereo, and use each for what it does best.
MP3 Anywhere, released in late August, is a moderately repurposed
version of DVD Anywhere. In turn, DVD Anywhere is a refocused version of X-10's video and
audio transmitter/receiver combination, with a wireless mouse added.
This may sound somewhat confusing, but it doesn't mean anything is
wrong with the products or the X10 approach. Instead, it shows the versatility of some
basic products with minor changes and application-specific enhancements.
MP3 Anywhere has three basic components: a 2.4-GHz transmitter, a
2.4-GHz receiver, a Wireless MouseREMOTE, and a piece of software called Boom. The package
costs $88, and you can buy it directly from the X10 Web site.
The basic idea behind MP3 Anywhere is that you can connect the audio
from your computer's stereo line out to the transmitter. You then attach the receiver to
the stereo in your living room, den, or wherever you have a high-quality receiver and
better speakers than on your computer. The transmitter and receiver use one of four
channels to transmit video and stereo audio between them.
Using the MouseREMOTE, you can now play MP3 audio on your computer,
and hear the sound through your stereo system.
MP3 Anywhere costs less than portable MP3 players. But it gives you
access to all the MP3 or other audio files in your computer, and lets you listen through
any sound system you choose.
As with DVD Anywhere, you can also view DVD or any video that your
computer can produce, if your computer has a composite video output jack.
Boom works with RealAudio's RealJukebox, as well as other MP3 and
audio playback software, allowing you to switch tracks, mute, pause, and adjust volume
using the handheld, portable MouseREMOTE--and it really works.
Nice Touches, More Tunes
I particularly appreciate being able to press the Pause button on
the MouseREMOTE and stop the music temporarily so that I can take phone calls. It's a lot
easier than opening a player application and looking for a pause button.
If you already have DVD Anywhere attached to a VCR, DVD player, or
computer with DVD output, you can use the receiver (probably connected to a TV set) to
receive your MP3 audio. You set the DVD Anywhere transmitter to one channel, and the MP3
Anywhere transmitter to a different channel. By switching channels on the receiver, you
can select from different sources.
MP3 Anywhere may be even more useful for using your computer as an
audio recorder or player.
For example, if you have old vinyl, and a turntable connected to
your stereo, and want to save the sound as .wav files (or eventually as MP3), MP3 Anywhere
will help you do it. You can attach the MP3 Anywhere transmitter to your stereo, and the
MP3 Anywhere receiver to your computer. You can then broadcast a wireless audio signal to
your computer and record the audio.
Depending on the distance between the transmitter and receiver, the
quality of the audio may vary. However, for old LPs, the signal will probably be more than
adequate. If you don't want to record onto your computer, but want to listen to a radio
station, cassette, CD, or other audio on your stereo receiver, MP3 Anywhere should do a
pretty good job for you.
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© 1999 PC World Communications. All Rights Reserved.
