Roku SoundBridge M1000/M1001 Network Music System Review


Features

  • Wireless digital music receiver for streaming music from a PC or Mac to any home stereo or surround sound system
  • Native support for Apple iTunes and Rendezvous, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Player 10, and Rhapsody
  • Compatible with Windows Media DRM 10 music services, including Napster, MusicMatch, and Walmart.com
  • Easy-to-read 280 x 16 vacuum-fluorescent display with 4 EQ music visualizers; built-in WiFi and Ethernet interfaces
  • Ultra-fast 400 MHz Blackfin DSP; measures 10 inches wide by 2.37 inches in diameter; 1-year warranty

Price: $199.99
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.


Product InformationTechnical InformationCustomer Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
Winner of the CES 2004 Innovations Award and a Wired editor's pick, Roku's SoundBridge M1000 digital music receiver employs WiFi technology to broadcast media files from your Mac or PC to just about anywhere in the house. You no longer have to be sitting at your computer to hear your music, nor do you need to burn your Internet-sourced audio to CDs to import it to the living room. Just plug the M1000 into your integrated amplifier or surround receiver and you can listen to all your digital music on your stereo or multichannel speaker system. The M1000 includes built-in 802.11b WiFi for wireless use but also offers a RJ-45/Cat5 Ethernet port for hard-wired connections.





The M1000 features an extra-bright 280 x 16 vacuum fluorescent display that shows the track and artist name. Take a closer look. The SoundBridge is compatible with WMA, MP3, AAC, AIFF, and WAV music formats right out of the box. Further, its native support for Apple Rendezvous and iTunes means the M1000 is instantly ready to play your Apple media--no additional software is required, as you're already set up for Rendezvous or iTunes. Just enable iTunes' sharing feature (though please be aware that iTunes Music Store "Protected AAC" files are not supported). SoundBridge uses Apple's DAAP (digital audio access protocol) to communicate directly with iTunes, and reduces its network bandwidth by decoding AAC files in the player rather than in the computer.

PC owners, meanwhile, will delight in the SoundBridge's built-in Windows Media Connect, Windows Media Player 10, and Rhapsody support. The device also works with any music service using Windows Media DRM 10, such as Napster, MusicMatch, and Walmart.com. All told, the M1000 is the most compatible music player around.



The M1000's remote includes search, brightness, navigation, and playback controls. With its convenient remote control, it's easy to browse, select, and control your music from across the room, or you can control playback from your computer using the intuitive web interface. The M1000 also offers a 280 x 16 display with your choice of four "EQ display" music visualizers that play along with the beat of your music. And the bright, sharp vacuum-fluorescent readout is easy to see in all lighting conditions and from any angle--even from across the room.

The SoundBridge offers Internet radio access, too, bringing you a selection of free music and talk-radio stations (with up to 10 station presets). Roku's Fast Browse feature lets you browse huge music collections by album, artist, genre, or composer (providing your files are properly encoded with said details). You can also play your stored iTunes playlists or use the keyword search to find the title you seek.

Beyond its WiFi and RJ-45 interfaces, the M1000 offers straight-ahead audio connections: an S/PDIF coaxial digital output and an optical Toslink output (one each) for those that want a pure digital connection with a surround receiver or a


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