Philips broadband WiFi HiFi!

[Áedán]

Philips have annonced their new Streamium MC-i250 broadband micro HiFi. More than just an update on the Hi-Fi concept, it works hard at setting your MP3 and broadband connection free!

The Streamium MC-i250 provides all the features you'd expect in a micro HiFi, and then some. Complete with AM/FM tuner, multi format CD player (CDDA, MP3, MP3PRO), and 2x50W wOOx speakers. Then, on top of that, it can utilise wireless broadband connectivity!

The wireless broadband uses the standard 802.11b wireless ethernet (WiFi), for easy connection to any wireless router/access point. Using the broadband connection, you can create your own personalised internet station, playing your favourite music, enjoy the best of your favourite music styles via dedicated online charts, and listen to internet radio stations. Coupled with the "INFO!" button, you can receive detailed information on the artist and track playing via email.

If that wasn't enough, the MC-i250 also includes PC link, which allows the MC-i250 to connect to your PC, or any other PC on your home network to play back your music. Now we're talking!

Easy to use controls provide a jog dial to quickly choose through stations and tracks, as well as a 5 line display showing artist, track, and time elapsed.

Release date is Q2 2003, and more info is available here.

[Áedán]

Of couse, this wouldn't be complete without some pictures!

[David Shh!]

Hi fi? Lo fi!

I'm sure it's a great concept / lifestyle system, but I wouldn't listen to anything from Philips 'cos it sounds nothing like the original recording / broadcast.

What Hi-Fi have links to many manufacturers, but Richer Sounds have all the bargains!

[Áedán]

Originally posted by David Shh!
Hi fi? Lo fi!

I'm sure it's a great concept / lifestyle system, but I wouldn't listen to anything from Philips 'cos it sounds nothing like the original recording / broadcast.

It wouldn't. You're forgetting it's MP3, so no matter how exacting your speakers are, it's not the original.

On the other hand, how many other lifestyle systems are WiFi enabled?

Áedán

[ByteWipe]

Would certainly impress a lot of people....... just imagine:

"Nice hi-fi"
"Yes, its actually on my network with my other computers...."

[David Shh!]

Fair enough point about Wi-Fi. If that's what you want, go for it!

I thought the whole point of MP3 was that compression at 128Kb / s, or "CD quality" would be, erm, CD quality... only smaller.

If you pump a 128 or higher MP3 through a decent Hi-Fi and it will sound very close to the original CD, even with the degradation of the PCI bus and extra wires to get into the amp.

Squeeze a fantastic CD onto any Philips product and it'll sound like, well, a dodgy MP3 through your PC's speakers.

:-)

[Áedán]

Originally posted by David Shh!
I thought the whole point of MP3 was that compression at 128Kb / s, or 'CD quality' would be, erm, CD quality... only smaller.

If you pump a 128 or higher MP3 through a decent Hi-Fi and it will sound very close to the original CD, even with the degradation of the PCI bus and extra wires to get into the amp.

128Kbit/sec is not what I would consider 'CD' quality. Rather obviously, calling it 'CD quality' is a misnomer, as the compression has thrown away a large proportion of the information that was there originally. This information can never be recreated once thrown away.

In addition, MP3 relies on psychoacoustics to do this compression. It is well understood that humans do not all have the same psychoacoustic responses, so that MP3, at best, can only deal with the generalities. This means that there are people out there for whom MP3 compresson will never be good enough, as they can hear the compression artifacts. On the flip side, there are people who wouldn't notice heavier compression, as the MP3 model matches their hearing well.

The PCI bus does not degrade any digital signals, for obvious reasons! If it were, devices such as hard disks and the like would suffer from data corruption. This would not put the PCI bus in the position it is in today if it were not reliable. Anyone who is telling you that the PCI affects the audio probably doesn't have much of a clue to what they are talking about.

Another effect that is noticable on typically cheaper soundcards is that the soundcard picks up the "noise" of the PCI bus. That is, the converters on the soundcard are not sufficiently insulated from the PCI bus, and data transfers across the bus lead to the sound of data transfers being induced in the output of the converters. This is simply bad design on behalf of the soundcard manufacturer. However, doing this properly is a more expensive proposition. Never mind the fact that most sound cards are not shielded, and are trying to operate in an environment that has fairly high background RF levels.

If your cables are properly terminated at both ends, then the cabling should not affect the performance of your system. In addition, there is no reason why the PC has to generate an analog output. It is quite feasable (and has been done numerous times) to generate a digital output for an outboard DAC to handle.

Áedán