One thing about it that is sort of dumb, is you need to use Airport to share the music. So you CAN'T share music from computers that don't use Airport, even if they are plugged into the same LAN.. 
NEW - Airport Express
- Thread starter bobw
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macgeek
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Well, the next step could be wireless iPod. If your iPod can connect wirelessly to your stereo (without those crappy radio transmitters), you'll be set! Of course, it'd be nice to have iTunes controls built-in to your receiver, but let's get real.
I'm assuming that Firewire-less is going to be used for higher-bandwidth operations. Once we go to video over wireless, we'll have a need for it. I would bet that the Airport Express is an 802.11g stepping stone to a complete firewire-less home network. The trick will be transmitting the data at a distance. I'm wondering if Firewire-less will really replace 802.11g, or if it will merely replace Bluetooth. We shall see!
I'm assuming that Firewire-less is going to be used for higher-bandwidth operations. Once we go to video over wireless, we'll have a need for it. I would bet that the Airport Express is an 802.11g stepping stone to a complete firewire-less home network. The trick will be transmitting the data at a distance. I'm wondering if Firewire-less will really replace 802.11g, or if it will merely replace Bluetooth. We shall see!
Firewire/less is not higher bandwidth than 802.11g, really. More or less the same specs. Also: More or less the same uses. Sure: Video o.t.a. might need higher bandwidth than 802.11g (although you _could_ do that using the right codecs), Firewire/less doesn't help here, either.
... However: As my cablemodem is nowhere near my home stereo, I can't use AirPort Express, it seems. Or I'd have to put a looooooong wire between the two. Which kinda defeats the purpose (as I could also simply add a long audio-cable from computer to stereo...).
... However: As my cablemodem is nowhere near my home stereo, I can't use AirPort Express, it seems. Or I'd have to put a looooooong wire between the two. Which kinda defeats the purpose (as I could also simply add a long audio-cable from computer to stereo...).
kerrazyjoe
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I do not think this is true. An AirportBase station connected to a router (LAN) that has a machine connected to router shoul dbe able to stream through the LAN to the AirportBase station to the AirportExpress...???Captain Code said:One thing about it that is sort of dumb, is you need to use Airport to share the music. So you CAN'T share music from computers that don't use Airport, even if they are plugged into the same LAN..
iMac -> router -> AirportBase 802.11b -> AirPort Express -> Stereo.
kerrazyjoe
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Can I stream to more than one AP_Express at the same time? I want three AP_Express and have my entire house Rockin.
kerrazyjoe said:
Maybe, but what if you just want to use it to share tunes from a PowerMac, you shouldn't have to buy a base station too when the Express has an ethernet port.
The above might work but I would say there's no way to tell until you try it.
It would depend on how the Airport basestation transmits your packets. If it broadcast and made your iMac look like a wireless computer then it should work fine.
Cat
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Er ... no? I mean, you don't really need to connect your stereo to the internet... all you seem to need is an airport capable mac and an AirportExpress base station. That's all you need for a very simple, basic LAN. No cables at all: your iBook broadcasts the iTunes signal to the station, which you connect to the stereo. That's it. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Salvo
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This is Unbeleiveably cool. I was just contemplating using Cat5 to transmit Analogue Audio to the stereos in my house. AirPort Express will solve that problem for me.
Video would be cooler, but Audio Only is a step in the right direction.
Video would also introduce other issues; mainly to do with Bandwidth. Set top boxes, remote Controls
Video would be cooler, but Audio Only is a step in the right direction.
Video would also introduce other issues; mainly to do with Bandwidth. Set top boxes, remote Controls
kerrazyjoe
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I am glad your reply started with 'Maybe' - meaning you do not know for sure. Because I do not know for sure as well. Yes the solution I mentioned earlier does include a base station - my iMac does not have airport card (this is what I though you meant) but access everything on the wirless net through the base station connected to the router.Captain Code said:
Ok - I will remove my AirportBase station from my solution - I should be able to connect the AirpotExpress to the router - or simply connect to the Mac with a crossover cable - this should work - my guess is that this is all rendevous enabled and does not need to be Airport'ed.
iMac -> AirportExpress (crossover cable) -> stereo.
What makes want to say that you need to do wireless? The Express has an ethernet port.
kerrazyjoe said:
I do say maybe because I think it would work if the Express was setup as a bridge, but, not having any wireless computers in my house, I wouldn't know for sure. But, speaking theoretically, I believe it would work if in bridged mode, but that is really not a good way to do it because you would have a wired network connected to both airports(Extreme, and Express), and you would also have the wireless bridge between the Extreme and Express.
I would think that is what it should be able to do, without the Airport Extreme/regular Airport base station.
It would most definately be using Rendezvous, which *should* be working fine no matter if you are wireless or wired, but what gets me is what the specs say on Apple's website:
So, I wonder if Apple hasn't enabled sharing on the ethernet interface for some reason, just based on the specs saying that you need a wireless computer for it to work. There shouldn't really be any reason that you can't share from any Mac, no matter if it's wired or wireless, but they state that you need wireless.
If they did disable it on the ethernet interface for some reason, I would think all they would need to do is put out a firmware update to enable it.
kerrazyjoe
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I did not see that system requirements: now I see where CaptainCode is coming from. I will guess that one can stream music to a stereo over a wired network using AirportExpress - I have my fingers crossed.
kerrazyjoe
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I want it just for the "audio thing" . A 70$ access point does me no good - A 120$ "audio thing" solves a 'Problem' for me.RyanLang said:
Thanks for the info RyanLang - I was not aware of that.
I don't see what all the confusion is about regarding what Airport Express does. As it says on the front page of apple.com, it's basically a small airport extreme base station, that you can carry around with you where you go. You don't need an ethernet cable to use the airtunes feature, all you need is an airport card in your computer and a cable going from the airport express device to a stereo or other audio output device. This is made as a simple base station with the added ability to stream music with airtunes and be a print server. There would really be no reason to buy an Airport Express if you don't have an airport card in your computer already. There are plenty of devices out there already that hook up your stereo to a wired LAN. This isn't made to be a replacement for an airport card for those who can't install an Airport Extreme card in their old macs. It's made for those who want to have an airport base station with them when they travel without having to lug an airport UFO base station (and power adapter) around with them
kerrazyjoe
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The confusion is that it should not have to stream music wirelessly. I have a iMac without a airport card that is connected to a router that has an Airport Base station connected to the router. My stereo is in the other room. I should be able to stream music to my stereo using the BaseStation connected to my router as I can already network with all other wireless (Airport enabled) devices this way. The system requirements state that I need an Airport Card in my mac. I believe I will be able to do thi, it's just that is not clear.unimaxium said:
kerrazyjoe
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This just may be a limitation pogrammed in the software to inhibit unlawful sharing of music - it can only be played 150 ft from the source.kerrazyjoe said: