Listening to music out on my back deck?

[matt91]

So we're building a covered back deck/porch, and would like to listen to music outside under a roof.

All my music is currently cataloged through Sage, and I'm fine with the current interface in terms of creating playlists, etc.

My question is this - how do I listen to the music outside? I don't have a home stereo system, so using a client/extender > Stereo > wired/wireless speakers won't work.

I'm thinking I'll have to get a Roku Soundbridge Radio, becuase it's a self-contained package that will also play AM/FM and internet radio.

It just seems somewhat duplicative to have a sage server running, willing to serve up all my MP3s, but then not using it, and going to another media server instead.

Any thoughts on how I might be able to use Sage for this? I should add that I'd like to be able to use a remote control outside to control the playlists/volume...which I think is another strike against using Sage.

Just curious if anyone has any thoughts.

Thanks
Matt

[teknubic]

Originally Posted by matt91

...so using a client/extender > Stereo > wired/wireless speakers won't work.

That right there is really limiting. You could go with Sonos if you've got more money than sense, the Olive Sonata if you've got some of both or --if you're like me-- none of either and wait for something to come along that does what you want and doesn't cost much because the audio portion of SageTV Media Center is perpetually on the back burner.
I guess that statement warrants one of these
I'm kinda digging the Roku. Little spendy for an alarm clock though.

[GKusnick]

If it's just for occasional use, and you don't care much about sound quality, you could run Placeshifter or SageTVClient on a laptop, with a USB-UIRT or something similar for remote control. For slightly better sound quality, you could patch the headphone out from the laptop into a boombox or something.

If it were me, I'd go with permanently installed, high-quality outdoor speakers wired back to my living room AV rack. But that becomes problematical if you don't have a living room AV system and don't plan to get one. I suppose one option would be to get an A/B speaker switch from Radio Shack and use that to toggle between your regular PC speakers and your outdoor speakers.

If you think you might ever want to go the permanently installed route, it's probably worthwhile to look into getting wiring installed now, rather than having to retrofit it later.

[stanger89]

Having bought a Roku M500, I'd probably go with a Squeezebox and some cheap powered speakers if I were to do it over, or when I buy my next network music player.

Or, Squeezebox + some nice outdoor speakers, you could use something like a Sonic Impact T-Amp for amplification.

[paulbeers]

I Second or Third or Fourth doing outdoor speakers. I bought a fairly cheap amplifier from Radio Shack (does 2 channel at 25 watts) and some cheap Insignia out door speakers from Best Buy about a year go. The Amp sits in the basement and its only purpose is to supply power to my outdoor speakers. I have a computer in the basement that has all of my music on it (about 50GB of MP3's) and I currently VNC from my laptop into that computer and control the audio out. It works while I try to decide what software I want to run. I used Xlobby for awhile but have found the resent changes rather lacking and so am starting to play with Command Cubes. Right now I have 7 different audio "zones" being controlled from that one computer.

[matt91]

Thanks for the input. I wasn't sure that posting in the "After Hours" board would generate many responses.

I'm intrigued by the Custom Cubes software. I had thought of doing something like this for multi-zone listening, but hadn't really researched it much. I may have to consider it. Using a laptop on the deck to control the source of the audio would be fine.

This would put me in the PC > Barix or something similiar > Amp/Speaker route, but that would be OK if it were a building block to future additional zones. I guess I could skip the Barix (not sure what to call it -- IP/Audio interface?) and just go from a soundcard to an amp to speaker, at least until I decided to setup a second zone.

Thanks again for the help.

Oh, Stanger -- Why the squeezebox vs Roku?

Matt

[stanger89]

The Roku software seems somewhat limited, it's OK, but nothing spectacular.

What little I played with Softsqueeze before I got the Soundbridge, it seems like it's a lot more feature-rich. Plus there's a ton of plugins for the Squeezebox server.

[Jesse]

Hi,

Any thoughts on how I might be able to use Sage for this? I should add that I'd like to be able to use a remote control outside to control the playlists/volume...which I think is another strike against using Sage.

Does this mean that you can see the tv that has the mvp attached from the deck? If so, then why not just put some tee's in the audio cables going from the mvp to the tv set? You could then go into a really cheap receiver/amp which could power some outdoor speakers. If you have line of sight then the remote should work as well. If the remote has issues because of range or ambient light then you could go for an RF remote.

HTH

Jesse

[matt91]

No, no TVs even on the same level as the deck. I meant that I'd like some IR receiver of some sort to be able to interact with the media server, be it sage or something else.

Matt

[Jesse]

Hi,

I meant that I'd like some IR receiver of some sort to be able to interact with the media server, be it sage or something else.

This could be done with an RF remote. Since you cannot see the display then queuing up songs or play lists would be out, but volume control would be no problem.

FWIW I have a whole house system set up using JRiver Media Center and Music Lobby. There are loads of ways to do whole house audio. If you are willing to consider something other than sage you may want to check out the music distribution area at the AVS forum.

If you are still willing to considering the roku then you should really have a look at JRiver Media Center, as it will stream to UPNP devices like the roku. You could most likely run JRiver on your server machine right along with sage.

HTH

Jesse

[stanger89]

I really think something like a Squeezebox (or Roku) is ideal for something like this. Small, remote controlable, self-contained. I gave up on using Sage for music quite a while ago, not because of anything wrong with Sage per say, but because I find the idea of a music player being tied to a TV flawed. If I want to listen to music, either I'm not around a TV, or I don't want to fire up a TV to listen.

I think the Squeezebox is a much more "complete"/polished product overall vs the Roku, but it commands a rather steep price premium over the Roku (especially if you get in on one of the B-stock/closeout deals). That's why I have a Roku, at ~$129 it was hard to pass up. But now having owned a digital/network music player, I think I'd be much happier with a Squeezebox.

[CollinR]

MVP and cheap TV. Why be limited to music?

[akenis]

I had a plan for a system a couple of years ago. Never got around to finding the right hardware.

I call it Mobile MVP.

It's basically a small LCD TV with a MVP combined in some type of enclosure. A portable box. Take it out on the deck, leave it on the kitchen counter, or put it in the workshop.

1. Plug in the power (some power splitters so u only plug in once)
2. Plug in the ethernet (My house has wires everywhere, or use wireless MVP?)
3. If the TV has speakers, you're set. I'd prefer to take the MVP audio out to a local source input module of my A-Bus whole house audio.

Saw a neat LCD with a handle on it a couple of weeks ago...

[malbec]

There is usually a gadget or two here worth looking at.

[flavius]

I have used a Netgear MP101 (?) for a couple years, nows it simply my iPod with some powered speakers.

[Droom]

Personally, I question the whole concept of listening to music outdoors, but if you must do so, please show some consideration toward your neighbors and keep the volume low!

Signed,

One who suffers

[jdamore]

I have wired outdoor speaker system and my preferred s/w is winamp. The problem I had was selecting songs I wanted to hear from outside. I found Remoteamp and couldn't be more happy (staying under a budget).

Its software that installs on your music server and on a wifi or bluetooth pocket pc/pda. It can control winamp or itunes (unfortunately not sage) on a pc connected to your audio system (to outdoor speakers).

Currently I use my PPC phone but I think I'm am going to ebay a pda just for this function.

Thought I would throw this out there as an option

http://www.smashcasi.com/remoteamp/


PS. be polite and don't disturb your neighbors..

[flavius]

Well, go rural then.

[matt91]

Personally, I question the whole concept of listening to music outdoors, but if you must do so, please show some consideration toward your neighbors and keep the volume low!

PS. be polite and don't disturb your neighbors..

I think my neighbors are immune to any possible level of music that I might play.

This is a photo from our local Caribbean street festival this weekend. Note the speakers on the flatbed, this was one of many providing music...for the entire zip code.

There aren't too many quiet moments in my neighborhood.

Matt