Rating: Summary: Form, function, and a price that can't be beat! Review: Wow, a remote Internet tuner and more! I originally purchased the iRhythm remote tuner so I could play Internet radio from my stereo. Little did I realize that I could do so much more with this little gadget. The set up was fairly simple after a brief bout with static, and the output was much better than touted in some of the reviews here. There were only a few shortcomings. First, the documentation shows where to plug cables, and describes the buttons and features, but falls short when explaining how to get rid of static and get a clear signal. It mentions pushing a recessed button in the base unit, and moving the receiver around a bit, but that did not work for me. In addition, about 10%+ volume reduction is experienced when using the iRhythm tuner. Furthermore, the software setup was a bit confusing with the update screens showing up for Windows and Real Player without clear guidance as to how to proceed. Finally, the iM Band guide printed on the back of the portable tuner does not align with the correct bands. All of these problems are definitely fixable as follows: 1.Static. There may be cases where you encounter static, just as you would with a 900 MHz cordless telephone. No big deal. On the receiver, there is a dial marked "Tuner". This is not a radio station tuner, but a signal tuner. Just turn the dial until you get the clearest signal possible - just like you had to do before digital tuning on FM/AM radio. Second, there is a volume dial on the receiver as well. Just don't turn the thing up full blast. Back it down a notch from max and you will be fine. The signal is clear and crisp. 2.If you were to plug speakers into your pc directly, the signal would be about 10%+ louder. No biggie, just increase the volume on your PC sound card. If this doesn't give you the wall-shattering volume you desire, just purchase a an amplifier and plug that into the pc before plugging into the base unit. 3.The software set up pops up with a few windows showing you that you may need to update Real Player or maybe some other windows part. If these come up, just go ahead and update the Windows software. With Real One Player, if you have the basic version (read: free), the message will pop up. I just went to the web site and made sure I was selecting the free player, not the Real One Premium player. Once this was done, I continued through the messaging with no other events. 4.So the iM Band Guide isn't up to date. The guide is correct in the software. Just retype the thing and print it on a big shipping label and stick it on the back of the portable tuner. What do you expect for [the price]? Here is the good stuff. Not only can I listen to Internet radio through my stereo speakers, I can listen through my high-end headphones as well. It also works with my higher-end pc speaker system that is located in another room. The headphone option works great for late night activities when others are sleeping, or in the office when I need to move around a bit but don't want to listen to all the noise around me. The receiver works off of batteries or a/c, as well as has a nifty belt clip so I can stay connected just as if I had a tiny MP3 player with a huge amount of memory, since I'm pulling from my pc. It's easy to move from room to room as well. Another bonus is that this unit not only works as a wireless Internet radio tuner, but it also works with anything I want to output through my pc. This means that if I am subscribed to other music services, I can access those as well (although I don't have remote tuning ability). I can play mp3 files, cd's, or even audio books through audible.com. I can use the premium pc output devices, mixers, equalizers, and sound enhancers, and they go through the system just great! I'm extremely happy with my decision and am even debating getting one for the office so I'm not porting the hardware back and forth. I like a device that is simple and functional. The iRhythm Wireless tuner is just that and more.
Rating: Summary: Amazing technology! Review: You spent good money on your stereo system, so why get stuck listening to streaming music with your tiny little computer speakers? The iRhythm is a simple, cheap and easy-to-install solution for anyone, even people unfamiliar with the technology behind it. I just bought the iRhythm 900MHz Wireless Remote Tuner and am impressed with the software AND the hardware. Not only does it let you play streaming music through your stereo, it also broadcasts whatever you want to play on your computer: MP3s, CDs, DVDs, .wav files -- all without the hassle of stringing cords from room to room. The tuner hardware is straight-forward, intuitive and looks just like the iRhythm software. I plugged it in and within 2 minutes, I had music from the Net playing on my stereo. With dozens of high-quality preset stations and the ability to add your own customized internet stations via the software interface, the simplicity and flexiblity make the iRhythm a winner. It takes a lot to impress me, but the iRhythm Tuner certainly gets my vote.
Rating: Summary: Amazing technology! Review: You spent good money on your stereo system, so why get stuck listening to streaming music with your tiny little computer speakers? The iRhythm is a simple, cheap and easy-to-install solution for anyone, even people unfamiliar with the technology behind it. I just bought the iRhythm 900MHz Wireless Remote Tuner and am impressed with the software AND the hardware. Not only does it let you play streaming music through your stereo, it also broadcasts whatever you want to play on your computer: MP3s, CDs, DVDs, .wav files -- all without the hassle of stringing cords from room to room. The tuner hardware is straight-forward, intuitive and looks just like the iRhythm software. I plugged it in and within 2 minutes, I had music from the Net playing on my stereo. With dozens of high-quality preset stations and the ability to add your own customized internet stations via the software interface, the simplicity and flexiblity make the iRhythm a winner. It takes a lot to impress me, but the iRhythm Tuner certainly gets my vote.
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