Rating: 
Summary: Good Player, Bad Software
Review: I purchased this unit as an addition to my stereo, although you can use it with headphones only. Currently, I am using the unit with a Netgear WGR614v4 router and 128-bit WEP encryption. It did take me some time to set it up, mainly because of the problematic server software. You do need the Netgear Media Server software to upgrade the unit's firmware (downloaded from Netgear), but I agree with Fington below that you should ditch the software immediately afterward. The Netgear Media Server software apparently has difficulty decoding some MP3 files resulting in a 'skipping' of the music playback, making the MP101 unlistenable, and as a result may be the cause of some poor reviews of the unit in the past. I haven't had much luck getting Twonkyvision to work, but Windows Media Connect is a free download from Microsoft and works great. You do have to enable UPnP in your wireless router if it isn't already.
Since then, I've been pleased with the unit. The display is nice and bright with adjustable brightness (and an optional screen saver to blank it after a few minutes), the music is clear even with low signal strength (you can check signal strength in dB through the menus - good for compulsive types), and the unit lets you select music by artist, album, song, etc. Overall, I'm glad I bought this unit and would recommend it.
5 stars for the device itself, 4 stars total because of the less-than-optimal OEM software.
Rating: 
Summary: Great for listening to Rhapsody
Review: I really like this product. When paired with the Rhapsody music subscription service it is very powerful and makes it easy for me to access any of Rhapsody's 50,000 CDs on demand in my home stereo. The Rhapsody compatibilility is the sole reason I bought this product. I have it connected to the stereo in my garage so I can listen to my Rhapsody collection when I'm working there.
Rating:
Summary: Celestial Jukebox
Review: I used to play CD's all the time at home.... Until I bought the MP101 and signed up for Rhapsody. By using the MP 101 with Rhapsody, I have access to a massive catalog of music that I don't actually own- it's like having the biggest jukebox in the world right in my living room. I highly recommend this product with Rhapsody.
Rating: 
Summary: Returned this for a Squeezebox
Review: I'm a bit of an audiophile and I was disappointed in the MP101, it lacks digital outputs and doesn't support any lossless compression formats (I've got tracks in FLAC, WAV, AIFF and now Apple's new Lossless format). The software is a joke and the product was really hard to set up. Plus, the LCD display was hard to read at a distance.While the MP101 is a bit cheaper, it's a poor imitation of the product that I ended up with, which was Squeezebox. It's got both optical and coax digital outputs, supports tons of audio formats including uncompressed, automatically imports from iTunes (so my playlists on my iPod are the same on my stereo).
Rating:
Summary: Does what it says
Review: I'm not sure what the reviewer from England was reading as the datasheet on Netgear's website makes clear that a subscription to Rhapsody is required for the internet radio functionality -- in fact that's the main reason I purchased it since I already can stream MP3s via Tivo but got sick of stringing cable around to get internet radio to the stereo. (Additionally, keeping the TV on all the time when streaming music can get tiresome.) One advantage to this product is that it wirelessly streams MP3s (and WMAS) at up to 320 rather than the standard 128 rate that some of the prior competing products knocked down MP3s to (so you don't lose the quality difference if you've encoded MP3s at a higher rate). It was easy to configure and the software appears to work as its supposed to. The screen is bright and you can just about read it from across the room (although the bright whiteness of it is a bit annoying.) It can take some time to get through the playlist but not unreasonably so. And the price is relatively cheap compared to other wireless streaming solutions. So this unit appears to be a decent compromise and the best of what's available currently.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but ditch Server Software!!
Review: It took me about an hour to set the MP101 up on my wireless network. I have DCHP/WEP enabled on my router and Norton firewall etc on the server PC. I didn't need to make any changes to firewall settings to make things work.
First point: I recommend updating the firmware on the client and then ditching the Netgear-supplied Media Server software - it causes the glitchy/fast-forward playback. I downloaded TwonkVision's music server plug-in for WinAmp and everything works fine.
Next: Try it out using a wired connection first. Remember to unplug the ethernet cabke from the back when you want to try connecting wirelessly.
Don't worry too much about the client's wireless wizard set-up. I entered all my network info. manually. It's pretty straightforward.
Next point: I had trouble using the passphrase form of WEP key entry on the MP101. I reverted to manual key entry.
Next: Winamp/TwonkyVision gives you free streaming radio via shoutcast.
SUMMARY: For the money, the MP101 is a good value, basic audio server. Ditch the server software for hassle-free sound and free internet radio. Bargain!!
Rating:
Summary: MP101 - a new way to manage your music
Review: The mp101 has inspired me to copy my cds to my hard drive and kick out our 100 cd changer. Using a cd-ripper like cdex, you can organize all of your music as mp3s on your hard drive. Then, the mp101 streams the music on your hard drive to your stereo (you need to have a wireless network set up). Using the mp101 remote, you can select an entire cd, or a track from a cd, or a playlist. We have had a 100-cd changer on "random" as our usual mode of listening to music at home. The mp101 can do this job better - we can create song lists that incorporate only the songs we like on our favorite 100 cds. Plus, finding an individual cd or track is much easier on the mp101 than on the 100 cd changer. Plus, we can have access to all of our 700cds at once. We had a lot of problems getting the mp101 set up. It turns out that you have to REMOVE Zone Alarm firewall from your pc before the mp101's server software works. Took quite a bit of back and forth with Netgear customer service to figure this out. I would give 5 stars if this had not happened.
Rating:
Summary: Works Great !!
Review: The only problem I encountered was with my software firewall (Zone Alarm). After I disabled it, the MA101 is flawless! Looking for a fix now. It streams my 300+ cd collection from my pc to my stereo with virtually no lag time. Also installed the free 30-day Rhapsody software. Again, hardly any lag time between songs...even when using the shuffle feature. I'm very pleased!! FYI: Athlon XP 2500+
1GB Ram
2-160GB Hard Drives
3Mb Broadband Connection
Rating: 
Summary: Curse you netgear! Thank you Musicmatch!
Review: This is perhaps the easiest wireless device that I have ever used in terms of hardware installation. The ease of installation is magnificent. You don't even need to plug the unit into the computer to configure the wireless settings, and installation is easily accomplished in less than twenty minutes. After installing the unit, playback was great at first; however, after about one minute of usage the playback became garbled and it sounded like it was playing in fast forward. This is a very repeatable problem that occurred in every song that I played, and it always occurred at the same exact time in any given song for a particular bit rate. If you sample the MP3 at a different bit rate, then the playback problems seem to occur at different points. I tried the unit both wireless and wired (with the software firewall turned off and connected straight to my pc) and the problem still exists. I tried to contact netgear technical support via e-mail, and they never responded. The package specifically states
Rating:
Summary: Quit Crying
Review: This unit is not perfect, but for $90 what did you think you were going to get. As other posts have indicated you need to get the upgraded software from the Netgear Website. It helps to have a fast router (802 11G or better). It also helps if all parts are made by Netgear - they make a super G 108 mbs router that will likely enhance performance. If you are going wireless it helps to have ripped MP3 files on a local hard drive (server) that is physically attached to the router (this allows the router to send songs to the stereo most efficiently, If you have songs stored on another computer (laptop) you will use additional bandwidth retrieving them from the laptop to the router and then sending them to the stereo - when on a local hard drive you only have 1 way transmission of wireless data.
I was able to get the unit to work wirelessly and had good results. I had a few 'dropouts' when sending files from my laptop to my router equiped desktop and then on to my stereo, but the sound was still pretty good.
The other posts on this product must be using 802 11B routers which only have 11 mbs throughput. 802 11G is up to 54 mbs, and the best case would be a super G router at 108 mbs.
Adding this product to your existing setup is like adding a print server - it takes a couple of tries but when you are done it is worth the effort. the MP101 is solid, and works well enough - I get a lot more utility out of this at $90 then I would out of an I-pod at $429.
It does require some effort to get going, but given the right wireless setup you will enjoy the results ...
| 
