PC World Philippines » audio

Stream audio and video to an iPad

Fei — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:00:34 +0000

By Kirk McElhearn
April 27, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO – While the iPad is a great device for listening to music or watching movies and TV shows, one feature that it’s missing is the ability to stream music and video to it from an iTunes library on your computer.

With Apple’s AirTunes feature, you can stream music from one library to certain devices, and you can also share an iTunes library on your local network to be able to listen to music or play video from it.

But Apple left this functionality out of the iPad, treating it more like a mobile device than the replacement for a laptop that it will become in many homes. Given that the iPad doesn’t have a great deal of capacity–especially in the 16GB entry-level models–the ability to stream could come in handy. You may want to stream music to listen to while you’re reading a book, without having to worry exactly what music you last added from your plentiful iTunes library to the iPad. Or you may want to watch a movie stored on your Mac. As the saying goes, there’s an app for that–more than one, actually, although they’re far from perfect.

For starters, there’s what you might called “passive” streaming of music from an iTunes library to the iPad. You can use Rogue Amoeba’s $25 Airfoil ( Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice ), the latest version of which I discussed in a recent article, in conjunction with the company’s free Airfoil Speakers app (while not yet optimized for the iPad, you can run it in a small window or pixel-doubled mode). You’re limited, though, to streaming from the iTunes library on a computer, and can’t choose what to listen to from the iPad. So while this is a good idea if you just want to use the iPad as, say, a speaker when you’re listening to music in the kitchen, it’s a bit limited for serious usage.

But streaming both music and video is clearly something that interests developers. Two $3 iPad apps provide this functionality, in similar fashion, by creating a local server on a computer (Mac or Windows) and an app on the iPad to play the music or video: Matthew Gallagher’s StreamToMe and InMethod’s Air Video (there’s also an Air Video Free version that limits the number of displayed items in each folder). Both originated on the iPhone and iPod touch and have been updated as universal iPhone OS apps.

Both apps require free companion applications that you need to download from the developers’ Websites and install on your computer. You can share your entire hard drive, just your Music and Movies folders, or a specific folder of your choosing–the last option ideal, for example, to set up a limited selection of videos for a child who’s going to be watching on the iPad.

With StreamToMe, you download the ServeToMe application, launch it, choose which folders to share, then just leave it running. On the iPad, you open the StreamToMe app, tap the name of the computer you’re sharing with, then navigate through its folders to find the content you want to stream.

StreamToMe is good for video–though it can’t stream protected video files from the iTunes Store–but not so much for music. You can’t choose playlists, and you can’t even play the contents of a folder. If you play one song, the program stops afterwards and awaits your next selection. However, as far as videos are concerned, it plays all the main video formats (including some that iTunes can’t): MP4, AVI, MOV, FLV, MPG, MKV, and WMV. For music, it plays MP3s, unprotected AACs, and FLAC files.

Air Video uses a program called Air Video Server, which only works for videos. Like ServeToMe, it lets you choose shared folders, but also lets you add iTunes playlists, though this feature is buggy. Air Video supports MP4, M4V, MOV, AVI, WMV, ASF, MPG, MPEG, MKV, 3GP, DMF, DIVX, and FLV formats (and, like StreamToMe, doesn’t play protected iTunes Store videos). It does, however, offer some interesting features, such as on-the-fly conversion on your computer so the iPad doesn’t have to do so much work, and individual settings for quality, resolution, and zoom for each video.

While none of these options mentioned are perfect, each of them has its advantages. I’d still like to see Apple provide a way to tap into my iTunes library, especially for listening to music while I read, but the ability of StreamToMe and Air Video to work with formats that Apple doesn’t support make them compelling choices for those who want to watch videos on their iPads.

Philips GoGear Aria (4GB)

Jon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:35:17 +0000

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July 15, 2009

Limited Format Support, Great Performance
By Luis Anthony G. Oliveros
Published in the July 2009 print edition of PC World Philippines

Philips GoGear Aria (4GB)
www.philips.com

Philips recently rolled out their latest line of multimedia players under the GoGear banner, mostly carrying the series’ signature black and gray hard plastic bodies and good audio outputs. One minor but notable change in this new lineup is that they now have actual names that are easy to recall instead of the previous batches that employ what may seem to consumers as a series of random model numbers.

In the middle of this new lineup is the Philips GoGear Aria. We received a 4GB unit in the mail for testing and we took it around the Metro to do so. Additionally, it also comes in 8- and 16GB variants.

This midrange player is nowhere near being an eye candy because, as mentioned, it has a monochromatic physical orientation. It does, however, have its own brand of polished sense of chic with glossy black exteriors, rounded corners and contrasting matte gray sides. Its 84x47x10.7mm profile makes it easy to store and slip into any pocket although you may want to get some sort of protective case since it’s definitely a fingerprint/smudge/scratch magnet.

The Aria features a straightforward text-based graphic user interface via its two-inch LCD display with a 220×176 resolution which displays texts, photos in JPEG and BMP formats and videos at 24fps. Navigations comes by way of the using a somewhat re-imagining of the five-way direction pad. First, you get a four way button pad that only handles the Left and Right functions as well as the Back and the Options keys. It frames a chrome-plate vertical rocker for handling Up and Down; and nestled right in the center is the Play/Pause/Enter button. This configuration could get a little confusing at times and may take some getting used to especially if you’re new to the Philips MP3 player terrain. For instance, when viewing photos, you have to use the Up and Down buttons, despite the fact that instinct would naturally instruct you to hit either the Left and Right keys. Doing so would rotate the photo you’re viewing.

One downside you’d find on the Aria is the limited format support. While video playback here only supports the SMV format, audios can only play MP3s and WMAs, foregoing the other standards like OGG, AAC, AAC+ and FLAC. Though the packed disc may offer some semblance of convenience by including an audio/video converter, it’s still one step more that may cost a bit of both your patience and time. Needless to say, you’d first have to convert contents previously ripped in other formats before loading them onto the player.

Despite the limited format support, we found the audio output to be pretty impressive. We loaded our standard test playlist that consists of audios from a variety of genres, audiobooks, podcasts and TV episodes.

There are over seven EQ presets here to give you enough leg room to modify your listening experience. Aside from these, Philips incorporates their own sound enhancing technology called FullSound which restores the sonic details lost during sound compression minus the distortions.

As such, sound quality was very good during our tests, with squeaky clean high tones and well defined mid-tones. The low-end sounded full-bodied and boldly thumped prominently in the background. This was especially evident in the tracks from the shoegazer/New Wave inspired band Taken By Cars where the Aria served up a full roller coaster of audios from the sound spectrum without compromising the sound details, which also proved to be good. In tracks like “Logistical Nightmare,” “Stereolove” and “The Blackout,” we really enjoyed the soaring guitars with the mono-sounding backing vocals adding a sound dimension and the great bass depth.

The sound details were also worth mentioning, as we’ve come to notice when we played Love Me Butch’s “Barricade” where the band’s excellent instrumentation was deftly churned out. We easily heard the textured layers each of the instruments contributed, even vocalist Syarul Reza’s range and parts of the playful lead guitar-bass interplay we hardly notice when playing the same track with other players.

However, if you’ve gotten tired of your playlists, you can always turn on the Aria’s FM radio tuner which allows room for 20 radio stations. It also has a recording feature that lets you record songs and radio talk show discussions to MP3 for playback. This recording features also works with the built-in microphone located on the unit’s right side panel next to the lanyard eyelet. The mic records sounds at around seven feet away though it can pick up less than discernable sounds approximately past a12-foot mark. The test recordings came out relatively good and clear though a bit tinny and it had some humming sound in the background.

Included with the Aria is a decent pair of sound isolating earphones and two extra pairs of rubber earbuds. This particular pair feels very comfortable and produced above average results in keeping some of the outside noises off your eardrums and funneling in hi-def audios. As you can imagine, we took the player out to the streets and along our daily commutes and the earphones worked well blocking out most of the engine noises while we were on a public transportation and while walking along crowded streets. This apparently isn’t such a good idea because you should be aware of your surroundings whenever you’re out and about.

Aside from listening to music, we also played John Hodgman’s “Areas of My Expertise” audiobook as well as Distorted View, Buzz Out Loud and The 404 podcasts. Here, the voices, music backdrops and sound effects sounded nice and natural.

Not exactly the prettiest kid in the multimedia playground, the Philips GoGear Aria is easily one of the better performing multimedia players in the market today. The good audio quality it produces nevertheless outweighs its limited format support.

Storage	4GB
File Formats	SMV (videos), MP3 / WMA (audios), JPEG / BMP (photos), TXT (text)
Display	2-inch LCD screen, 176x220pixels
Dimensions / Weight	84x47x10.7mm / 47g

Altec Lansing FX2020

Jon — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:32:33 +0000

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July 6, 2009

Stylish Speakers for the Room
By Billy Joe I. Allardo
Published in the May 2009 print edition of PC World Philippines

Altec Lansing FX2020
www.alteclansing.com

The Altec Lansing FX2020 kit comes in the form of two cylindrical speakers garbed in shiny black hard plastic casing. Black cloth meshing provides immediate protection to both three-inch drivers with a silvery ring accentuating the two.

Meanwhile, the translucent front plates serve to not only doll up the speakers, but also act as their stands. Rubber footings are present on both plates to provide traction and indicate, alongside with the brand name, how the speakers should stand up.

Since both look the same, you can interchange which speaker goes to what side. Yet this decision can boil down on the proximity of the controls and the connectivity jacks to the user, which are all located on one satellite, as well as the power jack to the nearest power socket. The volume keys are on top with the power LED between them. At the back, the power button sits atop of the unit, auxiliary and power jacks.

The cable that connects the speakers is long enough to suit one’s positional preference. Each speaker has a 7.5W output nd produces crisp audio. However, since it lacks a separate subwoofer, don’t expect a powerful low-end bass from this desktop set. It does offer a good amount of balance though, which should be good enough for a small room or desktop use.

Although the Altech Lansing FX2020 is somewhat a desktop space-eater with its size and unconventional shape, having a bulky bass boomer defeats the purpose of having it. The kit figures best inside a confined area, such as a bedroom or home office space, where bass is not much of a requirement for obvious reasons.

With its appearance, the Altec Lansing FX2020 is clearly a superior two-piece speaker kit when compared to the looks of other brands. The sound output is still a-ok, clear and subtle, something you expect from the maker. People looking for a powerful low-end might want something with a woofer, but it shouldn’t be a surprise if Altec Lansing comes up with an FX2020 kit with a subwoofer.

A stylish pair with straightforward controls and setup, the output is good enough considering its intended purpose.

Drivers	three-inch full-range
Total Output	15W RMS
Connections	3.5 auxiliary, input
Dimensions	127x159x127mm

Genius SP-700: 2-way Multimedia Speaker System

Jon — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:33:41 +0000

Genius unleashes a two-way speaker system with a stylish shape and design. Especially made to provide outstanding audio for music and games, SP-700 produces top sound quality with its 16-watts audio output. Each speaker has one three-inch driver and a one-inch tweeter for that rich bass and a wider acoustic performance.

Other features include a volume, bass and treble adjustment, line-in jack for other audio devices and an earphone jack for private enjoyment. At P1,750, the SP-700 also comes with an AC adaptor and a multi-language user’s manual.

SP-700 comes in a shiny black finish that’s sure to primp up your PC set. It measures 104x210x110mm.

You can get the newest Genius products from the Genius Concept Store, located at CyberZone, 4th floor, Building B, SM Megamall.

Genius is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by MSI-ECS. For more product information and other inquiries, emailmarketing@msi-ecs.com.ph, visit www.msi-ecs.com.ph, or call 688-3180/688-3181

Philips GoGear lets you enjoy your music on the move

Jon — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:51:45 +0000

Philips brings top notch sound quality and stylish, intuitive, ultra-mobile design with its new suite of Go Gear portable media players, designed to fit the specifications of the most discerning music fans. Each device in the new Go Gear collection offer users complete multimedia playback functionality. The new Full Sound technology restores sonic details lost in compressed music formats, allowing listeners to fully experience the music they love.

Philips GoGear LUXE

MP3 player with Bluetooth headset

Clip and click to always stay tuned and connected. The chic Philips GoGear LUXE MP3 player fastens like an accessory so you can wear your music. Switch from music to calls on your Bluetooth mobile phone and view caller ID – at a touch.

Philips GoGear Aria

With FullSoundTM and premium headphones

Enjoy an unrivalled sound experience with Philips GoGear Aria AV player featuring FullSoundTM. A real joy to use, you can download online videos to the player and easily navigate content on its two-inch full color display.

Philips GoGear Muse

With FullSound2TM and noise cancellation headphones

Philips GoGear Muse portable AV player features FullSound2TM technology and noise cancellation headphones for exceptional sound and inspired music enjoyment on the go. Plus, viewing videos is a joy on its three-inch QVGA color display.

Philips GoGear Opus

With FullSoundTM and premium headphones

Enjoy unrivalled sound on the Philips GoGear Opus portable AV player featuring FullSound TM. Prepare to be entertained on the go – download online videos and then view them on the cool 2.8-inch QVGA color screen.

Philips GoGear Vibe

Small size, big entertainment

Philips GoGear VIBE portable AV player packs big entertainment in a superbly small design. Its 1.44-inch full color display shows off album art and folder view ensures easy file navigation and organization.

Philips GoGear Spark

With FullSound TM to bring music to life

Philips GoGear Spark MP3 player makes it hip to be square, Album art makes the player glow while your songs are empowered by Philips patented FullSound TM technology. Show off your player with your photos as the screensaver.

Philips GoGear RaGa

With robust aluminum finish

The sleek Philips GoGear RaGa MP3 player sports a sturdy aluminum design, making it highly wearable and durable. Enjoy up to 27-hour playback of your favorite MP3 and WMA music, and tune in to FM radio for more music options.

Philips GoGear Mix

Full color display for easy navigation
With handy built-in clip

Clip on your music and go! The Philips GoGear Mix MP3 player lets you transfer files speedily with push-out USB – no cables required. Enjoy easy navigation on its full color display and 25-hour music playback with its embedded battery.