[DJ_Izumi]

Thanks for moving my msg into the right place...but this issue doesn't seem to have a resolution?

Wouldn't you be able to run a web radio station from you pc/server then just like any computer connect to that ip and start streaming just like a normal web radio station? Whatever that radio station is play is what your xbox would play? Has anyone tried this??

I would understand video having some lag since you are streaming a much bigger file, but audio is so small and with a hard-wired connection thru out a house there should be no lag??

I have a lot of experiance using VideoLAN to stream video and audio to Xboxes. The apparent issue with your idea here is that the machines are not entirely synched up. While they will run very close, even if all machines have the same cache sizes, they can be up to 1-2 seconds lag between two machines even if they are reading off the same network. This is of course not an issue if your machines are far enough away from each other that people can't see two or more at a time and experiance that one is slightly off from the other, or if you're using them for sound that their speakers arn't so loud that they overlap, since it would produce a very strange echo, especially with each additional unit.

[Gamester17]

FYI; hare is a nice article on the subject of multiroom/multizone audio:

This trend has been growing every year at great rates, but 2007 really was this technology’s big-time coming out party. It ranked second only to home theater as the “hottest” category for integrators (16 percent) in the Pulse Survey.

Overall, two out of every three integrators say the category is very healthy.

You can read the full article here: http://www.cepro.com/article/multiroom_a..._spreading

[Geeba]

Must admit multi-zone music would be fantastic!

Did notice while in PC World that the laim excuse for a media center that they sell... Netgear I think? actually does multi-zone.... Just a shame its naff and even more so wont run XBMC!

[Neil]

FYI; hare is a nice article on the subject of multiroom/multizone audio:You can read the full article here: http://www.cepro.com/article/multiroom_a..._spreading

Thanks for the link. I see the article is about a year old now. If 2007 was the year of multi-room audio, here's to hoping that 2008 becomes the year of multi-room video.

[TheBoxMan]

Hey folks,

I wonder if it's possible to write a script so that if you are playing music or radio via the xbox it will play on all xboxes in the house.

My initial idea was that this might be possible by making use of the webserver functions and a timer to start off the playing.

Getting the sync right might be tricky though.

For talking radio it'll probably workwalking between rooms. If you're having a party or something and want several xboxes playing the same music in an environment where the volume is such that a slight time delay might be a problem could be a bad thing...

Perhaps a local countdown set off on the each xbox and adjusting the sync over a few seconds countdown before play begins?

Perhaps I'm the only person mad enough to have 4 xboxes in my house and use them all simultaneously!

[Solo0815]

already discussed here:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=6207
unfortunately no progress

[TheBoxMan]

I'd aslo really love to see this feature implimented...There are obvious challenges to be overcome of course

[Gamester17]

This is a bit interesting: Ubuntu Desktop 8.04 (Hardy Heron) will include PulseAudio output by default
http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/hardy/alpha5

PulseAudio

Alpha 5 includes PulseAudio enabled by default. Some non-GNOME applications still need to be changed to output to pulse/esd by default and the volume control tools are still not integrated.
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/...dio-jumble

[Neil]

OK, I'll save some of you a trip to Wiki, in case I'm not the only person who has never heard of PulseAudio.

PulseAudio (formerly PolypAudio) is a cross-platform, networked sound server project. It is intended to be an improved drop-in replacement for the Enlightened Sound Daemon (ESD).

PulseAudio runs under Microsoft Windows and POSIX-compliant systems like Linux. Released under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License (for the software library portion) and the GNU General Public License (for the sound server itself), PulseAudio is free software.

This looks like the relevant feature:

The ability to synchronize multiple playback streams.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulseaudio

[fmustang76]

I know Slimserver and Softsqueeze have already been mentioned. I have tried them myself and can also say that they do not stay in "sync".

But I recently came across software called Airfoil that just recently released updated software that uses your own audio source (i.e. "Windows Media Player") and does a far better job of playing music in sync throughout the house. In can also stream to Airport Express units.

I have successfully used it on my LAN with 2 laptops connected using Wireless G, 1 Desktop connected using Wireless G, and 1 Desktop connected using ethernet in a two story house with all the music playing in sync from 1 source. It has it's own "software speakers" that can be installed on any PC or Mac. They haven't released a Linux version as of yet.

Maybe their "Software Speakers" can be ported to the XBOX. And it does show that music can be played in completely in sync between software on the LAN.

http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/

Ron

[Gamester17]

....I recently came across software called Airfoil...

Maybe their "Software Speakers" can be ported to the XBOX...
http://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/

Not open source = no go, simple as that.

[imickey503]

they have a linux version. You will have to run there software, But that's sounds like a great deal to me. But I think It can only be used for audio. I will ask he guys at aomeba about it. I like the idea of digital distribution. However, I just send anolog signals throght the house with dedicated uniits that most home theater instalers use to distribute audio and video signals throught the house. Mutli room audio and video is great. I have done it the old skool way of running coax and then RCA cables. But using the new converter boxes that take video signals and route them via ethernet to another converter box is just the way it's done in the pro installers world. They work like a light switch, And are no fuss. But even I have heard echo and "jitter" on these types of high end boxes. after that, I always used the straight anologe out method for home audio distribution. the Best solution i have seen implemented is when they ran digital set top box tuners all of the same brand and they consistently work great with multiple Tv's in bars. In order to make this work at home is rather more difficult and more complicated. Ca be done, but not economically sound.

http://www.bigblueamoeba.com/tmp/airfoilspeakerslinux/

[Gamester17]

Not free and open source = no go, still stands. End of discussion, ...no offence.

[BodgeIT]

Am I missing something here?
Somone has already written a squeezebox emulator in Python(I think)

Isn't that the scripting base for XBMC? Surely you geneei could fiddle about with its inerds and come up with something?

http://jefke.free.fr/coding/python/gslimp3/

For those of you dissing squeezebox....wtp?
You can't be in 2 places at the same time...if the overlap bothers you...turn the volume down a bit!

[imickey503]

I don't get it. If it is in linux, Does that not make it open source? I think the download is free to lnux users. Or is it different? And Dude, I will never take offense to knowledge. That;s just plain stupid. I diden't become a junior member for nothing. Or did I? And Fact is, the GPL's and other license are very confusing. Thanks for the heads up gamester17!

Not free and open source = no go, still stands. End of discussion, ...no offence.