Fw: Ethernet MP3 player

["James Hoye" <james.hoye@xxxxxxx>]

This email was delivered to you by The Free Internet,
a Business Online Group company. http://www.thefreeinternet.net
---------------------------------------------------------------
My message to Sean, and his response.  Does anyone think that there's a
possibility of licensing/partnering to get us node zero based MP3 more
quickly, or do we re-invent part of the wheel ourselves?  I presume that
node zero MP3 audio is something we'd all like (that's why Graham's
organising the DDAR buy)....

James H
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Sean Adams" <sadams@xxxxxxx>
> > To: "James Hoye" <jhoye@xxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 9:23 PM
> > Subject: Re: Ethernet MP3 player
> >
> >
> > >
> > > James,
> > >
> > > There are hundreds of possible applications for this
embedded Ethernet
> > > technology - we were once considering about a dozen projects
ranging
in
> > > complexity from temperature sensors to streaming video
devices.
However,
> > > we've had to narrow our scope to just the mp3 player, in
order to
> release
> > > our first product in some reasonable time frame. It took
more than a
> year
> > > of r&d to get to this stage - unfortunately the company
ran out of
money
> > > before we shipped the MP3 player, so I'm now able to work on
this only
> > > during my spare time.
> > >
> > > We are interested in lincensing and partnerships, but
realize that
> > > shipping the MP3 player is our first priority. Can you give
me a
clearer
> > > picture of what you're proposing? We are interested in
anything that
can
> > > help us get the MP3 player to market (with or without the
> display/remote -
> > > it's the same thing.)
> > >
> > > Sean
> > >
> > > On Thu, 31 May 2001, James Hoye wrote:
> > >
> > > > This email was delivered to you by The Free Internet,
> > > > a Business Online Group company. http://www.thefreeinternet.net
> > > >
---------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > Sean,
> > > >
> > > > I participate in the UKHA mailing list (YahooGroups)
along with Ian
> > Oliver
> > > > whom I believe you've already had discussions with.
> > > >
> > > > I started looking at using the STA013 MP3 decoder chip
with a DAC -
I
> > > > downloaded some datasheets etc. - and someone pointed
me towards
> > > > www.mp3projects.com where there are a range of similar
projects
using
> > > > various microcontrollers and also the MAS decoding
chip.
> > > >
> > > > I started to think about features and basically
concluded that
> Ethernet
> > > > (10BaseT) would be good for streaming the data from a
PC to the
> device,
> > and
> > > > Ian Oliver pointed me at another site
> > > > http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/tini-mp3
where
> > Stephen
> > > > Early was looking at a similar thing - but time is
lacking and I
> haven't
> > > > made any more progress.
> > > >
> > > > My initial idea was to have a small black box at node
zero which
would
> > > > accept streamed MP3 data from a server, decode it and
output through
a
> > DAC
> > > > to an on-board amplifier.  All that would be required
would be one
of
> > these
> > > > black boxes for each room/zone of the house with
speakers.  Control
> was
> > all
> > > > going to be handled by the PC (much like yours I
gather) -  I was
> > > > considering mounting LCD panels into wall boxes with a
few buttons
to
> > > > provide a 'soft menu' approach (or something similar)
which would
> signal
> > via
> > > > RS485 (perhaps) to the controlling PC.  For instance,
pressing the
> MUTE
> > > > button on Z2 keypad would send a MUTE command to the PC
identifying
Z2
> > as
> > > > the origin, and the PC would send control data to the
Z2 black box
to
> > mute.
> > > >
> > > > Of course, not having enough in-depth electronics
knowledge doesn't
> > help, as
> > > > doesn't the huge range of development/prototyping
systems available
> > (Rabbit,
> > > > PIC, TINI....) but that's what the Internet is for!
> > > >
> > > > What I like about yours is the fact that (a) it appears
to be very
> small
> > and
> > > > (b) it has Ethernet.  Remove the display (and wallmount
it), add an
> > on-board
> > > > amplifier, stick it in a black box and you have pretty
much what I
was
> > > > thinking about.
> > > >
> > > > There's a group of us from UKHA who are looking at
developing our
own
> > > > devices (lighting controllers, appliance modules,
temperature
sensors
> > etc)
> > > > to fit on top of a TCP/IP-based HA system, and
something like your
MP3
> > > > player may be a good starting point.  What would you
think about us
> > taking
> > > > the player (maybe under some sort of licensing deal)
and perhaps
> > 'enhancing'
> > > > it by adding the amplifier, and interfacing it with one
of our own
LCD
> > > > keypads (this looks like one of the first devices to be
worked on to
> > prove
> > > > the concept and prototype things) for node zero based
whole house
> audio?
> > Of
> > > > course, given time constraints things might happen very
slowly, or
not
> > at
> > > > all, but I'm trying to think big, and cover as many
ideas as
possible.
> > > >
> > > > If you've managed to read this far (and haven't dozed
off), then I
> guess
> > you
> > > > must at least have some interest!!!!
> > > >
> > > > Look foward to hearing from you.
> > > >
> > > > James
> > > > UKHA
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>




Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/