OTHER TECH

The Short Form

Price $250 / logitech.com / 702-269-3457

Snapshot

An affordable and easy-to-use - if somewhat limited - system to stream music wirelessly from your PC to your entertainment system, controlled from the palm of your hand.

Plus

•Easy to set up and operate •Interference-free transmission •Good transmission range •Excellent user interface from wireless remote •No existing wireless network required •Streams iTunes and MS Playsforsure downloads

Minus

•Limited to four receivers and one stream •Not compatible with Mac OS

Key Features

•2.4-GHz Bluetooth transmitter with 150-foot range •Bluetooth receiver/docking station •Handheld rechargeable remote with LCD •StreamPoint software for Windows XP •Plays MP3, AAC, WMA, Internet radio, podcasts •Compatible with iTunes, Windows Media Player, MusicMatch, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Music Unlimited, and other players •Aggregates playlists from ITunes, Windows Media Player, and MusicMatch •Transmitter input: USB •Receiver outputs: Analog stereo RCA; 3.5 mm minijack

First step was installing Logitech's StreamPoint software on my PC, which runs the Windows XP Pro operating system. (StreamPoint will also run on Windows XP Home, but Mac OS users are out of luck). Upon loading StreamPoint from the supplied CD-ROM, I got the typical software wizard, and everything was conveniently automatic. StreamPoint aggregates any audio libraries and sources on the PC and creates a unified catalog, browsable from the PC or the remote control. The software found the iTunes and WMA programs on my PC, as well as all my music files. Then it instructed me to plug in the hardware.

The system has three pieces. First I plugged the Bluetooth transmitter, which wirelessly conveys audio data, into a USB port on my PC. The transmitter is powered via its supplied 5-foot USB cable, and it's advisable to use that full length to position it away from the PC. (Computers are cesspools of RF junk, so this helps prevent interference spewed by the PC from disrupting the transmitter's signal.) Very conveniently, the installation software detected the transmitter's presence as soon as I plugged it in.

Next, I connected the receiver/docking station, which doubles as a stand and charger for the remote, to my playback system via an RCA cable. Powered from a supplied AC adapter, the docking station receives the streaming music data from the transmitter and outputs an analog stereo audio signal. The supplied RCA cable is 5 feet, though you could use a longer one; in any case, the docking station should be placed near the playback system. Alternatively, there's a minijack for plugging in powered multimedia speakers.

Finally, I turned on the wireless remote control. The installation software noted its presence, and I was done. No other home networking is needed. Total installation time was less than 10 minutes.

Incidentally, the DJ system can support as many as four wireless receivers in different rooms - probably enough for most homes, but a limitation for some (additional receivers are available for $80 at logitech.com). Another limitation: Although you can use the remote to select which room music will play in, you can stream to only one room at a time. And of course, you'll need to have your PC booted-up whenever you're using the system.