IT-Review

NetStreams' DigiLinX System Featured in 2005 NextGen Homes

NetStreams will have its DigiLinX multi-room audio system featured in iShow's NextGen Homes at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show and International Builders' Show. The homes use cutting-edge technologies, from advanced electronics to super-strong structures, to demonstrate how to enhance quality, durability, efficiency, safety, and affordability of homes of the future. Each demonstration home includes a contemporary floor plan with the kitchen at the center activity, and an eclectic elevation that will fit into any neighborhood. NetStreams' DigiLinX system will allow visitors to the home to experience high quality multi-room audio throughout the house and on the deck.

The first NextGen Home in which DigiLinX will be featured will be in Las Vegas, Nevada during the International Consumer Electronics Show from January 6-9, 2005. With a theme of "The Future Is Here," visitors to the home will be able to see first hand the converging trends in home electronics in its real home environment. The second NextGen demonstration home to show in 2005 will be in Orlando, Florida from January 13-16. Operating during the International Builders’ Show, its theme is "Safe & Sound," and, in addition to innovative entertainment products, will feature storm-resistant building construction, and the latest in interior air quality technology, energy-efficiency design, and home automation. Both homes will feature DigiLinX IP-based multi-room audio system demonstrated as a stand-alone multi-room audio system as well as integrated with Microsoft's new Windows Media Center and other products.

NetStreams' DigiLinX will also be integrated with 2005’s third and fourth NextGen homes, which will both be in Las Vegas, at April’s National Association of Broadcasters show, and May’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show.

The DigiLinX system, using NetStreams’ IP-based patent pending technology, distributes audio over CAT5e using TCP/IP on an Ethernet network, in a meshed networked architecture. DigiLinX converts audio from a legacy source (Tuner, CD Player, other) in real-time, to uncompressed audio streams, allowing up to 24-bit, studio quality audio to be distributed throughout a home or commercial facility. DigiLinX is the most easily expandable distributed audio system on the marketplace today and is compatible with not only digital media servers but also legacy sources like a consumer’s DVD player, CD player, cassette player, etcetera – even an 8-track player! All devices are network upgradeable.

Among DigiLinX's most impressive features is its ability to access and distribute metadata from advanced digital audio sources like ReQuest Multimedia's Audio Request digital media servers. The data is then displayed on the color display of the DigiLinX keypads. Now, a consumer can access any source, from any room, at any time, and if the source provides meta-data, DigiLinX allows the music to be selected by Artist, Album, Song, and Genre, and can also display the 'cover art'.

The DigiLinX System can also distribute and play both uncompressed (.wav) and compressed audio formats like MP3. Additionally, because all of the processing code is stored in flash memory, updates to allow DigiLinX to support other new digital audio formats will be easily available in the future. DigiLinX does not limit the user interface to its keypads. Each component contains its own IP address and web server that can serve-up rich control pages to third party products such as PDA’s, Web Tablets, Web TVs, or computers, for a new experience in music management.

NetStreams' DigiLinX family of IP-based products is comprised of the following components (with many more to come):

SpeakerLinX™ - is a family of IP-based amplifiers with unmatched intelligence. A SpeakerLinX module contains not only an IP-controlled amplifier, but also decodes and plays MP-3 or WAV (uncompressed) audio streams, encodes audio from a local source, and contains a web server for generating rich control from any computing or display device that hosts a web browser. These Class-D amplifiers have a small footprint and are designed to mount on or adjacent to a speaker. By localizing the amplifier right at the speaker, power and damping losses are minimized, yielding impressive clarity and definition typically only heard in expensive audiophile component systems.

MediaLinX™ - an IP-based product designed to convert (in real-time) analog or digital audio signals from a legacy source (CD player, tuner, other), into TCP/IP 24-bit audio streams and IR control that can than be distributed over a home entertainment network.

TouchLinX™- is an elegant IP-based touch-screen keypad featuring a high resolution color LCD, which displays the metadata (artist, album, song, cover art) and transport controls available for each audio source and network amp. TouchLinX's simple, intuitive design allows users to access their favorite songs, artists, play lists, or stations easily and quickly. Each room can have customized bass, treble, balance and loudness contours.

SwitchLinX™ - is an IGMP (Internet Group Message Protocol) enabled, multicasting, non-blocking Ethernet switch designed specifically for handling the high demands of networked audio/video distribution products. Additional SwitchLinX modules can be employed to expand the network audio inputs.

PowerLinX™ - is a rack-mounted power supply that designed to distribute up to 21amps/28 volts of power to multiple DigiLinX devices on a network.

Source: press release

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