VTech's $200 IS9181 WiFi radio now shipping
By Darren Murph 
posted May 14th 2009 6:21PM
posted May 14th 2009 6:21PM
posted May 14th 2009 6:21PM
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Is the "Music Streaming" feature UPNP enabled? Can I use TVersity to stream my music to this? I can't seem to find it even in "Full Specs" on the official website.
According to the manual, the IS9181 uses regular window shares for playing music wirelessly, so no UPnP. Most devices that provide UPnP streaming also provide windows shares tho.
http://www.vtechphones.com/docMgt/public/art/490747/IS9181_manual_022709.pdf
VTEC JUST KICKED IN, YO!
And again, something as big as this and they can't throw an AM receiver in it? I would never buy something like this that didn't at least have such a basic function. Is there something problematic about integrating an AM tuner into things?
FM receivers are included on the same chip that provides wi-fi and bluetooth services, while AM receivers are not. That's why there are so many devices that offer FM radio without AM these days. It's an almost free addition to the product. All you have to do is add an antenna and software support.
The lack of AM is pretty common. For a modern device to lack FM is really stupid.
There are small, cheap single chip solutions for FM. I am not aware of any for AM.
I don't think that it is necessarily technical why it would be difficult to do a single chip AM solution - though it might be. It could be that the chip makers just don't see a market for it.
The cheapo device makers probably don't have any real RF engineers - and/or don't see a market for the AM.
Is there anything on AM anymore? :-D
I think AM is on a long wavelength, so it needs a pretty long antenna, which is why you don't see it in a lot of portable devices. But while the few extra cubic inches and couple of ounces make a big difference in a portable, it should be no big deal on a big guy like this. AM isn't exactly high tech!
Too much + a little to bulky for my liking.
No lossless codecs? Sorry fail
On one hand it sounds like a pretty cool idea.
On the other hand it's vtech, so it's probably shit.
er, cool device I mean.
Chumby FTW
I prefer my Logitech Squeezebox Boom. :D
I'd buy it if it was $100 cheaper and wasn't black. I'd put it in the kitchen -- it has the perfect under-cabinet proportions.
ogg is going the way of the dodo?
$200 and no clock? Possibly if it was a clock radio
wants everything wifi.
That's actually kind of cool... I've seen many of devices like this, but they always are insanely expensive... llike I-might-as-well-just-use-my-old-PC-to-stream expensive. But at $200 that's much closer to what these streaming devices should be priced at.