![]() ![]() Sonance iport Pc#If you've already loaded your 'Pod with a few hundred dollars worth of songs from Apple's proprietary iTunes Music Store, the AirPort Express can stream songs directly from iTunes on your PC or Mac. And the Sonos Digital Music System offers a user-friendly-and easily expandable-method to enjoy your music wirelessly. A CD/DVD megachanger such as Sony's 400-disc DVP-CX995V could essentially duplicate your iPod's musical offerings without the need to digitize. The iPort does exactly what it sets out to do-but is it an overengineered solution? There's a long list of alternatives that don't involve cutting a hole in your wall. Nevertheless, the sonic shortcomings are the fault of the compressed digital music on the iPod, not the iPort ratcheting up the sampling rate or switching to Apple's lossless compression file format will yield better-sounding music for discriminating listeners. That came as no surprise-as good as the iPod can be for music on the go, CDs offer higher fidelity. Our iPod is loaded with AAC files, so compared to CDs played in a DVD player, it generates a duller treble range and muddier bass. We compared the sound of our iPod/iPort combo to our reference Pioneer DV-45A DVD player. Crestron and AMX control systems are also compatible, and you'll likely need a custom installer to hook it all up. ![]() Alternately, Sonance's Navigator K2 in-wall keypad ($550) and a high-resolution LCD touch-panel display offer complete remote control over your iPod from each wired room in your house. With the iPort hooked up to your A/V receiver, you can remotely control your iPod's volume from the receiver, but changing tracks or accessing playlists remains a hands-on process unless you add Ten Technology's nifty NaviPro EX remote-control module ($49) to your iPod. Dealers will charge approximately $100 to $200 for a straightforward, single-room installation. Sonance iport install#If you're comfortable snaking wires and cutting holes in your wall, you can probably install the iPort yourself. The iPort's video output allows photos and slide shows stored in iPod Photo players to be routed to your TV. (Alas, first- and second-gen iPods won't work.) The included power supply charges the iPod while it is docked in the iPort. The system also includes a separate wall plate that houses stereo RCA audio connections a DC power receptacle and a set of interchangeable cradles that can accommodate the iPod Photo, the iPod Mini and the third- and fourth-generation iPods-essentially, any model with a dock connector on its underside. The iPort is a 5-by-6.8-inch, inset wall frame, finished in white ABS plastic that matches iPod's look. The iPort, which retails for $599, is one of the coolest accessories we've seen in a long time, though it does require you to position the iPod at the center of your entertainment universe, if it's not already. When you arrive home after a hard day, just drop your 'Pod in the iPort and the hits will keep on comin' over your home system. The device can be hooked up to any stereo, home theater, or multiroom audio system-no surprise here, since Sonance is a leading manufacturer of in-wall speakers and whole-house distributed audio systems. ![]() While there seems to be an endless proliferation of iPod accessories, the iPort-Sonance's in-wall docking station for iPods-is the first of its kind. ![]()
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