navinrjohnson
02-28-2004, 11:20 AM
I don't want another hard-drive based music library in my life. I already have my computer and ipod. So, when listening to my home a/v system, I want to hear the songs on my iPod (or computer), and easily navigate my song library from my couch, kitchen or whereever. I could always connect my PC to my stereo and navigate from there, or get the new Creative Labs thing w/LCD remote for navigating, but that's just too cumbersome, and suspect to wireless network pitfalls. So....
What would you think about a "near-audiophile" quality component-sized dock for your iPod, if it:
1. **Recharged your iPod**. It would have a bay where you could slip in your ipod to recharge (and connect).
2. Had a **Digital Audio Output** (optical or coaxial) for when you're playing back songs from the iPod. We already know the sound-quality of the iPod is quite good, in fact, and somehow adds "warmth" to harsh-sounding mp3s, so perhaps RCA-style audio outputs would suffice and keep costs down.
3. Had a tabletop **Touchscreen LCD Remote** (ala Crestron) that, while your Ipod is inserted into the bay, allowed you to navigate the your library on the iPod and playback the songs OR if it had a **Video Output** so you could navigate your iPod library on your TV using a simplier remote.
4. "Fit-in" with the rest of your a/v components (in size and appearance).
5. Had a **FireWire port** or **Ethernet port** or **Wireless Networking Built-In** so you could sync iPod while docked.
If something like this were available (and who knows, maybe it already is), I would probably pay up to $300-400 for it or maybe more if it had the "Crestron"-type touchscreen for navigating my songs.
So, what would you pay (if anything)?
What would you think about a "near-audiophile" quality component-sized dock for your iPod, if it:
1. **Recharged your iPod**. It would have a bay where you could slip in your ipod to recharge (and connect).
2. Had a **Digital Audio Output** (optical or coaxial) for when you're playing back songs from the iPod. We already know the sound-quality of the iPod is quite good, in fact, and somehow adds "warmth" to harsh-sounding mp3s, so perhaps RCA-style audio outputs would suffice and keep costs down.
3. Had a tabletop **Touchscreen LCD Remote** (ala Crestron) that, while your Ipod is inserted into the bay, allowed you to navigate the your library on the iPod and playback the songs OR if it had a **Video Output** so you could navigate your iPod library on your TV using a simplier remote.
4. "Fit-in" with the rest of your a/v components (in size and appearance).
5. Had a **FireWire port** or **Ethernet port** or **Wireless Networking Built-In** so you could sync iPod while docked.
If something like this were available (and who knows, maybe it already is), I would probably pay up to $300-400 for it or maybe more if it had the "Crestron"-type touchscreen for navigating my songs.
So, what would you pay (if anything)?