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SoundBridge is a remote hardware device from Roku, Inc. designed to play Internet radio or digital audio streamed to it across a home network, either Wi-Fi or Ethernet. SoundBridge devices directly browse the Radio Roku guide. As of 2008 all Roku SoundBridge products were discontinued; Roku focused on IPTV. As of January 2012, the SoundBridge was no longer available from Roku.
Contents
The music is made available by a streaming server, usually a PC running software. What sets the SoundBridge apart from other network media players are its high resolution vacuum fluorescent display and compatibility with many different media servers, namely servers using Apple Computer's Digital Audio Access Protocol (only the Roku-branded editions support this, not the Pinnacle-branded ones; popular servers are iTunes or mt-daapd), Windows Media Connect, Rhapsody, SlimServer, and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) compatible servers like TwonkyVision. Some of these servers can be run not only on PCs, but also on NAS devices like the Linksys NSLU2, so a SoundBridge can be operated without a PC.
Versions
There are several SoundBridge models: The M1000, the M500 (an M1000 with a cheaper LCD instead of the VFD), and the M2000, which had a larger and even higher-resolution display than the M1000. The M1000s sold now are slightly different from older M1000s and can be identified by the fact that they have their connectors at the back, rather than under the end caps. The new revisions are sometimes called M1001 and are mainly an internal redesign to cut manufacturing costs. Most users won't notice any difference, which is reflected in the fact that these units are still sold as M1000s. There is also a tabletop model called the SoundBridge Radio that has built in speakers, an AM/FM radio, and an alarm clock.
SoundBridge players sold in the United States were made by Roku, and include:
The M1001 uses the newer design style, unlike the older discontinued "M" series units, the M1001 does not have removable side caps or a removable Wi-Fi card (CF form factor). The M1001 has its connections in the rear of the unit, unlike the older ones that had theirs behind the removable side caps
Outside the United States, SoundBridge models are manufactured and sold by Pinnacle Systems, under license from Roku. Although some Pinnacle models are similar or identical in hardware, Pinnacle does not have a license for the DAAP protocol, so Pinnacle models cannot connect directly to iTunes. Pinnacle and Roku promote the Firefly Media Server as an alternative that offers similar functionality. Pinnacle models include:
WPA support
Firmware version 2.7 supports Wi-Fi Protected Access, but only for the M1001, the SoundBridge Radio, and the European versions from Pinnacle, not for the older M500/1000/2000 versions. The SoundBridge is an 802.11b device, but it can be used with backward compatible 802.11g networks.