Skip to Content

WalletPop tells you how to get free stuff!
Holidash Blog
AOL Tech

Posts with tag mp3

iTrax.com delivers DRM-free HD Audio downloads


Just in case you don't have enough digital download choices, here comes iTrax to give you another. This site, however, deviates from the beaten path by offering up DRM-free HD Audio tracks for those with more discerning ears. Granted, the music selection is quite limited, but for the albums that are available, users can download individual songs or entire records in a variety of encoding formats / mixes. Among the options are MP3, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless and even uncompressed PCM 96/24, and most songs can be downloaded in 2.0 stereo, 5.1 "stage" and 5.1 "audience" perspectives. Currently, the available music all stems from AIX Records, but more options are purportedly on the way, and if you're curious about pricing, most albums look to run you anywhere from $9.99 to $24.99, depending on quality / mix.

Pioneer intros Elite X-Z9 audio system

Pioneer X-Z9
Pioneer hasn't forgotten the audiophiles out there, and their new X-Z9 is for those who still listen to stereo music. The X-Z9 combines a SACD/CD deck and integrated digital amplifier (50W to each channel) in one chassis. All you have to do is connect the included speakers and you've got an audio listening station. In case you prefer music of the ripped variety, there are additional inputs available: Sirius/XM; interoperation with a PC via Home Media Gallery; iPod integration and USB drives. Supported digital formats include WMA, MPEG4-AAC, MP3 and FLAC. Available in October for $1799.

ZyXEL intros DMA-1000 HD media streamer / adapter

We've already seen what's likely to be one of the most popular HD media adapters to end up stateside hit the scenes at CES today, but networking guru ZyXEL Communications is apparently trying to steal a bit of that digital home marketshare by offering up an HD media streamer / adapter of its very own. The forthcoming DMA-1000 is a network device that channels your audio / video files from a networked source or locally connected storage device to your home stereo and television, and like most of the similar alternatives, this unit streams video up to 1080i over Ethernet or 802.11g and delivers the content via HDMI / S-Video. Reportedly housed in a compact form factor, it also boasts an onboard USB 2.0 port for attaching files locally, and is completely self-sufficient, not needing a PC to call the shots. Aside from being UPnP and DLNA-compliant, this box hits at a very reasonable price point if you're willing to sacrifice 1080p streaming, and while no snapshots are currently available, this elusive device will be hitting shelves for $175 during the first quarter of this year.

Rotel unveils pricey 1080p upcoverting RDV-1093 DVD player

For the person who just has to have everything, or is willing to spend more money to stick with DVD than cave in and buy two separate high definition players (or not), Rotel has announced the forthcoming RVD-1093 upscaling DVD player. The high-end boutique has cranked out yet another snazzy looking standalone flagship device, which touts 1080p upcoverting, a built-in scaler, HDMI, component / S-Video / composite outputs, and silkly smooth progressive scan playback. Additionally, the device plays nice with recordable discs, SVCDs, JPEGs, MP3 / WMA CDs, and even the lost-but-not-forgotten DVD-Audio format. To somewhat justify the lofty pricetag, the company points to its "switching power supply" which reportedly touts "an advanced pulse circuit and individually regulated supply stages to generate optimal voltages," and also boasts about the wideband DA converters, "Adaptive Geometrical Chroma Mapping," optical / coaxial digital audio outs, NTSC / PAL-compatibility, RS-232 interface, and discrete IR commands. We're still not entirely convinced this player is worth the $1,499 asking price, especially considering the forthcoming price drops in the Blu-ray arena, but those still interested can pick one up sometime this quarter.

Diamond Multimedia offers up HDTV100 portable USB TV tuner

Although these miniscule USB TV tuners have long been available overseas, we're thrilled to see Diamond Multimedia bringing the tiny OTA tuning love here to the States. The firm's HDTV100 sports an attractively small thumb drive-like enclosure, is powered entirely by USB, and features both ATSC and analog tuners within. Aside from supporting EPG, allowing you to schedule recordings and simultaneously playback a stored show while capturing another, it also comes with a "video capture dongle" to grab content from sources other than your trusty TV antenna. Best of all, Diamond's wee gem can be snapped up for just $99, which should give American travelers yearning for a little TV action while on the go little to frown upon.




    AOL News

    Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: