A slightly different approach maybe...
I use a Squeezebox 3 in my lounge for music playback. Very nice large VFD on this.
Now, its not strictly integrated with XL. I chose the squeezebox because it gives very good quality playback through the lounge hi-fi / video set-up. This is different to the rest of the whole house audio that runs off a XL, Russound amp and in ceiling speakers.
However... the squeezebox is xAP enabled and you can display xAP messages on its screen (or control through xAP). I use it to display caller id info, house status messages and other things. Elsewhere in the house, these are displayed on XL screens and announced through TTS but I didn't want that in the lounge as it is a bit disruptive (the TTS announcements) when watching TV / DVD.
With the xAP plugin and Girder, I think it would be possible to use a Squeezebox with XL. The integration isn't direct but it would be entirely possible to build a neater direct, 2 way, XL plugin (the Squeezebox protocols are all published as is the xAP stuff) . Unfortunately, my skills are not up to it.
So a very high quality VFD, nicely packaged (I have mine neatly mounted under a 50" Pioneer plasma! - not taking a dremmel to that!) with the added bonus that it will stream high quality music and is Pandora enabled and will also stream RSS feeds which is handy.
Any takers???
(BTW. We did a blind listen with the squeezebox and cd player. With 320kbs MP3s we could detect no difference with the cd. Also FLAC seemed to make no detectable difference either. The hifi separates were about 6 years old but pretty good standard - ARCAM. Might not be ultimate audiophile but at this level I was amazed. Sold the cd player on ebay as a result!)
by rbziggy on Sat Mar 03, 2007 12:29 pm 