Soundcast Systems, a leading provider of revolutionary wireless audio transmission systems, has produced two breakthrough products – iCast™ and AudioCast™ – designed to offer the highest-quality wireless transmission from digital music players or personal computers to home stereo systems. The Soundcast iCast is built to work exclusively with the Apple iPod®, while its sister product, AudioCast, is compatible with other devices, such as personal computers or MP3 players.
iCast and AudioCast offer a convenient, wireless way to link a digital music player and home stereo system without running wires and drilling holes in the walls. Each receiver comes with all the cables needed to connect to the home stereo or multi-media amplified speakers. With iCast, the iPod simply fits into the transmitter in an Apple approved dock. The AudioCast transmitter can be connected to any brand of MP3 player or to a personal computer using the supplied accessory cables. The stylish iCast and AudioCast transmitters come in white to match most iPods or MP3 players, and the receivers are black to easily tie in with the other consumer electronics that are already in a home.
With effortless plug and play installation, no complex programming and a simple, sleek interface, iCast and AudioCast form a wireless bridge between an audio source such as an iPod or MP3 player and a home stereo system. Unlike competing solutions available to date, both products effectively eliminate outside interference caused by other household devices that share the crowded 2.4GHz band, including microwave ovens and cordless phones. In addition, no network set-up expertise is required for the consumer, as the receiver and transmitter are self-enabling and link immediately, once they are installed in the home.
Based on Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, Soundcast’s engineering team has refined its patent-pending wireless technology to allow transmitters to search for open channels in the 2.4GHz band, and instantaneously jump to them – ultimately avoiding interference and allowing for unprecedented sound quality. iCast and AudioCast can transmit signals up to a distance of 150 feet through multiple rooms indoors, and over 350 feet outdoors. Both systems co-exist with other devices operating in the 2.4GHz band, including Bluetooth, 802.11 and other related products.
Each transmitter can link with two receivers making it easy for the homeowner to create a two zone system. In addition, it is possible to link two AudioCast transmitters to the same resource, effectively creating a simple four zone system using four receivers. All zones will feature the same music, although if two separate music resources are used, the transmitters can each be set to a different source allowing two separate music streams at the same time with no conflicts.