Here is what I did for our outdoor music solution. It allows us to sit out by the pool and play any of our MP3’s and radio stations (from ANYWHERE) using our iPhone or Android phone/tablets. We can even control the volume, make playlists “on the go” or play pre-made playlists.
We had an old computer sitting around that wasn’t used anymore – older P4 with 1.5 GB of RAM – PERFECT!
1. I downloaded and installed Ubuntu Linux. Don’t worry, it looks and feels a lot like Windows, but it’s FREE! You can get it at http://www.ubuntu.com
a. If you want to install it on a computer that you also want to keep running Windows on, it will create a “Dual Boot” and allow you to run whichever Operating System you want at any given time.
b. If you can spare a computer and dedicate it to your outdoor music, then this is PERFECT!
2. After getting Ubuntu installed, I then installed XBMC. The easiest instructions are here: http://www.noobslab.com/2013/01/install-xbmc-120-frodo-in-ubuntu.html
a. The instructions are on the bottom of the page in red.
b. You can also set XBMC to load automatically when Ubuntu starts. That’s how I do it and I don’t even need a monitor attached to the computer, plus I can turn off the computer with the XBMC app.
3. After transferring all of our MP3's to the Ubuntu machine, I then connected the audio out to my little $55, 75-watt amplifier, ran speaker wires across the attic to Yamaha outdoor speakers.
a. http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-2x75W-St...qid=1371833736&sr=8-5&keywords=pyle+amplifier
b. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-AW1...33807&sr=8-2&keywords=yamaha+outdoor+speakers
4. Additional useful resources:
a. Adding streaming radio stations to XBMC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlzmfNDDaOs
b. XBMC: http://xbmc.org
We had an old computer sitting around that wasn’t used anymore – older P4 with 1.5 GB of RAM – PERFECT!
1. I downloaded and installed Ubuntu Linux. Don’t worry, it looks and feels a lot like Windows, but it’s FREE! You can get it at http://www.ubuntu.com
a. If you want to install it on a computer that you also want to keep running Windows on, it will create a “Dual Boot” and allow you to run whichever Operating System you want at any given time.
b. If you can spare a computer and dedicate it to your outdoor music, then this is PERFECT!
2. After getting Ubuntu installed, I then installed XBMC. The easiest instructions are here: http://www.noobslab.com/2013/01/install-xbmc-120-frodo-in-ubuntu.html
a. The instructions are on the bottom of the page in red.
b. You can also set XBMC to load automatically when Ubuntu starts. That’s how I do it and I don’t even need a monitor attached to the computer, plus I can turn off the computer with the XBMC app.
3. After transferring all of our MP3's to the Ubuntu machine, I then connected the audio out to my little $55, 75-watt amplifier, ran speaker wires across the attic to Yamaha outdoor speakers.
a. http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-2x75W-St...qid=1371833736&sr=8-5&keywords=pyle+amplifier
b. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-AW1...33807&sr=8-2&keywords=yamaha+outdoor+speakers
4. Additional useful resources:
a. Adding streaming radio stations to XBMC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlzmfNDDaOs
b. XBMC: http://xbmc.org