USB port > Wifi audio

[-KevinN]

Dear Forum:

Genie HR34-700

Connected via Ethernet.

I'm interested in hopefully streaming Pandora from the Genie to my back yard patio via Wifi.

Does anyone know if the USB port on the back of the Genie allows for the operation of a USB Wifi dongle so as to stream audio to a Wifi speaker or an audio extender?

Or...

Does anyone have a viable Wifi audio option that won't break the bank. 

TIA

-Kevin N.

[peds48]

No, you can use the USB port for that purpose.

[-KevinN]

Hi peds48,

Thank you for your help on these forums and for your quick reply.

I want to be clear on your response.  You're saying that 'Yes' I can operate a USB > Wifi dongle using the port on the Genie.  Correct?

Are you at all experienced with using such a dongle?  Can you provide any insights on what will need to be done so as to connect to a wifi speaker or audio extender?  With the dongle attached, does the Genie become it's own separate wifi network or would I add it to my current home wifi network?

Apologies for the newbie questions.  I'm pretty well versed in the functions of my wifi router but I've never played around with one of these wifi dongles and just want to pick your brain if I may.

TIA, again,

-Kevin N.

[shannon01 · Accepted solution]

The USB ports are for the AM21 tuner and charging small devices and can't be used for anything else.

[peds48]

Sorry, I meant to say you can't

[-KevinN]

Hi peds48, shannon01,

Ah, OK.  I thought that it all might be too good to be true.

Thank you both for your attention to this matter. 

I will research some other means of piping audio out to the patio.

Thanks again,

-Kevin N.

[peds48]

there are some ideas at the link

http://amzn.to/1t6hp5t

[-KevinN]

Hi peds48,

Thank you for the link.  Looks to be some interesting items there.

I don't think that anything bluetooth would provide the range that I need.

Alternate plan B is digging a narrow trench out to the patio to run hard wires.

I was hoping for a simple wireless solution but it looks like you-know-who is going to be sharpening their shovel this weekend.

Thanks again for your help with this.  I've learned a lot from reading your posts here.

Regards,

-Kevin N.

[peds48]

this one in particular looks to be good.  Of course you will need an amp with speakers, or powered speakers to "decode" the audio from the device

http://amzn.to/1pkOWYu

[-KevinN]

Hi peds48, 

Thank you for the link. I'll tell you what; for $50, there might be something to this Signstek Pat-630.

I have an old set of Dell powered computer speakers that I could try it out with.

The Signstek setup does involve a little more hardware than I hoped to use.

I was also looking at the D-link DCH-M225 Wi-Fi Audio Extender.

Wi-Fi Audio Extender | D-Link

The D-link would involve less hardware but I would need to stream Pandora from my Desktop computer rather than the Genie.

I keep returning to the trench and hard wires.  Ugh.  I'll have to ponder this some more.

Thank you again,  I really appreciate you're taking the time to look into this for me.

-Kevin N.

[peds48]

my advice was taking the Genie in to the picture.  otherwise I would suggested an Airport Express

http://bit.ly/1DS2X9M

[-KevinN]

Hi peds48, 

Sorry for the delayed reply from the other day,  For some reason my response was being 'moderated'.

Anyway,  the Airport looks to be a Mac-centric item.  I was weened on Windows.

I've resigned myself to digging a trench out to the patio and running conduit with the added benefit that I can also run Ethernet out there at the same time.

Thank you again for all of the links to perspective resolutions.  When I entered into this project, I envisioned a really simple dongle > wireless speaker setup.  It wasn't meant to be but I did learn new things.  If you stop learning, you stop living.

It's been my pleasure.

Cheers,

-Kevin N.