In-car audio system offers digital streaming

Sunday November 9, 2003

CD stackers and removable HDD car audio systems are already looking old fashioned beside the Omnifi mobile audio wireless digital transfer system - a 20GB hard-drive that not only stores approximately 275 hours of digital audio content, but can wirelessly stream music, audio news and information updates from PC or Internet directly to your car.

Wireless transfer is via an 802.11b connection and the unit itself features a 32 x 128 graphics display for navigating songlists and data. The TagIt!' bookmark function enable the retrieval of information such as artist info, album reviews, preview tracks or links to buy CD over the wireless network and although wireless access eliminates the need to remove the hard drive to physically download new media, the 30Gb disk drive cartridge can be taken out (a good idea in large carparks anyway) and includes drop protection.

Rockford Corp. has recently announced the release of the Omnifi DMP1 transfer system in the US where it sells for around US$600.