OTHER TECH

Sadly, it's easy to get jaded when you work in this industry. $30,000 video projectors? Seen 'em. $20,000 speakers? Heard 'em. $10,000 processors? Get in line. So when a product at this year's Consumer Electronics Show wowed several Sound & Vision editors, we knew it was worth a trip to Washington, DC, to check it out at the offices of Gibson Audio. Yes, the guitar people. Who also own the name of Wurlitzer, the erstwhile jukebox people, and who are gearing up to make the Wurlitzer Digital Jukebox.

Unless you've been sharing some cave time with Osama, you know hard-drive music storage is here to stay, and if you own a computer, you probably already have some music files. Media receivers move files from your PC to your audio system, media servers import and manage your videos and music, and hard-drive portables let you take lots of music with you. But only the Digital Jukebox combines all these features into a user-friendly package you don't need a TV or a computer to operate.

The PDA-size, 3 1/2 x 5 1/2-inch touchpanel remote operates via Wi-Fi (802.11b), and I had no problem reading information on its 3 1/2-inch (diagonal) color screen. The well-designed interface is intuitive and enjoyable to use - I was able to start browsing as soon as I picked up the remote. The Nevo software lets the remote also control your other A/V equipment. And sliding in an SD memory card transforms it into a portable media player!

Whether you load CDs onto the 80-gigabyte hard drive, transfer Windows Media Audio (WMA) files from a PC on your network, or download music from the Net, the Jukebox automatically sorts your library by artist, album, song, and genre. (The hard drive can hold up to 1,000 CDs at 160 kilobits per second, or kbps, in WMA format. Rates of 256 and 320 kpbs are also supported, as is uncompressed audio.) This makes browsing your collection a breeze. I scrolled through the titles on the drive and found a Cowboy Junkies album I knew - The Trinity Sessions. I selected their haunting version of "Sweet Jane," and in less than 2 seconds, my song was playing.

You can easily manage your music using playlists like "'80s Favorites" or "Party Tunes." It takes just a few button pushes to create a custom playlist, and you can do it on the fly. When you hear a Barry White song that belongs in your "Let's Get It On" list, just press "Add to Playlist," and it's done. For even more cool, the remote displays the CD cover of the track currently playing or of each album you're browsing. The Jukebox gives you several options for taking your tunes on the road. You can use the amazing remote, transfer files to a portable player via the fast USB 2.0 port, or use the built-in CD-R drive to burn discs.

When you want some new music, the Wurlitzer Music Service provides 'round the clock access to 100 channels of digital radio. Hear a song you want to keep? Download the file instantly and store it in your library, a feature that Gibson Audio's president Kris Carter likens to "XM Radio combined with iTunes." The service is expected to cost $20 a month, which will include one monthly CD download (or ten individual songs). Additional downloads cost 99¢ a song or $9.99 a CD.

The Jukebox will initially be available either floor-standing as shown ($1,999), with a Klipsch audio system and built-in subwoofer, or in a traditional component-styled model ($1,499) with the same features in a chassis that fits in an audio rack. Both require broadband Internet access for full functionality.

The Wurlitzer Digital Jukebox provides an innovative solution for managing your music library. Combining two or more units gives you an elegant, wireless option for house-wide audio. Lower priced "clients" are planned for early 2005. Gibson expects to have the Jukebox available by November, in time for the holiday shopping season.

- John Sciacca