Sonos says it is now shipping its Linux-based home music distribution system, unveiled earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Sonos Digital Music System is a multi-zone wired or wireless music networking system with a stylish Linux-based remote control.

The Sonos Digital Music System comprises two components. The ZonePlayer integrates a 50-watt amplifier with a sophisticated embedded Linux computer supporting proprietary mesh networking technology. The ZonePlayer can access and play music files stored on PCs, Macs, or NAS (network-attached storage), including MP3, WMA, AAC (MPEG4), and WAV files. It also supports Internet radio stations.

The ZoneController is a Linux-based wireless handheld that can control an entire network of ZonePlayers, “unrestricted by line of sight,” according to Sonos. It includes a full-color LCD screen and touch-sensitive scroll wheel, and presents the user with a simple interface enabling them to play the same song or playlist synchronously in every room, or play different songs or playlists in different rooms.

Availability

According to Sonos, all pre-orders will be filled within 10 days, and the Sonos system is available for purchase online now, priced at $1,199 for two ZonePlayers and one Controller. Additional ZonePlayers cost $499, and additional Controllers sell for $399.

The system will also roll out at “consumer electronic retailers across the nation” during the weeks ahead, the company says.

For a detailed look at the Sonos Digital Music System, be sure to read our complete device profile.

 
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