Airport Express / I Tunes PC Setup questions

iTunes is very easy to use and setup. The Airport Express can be a tad more difficult on a PC, but here is what I do:

Initial setup - use the Utility Wizard and setup the first AE as a Base Station when connected to either a ethernet network or a cable modem. Once you have done this, unplug the ethernet cable from the AE. Then to turn-on the wireless, go to your computer control panel and double-click on the wireless line in Network connections window. This will brign up a list of available wireless networks. If the apple network is not showing, go to "advanced" window. Then in this window you will see the Apple network displayed. Select it and hit "OK" button. Then, after a short time, the network will connect and you will see it displayed in the network connections window. Later you will see a pop-up display near the lower toolbar that has the IP address info, telling you that a new network has been detected.

I have a question related to this: So you have your .wav files, or mp3's or what have you, stored on your computers hard drive in digital form. You send those out via the ethernet to your 811g compatible wireless router, which in turn passes on the digital information through the airwaves to the airport express airtunes receiver which is connected to either an amp, or some amplified speakers. Am I correct so far? So where is the digital to analog conversion taking place? Or, is a DAC required at one end or the other?

As far as having multiple speakers is concerned, it seems to me, given my understanding is correct, that you could send your signal to your airport express airtunes receiver via the wireless (btw, make sure to get an 811g and NOT an 811b as the later may be too slow for a streaming audio signal), which is plugged into an amplifier (integrated or separates), and add a speaker selector box to the output of your amplifier, such as Niles or Bryston makes, to send that signal to several sets of speakers. Of course this requires hard wiring the multiple sets of speakers to the switch box, and with all speakers running will be at some compromise to the power of the signal to each set of speakers, but certainly would be an adequate method for party music.

Marco

"is a DAC required at one end or the other?"

Yes, the AE feeds a DAC or SS processor. 80211.g is what the AE uses.

Multiple sets of speakers from one amp is not advised. Most amps are only capable of driving one or two sets of speakers without severe distortion.

Many thanks for the responses.

Audioengr, Another Newbie Question. This may be be a stretch, but I'll ask anyway. Again the intention is to get the same party music playing in several different rooms. Can I send a playlist to two different powersources connected to different speaker pairs in different rooms at the same time? i.e. send one to an AE connected to my Lynn system in penthouse and drive my Totem Staff speakers there and concurrently play the same playlist through a pair of Klipsh speakers (non-amplified) plugged into an Airport Express and an amp on a different floor so we would hear the same playlist in both rooms concurrently?

If this would not work, then what would you suggest instead to achieve this. My hope was to avoid having to embed wiring and speakers into the walls but still be able to play the same party music downstairs, upstairs and on my roof deck eventually in the spring when I install those speakers.

Thanks again.