Audio Over Network/Dedicated Network Speaker

[spike101x]

Is this possible:

I want to have a sound system that any computer attached to the network can use.

Computer->router->(some sort of receiver)->Speaker System

The same concept as running a network printer.

I have a lot of computers/TV/Consoles in the same room and it would be nice if they could all play to a quality sound system instead of having a 2.1 system on every device. Only one audio stream would be playing at a time. I know this is possible if I just ran the wires to a receiver, but that can't happen. Preferably I don't want to have to switch the input on the receiver for each different computer either.

Thanks for the input!

 

[USAFRet]

Many new receivers are ethernet capable. It gets an IP address, and you can see it in your networked devices.
I have an Onkyo (something or other), and (from the PC) you can literally just drag an audio file to its icon, and it plays.

As far as switching inputs....ethernet is one input. Never tried playing from 2 different PCs at once.
Other things are other inputs. Maybe look into a Logitech Harmony remote. You can assign multiple functions to one button.

XBOX
Change TV to Xbox input
Change receiver to Game input

ROKU
Change TV to HDMI
Change receiver to AUX input

Watching TV
Change TV to DVI input
Go to channel XX on the cable DVR box
Change receiver to TV input

etc

Each is a one button function.

 

[spike101x]

Well, I just didn't want any conflicts since there would be 2+ computers having it as the primary audio device. i.e. switching the receiver function from computer 1 to computer 2 etc... Plus it would be awesome to play songs on my phone over network (I know that's an app side problem). I just wasn't sure if receivers have come far enough to have an ip and if windows would recognize it as an audio device.