All my music is ripped to my pc. I'm looking for something, the cheaper the better, to serve the music to my home theater. In a perfect scenario I would like to have internet radio also.

I don't need video playback, but I'm thinking of something with an on-screen interface to scroll through albums and playlists. I guess it would be nice to have album art, but not necessary.

The most important thing is that it is something with a minimum of keypresses on a remote my wife can browse into and play some music. Nice clear menus and easy navigation. Something that doesn't get squirrely working through it. Basically I want to be able to navigate with the same kind of user-friendliness that comes with average mp3 player.

It does not need to be wireless, because my router is near my home theater.

Basically, I want my wife to play music when she wants, but frankly she's never really accepted that the various ways I've delivered music to the stereo are better/easier than popping a CD in. She doesn't complain about it, she just doesn't use it as much as she probably would. I have kids as well that would use it if it was simple.

I would like to do this on the cheap if possible, and am totally good with buying an old and discontinued product on Ebay if it fits the bill. I feel like this is something that was more of an product several years ago, and everything now is geared toward video and more importantly HD. I don't mind if it plays video, as long as it doesn't complicate playing music.

Anys suggestions you guys have would be awesome.
Thanks.

3 choices come to mind...

appleTV if you use iTunes.....

AppleTV hacked with XBMC....

Logitech Squeezebox

Sonos....

take a look at those to start with....

Sean

Sean's suggestions are good, but here's another thought: if your PC is Windows Vista or XP MCE edition, and it's in the same room, you could add an MCE remote to your PC. There are low cost solutions for Apple too, but I'm not an Apple guy.

That's not a bad idea. I already have the computer connected by HDMI to my system for watching movies occasionally. Maybe I'll familiarize her with that. It's still not ideal because sometimes the kids are on the computer or she is, and I don't think she'll deal well with the whole dual monitor thing.

Solutions like AppleTV and Sonos, while perfect applications for this, are not cheap enough for what I'm trying to do. That's my fault for not specifying what I meant by "low-cost." I'm hoping to come up with something off ebay or something for $50-100.

Thanks guys.

so load XMBC on your windows PC and she' good to go. total cost free....

there are a million front ends for windows for you to choose from....

so load XMBC on your windows PC and she' good to go. total cost free....

there are a million front ends for windows for you to choose from....

Or better yet an old xbox loaded with xbmc. $50 dollars and you couldnt have an easier music streamer with a super nice interface. And all the cover art to scroll through.

That way it wouldnt matter if someone was using the computer at the same time.

A lot of these suggestions seem OK for YOU but possibly not so good for your wife and kids.

Consider the Logitech Squeezebox or Sonos systems if you'd rather not have to turn on your projector/TV everytime you want to hear a song. (Or more accurately, if your wife/kids don't want to turn on a TV.)

I know that I hate having to turn on my big projector just to navigate a menu. Plus, I've noticed that even if there is a menu screen, guests tend to look at it while the music is playing as if expecting something to happen. Makes it harder to listen to music and talk...

I've just got my wife used to the Squeezebox Duet system upstairs. Now it will be easy to get another one for the theater.

Whoops, I see you have a PC in the theater. Makes sense to use that I suppose. The Squeezebox is still over your price range (I picked it up for $350 and a second receiver will cost me ~ $150).

but the process of getting xbmc on the xbox can be a pain to get everything. i still need the replay device to load the code with

but the process of getting xbmc on the xbox can be a pain to get everything. i still need the replay device to load the code with

Instead of a replay device you can use a regular thumb drive. Thats what I did.

There are links here:http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/558747
on how to make your own action replay with a usb thumb drive.
(You can also google for some more step by steps to making your own action replay.)