cd3o produces a technically capable music hub. But the interface, instead of a visual display, is an awkward voice synthesizer that announces track and song information over your speakers. We believe most people would prefer a video rather than audio guide.

The company offers three versions, starting at $149 direct: a wired model (the cd3o c100 Network MP3 Player), for which you need an Ethernet jack near your stereo system; a wired-and-wireless Ethernet model (the $199 c200 Wireless Network MP3 Player); and a wired-and-wireless model with an external Ethernet antenna and optical digital outputs (the $249 c300 Extended-Range Wireless Network MP3 Player, which we tested).

Our setup went smoothly. Like most other entertainment servers we reviewed, the c300 uses software that's already on your PC—such as MusicMatch and Windows Media Player—to rip and download music and look up track information. The c300's unadorned PC interface lets you control and arrange the music from your PC—a real plus—or you can use the supplied remote control. But without a TV's on-screen display, you're flying blind when the music is playing in another room.

The remote lets you find music by typing in the first few letters of an artist name, album name, or genre on a ten-key numeric pad (similar to typing characters on a telephone keypad). To assist you, VoiceGuide audibly tells you what music you've just chosen, and it can also tell you the next song, on request.

If you just want to move audio from your PC to your AV system over an Ethernet connection, the c100 is a good buy—especially if you run the show from the PC. As for the higher-priced c200 and c300, though, the Prismiq MediaPlayer and HP ew5000 offer much more for your money.