I'm looking to create a network audio reciever/player perhaps someone could tell me if the arduino would be suitable for this or point me in the right direction.
Some of the requirements are
Small size board (fit into small sandwich box etc)
Connect to NAS over wifi
Play back audio over Wifi from NAS
Have digital audio outs or have amp and analogue audio out
Have some sort of display and user interface (device based buttons or custom remote).
Cheap (£100+ price tag on squeezebox and other network players is too much for my wallet.)
I don't think that an arduino is particularly suitable for this task.
It doesn't have the CPU power to uncompress compressed audio.
(less certain) or to accept uncompressed audio-rate data over its network connection
no low-cost wifi
not enough memory to buffer audio streams in the face of network latency.
You might get it to work eventually. Separate mp3 processor, bunch of add-ons.
Something like a BeagleBoard would be a more appropriate starting point.
However, this is the sort of "consumer" device that it is getting really difficult to build for less money than you can buy it for. The £100 price tag buys an awful lot of electronics these days. Have you considered looking for a cheaper commercial product? "squeezebox" is a sort of brand-name "premium" product. How about http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-MediaMVP-Digital-Receiver-1000/dp/B0000C4DX1
Thanks for the quick replys guys.
Since posting Ive been looking at some other consumer devices that vary between the £50ish soundbridge and the £600+ sonos player guess its more a matter of sound quality and the like. I think the best bet may be to wait until more companies jump on the dlna band wagon and push the prices down. Again thanks for the help.