I feel that Apple’s AirPort Express with AirTunes is one of the coolest things since sliced bread, despite the fact that I don’t even own one yet; over time I could see myself eventually owning numerous AirPort Expresses serving multiple purposes. But as I express my uber-excitement over this product, some people have voiced some concerns. In an attempt to avoid partiality caused by my own excitement, I’ve tried to answer these concerns from authoritative sources.

I’m sure some people out there may have some of the same concerns and aren’t quite sure where to get the answers to these concerns, so I’d like to share some of my findings. One blog at MacWorld had just the authoritative source I wanted, and actually answers many of the concerns: How AirTunes Works. Let’s consider some of the concerns people have expressed to me.

1. The sound quality of AirTunes will be poor. Wireless audio is always poorer quality.

It is true that wireless audio is poorer quality than wired audio. However, AirTunes isn’t transmitting audio wirelessly. It is transmitting the audio data wirelessly, decodes it, and then transmits the high-quality audio via analog audio wire, or even an optical audio wire, to your stereo or receiver. This is an important point to understand. The AirPort Express with AirTunes is a network device, not a wireless audio receiver. Indeed, if you’ve ever looked at such devices (for instance, check out the RCA® Lyra™ Wireless Audio Sender/Receiver from Radio Shack), you’ll notice they always require two components: a transmitter and a receiver. The reason AirTunes only needs the one receiving component is because it is receiving data transmitted by an existing computer on an existing wireless network. No transmission of actual audio ever occurs.

2. You can only use the AirPort Express with AirTunes if you have an AirPort Base Station or a computer with AirPort Extreme.

This is simply incorrect. According to the article linked above, which refers to the words of Greg Joswiak, Apple’s Vice President of Hardware Product Marketing, AirTunes does not require any AirPort technology, although it naturally works with those devices. A non-Apple 802.11b or 802.11g access point will suffice.

Sometimes a person might develop this concern by means of a lack of understanding as to how networking functions. For instance, a person might suppose that a wireless laptop and a wireless AirTunes will communicate directly when transmitting data. Although this very well may be possible, according to my understanding, it is not necessary. In theory, even a computer that has a WIRED connection to a wireless access point (such as a wireless router) can then communicate with the AirTunes through it’s connection to the wireless router. That’s just how networking works. Wireless devices don’t talk directly to each other, they all talk to the router or access point, and thus can speak to each other “vicariously” through their mutual connection to the wireless router. This “theory” is further solidified by the fact that any non-Apple 802.11b or 802.11g access point will allow such functionality.

Thus, if I’ve got an iMac (with no wireless functionality) physically plugged into my home network, it should be able to transmit music to my AirTunes just as well as my 802.11g wireless Gateway laptop, which should do just as well as a AirPort-enabled PowerBook.

Especially considering how obsessed Apple has been over proprietorship lately, I took this concern seriously. I was very worried that Apple would attempt to make AirTunes compatible only with an AirPort access point, which would have been very disappointing. But that just isn’t so.

3. One concern that I do have–and it’s really more of a disappointment in a missing feature–is that this device doesn’t support streaming of video as well. Before you think to criticize me for asking too much, please recognize that a device like this is already in existence! Please take a look at Elgato Systems’ EyeHome. This device is all the audio functionality of the AirTunes and much more. Really, though, the two devices are apples and oranges. Whereas EyeHome also has a user interface over the television and also allows you to display pictures, video, and browse the web from your TV, it does not provide a wireless bridge or printer sharing like the AirPort Express does. In short, the devices are very different. But the EyeHome is proof that streaming video to a network device is certainly feasible, and Elgato says the EyeHome even works wirelessly (whether that be by an AirPort Express or any other wireless access point). So apparently 802.11 provides enough bandwidth to transmit video.

Now, you get me an AirPort Express with AirMedia, and you’ve really got my attention!