Grace Wifi Radio (ITC-IR1000B)
Now you can listen to streaming Internet radio via your wireless network using the Grace Wireless Internet Radio. The Grace radio supports MP3, WMA and Real Media streaming. The 4-line LCD displays the song and artist. The intuitive and easy-to-use controls let you browse over 10,000 global Internet radio stations with ease.You can browse by location or by genre. Have you ever wanted to hear what's going on in your home town, state or country? What about local sports scores or weather reports from other places? Well, now Grace makes it possible!The sleek and simple design makes it a fit in most living rooms as well as easy and intuitive to use. Get yours today!
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Grace Wifi Radio (ITC-IR1000B) Reviews
Like others, the radio worked fine for about a week, then it started giving me errors that it could not connect to DNS server and to check firewall port 5000, etc. It looks like a great radio - I just wish that it worked better. But the final straw was the aux output jack - there is a loud 60 hum noise from this connector that makes it useless to use.
I'd like to have an Ethernet jack on the back panel, and an actual Stereo Line Out jacks, rather than only the Earphone Jack output. I read the reviews, and decided on this discontinued model from Grace. It detected my WPA encrypted home WiFi network (using a Linksys WRT54GL router with Tomato firmware) without a hitch. Although I do use it to scan various Internet streams, including the BBC, I primarily use it with my Pandora account. Listening to my favorite artists or genre without commercial interference is really nice.
The ITC-IR1000B is really a great product. I've not only been an electronics hobbyist for over 50 years, but worked in the electronics field professionally for over 40 years. Would I like to see some improvements. I've listened to streaming Internet music on my PC for years, but decided to acquire a dedicated Internet radio.
I'm impressed. Of course. But, given the fact that I tend to carry this from room to room anyway, an Ethernet jack is probably no real loss. We have a 4 level house and wherever I take the ITC-IR1000B, it links to the WiFi without any problems - even in the remotest area of the finished basement far from the router.
I just hope it lasts, as I've read of some samples dying early. And, I've been a licensed amateur radio (ham) operator for many years as well. I bought a factory refurb unit through Amazon.com (shipped directly from Grace), and I'm very pleased with the purchase. Try it, you'll be hooked.
From appearance to electrical operation, the radio seems new, no blemishes and no operational glitches. Set-up was easy, and more intuitive than I expected from reading most of the reviews here on Amazon.
It will say it can't get on the wireless network because ports are closed or it will say it can't find Reciva or it will get stuck trying to lock in a station and you can't get out except by pulling the plug. I do know that I have a Logitech Squeezebox V3 that has none of these problems, ever. The Grace ITC-IR1000B is a lovely internet radio when it works properly. The rest of the time, the Grace seems to get confused. I don't know if I have a defective unit or if that's par for the course. I've got to decide if I'm going to keep the Grace or return it, jury is still out but I'm leaning towards return.
That seems to happen about 50% of the time. When that happens, you turn it on, it finds your wireless network, it finds the internet gateway (Reciva), it brings up the last station you listened to and away you go, all in 10 seconds or so. Too bad because when it's working it's a great sounding, fun radio.
The relatively long distance I have it from my DSL modem/router has not been a problem, so the radio's little antenna does the job. If you want good sounding, always available music personally tailored to your tastes - and without buying CDs, this is the way to do it at a reasonable price. It's pure radio, no goofy boombox, jet engine, or clock radio styling. I'm somewhat of a radio design nut and the sleek, simple, and understated design of this cool little gem really appeals to me. I've been listening to this radio for about a year and I continue to be delighted with it - for many more reasons than not having to tolerate commercials. Internet radio is for listening to music.
So when I want great sound, I hook it up to my home stereo and equalizer through the headphone jack in the rear. Once you find your preferred music mixes, they can be with you whenever you want. If you take the time to learn how to use it, the 5 button preset is no limitation at all since you can get unlimited choices once you learn how to do it and to use Reciva. Grace Digital Audio Wireless Internet Radio GDI-IR1000. Most of the time I listen to it "barefoot" and it sounds good enough, with good base punch but with the treble just a bit too much for my taste. No disconnects and it even let me update its firmware with no problem.
I don't even need to have the antenna vertical, so it stays hidden behind the case in its horizontal position. If you think it should also have a gimmick to wake you up in the morning, buy a clock radio.
I had been living with static-ridden baseball games and very limited radio station choices. I moved from my hometown a few years ago, to another city about two hours away. The only disappointment so far is that the Internet version of the station that carries my team does not stream the play-by-play broadcast, so check on this if you are buying for that purpose. I never realized how much I missed listening to the radio. Within minutes it was up and running, and I was listening to the radio stations that I grew up with. When I saw this I decided to buy myself a toy. Also, the free version of Pandora doesn't seem to work, I will be subscribing.
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