So if I have this right, my Airport Express/iTunes combo:
- Takes a compressed music file from iTunes and converts whatever music file format that is into Apple Lossless.
- iTunes then discovers and connects via Bonjour mDNS autodiscovery to the IP address of the wireless router.
- iTunes streams that Apple Lossless file from the client machine to the wireless router over 802.11n via some proprietary protocol (but presumably some form of UDP traffic).
- The Airport Express takes those 1s and 0s and turns the Apple Lossless file back into music.
- That music is sent as bursts of light via fiber optic cable to my stereo.
- Those bursts of light are reassembled by the stereo and sent to the amplifier, which fluctuates between a positive charge and a negative charge on the red wire and vibrates the speaker cone.
- The speaker cone vibrations move the air and those vibrations are recieved by the cochlea in my inner ear.
- Those signals received by the cochlea then are translated into bio-electric signals which are transmitted to my brain and interpreted as music.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
~Jeff
