A multimedia system which substantially integrates analog functions
normally found in consumer radios (radio frequency tuner functions,
volume functions), and information streams from a digital network in a
single design. The system may include an Ethernet interface, central
processing unit, memory, local storage device, analog to digital
converter, digital to analog converter, audio output speakers,
microphone, display controller, liquid crystal display panel, user
interface logic, controls for tuning streams, analog and digital radio
frequency tuner, and an analog storage device. The system may generate
analog signals for audible reproduction. The source of audio signals may
be configured in real time by the user. The hardware implementation
allows for selection of broadcast radio or digital network streams such
that hardware signals indicating which broadcast radio or digital stream
to play from are fed to a hardware circuit which determines which stream
is sent to an audio output device.