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DMX Music, which provides commercial-free music programming to digital cable and satellite television customers across the country, has now entered the Internet streaming arena.

Their twelve-channel Net radio service is called the DMX Music Playground. The system is powered by technology from XACT Media, which also designed Internet-only "side channel" systems for broadcast radio websites. XACT also provides technology and music programming for car stereo manufacturer Jensen, Cablemusic, and Coors.

Last week DMX also announced that they have entered into an agreement with Sony Music to sell music downloads. According to the press release, the songs will be in Windows Media format, and most can be burned to CD. The DMX Music site now also features music news from online publisher Mi2N.

The DMX-programmed format choices include Adult Alternative, Oldies, Classic R&B, CHR, Urban, and Traditional Country; plus some more esoteric options like "Groove Lounge," "College Rock," and "Coffeehouse Rock."

Like XACT-powered Net radio we've seen in the past, users can "rate" both songs and artists on an "X-to-5" scale, theoretically influencing future plays of the artist or song in question. Users can even rate songs they know without having to hear them in the Music Search section (see screenshot above). The player system also allows a limited number of "skips," and offers links to purchase music.

And like past XACT systems we've heard, the delivery of the music is smooth and "buffer-less," with extremely tight song segues. (The only anomaly is when changing channels, you're asked to wait until the current song ends to hear the newly selected channel. This is easily overcome by waiting a few seconds, then clicking the "Skip" button.)

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