A/V receiver Zwave?

Anyone have their AV receiver roped into their automation? I have a sony with airplay that has an iphone app but I don't think I can add it to any current "brain" to add to a scene. Thoughts?

If the Sony has a documented protocol (besides Airplay) then it can be incorporated.  You just need to find a "brain" that supports it or write a driver/plugin for it yourself for whatever brain you choose.  Most likely you will need to tell the amp to pull the music vs. push with Airplay if that is what you are after.
 
I would guess most of us are controlling our receivers with automation.  I have two Denon amps that I control with CQC as my brain.  CQC sets power, source, volume, INET radio station, playlist, etc, depending on what else I am doing, including pressing a button on one of my Insteon keypads to enable/disable "Workout" mode or shutting off all my AV equipment if I press a "Night Mode" button or arming my security system for away.  The Denon's have a serial (RS232) as well as ethernet based protocol.

There are a/v receiver plugins for vera as well.

Thanks! Right now I have the ISY994i which I bought two years ago as I started this home automation project. I recently bought SmartThings and it works great but seems to be in it's infancy of third party development. I will check out CQC, I can't imagine buying the vera as well as a new receiver but I'm starting to do installs/consulting on the side so I need to be better versed in the full automation. I have lights/locks/cameras/garage/gate now and need to add irrigation and a few others to be credible.

Here I have been a Homeseer user since 1998 and a Leviton HAI OPII panel user since around 2003 and "playing" with automation since the late 1970's (well X10 stuff).  In the 1980's to the early 2000's I did have an alarm panel that had integrated TTS and X10 primarily utilized for security though.  Today the Leviton panel is primarily used for security and is a multi hardware device controller on steroids (talking to my UPB, Z-Wave and X10 stuff today) with integration to Homeseer software automation.
 
Personally here do not have my Homeseer automation system (mothership) integrated to my multimedia stuff. (well in "production" but for play now). 
 
I have integrated my Leviton HAI OPII panel to my Homeseer server such that I do utilize both devices for my automation.  You can also do similiar integrating the Elk M1 with Homeseer.  (personally security here will remain in the HAI Leviton world).  I also have Elk products in place.  (Well Moose and Elk for over 20 years; still functioning just fine today). 
 
Many experiments going but not really using the stuff in "production".
 
Automation software that utilizes one piece of hardware for everything does work for many folks today whether that is using wired, wireless or a hybrid combo.  I prefer to have a choice of what technology I want to be able to utilize as there is no "perfect" automation mechanisms or hardware out there today.  That said I will and have never been pigeonholed to any technologies as I like to play with automation.
 
I have settled on using XBMC whatever and there is an XBMC box next to every LCD TV.  Audio is being distributed today via Russound zoned amps (12 Zones) plus some legacy stuff for some 20 plus audio zones.
 
That said over the years many Homeseer users have utilized Homeseer plugins related to their multimedia automation.
 
IE: Apple iTunes, Pandora, Squeezebox, XBMC, JRiver, Windows Media Player, Distributed zoned audio (Russound, Sonos, Nuvo)
 
IR controller plugins: Bitwise, Global Cache, et al.  I do utilize IR blasters today here and there for this or that.
 
and a variety of newer television (LCD / smart TV's) and MM receivers with some mechanisms of connectivity.
 
The Homeseer base does allow for just about any sort of transport relating to connectivity whether that is serial, USB, network or IR.
 
The Homeseer touch screen base and touch screen utility allows for touch screens in Wintel, Android, Linux or iOS. 
 
I currently mostly utilize Wintel today and have about 20 HSTouch screens in place today (more experimenting than using). 
 
Wife is patient as I have three HSTouch screens in the master bedroom plus one Omnitouch screen mounted on the wall.
 
Personally I have UPB, X10, Insteon, Z-Wave and ZIgbee online today.  My lighting in wall switches are all UPB today.
 
Over the years though have I have not been tied to any one technology "one size fits all" type of stuff having started playing with this stuff back in the late 1970's.  Its still like that today.
 
I am not really into anything that depends on the Internet cloud for my automation and would prefer to keep everything in house. 
 
That is me and my preferences and contrary to the trending I see lately for automation.
 
Homeseer recently announced a "cloud" management set up to manage and control multiple set ups.  This can work for the individual or a person / company managing multiple Homeseer automation setups.
 
http://www.cepro.com/article/homeseer_adds_cloud_service_to_home_automation_system/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email
 
Here is am slowly moving the automation mothership (Homeseer) to the Linux world.  I am testing two Homeseer boxes in Linux.  I have shut off the Wintel Homeseer 3 box; but occassionally turn it on.
 
I want to move the HSTouch screens to mostly running Linux (baby steps) but am currently testing Windows 8.1 touchscreens, Linux Ubuntu and Android 4.X touchscreens. (quit playing with the phone stuff as I am not tethered to my phone; but that is me).

You can send network commands to a receiver from ISY and there are 1-way and 2-way RS232 adapters as well.

Pete you quote your experience as "average"?!?! Sounds more like expert to me! Thank you for the detail. I just wonder about high end clients that really want Control4 and won't want to mess with different technologies and different apps. 
 
I guess you can always just use an IR that's programmable to recreate some basic remote functions and then incorporate into the home automation. I may look more into that. Something like this? http://www.smarthome.com/2411T/IRLinc-INSTEON-IR-Transmitter/p.aspx

az1324 said:

You can send network commands to a receiver from ISY and there are 1-way and 2-way RS232 adapters as well.

Click to expand...

Here's my receiver back http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/06/19/Sony_STR-DN1030_35332546_07.jpg how do you send commands from the ISY to this? I guess you're saying via ethernet but how does the ISY know how to communicate with my receiver?

Sony is not the most friendly with regards to ethernet.  You can try searching for Sony Binary IP protocol or sony uPnP protocol but it doesn't work with all receivers.  Otherwise you will have to use an Ethernet to RS232 adapter such as global cache or the Autelis 2-way RS232 adapter for ISY.  Ethernet to IR is also an option for 1-way. 

Thinking that the IR cable port for Sony stuff is using a propietary Sony bi-directional communications protocol called S-Link. 
 
That would give you a serial bi-directional link if you wanted to use it instead of the network port and not utilize an IR blaster.
 
http://www.brian-patti.com/s-link/
 
 

Sony manufactured a number of consumer devices of different types that share a common proprietary protocol, called S-link. A jack on each device allowed the remote control signals to be interconnected between devices. The protocol included the useful but unusual feature of supporting more than one of the same type of device (such as multiple CD changers). Some A/V components could generate informational status codes that could be used to do things like automatically stop your tape deck when the CD you were recording stopped playing. Software running on a PC with a suitable interface could also control the A/V components and monitor their activity; for example, your computer could tell what disk and track were playing in your CD changer and look up the titles in one of the internet CD databases. Sony charges 5000 USD for access to the S-Link documentation.[1] Sony use the SIRC protocol for remote controls. SIRC is developed in three different versions: 12 bit, 15 bit and 20 bit. After 12 bits have been received, the receiver is waiting if there're coming more falling edges to know if the SIRC protocol is 15 bit or 20 bit coded.

Click to expand...

 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_IR

need to add irrigation and a few others to be credible.

Click to expand...

 
Most of the automation software that I have seen relating to irrigation is basically a timer with a nice GUI. 
 
Personally I utilize the following software.  I initially used it as a plugin for Homeseer.  That said today I can run it on the Homeseer server as a backup to the now primary controller / software running on a little pogo plug inside of a Rainbird Sprinkler box. 
 
The program is a bit more than an irrigation timer with a nice gui.  I've been using it some 10 years or so now.
 

mcsSprinklers is a premier irrigation control solution that provides water-saving smart irrigation control from the convenience of a personal computer using weather and forecast information from the internet or a local weather-station. 

Click to expand...

 

 
http://mcssprinklers.com/

So, I get the S-Link concept, but actually my Sony has an app and it's wifi enabled so I know it can receive commands. However, there is a "registration" process that I doubt I can mimick. So, my next question is I have a logitech harmony remote that has certain "scenes" like TV on which turns on TV, receiver, and cable box. Is there a way to create a teachable zwave (or insteon i guess) ir blaster to press the button on my harmony remote which would teach the controllable device to send the same signal? 

Take a look at SQ blaster, Insteon IRLinc Transmitter, iTach IR.  It may not be as easy as setting up an activity in the harmony software, but it can be done.

az1324 said:

Take a look at SQ blaster, Insteon IRLinc Transmitter, iTach IR.  It may not be as easy as setting up an activity in the harmony software, but it can be done.

Click to expand...

The SQ blaster looks awesome! But doesn't look like I can buy? http://squareconnectwebshop.hostedbyamazon.com/Controllers/b/5576072011?ie=UTF8&title=Controllers 
 
Do you use it?