Now that the ELK is up and running and HS is almost there, time to start the next project.
I want to distribute independent audio to four rooms that currently have speakers and impednace matching controls (rotary) running to them.
Here's what i have:
The builder wired speakers in the ceiling in the family room, kitchen, master bed and bath. They all tie in to a wall plate in the family room and currently run to the stereo (have them on the second zone audio of an H/K receiver now). I only have speaker wire running to them and the volume controls in each room.
I have HS running on a Dell Poweredge 2800 server in the basement. I also have a SC420 server that has 250GB of music files on it co-located with the main server.
Each bedroom has a J-box IR receiver in it (controlling the Direct TV stuff in the basement now)
USB-IRT is on the way.
HT computer is now in the family room, 2 more computers in the office behind it as well as 1 in each of the bedrooms.
Also have a spare 12" touchscreen going in the family room (end table mount)
If it helps I have a Gentner AP800 I was planning on using for VR
Here's where I want to go:
I want to be able to send audio to each of the 4 sets of speakers independent of each other. Or at least the room besides the master bath and bedroom independent (in other words at least 3 zones). Not interested in rewiring it all for a russound or something right now, though I could extend all the speaker connections from the family room to the basement server area easily now (before we finish the basement).
I want to control the zones using the existing IR network I have as well as through the USB-UIRT and the touchscreens (12" Planars and Airpanels)
I want to be able to send various HS messages to different zones depending on the message or time of day (using HS / girder or whatever to control the zones for messages from Homeseer). All the other music would come from the server in the basement.
What should I use for audio? Buy an M-Audio card and zone through it, or some multi-channel amp and selector?
Any ideas, tips, suggestions? My wife is still onboard here with all of this, but if I have to shell out $2000 for a ready made solution I may lose that battle.
I want to distribute independent audio to four rooms that currently have speakers and impednace matching controls (rotary) running to them.
Here's what i have:
The builder wired speakers in the ceiling in the family room, kitchen, master bed and bath. They all tie in to a wall plate in the family room and currently run to the stereo (have them on the second zone audio of an H/K receiver now). I only have speaker wire running to them and the volume controls in each room.
I have HS running on a Dell Poweredge 2800 server in the basement. I also have a SC420 server that has 250GB of music files on it co-located with the main server.
Each bedroom has a J-box IR receiver in it (controlling the Direct TV stuff in the basement now)
USB-IRT is on the way.
HT computer is now in the family room, 2 more computers in the office behind it as well as 1 in each of the bedrooms.
Also have a spare 12" touchscreen going in the family room (end table mount)
If it helps I have a Gentner AP800 I was planning on using for VR
Here's where I want to go:
I want to be able to send audio to each of the 4 sets of speakers independent of each other. Or at least the room besides the master bath and bedroom independent (in other words at least 3 zones). Not interested in rewiring it all for a russound or something right now, though I could extend all the speaker connections from the family room to the basement server area easily now (before we finish the basement).
I want to control the zones using the existing IR network I have as well as through the USB-UIRT and the touchscreens (12" Planars and Airpanels)
I want to be able to send various HS messages to different zones depending on the message or time of day (using HS / girder or whatever to control the zones for messages from Homeseer). All the other music would come from the server in the basement.
What should I use for audio? Buy an M-Audio card and zone through it, or some multi-channel amp and selector?
Any ideas, tips, suggestions? My wife is still onboard here with all of this, but if I have to shell out $2000 for a ready made solution I may lose that battle.