Is it crazy to build a whole home audio system using a laptop?

[pete_c]

MY QUEST:
To build a whole house wired audio system using:
1. windows based laptop to stream music
2. sound cards
3. amplifiers
4. room volume control for 8 zones
5. In ceiling speakers
6. Remote controlled app that I can use to both operate this audio system and to an Omni Pro II that I just finished installing....thank you...thank you! Omni has basic security and UPB lighting

 
 
BTW; Dan; who posted above relating to the USB sound cards is considered the USB sound card automation "guru" on the Homeseer forum. 
 
It can be done this way too using one computer; USB hub and multiple USB sound cards. 
 
It comes down to mostly how much time and or knowledge base you have relating to doing a DIY (if you choose too) relating to multiple zoned audio.
 
HAI offers integration built in to zoned systems; but not everyone that exists today.  That said if you want to integrate your HAI panel / consoles to audio; you can do it the HAI way.  If you are adventurous and want to write a serial "connection" to the panel; then you can write one for the Monoprice Zoned audio amp.
 
Relating to your itemized #'s 1,2,3,4 & 5.  You can do the individual USB sound card thing as mentioned and DIY your own app (whatever you use).  In ceiling / in wall speakers prices have dropped considerably in the last few years; you can though today with good sounding speakers for very little costs these days.
 
Here over the years did start with one amp, analog zoned speaker switches and analog volume controls.  From that I went to digital volume controls (Leviton Chopin) which alleviated the smoke in the wall volume control thing and it was easy to run or use a cat5e cable to the volume control.  Then from that went to a zoned audio amplifier (Russound).  Today many folks have skipped the wired speaker parts creating a whole house zoned audio system using wireless; AKA Sonos. (which includes a multimedia server that you can remote a few different ways).  Some folks have gone to using the Sonos music server and a zoned audio system.
 
Its really up to you on what you want to do and how much time you want to spend and how much baggage you want to maintain.  "Baggage" is a relative term; just coined; knowledge base of hardware and software stuff.  It can be good or bad; depending what you personally consider "plugnplay"
 
You will see folks here on the Cocoontech forum have done it all in every way possible.

 

[wkearney99]

First off, there's no way I could even be at this juncture in my life if it were not for this site.

Hey! Don't blame us for that!  :lol: 

The downsides to using a PC for this are several. One being maintenance and configuration hassles. Then there's the problem of multi-zone coordination, it's harder than you might think trying to get multiple digital source zones playing all at *exactly* the same time (mere milliseconds matter a LOT).

JRMC is among the 'least worst' at coordinating the zones, but's it's a real "knobs on" sort of program. I have used it for quite a while, but mainly just because it's got a kick-ass MP3 metadata editor. For actual media center use it's a bit too low on the WAF scale to pass muster.

The problem is you need several things that aren't covered well until you get into genuine multi-room solutions like Russound. Multiple sources, multiple zones, local control, automation integration, portable control (ie, phones/tablets)... all of which have to be friendly enough for the wife (what's known as the Wife Acceptance Factor).

 

[userone]

I have in the works a self built 10x9 TRUE MUX that I want to use.  My idea is to build it in such a way that I can actually mux ANY channel to ANY set of channels.  So, 1-10 can much into ANY combination of 1-9.  The 10th zone is the whole house announcement zone.  I had it mostly worked out until I decided that I needed to adjust the time delay of the audio.  Then I had to toss out most of the "cheap" design and create a new idea, where I can do the muxing the way I want, but I want to be able to adjust the time delay - just in case there are zones that can hear each other I want to have some adjustment to try to normalize them all.
 
--Dan

 i think we are running the exact same setup idea. and that is the exact same project i wanted to do but never got to over the winter.  I original intent was to do it with a bunch of 4 way splitters with volume control. but i have 6 or 8 amps and wanted 8 output zones in jriver and it just became a mess trying to keep the wires straight. so i got frustrated and just setup a couple outputs. it works great and the girlfriend has no trouble with it but there is a lot of music played in the garage and backyard that doesnt need to be. i have had no issue with timing but most of my amps are the same.  
 
my intention was to do a 10x10 matrix with a small line level amp on each input that would change based on the # of outputs it was feeding and then a toggle switch and volume knob(though i guess you don't really need the toggle) on each of the 100 cross points so I could fine tune the balance of the volume.
 
What setup are you using until you get the box built?
 
I would love a copy of your plans when you get it finalized, heck i would even pay you too build two and send me one. 
 
for the OP i am using a bunch of usb sound cards and they work great,  newegg has them also for about $10 each, google "ICUSBAUDIO" and its one of the first links

 

[drozwood90]

 i think we are running the exact same setup idea. and that is the exact same project i wanted to do but never got to over the winter.  I original intent was to do it with a bunch of 4 way splitters with volume control. but i have 6 or 8 amps and wanted 8 output zones in jriver and it just became a mess trying to keep the wires straight. so i got frustrated and just setup a couple outputs. it works great and the girlfriend has no trouble with it but there is a lot of music played in the garage and backyard that doesnt need to be. i have had no issue with timing but most of my amps are the same.  
 
my intention was to do a 10x10 matrix with a small line level amp on each input that would change based on the # of outputs it was feeding and then a toggle switch and volume knob(though i guess you don't really need the toggle) on each of the 100 cross points so I could fine tune the balance of the volume.
 
What setup are you using until you get the box built?
 
I would love a copy of your plans when you get it finalized, heck i would even pay you too build two and send me one. 
 
for the OP i am using a bunch of usb sound cards and they work great,  newegg has them also for about $10 each, google "ICUSBAUDIO" and its one of the first links

 
I decided to switch to using I2S and run everything through an FPGA.  I couldn't easily do phase delay adjust between "zones"
So, I thought I'll just digitize everything and then I can delay however I want.  Finally, just output to a I2S device and push that into the amp.
 
--Dan

 

[mdesmarais]

I decided to switch to using I2S and run everything through an FPGA.  I couldn't easily do phase delay adjust between "zones"
So, I thought I'll just digitize everything and then I can delay however I want.  Finally, just output to a I2S device and push that into the amp.
 
--Dan

Hardcore!  (Or, I suppose softcore really ;-)

 

[znelbok]

Have you seen squeezeplug - its using a RaspberryPi as a logitech squeezebox.  They are cheap, you can run the squeezeserver on one if you want (it doubles as a player and a server) and the rest can be players only.  You can then expand it as you need.
 
Some say the audio output is not the best, but I only use mine for background audio and it is good enough for that.  Find a cheap amp (mulitchannel?) and your off and running.
 
Obviously you will still need somewhere to store the music.
 
The iOS/droid apps work with it as well so that should score well in the WAF area.
 
Mick

 

[drozwood90]

Have you seen squeezeplug - its using a RaspberryPi as a logitech squeezebox.  They are cheap, you can run the squeezeserver on one if you want (it doubles as a player and a server) and the rest can be players only.  You can then expand it as you need.
 
Some say the audio output is not the best, but I only use mine for background audio and it is good enough for that.  Find a cheap amp (mulitchannel?) and your off and running.
 
Obviously you will still need somewhere to store the music.
 
The iOS/droid apps work with it as well so that should score well in the WAF area.
 
Mick

 
Mick,

Do you have a link?  If it is easier than what I am doing, maybe I'll go that route.  I mean aren't Pi's $25 each?  I'd be paying almost that just in the FPGA board (8 zones at $25 each $200, FPGA dev board is about $200-300).
 
--Dan

 

[znelbok]

Mick,

Do you have a link? 
--Dan

 
http://www.squeezeplug.eu/

 

[Jamr]

Is Sonos really that expensive? At 200$ a room +50 for a wireless bridge and the ability to control everything from your mobile device, It seems like a no brainer to me. And I am a wire guy!
I live now for the ability to control everything from one spot. Preferably my mobile device in my lap.

 

[tmbrown97]

and how do you find $200/room with sonos?

 

[Frunple]

and how do you find $200/room with sonos?

 
 
Just what I was gonna say!
Please, let us know. I'd say a minimum of $350 per room but I can add some components at $200 so I'm interested.

 

[wkearney99]

Take a look at the new Heos line from Denon, they're pretty impressive.  I'm going to be ordering a couple myself, instead of more Sonos.  I'm especially looking forward to an 8-source rack mountable version they'll be coming out with (probably by CES in January).
 
http://usa.denon.com/us/heos
 
Most notably it supports connecting something to a local port and the content is then available to any of the other devices on the same network.  This includes line-in audio AND storage on the USB port.  
http://heosvibe.denon.com/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?Id=15

 

[wkearney99]

Sonos Play 1 is $199.  The rest are more, of course.  

 

[fcwilt]

Take a look at the new Heos line from Denon, they're pretty impressive.  I'm going to be ordering a couple myself, instead of more Sonos.  I'm especially looking forward to an 8-source rack mountable version they'll be coming out with (probably by CES in January).
 
http://usa.denon.com/us/heos
 
Most notably it supports connecting something to a local port and the content is then available to any of the other devices on the same network.  This includes line-in audio AND storage on the USB port.  
http://heosvibe.denon.com/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?Id=15

 
1. Why would you want to have two different systems in your home (guessing location)?
 
2. You can easily do those same things with Sonos.

 

[roussell]

and how do you find $200/room with sonos?

 
The $199 Play:1 It sounds really nice loaded into a corner of a smaller room. I have 4 in my house, mainly for the bathrooms and smaller bedrooms. I actually ge tmine as open-box deals from local Best Buys. They're usually $169 that way...