PC controlled speaker switch

[IVB]

you could use any HA software to control equipment via RS232, providing there's a driver for it.

To my knowledge, neither CQC nor MainLobby currently has a driver for the CAA. They both do for the CAV. However, I'm not sure that's the best criteria for determining what equipment to get - after all, eventually a driver will come, and it's not like you're ready to do this right now. Is that RJ45 for the keypads? I'm not sure you can do PC control through that, but that needs to be confirmed.

On your # of speakers question: i'm no speaker & ohms guru, but you could run speakers in series and attach them to a single speaker out if you deal with the impedance/ohms, and have enough power to drive. At 20-30wpc though, that's probably not enough power.

You'd use in-wall volume controllers to adjust the volume against each pair of speakers in the series.

 

[seanv]

After looking at the russound system, it seems to be a better choice of the bunch. though, it does cost around $2K. Maybe it's time to search for a used one instead or maybe get the AB8SS. I may end up getting the AB8SS and run a few pair of speakers in series like IVB suggested. I'll have to do more reading as I wasn't able to tell whether you can buy additional modules to extend the AB8SS... instead of buying 2 of them and controlling them separately. Maybe it's doable already and I'm just not finding the right information.

How about HA Software? I've been reading the other threads and they all seemed pretty good. It's kinda hard to read through all posts to find good and bad points. Maybe I'm not looking at the right place. What I like to see is maybe a list of matrix type comparsion between the different HA software. Features that they support and so on. If there is such a list existed already, I apologize for posting something that's unncessary, but can a kind soul point me to the list if it does exist.

I also like to hear what others are using for HA Software. Particularly, from those that have used multiple ones and what you decided to use.

Again, thank you for being patient towards this newbie .

 

[DavidL]

seanv,
Actually HA software (many of them) can do so much, it might be better for you to describe what you would like to automate / control and how (touchscreen, PocketPC, big screen w/ remote, voice rec, etc.) and then there will be folks that will chime in on what solutions cover your situation.

Make sure you include what hardware you are trying to control as this can be an expensive difference if your HA software doesn't control your hardware and you have to either replace the hardware, pay for someone to develop a plugin or driver, develop it yourself, or wait for the HA company to do it gratis, or wait for someone else to develop it for themselves and share or sell.

I am sure for a PC centric control system, what it will come down to is
MainLobby
Homeseer
CQC
HAL

which are all good solutions, each with their own pro / cons.
The good thing is that you have choice.
In the meantime, you can go to each website and see descriptions of what each say they do.
It will be hard to find someone who has indepth experience with all as it takes a lot of time to get that experienced and usually one finds something that works and uses it. The above all "work".

 

[upstatemike]

How about HA Software? I've been reading the other threads and they all seemed pretty good. It's kinda hard to read through all posts to find good and bad points.

As DavidL points out, you REALLY have to think about what you are looking to do before you can make any progress. There are a lot experienced people here but they all have different opinions of just what Home Automation is let alone what is the best HA software.

In my delusional world HA is mosty about controlling electromechanical stuff like operating a garage door, controlling an LED sign, ringing a phone, and lots and lots of voice announcements. Ideal applications for HA in my mind would be a 3 story robot that patrols my property or having a vehicle sensor activate a row of Van de Graaff generators to light the edge of the driveway with giant sparks when people drive up... thats home automation!

Others have a different view and prefer to concentrate on more PC-centric tasks like controlling their TV with a touch screen or downloading stuff from the Internet and dispaying it on their security keypads.

Point is, you can't determine the best way to go till you have some destination in mind.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Ideal applications for HA in my mind would be a 3 story robot that patrols my property or having a vehicle sensor activate a row of Van de Graaff generators to light the edge of the driveway with giant sparks when people drive up... thats home automation!

upstatemike;

Man, I have to party with you some day...!

 

[DavidL]

Mike audio synching that I speak of is getting the same song to play at the same beat across one or more zones. Cinemar leverages J River software synch, which is not on a perfect beat all the time. Slight echo differance that might be apparant if both zones are within audible range of each other. Hardware synch takes the analog output and distributes it to one or more zone's outputs. Which is right on the beat.

In my home, I don't need perfect synch as my house is so open, the main floor is really one large zone as there are few interiour walls. My outside is another zone. For parties, I software synch both zones and this works well to have same song in and out, but they aren't within auidible range of each other so imperfect is fine.

For perfect snych, go with Russound Cav6.6

 

[jwilson56]

Well when I do a hardware sync I can crank out a song with 1300watts RMS total for all zones. Talk about rocking the house.

John

 

[seanv]

I've been doing more readings and I came up with a couple of scenarios that may work for me. I like to get your input on this.

I'm planning on putting 12 pairs of either in-wall or in-ceiling speakers or a combination of both in the main floor. A pair in the garage and another pair in the porch/deck area. A total of 14 pair of speakers.

Scenario 1:
AB8SS - has maximum of 8 pairs total so this is the break down.

From To
AB8SS - Speaker locations or combinations

1 pair - Master bedroom
3 pair - 3 other bedrooms
1 pair - 3 pair will probably end connecting in series or parallel for
family room, kitchenette, and kitchen itself
1 pair - 2 pair (in sieries or parallel) for dining and living room
1 pair - 3 pair (in series or parallel) for 3 bathrooms
1 pair - 2 pair (in series or paralle) for garage and porch/deck

Scenario 2:
AB8SS plus 4 cheap 2 channel receivers. As far as I can tell, alot of
you got ours from ebay for around $55. I'll be using the receiver
as the middle man... non-techie term. This scenario is a little
complicated so I attached a jpg diagram to show what I was
thinking of doing. Please see attachment.

For scenario 1, I'm not sure what kind of output I'll get if I turn on all speakers especially for the ones that run in series or parallel. Also, what is the risk of toasting my receiver?

For scenario 2, I probably don't have to worry too much about impedance problem since the 4 receiver will probably handle them. Would there be any problem between the AB8SS and the receivers?

Thanks for reading and keep the inputs coming in.

Sean