Russound / HAI combo question

[dustin2471]

Hello,
 
I still consider myself new to HA & HAI & Russound so forgive me if this is right in front of my nose...  I have the HAI OPII and just got the Russound MCA-C5 (not installed yet) can I use just regular 4 wire cable (thermostat wire) for connecting the control pads MDK-C6 to the MCA-C5? and also Cat6 instead of 5e (I have Cat 6 easily available)?  What did you use? 
 
The RS232 connection from HAI to Russound, any special programming? I went into the Russound site and was expecting a download or something and didnt find one (found a marketing brochure on how easy it is to connect to each other).
 
Can I hookup more than one iBridge kit (just set it to a different input device number), my wifes musical taste is very different than mine, my kids, etc. Or is there a different piece of equipment that I should use instead of the iBridge kit? Does the DMS 3.1 have multiple iPod hookups?  Can multiple zones access and listen to different content on the same device (doubt it, but thought I would ask)?
 
What size/quality speaker wiring are you using to connect to the speakers?
 
Any tips or suggestions pre-installation (Russound) for a newbie?
 
Thank You!!!
Dustin

 

[pete_c]

Here I have an older Russound plugged into my OPII.  I used regular cat5e for my connectivity.  Attached is the MDK-C6 drawing of the rear of the keypad showing an RJ-45 connector and a 4 wire external IR connector.  The cables for the Russound go to patch panel near the rack and then are patched over to the Russound.
 
Typically the RS-232 connection to the OPII requires nothing special other than the configuration in PCA for your Russound.  Your Omnitouch touchscreens will then show the Russound stuff; no special programming needed.  I did split my RS-232 output on the Russound for use with another application.  Both the OPII and application talk and it does work.  Its a little tiny terminal server.  (thinking it was between $150-200?)
 
Here before installation of the Russound I had purchased a couple of cases of in wall speakers at an OK price.  They are 6" with separate little tweeters that swivel and have a little adjustment knob on the inside.  They are identically mounted in all of the rooms and hallways equal distant from the ceiling.  Its been about 10 years and I have not had an issue with them.  You might want to entertain maybe using some baffles in the wall next to or adjacent to the inwall speakers.  I have some that do sometimes rattle stuff.  I did make a mistake of putting a pair of speakers on a wall in the bathroom which was adjacent to the master bedroom.  You can hear these in the master bedroom.  Most recently added two outdoor Russound speakers outdoor adjacent to the deck and in the garage.  The indoor external speakers utilize little mini keystone jacks for the speaker posts.  I did add another zone to be adjacent to the rack mostly though because I use TTS (text to speech is one source)  with the zoned audio.
 
Initially I did utilize PVC jacketed 4 wire and 2 wire 16 gauge wire.  I ran the 4 wire to the wall plate / box and then the two 2 two wires to the speakers.  My in wall speakers are on the walls and are rectangular.  Many folks prefer them on the ceilings (round)
 
So I guess pre-installation you can
 
1 - decide on a location for your Russound MCA-C5 (personally I never look at mine on the rack)
2 - decide where and how you want to wire your speakers and run speaker wire
3 - run your catXX cables.
 
Thinking the new Russound is very similiar to the old.  I can today run one source to many zones or all zones or one source per zone for unique music listening.  I can get get multiple sources playing simultaneously from the MM receiver; but most stick to a single device per source. 

 

[dustin2471]

Thank You Pete_C,
 
I am just trying to figure out what to do by listening to what others have done, I appreciate your feedback and experience!  All I have is the equipment at this point (and Cat6) and will make my mind up when it comes time to install.
 
Thank You!!!
Dustin

 

[pete_c]

You can do anything really with the sources of your media.  That is what is nice about the Russound system.
 
Today my multimedia sources are in house and internet both for video and audio.
 
I prefer to utilize my internal resources and not be dependent on external resources but do have them today.
 
I do see the whole market is changing to one of streaming audio sources on a pay per streaming listening thing.
 
Personally distancing my self from any cloud based "things" relating to my multimedia and automation; but that is me and my personal choice.
 
Me; a bit old fashioned prefer still today my music collection primarily; then streaming radio secondarily (but not really listening to RF broadcast radio anymore).
 
I have satellite radio in the cars but still listen to my own music collection on the "NAS" in the automobile.  News though is from satellite radio.

 

[dustin2471]

I thought I was one of the only ones to prefer my own collection rather than streaming or cloud everything, good to know there are others !