WHA experts: help with my well laid-out DIY plan

[fdiddy]

jwilson: Do you use the Xitel things just to up your 4 zones to 6 using your ipod? That wouldn't be necessary for me if I just wanted 4 zones correct?

I always thought that running multiple sound cards on a PC wasn't possible (at least in Windows). Am I wrong? Could I use the Delta 410 card simultaneously with a 7.1 card playing different sources?

bfisher: Do you get out of sync music when using multiple zones and JRiver to play the same song?

Also, those using the Xantech gear, maybe I'm trying to avoid this simply because I don't understand it. Can I get an explanation as to what it's all about? I don't really see how it fits into the chain. Thanks.

 

[upstatemike]

Some of the suggestions here seem overly complex and convoluted. Is it really that much cheaper to make it worth getting a special sound card and J-River software and a multi-zone amp and some software to provide a common interface to control the zone amp and the J-river software, etc etc.? Running Squeezecenter (free) on a low power Asus EEE Box ($380) which then plays through Squeezebox music players ($250) or Squeezeplay client software (free) running on spare recycled PCs (free) seems a lot simpler and potentially cheaper to me. It also gives you a nice web interface, the ability to have the same or different music in each zone, available plugins for control from Homeseer or CQC...

Might be worth taking a look at the Slim Devices website before you decide.

 

[samgreco]

At the time I did mine there was no way to have multizone synch except a matrix like device. As to cost, I am really cheap. Here was mine, not counting speakers, since you need them either way, and I was the manufacturer's rep for the ones I bought. Not fair to count them.

Delta 1010LT - $180.00
Xantech ZPR68-10 with zone expander giving me 8 sources x 10 zones (fleaBay) $500.00
3 - 6-channel amps at 30 watts per channel (again fleBay) $90.00 (yes $90.00) (one zone goes to my receiver in the theater)
Premise software - free.

Total - $720.00

Add some UPB and left over X10 and things aren't bad.

The only problem with this method is you need a great deal of patience to come up with the deals

 

[jwilson56]

fdiddy I use the Xitel HIFO Pro to also provide a hardware based way to sync zones.


1- Delta 410 $100 (4 zones)

1 - Xitel HIFI Pro $75 (1 master zone with TOSlinc Optical plus sync for remaining 5 zones)

1 - Xitel HIFi Link $35

1 - Xantec Distribution Amp $65

5- 200W Technics Stereo Receivers off Ebay $50 average


I don't see where my setup is overly complex or costly


I really need to spend some time updating my Showcase and block diagrams as I don't think some people are getting the design architecture

 

[electron]

upstatemike: I just installed the server and softsqueeze. It seems to work well so far. Can the software players and hardware players stay in sync?

 

[PHJ424]

JW - On your system as far as the syncing goes it would be good to see a block diagram or flow chart of some kind to see the path when

A - all zones are playing the same music

B - flow chart of all zones playing from different sources that do not need synchronization.

Also a flow chart of the Ocelot for the IR control of the Technics receivers from the software side to the receiver. Just something to get me started.

Ill be pulling wire in a few weeks to the zones all except the outdoor zone for now.

I have gone back and forth on a few things but JW's layout seems to be the best for the music for the dollar spent.
I would like to see if I can find some reasonable priced receivers that offer the basics plus maybe RS 232 and networkable. Maybe the entry level Yamaha stuff if I can get a good price on them.

 

[gtc6244]

New member/1st post - here's my setup for audio:

1) Windows 2003 Server /w JRiver Mediacenter for multizone control
2) Delta 1010LT for multizone output ($150 CAD - on sale a few years back) - note 2003 Server driver's not officially supported (grabbed some older XP drivers, which work fine)
3) Sonic Impact T-Amp for each speaker pair/room (~25USD from Target) + 1 AMP power supplies ($2 each at a surplus store).
4) JBL Soundpoint in-ceiling speakers (~$80 USD per pair from online source - can't remember)
5) Logitech Harmony Remote ($60 CAD - on sale)
6) Cheap eBay battery RF transmitter/receiver (transmits any remote keypress to RF) - $15 + shipping.
7) Windows MediaCenter IR receiver (easy of integration)

I'm currently set for 4 zones on the main level of the house, and have pre-wired 4 more on the second level, 2 in the basement and one to the rear elevated deck (I wired the house myself during the build process). Price was really my biggest concern, followed very closely by WAF. At $105 USD for each zone (plus wiring), I felt I was doing it pretty well on the cheap. I did end up needing to run a 50 foot VGA cable to an LCD in the kitchen, where I display MediaCenter in TheatreView mode for use with the remote control - this was pure WAF. I had started by simply using a Dell Pocket PC & my cell phone (Windows Mobile) to control the system, but my wife was more comfortable with a remote. I find it's also much easier for other people to control the system during parties, etc, etc.

The biggest single (pleasant) surprise was the sonic impact T-Amps; the sound is incredibly loud for such a tiny device - I've never turned them up more then half way! (Typically, I've left them all set at half, and let the computer control the actual output volume - digital, so no residual hiss). If you peel away the casing, the actual chip in the T-amp is much smaller then a CF card and I was easily able to drive a bi-ampable speaker with my cell phone and the T-Amp using batteries! (Though you get a much better result with a power supply). I have the "array" of t-amps and power supplies sitting next to my server right now, and have 14 gauge wire running to each room, though you could technically also run the wires directly to each speaker and have the T-Amp sit next to the speaker (better/worse? who knows, but I hadn't run power to the speakers, and didn't want to tap anything after the fact).

Fun hobby!

GTC

 

[PHJ424]

JW - It finally sunk in when you use your system for one source sync'hed audio after I reread this earlier post in your thread there is alot of information here to process but now it clicks...........

Quote for JW's earlier post below:

I use a Delta 410 PCI with a Xitel HIFI Pro and HIFI Link USB to achieve 6 independent zones. I also have the ability to do hardware syncing using the HIFI Pro by using its simultaneous output of the TOSlink Optical which feeds my Sony ES receiver and its line level output. By feeding the line level to a Xantech Distribution Amp ($65) it can then drive all 5 auxiliary zones that can individually switched to the AUX input via IR. This achieves true hardware syncing between any number of zones with little added hardware.

 

[gtc6244]

JW - It finally sunk in when you use your system for one source sync'hed audio after I reread this earlier post in your thread there is alot of information here to process but now it clicks...........

Why not simply use the sound card for synching? I'm not as familiar with the 410, but my 1010LT can "lock" outputs together, thus providing an exact synch between zones. Certainly if you were using a non PC (or at least non "Delta") based solution solution, I can see the need for a second source channel (JW's use of "aux" input on the zone receivers), but otherwise isn't this an overcomplication of the problem? (Though obviously it works! )