Questions about my setup

[trashy]

I'm planning on running my whole house audio off of my existing office PC, an eMachines 566mhz box. (will upgrade if necessary)

Powered PC speakers in each room (just need audio, nothing fancy)
1-2 Audigy cards
xlobby
some sort of older, cheaper PDA (w/ wireless)

At a later date I'll throw in some HTPC functionality (after I get a new PC) and tie in to the home theater.

The main functionality I want to be sure that I can do with this setup is to use the PDA to turn music off/on in any room of the house. In other words, to use the PDA as a roaming remote control device. I *really* do not want to have to install PC's or touchscreens or keypads in each room.

Is there anything about this that isn't feasible or that I have wrong?

[trashy]

follow-up question:

How the heck do I wire multiple speakers out of one sound card? I know you can supposedly do that with kx drivers and an appropriate card (Audigy) but if the card has only two jacks on the back how does that get hooked up to 3 zones? Splitter? If so, how does xlobby control the splitter?

Just a bit confused...

[hjackson]

Yes, you can use it as a roaming remote because your PDA only has to be able to control the main server PC.
You need a 5.1 or 7.1 soundcard to get 4 or 5 zones respectively. Do you have a 2.1 soundcard? If you do, then you can get an external soundcard for extra inputs.
How are your music zones wired? Do you have RCA cables from each of your "zones" that run back to the main server PC? Do you have CAT 5 cables to each zone?

hjackson

[trashy]

Yes, you can use it as a roaming remote because your PDA only has to be able to control the main server PC.
You need a 5.1 or 7.1 soundcard to get 4 or 5 zones respectively. Do you have a 2.1 soundcard? If you do, then you can get an external soundcard for extra inputs.

Haven't purchased one yet - will probably grab a cheaper EMU card on the list of kx-driver compatible cards

How are your music zones wired? Do you have RCA cables from each of your "zones" that run back to the main server PC? Do you have CAT 5 cables to each zone?

hjackson

Haven't wired them yet. I can do either RCA, speaker wire or CAT5. My main concern was avoiding the additional $500 or more for a multi-channel amp. I was just trying to figure out how to hook that many wires into one sound card.....

[hjackson]

Use CAT 5; much more flexibility (you can add adapters to Cat 5 so it can function as many different types of cable). I use speaker wire to my zones, which is the easiest method because then, your amp(s) can all be by your PC server.

hjackson

[trashy]

Use CAT 5; much more flexibility (you can add adapters to Cat 5 so it can function as many different types of cable). I use speaker wire to my zones, which is the easiest method because then, your amp(s) can all be by your PC server.

hjackson

I'm planning on using powered PC speakers, therefore I wouldn't need a separate amp. But I would have to use speaker wire, would I not? Otherwise I'd need a CAT5>RCA converter at both ends.....

[hjackson]

Powered PC speakers would need RCA inputs. What distance are you planning on running your cables?

hjackson

[trashy]

Powered PC speakers would need RCA inputs. What distance are you planning on running your cables?

hjackson

current setup would require 40-50 feet max - future setup would be a little less.