Multizone audio question

[cowboyz]

Hello...I'm new to the forum...hope this question makes sense. I'm in the process of building a new home. All the cat5 has been laid, as well as in wall speakers in each room, family room, pool, etc. There is also cabling for VC/KP in each room. All cabling is "home run" to a dedicated media room. I would like to do a multizone audio system, and will be istening to MP3s 99% of the time. I have looked at the audiorequest MP3 server as a possible solution, but it looks like the hardware will be very expensive. In addition to the primary server(which starts at about $2500), each additional zone requires its own server for about 2000.

Is there a way to do this with a HTPC? I guess it would need a soundcard with multiple outputs ( or more than one soundcard), and could stream Mp3s out to a multizone Amp. Also, there would need to be a way to use Ir control from each room.

I guess I could use the network, and have the HPTC setup as the server, with a workstation in each bedrooom...also with an amp in each room... hooked to the in wall speakers, but this solution doesn't take care of places where I don't have a workstation...like the pool, family room, hallways, etc.

XLobby sounds like a possible solution. How does it assign to each soundcard, or multiple inputs on one soundcard? And how would you be able to control from each zone? Some zones would have a pc... but others do not...(like the pool, family room hallways) all are setup for KP/VC on the wall. Is there a way to use IR instead of wireless.

There are 9 potential zones if you count the bedrooms. Most of the multizone amps I've looked at will cover 4 or 5 zones...so I'd need two amps if the HPTC acts as the primary server for all zones. In reality, though, I can't think of a situation where all zones woud need to be operating independently. Probably worst case senario would be 3 bedrooms and 2 zones in the house/pool'

sorry about the length of this post...thanks!

[sdumas]

Welcome aboard. You'll love Xlobby, believe me.

I am doing exactly what you are talking about.

You will need a motherboard that can accomodate as many sound cards as you can. Mine as the possiblity to have six, plus the onbard one, in that case it means seven zones. Yes, Xlobby can deal with each of these zones independently.

To manage a zone you will need some type of device to control it in that specific zone. In my case I use cheap PCs in some of the rooms and Pocket PCs in some others. One important point for me was ease of use. So a good visual interface was essential. I decided to use touchscreens. I got a touchscreen kit ($149 US) from http://www.magictouch.com that I retrofitted on a flat LCD panel for one of my remote PCs. I found an IBM G52 touchscreen in a used computer store for $80 CDN, I use this one in my gym. I also have a Toshiba e740 with wireless card to control any zones from anywhere in the house (or even ouside the house for that matter). So you can make it in a MUCH cheaper way than the AudioRequest box. That box is ridiculously priced. You look at their Terrabyte model and it sells for $25,000 US PLUS the machines to put in each of the zones... and, it controls ONLY audio.

In Xlobby, each zone is defined by configuring Winamp to use a specific sound card. That card can be hooked up to a "standard" power amplifier or receiver. You control the volume through Xlobby, and Xlobby will also remember the last volume output set for each card.

If you want to use a standard remote control in some rooms, then you can install a USB UIRT and control it through Girder. You then use some IR repeater (Xantech) in each of the rooms you want to use the standard remote from.

With a touchscreen solution, not only will you able to do multizone for audio, but also check the weather, see your photos, control your TV, etc.

It's much more powerful that a single function machine.

Hope this helps.

[cowboyz]

Thanks for the reply....I hate to sound all touchy feely...but I am really excited about this. I have been looking for something like this for months, and have found nothing...or usually only get solutions that don't really fit.

I need to do more reading...I am very interested in how you have set up the controls...this is an area where I have absolutely no experience whatsoever...can you recommend a good website to use as a resource?

PS has anyone done this with a soundcard with multiple outputs?

thanks

[samgreco]

I did a test for Steven in my recording studio where I have 16 stereo pairs available and it worked great using 3 sets. I didn't have enough monitoring to test more.

I use 2 Soundscape Mixtreme cards in the studio, but there are many that could do it. M-Audio, RME, MOTU, and others.

[cowboyz]

BTW...how does this work if you want to run several zones in sync...lie if youre having a party and you want music in several areas playing?

[samgreco]

That's one of the things I tested. The only issue that I had was that the first zone was always slightly ahead of the rest. Zones 2 and up were always in synch. So I created the first zone as a "dummy" zone and routed it to a non-existent pair and it was fine.

Sam

[molly]

sdumas your system sounds fantastic!!!

I have been using Xlobby for some time in a single zone set-up and your right its a great product. The next step is to move to multi-zone. I have just purchased a RME digi pad with a AEB 8 board allowing 4-5 zones through winamp. I would like start with the kitchen and bathroom using the multi output of the sound card connected to power amps, a normal monitor in the kitchen and a touch screen in the bathroom.

Would I connect multi monitors to the server (how do I do this)?

or

Would I use seperate clients connected to the server?


The next stage is a connection to my living room when I purchase a plasma screen. I would like a seperate client in this room, but would this cause problems when trying to sync audio in the kitchen and living room?


Finally I would purchase a Ipaq for controlling Xlobby through out and the final zone in my garden.

I still don't fully understand how Xlobby would look if I connected multi monitors to a server (if possible), running two different albums?

Before I hardwire the various zones, I would like the right solution.

Thanks

[rhinoman]

So that we are talking the same language:-

In this example a server is a machine running xlobby, this may have a local or networked resouce of media.
A client is a device used to connect to an Xlobby server, this could be a PPC or another computer running the remote app for xlobby.

You can have more than one server.

The server contains the soundcard(s) for each zone.

The PPC or a wifi webtablet type device overcomes the need for a local monitor as it allows you to display the coverart and pick and control your choices and has the ability to control the volume.

Did that answer your question

You can have multiple monitors by using a dual output videocard or by adding pci videocards to available slots.

[molly]

I think I understand (new to networking).

I would like to use a fixed touchscreen monitor in the bathroom (not a webtablet or PDA). What are the advantages of running the monitor connected to the server with twin video cards compared to running a client with a remote copy of xlobby connected to the monitor?

I assume the client running a remote copy of xlobby can control one of the sound card zones in the server?

Thanks

[rhinoman]

You can't bring the sound to a client so the speakers would be attched to an amp from the soundcard on a server.

The only problem with attaching a touchscrren monitor is that it must be attched!

This means a vga cable to the nearest PC which may or may not be easy. By using a webtablet type touchpad, this could be embedded in a wall and only needs a powersupply connection and then would connect wirelessly to the server. The "webtablet" could be a windows ce device or indeed a tablet pc.

The client could be set to control one or more zones, its up to you. It depends how you skin it to provide what you require.

[DLT]

I am about ready to dive into this situation also. You have all given me great ideas, but I am still alittle confused with the remotes. Would it be possible to use PPC(pocket PC) IR instead of WiFi? Could you run the PPC as a client via an IR?

[rhinoman]

The adavntage of PPC wifi is the two communication, it just becomes a small screen for the music your selecting. If you used it just for ir, you couldn't display the coverart etc, you might as well use a pronto.

[DLT]

What do you suggest for a PPC wtih WiFi?

[rhinoman]

IF you mean which brand, I'm using a secondhand Dell axim + an origo wifi card. I have tried a much older slower PPC (hp something or other with a 200mhz processor) which worked and was not awefully slow but the graphics were much poorer than the newer machine running PPC2003.

[Digizz]

I know this is an old thread but thought I'd share this anyway:

You don't need multiple sound cards in a PC for multi outputs - just use the kxproject audio drivers on something like a SB Audigy value card and you get 4 x stereo pair outputs from one card. The drivers look like separate cards to whatever software you want to use.

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/

Why buy 4 cards when you can buy just 1 !!