I'm thinking about building a multi-zone audio server into my current HTPC, and I'm trying to future proof it with my ideas about automating all my lights etc. w/ housebot.
Is anyone using the Netremote music program with JRMC and a housebot remote on a PPC?
Mainly I'm trying to solve how to control zones automatically - IE: turn them on/off (using IR) and separate AND combine different audio zones, all while making it seamless with a housebot remote front end on a wifi pda.
I once found a guide to multiple zones using netremote and JRMC, but can't find it again...has anyone seen it?
Has anyone tackled this yet? Any pointers?
Thanks in advance.
PPC w/ Netremote & Housebot anyone?
Hello Crashless,
I am not using Netremote, but I do use JRMC (and another app) to play music in 9 different zones. If netremote will give you total control of JRMC then zone control is no problem. Synching zones is not possible with JRMC10, but is supposed to be implemented with v11. The beta for v11 is now available and I have heard mostly good things about it. Since netremote is a part of girder, I am assuming that it will offer "direct" zone control, rather than having to do it though the zone manager in the standard JRMC interface. If this is the case then zone control should be even easier.
All you would need is a couple of sound cards (I use 2 mAudio D410's for a total of 10 possible zones) and you should be in business.
I know this was not exactly what you were looking for, but I hope it was helpful.
Jesse
I am not using Netremote, but I do use JRMC (and another app) to play music in 9 different zones. If netremote will give you total control of JRMC then zone control is no problem. Synching zones is not possible with JRMC10, but is supposed to be implemented with v11. The beta for v11 is now available and I have heard mostly good things about it. Since netremote is a part of girder, I am assuming that it will offer "direct" zone control, rather than having to do it though the zone manager in the standard JRMC interface. If this is the case then zone control should be even easier.
All you would need is a couple of sound cards (I use 2 mAudio D410's for a total of 10 possible zones) and you should be in business.
I know this was not exactly what you were looking for, but I hope it was helpful.
Jesse
That's a pretty nice card. I always hoped I would be able to get multiple zones without having to resort to USB sound cards.
Could you layout your system for me? How do you control each zone? How did you patch the audio to each room? What are you using to actually play the audio?
I was thinking about getting a couple of wireless audio transmitters and some computer speakers that I could hide places. Then get a couple of PPCs to control them. Speaking of which, if you use them, what is a good PPC to choose?
I recently upgraded to JRMC11, and have liked it so far. I'm not using all the new features yet, but I knew that I'd eventually want the zone-sync feature, so I figured for $10 now, the upgrade was worth it.
Could you layout your system for me? How do you control each zone? How did you patch the audio to each room? What are you using to actually play the audio?
I was thinking about getting a couple of wireless audio transmitters and some computer speakers that I could hide places. Then get a couple of PPCs to control them. Speaking of which, if you use them, what is a good PPC to choose?
I recently upgraded to JRMC11, and have liked it so far. I'm not using all the new features yet, but I knew that I'd eventually want the zone-sync feature, so I figured for $10 now, the upgrade was worth it.
Hi Crashless,
From memory: In JRMC you go to Player/Zones. From there you can select a zone directly or toggle them. I am pretty sure that netremote will give you direct zone access so you will not need to navigate the drop downs to get at it.
The mAudio sound cards each have 4 pairs of analog outs, 1 SPDIF out, 1 pair of analog ins, and 1 digital in. The four pairs of analog outs along with the SPDIF out gives you 5 possible zones. With 2 cards I have 10 possible zones. The JRMC zone manager will "see" both cards and all the available audio outs. In the JRMC zone manager you simply assign each zone to a pair of analog outs (or a single spdif out).
I simply ran coax from the office (where the media server is located) to each zone. Each zone will then need it's own amplifier or receiver. I have a Denon AVR-3805 in my family room, a pair of "nice" computer speakers with subwoofer in the kitchen, a bose wave radio in the bedroom, an ancient Technics receiver in my workshop, another set of computer speakers in my Wife's home office, a Carver pre-amp and amp in the living room and a niles amp for the deck and the master bath. I have the playroom and the garage wired but have not got amps/receivers installed. If you use a receiver or computer speakers they will have there own volume control, so in the JRMC zone manager you would set these zones up as "direct out" (ie JRMC will output a line level signal and will not control the volume in this zone). If you are using just an amplifier, as in my master bath and on my deck, you would would configure the zone as "wave out" in JRMC zone manager, which will give JRMC volume control of the zone. You can then crank up the volume in JRMC and use a volume control pad (available from Niles and Xantech) wired in the speaker wires between the amp and the speakers.
The real drag here is running coax throughout the house. I used Belden 1694a and terminated with Canare crimp on RCA connectors. If you can get some cheap (or used) receivers with remotes you could just place them all next to the server and run speaker wire to your zones. Speaker wire is cheaper and alot easier to work with. With this setup you would need some sort of remote extender system, but you could run a piece of cat5e with the speaker wire for this.
As far as I know the D410 has been discontinued. I got mine from zzounds for about $80 each, which was a steal. I know maudio makes several cards with multiple outs, or you could try ebay for the D410.
For control we use my wife's Dell Axim (she bought it for work, we did not buy it to use strictly as a remote) and an ancient ProGear tablet pc along with Mainlobby/Musiclobby software. This software has some extremely powerful features, but for reasons based on my own particular situation I am looking at switching to a combination of Meedio (with the JRMC plugin) and Netremote.
If you have the bucks then I hear the Russound Cav 6.6 is the bomb for audio distribution/control. Way out of my price range.
Have fun,
Jesse
From memory: In JRMC you go to Player/Zones. From there you can select a zone directly or toggle them. I am pretty sure that netremote will give you direct zone access so you will not need to navigate the drop downs to get at it.
The mAudio sound cards each have 4 pairs of analog outs, 1 SPDIF out, 1 pair of analog ins, and 1 digital in. The four pairs of analog outs along with the SPDIF out gives you 5 possible zones. With 2 cards I have 10 possible zones. The JRMC zone manager will "see" both cards and all the available audio outs. In the JRMC zone manager you simply assign each zone to a pair of analog outs (or a single spdif out).
I simply ran coax from the office (where the media server is located) to each zone. Each zone will then need it's own amplifier or receiver. I have a Denon AVR-3805 in my family room, a pair of "nice" computer speakers with subwoofer in the kitchen, a bose wave radio in the bedroom, an ancient Technics receiver in my workshop, another set of computer speakers in my Wife's home office, a Carver pre-amp and amp in the living room and a niles amp for the deck and the master bath. I have the playroom and the garage wired but have not got amps/receivers installed. If you use a receiver or computer speakers they will have there own volume control, so in the JRMC zone manager you would set these zones up as "direct out" (ie JRMC will output a line level signal and will not control the volume in this zone). If you are using just an amplifier, as in my master bath and on my deck, you would would configure the zone as "wave out" in JRMC zone manager, which will give JRMC volume control of the zone. You can then crank up the volume in JRMC and use a volume control pad (available from Niles and Xantech) wired in the speaker wires between the amp and the speakers.
The real drag here is running coax throughout the house. I used Belden 1694a and terminated with Canare crimp on RCA connectors. If you can get some cheap (or used) receivers with remotes you could just place them all next to the server and run speaker wire to your zones. Speaker wire is cheaper and alot easier to work with. With this setup you would need some sort of remote extender system, but you could run a piece of cat5e with the speaker wire for this.
As far as I know the D410 has been discontinued. I got mine from zzounds for about $80 each, which was a steal. I know maudio makes several cards with multiple outs, or you could try ebay for the D410.
For control we use my wife's Dell Axim (she bought it for work, we did not buy it to use strictly as a remote) and an ancient ProGear tablet pc along with Mainlobby/Musiclobby software. This software has some extremely powerful features, but for reasons based on my own particular situation I am looking at switching to a combination of Meedio (with the JRMC plugin) and Netremote.
If you have the bucks then I hear the Russound Cav 6.6 is the bomb for audio distribution/control. Way out of my price range.
Have fun,
Jesse