So here we go... 24+ A/V Zones w/10 Sources

[BMXTRIX]

This past year I moved. My old home was pretty well setup, but didn't have any land and with young kids it was time for a new home a lot closer to my office. So, here I am, less than a mile from my office, with some land for the kids, but my old home A/V system left behind.

You know what that means... Time to start over!

I will update with more photos as I can and time allows, but wanted to put some photos up here so people can see part of what is going on with this experience. It's about 100 wires coming into two equipment racks externally and another 100 or so wires will end up getting used internally to the equpment racks.

I've got a LONG way to go on this, but here's the start.

Feel free to ask questions for clarification of any details in the setup.

[BMXTRIX]

I will work on resizing the wide images at some point!

[jostenmeat]

Holy Rotel! Holy NAS!

My, what large racks you have!

wait, wait, wait, 24 zones? 24?!

[BMXTRIX]

wait, wait, wait, 24 zones? 24?!

Yep, 24 zones. But, a few of those are future areas right now since the basement isn't finished.

A/V Zones:
1. Family Room (3.1 setup)
2. Master Bedroom (stereo)
3. Playroom (stereo)
4. Guest Bedroom (stereo)

Audio Zones:
5. Garage
6. Kitchen
7. Eat-In Area
8. Morning Room
9. Back Porch
10. Living Room
11. Dining Room
12. Study
13. Kid's Bedroom 1
14. Kid's Bedroom 2
15. Kid's Bathroom
16. Guest Bathroom
17. Master Bathroom
18. Basement
19. Headphones 1
20. Headphones 2

The wireless headphones can be linked to any audio room on the fly which means that if you can't have the volume on in a room, you can still listen to things while in that room. This is most typical for after the kids have gone to bed TV viewing.

The basement will likely be finished with a couple of zones, and we will probably never use all 24 available zones to us, which is part of the build scope... I don't want to 'wish' for one more zone in the future. Ever.

We can actually have up to 24 audio sources as well, but at this time, I think the 9 or 10 or something that we will have is plenty.
Cable 1
Cable 2
Dune 1
Dune 2
XM
FM
Blu-ray/VCR (house)
PS3
Wii
Blu-ray (family room dedicated) (maybe)

The Wii and PS3 will be viewable anywhere and I am using two sensors that are relay triggered to make them available in the family room or the playroom.

Also integrated will be lighting control, fireplace control, and blinds. Eventually, I'll figure out how to get the Nest thermostats into the mix as well.

[BoredSysAdmin]

Excuse me while my mind is blown

[its phillip]

Nice! Too bad the forum doesn't automatically resize the width of the images to whatever size D:

[zilla]

Too bad the firewall here at work is blocking the images.

[BoredSysAdmin]

Too bad the firewall here at work is blocking the images.

According to our web filter vendor - websense - BMX's site wasn't categorized - ergo possible reason to be blocked.
I suggested them to change it

This might fix the issue for you zilla

[zilla]

According to our web filter vendor - websense - BMX's site wasn't categorized - ergo possible reason to be blocked.
I suggested them to change it

This might fix the issue for you zilla

Works fine from home But I'll test it tomorrow and let ya know. Thanks!

[jostenmeat]

The basement will likely be finished with a couple of zones, and we will probably never use all 24 available zones to us, which is part of the build scope... I don't want to 'wish' for one more zone in the future. Ever.

Oh, ok, I finally understand why you couldn't settle for only 23 zones.

Also integrated will be lighting control, fireplace control, and blinds. Eventually, I'll figure out how to get the Nest thermostats into the mix as well.

I'm disappointed. You forgot sprinklers, garage door, microwave oven, and coffee machine.

I've no idea how you do this stuff, so with that said I can't imagine the "architecture", and how you plan it all out (computer program? pencil and paper?). I guess it is difficult to explain how many and/or which sources can be played in whichever zones, eh? It's clearly evident to the user in any given zone what they can play with? Or you're always choosing for them? How many remotes are floating around your place anyway? All touch panels or something? You don't have to answer anything, I'm just wondering out loud.

It would probably be pretty amusing to see your Monoprice invoices for wire mgmt, lol. Mono speakers too, for economy?

I also wonder how it's automated know when a source has a mch signal sent through, vs 2 channel (I suppose it's automatically downmixed somewhere?).