Simple but functional A/V whole house sound

[rdljpl]

I am old and hard of hearing so I am not planning much that is of true audioholic qualilty, But here is what I currently have: Satellite TV with three TVs two with DVR these have RG6 coax.

What I want:
Whole house audio (probably through an FM Transmitter which will give me audio to any location using Garage Sale FM Receivers and Amps and my Yamaha 5.1 surround sound in the family room).

A method to send pictures and music from an external HD anywhere I want them, and a way to tap into the Satellite radio channels on my satellite TV package for the audio FM Transmitter.

I do plan to add in wall coax to all TV locations and to an Electronics Closet in the center of the first floor of the house, so I can add Cat 5 or 6 cables to these same locations. I also will wire my 5.1 speakers permantly in the walls of the family room when I paint. My computers will be wireless.

I do want something that will enhance the resale value of my home when I am ready to sell.

 

[FNG212]

I'll get the ball rolling with some questions:

-What is your budget?

-Do you want to be able to listen to multiple sources in multiple rooms at the same time? ie: Jazz on the patio while someone watches a movie inside?

-Do you mean to use your computer as the basis for the music in the rest of the house? Do you want multi-room control (not have to go back to your computer to change the channel) capability?

Just so I understand: You want to be able to listen to multiple sources (computer, FM radio) on all speakers throughout the house. You want to use currently available (garage sale receivers and amps) gear to accomplish this.

I wired up my dining room, kitchen, patio, and garage using my computer as the source, an Audio Source Amp 100 stereo amp, and one of these: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-542 with impedence matching volume control knobs. One down side to this configuration is that I have to go to my computer every time I want to change the channel, but can control the volume from any of the rooms. Also, all rooms are getting the same feed, so I can only listen to 1 thing at a time (no seperate music for patio and dining room for example). This whole system cost less than $700 to install including the speakers I purchased from The Speaker Company.

Does this help articulate a better picture for what you are looking to achieve?

 

[highfigh]

I am old and hard of hearing so I am not planning much that is of true audioholic qualilty, But here is what I currently have: Satellite TV with three TVs two with DVR these have RG6 coax.

What I want:
Whole house audio (probably through an FM Transmitter which will give me audio to any location using Garage Sale FM Receivers and Amps and my Yamaha 5.1 surround sound in the family room).

A method to send pictures and music from an external HD anywhere I want them, and a way to tap into the Satellite radio channels on my satellite TV package for the audio FM Transmitter.

I do plan to add in wall coax to all TV locations and to an Electronics Closet in the center of the first floor of the house, so I can add Cat 5 or 6 cables to these same locations. I also will wire my 5.1 speakers permantly in the walls of the family room when I paint. My computers will be wireless.

I do want something that will enhance the resale value of my home when I am ready to sell.

If you run Cat5 or 6, run two or more. It's cheap and they keep coming up with ways for it to carry HD programming, so look forward, young man! Also, HDMI is being sent over coax, so that may be an option, but you may need a second run.

Unfortunately, installing all of this may not make the house more appealing to a potential buyer since many people have their own ideas of how they want things done. Also, some still don't see any value in having every room wired but if you can have what you want, do it.

If you want to send component video with digital audio to several rooms, look into the CE Labs video distribution amplifiers. They're reasonably priced and will send RGB, stereo analog audio and S/PDIF, all from one piece. They start with one in/4 out and go to 9 outputs. They can be daisy-chained, if needed and they provide unity gain.

This one has 4 outputs but no digital audio (your yard sale finds may not be able to use it anyway):
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=180-008

and this one has 5 outputs w/digital and composite video:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=180-004

Here's the one with 9 outputs:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=180-005

I have used them and they work very well.

 

[rdljpl]

Simple but functional AV Whole house sound

Thanks for he replies
For FNG212

1, I have very little money because my 410k is missing in action. I may soon have to get a J.O.B. (Is that a four letter word?)
2, I want to listen to some of my favorite music wherever I am in the house, yard, patio, or barn or even while mowing. I like good quality music with no commercials.
3, I have copied many of my 50s and 60s LPs and all of our collection of CDs
to the computer, and they ar stored on an external HD.
4 I have neither the money nor the energy to wire extensive speaker systems in the house so I look for decent bookshelf or component stereo's at yard sales that I can tune to a frequency that the FM transmitter would use.
5, I would like to be able to access the same external HD for displaying photo slide shows on any or all of our 3 TVs.

My question hidden in here is this. Since I will be pulling in coax (replacing 300 ohm ribbon cable) when I paint, I can also pull in cat5 or 6 cable for control for the TVs and surround sound system, How many cables do I need to pull in and what equipment do I need to initially just access my photos and select them using a laptop connected our network. Most of the equipment will be in a down stairs closet with easy access to two attics the garage, our upstairs office and the patios and balcony. When painting the family room I will also be wiring in he 5.1 speakers and preparing for the future installation of a 40" to 46" flatscreen over the fireplace.

 

[rdljpl]

Simple but functional

For HIGHFIGH

Thanks for the suggestions, I have enough coax to make two runs to all current TV locations and a future loction in the master bedroom I will look for the cat6 cables to run two to each location.

I will use the FM transmitter to reach areas where I would like sound and therefore each area will have individual CD capabilities also along with a master CD changer in the closet.

I am reading all of your suggested web sites so that I can make an informed decision for the video capabilities.

Thanks again to both of you

 

[BMXTRIX]

Throwing some thoughts out on this one...

Traditionally, this type of process is done using hard wired systems.

Speaker wiring is pulled to each room where audio is wanted and speakers at setup.

Newer concepts, such as Sonos allow for wi-fi to be utlized to transmit compressed audio to a receiver in each room which decodes the audio/video and plays it back through local speakers or even to displays (AppleTV or WDTV).

I am not sure of your entire FM transmitter concept. Actually, I'm pretty sure you are dreaming on that one. FM transmitters I don't think can be powerful enough to go beyond about ten or twenty feet because of FCC compliance issues. A long range FM transmitter is called a radio station, and you would likely need some very expensive permits and equipment to set such a thing up. BUT! I am not an expert on this and obviously there are people who are really into setting up local radio stations, and likely websites dedicated to such things, which would be able to answer those thoughts of your far better than most A/V guys can.

The downside of any FM broadcast is that it is entirely a one-way setup. You have to go to your main location, start music playing, then you can access it from other points, but you wouldn't be able to pause, stop, or skip tracks you didn't want to hear. No control at all.

A real monkey wrench in all of this is your budget.

Cheap audio gear can be bought used, via eBay, amps can be had for not a lot of money, and switches and the like can be found. But, to get control, and to utilize newer technologies such as wi-fi to get your audio moving around typically requires a more cohesive integrated system which plays nicely with multiple components.

But, if your budget doesn't afford you the new gear which allows for this then you may have a really hard time trying to achieve what you are looking for without going to FM equipment which is well beyond my scope of capabilities or recommendations. The fact that you go into A/V stores and there is absolutely nothing for FM broadcasting for wireless, beyond the 10' range car iPod adapters indicates that there are some real hurdles which are a part of FM broadcasting.

If you throw in the need/requirement for video to multiple locations as well, I would lean more and more towards an AppleTV/WDTV type of solution.

 

[highfigh]

For HIGHFIGH

Thanks for the suggestions, I have enough coax to make two runs to all current TV locations and a future loction in the master bedroom I will look for the cat6 cables to run two to each location.

I will use the FM transmitter to reach areas where I would like sound and therefore each area will have individual CD capabilities also along with a master CD changer in the closet.

I am reading all of your suggested web sites so that I can make an informed decision for the video capabilities.

Thanks again to both of you

If you won't be trying to push the envelope of speed, Cat5e will be fine for quite a while. If you have to use a BluRay player to watch movies, look at photos and listen to music, you will need some way to convert from HDMI but for less than $100, you can buy a DVD player that will be fine for most of this and using component video provides a great picture, so I doubt the photos will look any worse than when htey come from a BR player.

If you plan to use your computer as a major source (like iTunes, photo storage/viewing, etc), think about an Apple Airport Extreme or AppleTV (if you need to show videos wirelessly) and if you would want to send only music wirelessly, the Apple Airport Express works very well. The Express, AppleTV or Extreme is placed at the end where you'll be watching or viewing and you would connect the computer to a wireless router. A little setup and it will make the connection. The Express has a single jack that can be used for analog audio output or Tos Link, but not at the same time. The Express is about $100.

 

[ZeosPantera]

The Cheapest whole house you can get is from here.

http://www.htd.com/whole-house-audio;jsessionid=0a010c471f43126a865070e54b77af6bf80c43e4d76c.e3eSch4MaN4Re34Pa38Ta38OaNn0

Pretty good quality stuff. As far as sending video you may want to invest in an HD Slingbox.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882082008

 

[rdljpl]

Simple but functional

I am building an Fm transmitter kit that is FCC compliant and should have range enough to cover the whole house; $50.00 invested. I will let you know how it works. It will be wired into the electronics closet with source selector sws for various devices.

I will let you know how it works. They advertise that they can be used for campuses and dorms. If that works I could have the audio solved sort of wirelessly.

In the mean time I will pull what I can into the cavities the builder left to get the coax and cat 6 to all locations. From what I have found, I can get cat 5 or 6 for about $100.00 for 1000 feet through a surplus store.

 

[highfigh]

Actually, if you really want cheap, start by hitting the yard and estate sales fro receivers and speakers. I have regular Cat5e running from my music server to the basement and garage receivers. I don't use a remote control (I have a CD player in each of the other areas and they both have working tuners) but I can control the server if I have my laptop in the other places (wireless network). The sound is fine with no apparent loss of fidelity, although I haven't done a comparison- I don't listen critically unless I'm where the main system is. I just soldered RCA plugs onto the wires but when I finally get around to changing them, I'll use 3.5mm Keystone inserts that accept Cat5e on the back, then connect to the receivers with 3.5mm-RCA Y cable.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I am building an Fm transmitter kit that is FCC compliant and should have range enough to cover the whole house; $50.00 invested. I will let you know how it works. It will be wired into the electronics closet with source selector sws for various devices.

I will let you know how it works. They advertise that they can be used for campuses and dorms. If that works I could have the audio solved sort of wirelessly.

That's really cool! I'm really interested to hear how it works and if you have links to what you used that'll definitely help others who may be looking to do the same thing.

In the mean time I will pull what I can into the cavities the builder left to get the coax and cat 6 to all locations. From what I have found, I can get cat 5 or 6 for about $100.00 for 1000 feet through a surplus store.

Before shopping in any stores, always be prepared with Monoprice pricing ahead of time...
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10233
and
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10234

About 56 and 86 bucks for cat5/6 respectively.

Shipping is about 20 bucks a roll in my experience.

 

[rdljpl]

HighFi

Am I correct in understanding that you have just soldered RCA plugs to the Cat 5 cable twisted pair, one leg to the RCA plug ground and the other to the center of the plug? Two twisted pairs for a stereo channel?

I understand that the twisted pair is less suceptible to power line noise, but would it be immune from line noise if it ran in parallel with a power cable?

rdljpl

 

[rdljpl]

That's really cool! I'm really interested to hear how it works and if you have links to what you used that'll definitely help others who may be looking to do the same thing.


Try this location for FM Transmitter kits
http://www.dckits.com/

I talked to them on the phone and they are still in business and seem to have the lowest prices around. The kits take moderate circuit board soldering skills, but I managed even though I had not done any circuit board work in 30 years. My eyes are also 30 years older. The kit I built seems to work fair although it is hard to tune precisely and I still cannot transmit beyond 30 feet with a decent signal. I am still working with it (with expert help) to see if improvements can be made.

rdljpl

 

[rdljpl]

Simple but functional whole house sound

After building my FM Stereo Transmitter from a kit, it took me awhile to get a semi functional antenna built. At present every stereo in the house can pick up my signal. I am broadcasting on an vacant FM frequency so that I do not interfere with other stations. From my car radio I can receive a signal at 200 feet. This is well within FCC rule 15 regulations.

At present my transmitter and antenna are taped to the wall of the garage. A new and better antenna in the attic or on the roof will help.

I am using a portable CD player as the input, but I will be able to use any line level input as a source.

rdljpl