Trick Question for the Gurus here... Has this been done before? please read.

[yellowbmr]

I have my equipment hidden in the closet behind the wall in my living room which can only be accessed inside the master bedroom. This will hide the cables and the living room is just clean. I am using a IR to send signals to the receiver mounted under tv, which then sends the signal to the room (via wire) and then i have 5 eyes in the closet which turns on devices on and off.

My question is, sometimes, i don't know if the receiver is on or off, cable box is on or off, plasma unit is on or off and same thing with DVD. So i have to guess which one is on and it makes it really confusing. Is there something that i can wire to the front (like LEDS) that shows the status of the units (if they are on, the LED shows on for DVD, i don't mind installing LED;s), but has there such install been done?

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Anything is possible...with enough money!

Sounds do-able in my non-expert opinion but the pro installers here will have the last word on specifics.

I wonder if fiber optics from the individual components' panel indicator lights might do the trick? No electronics involved.

Isn't it a hassle to go into the other room to insert/change discs, or do you have a large capacity changer?

Hope you'll share the eventual solution with us. I like the "everything hidden away" idea.

 

[yellowbmr]

i have a cd changer in the other room (400) disks with titles

already inputted, i can search by category, etc, it's really nice setup.

also i found a way to get the status of the LEDs and use a relay or powerflash module to get the LED's turn on or off.
woohoooooooo


http://www.smarthome.com/8013.html

 

[Resident Loser]

But...

... doesn't having "everything hidden away" defeat the concept and/or purpose of being an "audiophile"?

jimHJJ(...it seems as though it might be for some...)

 

[Unregistered]

how many threads did you post this question in, anyway?

 

[Az B]

... doesn't having "everything hidden away" defeat the concept and/or purpose of being an "audiophile"?

jimHJJ(...it seems as though it might be for some...)

Not at all. There's a lot less distraction while listening to music with all the gear out of sight. (There is a universal player in the room for playing single discs)

And with a pull down screen and overhead projector, it works for movies too. There's nothing more distracting while watching a movie than a bunch of blinking colored lights next to the screen.

And people that are interested in the gear can easily open the door and enter the room to check it out.

And the last benefit is that the door is a secret door that cannot be seen, so if someone were to break into my house, the only thing they could steal would be the universal player.

 

[Yellowbmr]

Az B, i couldn't have said it any better. well done. That is

exactly what i had in mind. Less distraction, 400dvd changer with pull down menu on TV, all the wiring mess is much easier to manage in the closet. If i need to add more components , i don't care what that closet looks like, (even thought i have done a nice install with wires).
and for breakin- that's just another benefit.

Not at all. There's a lot less distraction while listening to music with all the gear out of sight. (There is a universal player in the room for playing single discs)

And with a pull down screen and overhead projector, it works for movies too. There's nothing more distracting while watching a movie than a bunch of blinking colored lights next to the screen.

And people that are interested in the gear can easily open the door and enter the room to check it out.

And the last benefit is that the door is a secret door that cannot be seen, so if someone were to break into my house, the only thing they could steal would be the universal player.

 

[Westrock2000]

Anything is possible...with enough money!


I wonder if fiber optics from the individual components' panel indicator lights might do the trick? No electronics involved.

This would be a good trick. You could purchase just cheap TOSLINK cables and somehow affix them infront of the units LED, then run the wire to some panel...you would have to be fairly close to on-axis to see it, and it probably wouldn't be bright, but it would work.


Heres a thick fiber cable...its 34" long and jacketed. And cheap!


You could even get maybe something like a photocoupler or something...I can't think of the name right now....but its a Diode that turns on when light is present, it could be hooked up to a display panel of LED's, so whenever the source LED shines, it will trigger the other LED....this would take some wiring.