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Author Topic: Can I play to 2 zones at once?  (Read 1582 times)

WinoOutWest

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Can I play to 2 zones at once?
« on: May 06, 2003, 08:13:33 pm »
I am a loooong time MusicMatch user that recently upgraded my gear to an HTPC and ripped all my CD's to disk.  I've got 3 other PCs in the network capable of playing music.  I want to be able to play the same output on 2(3 or 4?) PCs at the same time.  i.e. I want to walk from the living room to the bedroom and hear the exact same music.

Is this possible in MC9?  I just downloaded it because I saw the zones functionality and its something MMJB doesn't do.

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Mastiff

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Re: Can I play to 2 zones at once?
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2003, 10:25:06 pm »
Synchronized playback is not yet fully implemented. What you can do is to send the same playlist to several zones and then use Girder to send the discrete playback commands to each zone. I have not tried it, but it might be possible to have them synchronized within a few tenths of a second that way.
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WinoOutWest

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Re: Can I play to 2 zones at once?
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2003, 07:08:37 am »
Quote: "Synchronized playback is not yet fully implemented. "

So forgive me for being a stickler but this is one of the main reasons I woould be willing to purchase another media player...  but ummm... what does that mean exactly?  It sounds like this functionality could happen? Is this a feature that is actually on someone's drawing board? Is 2 weeks away? 2 months? 2 years?
Any idea?

Cheers!
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lee269

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Re: Can I play to 2 zones at once?
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2003, 09:39:59 am »
As I remember from posts a while back this is something of a hardware issue, ie MC might pump out the music synchronised but because of the vagaries of different PCs/soundcards etc. there was no way of guaranteeing it would reach the speakers perfectly synchronised.

I suspect that JRiver wont commit to this in public unless they are certain they can make it work. Id search the board for clues because it has been addressed by Matt in the past - hopefully someone else will know more. Im a 2speaker/1soundcard guy so I havent followed this in detail.

FWIW I do remember they said for ages that zones were not going to happen in v9 - too complicated - and then the rabbit came out of the hat :)
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Mastiff

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Re: Can I play to 2 zones at once?
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2003, 11:56:24 am »
Another solution is of course SPDIF out from the main sound card and then connection to SPDIF in on the other sound cards. I have used that in the past, but usually don't need to (when we have parties they usually involve hot dogs and a bunch of children, not friends - those days are regrettably gone).  8)
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WinoOutWest

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Re: Can I play to 2 zones at once?
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2003, 06:36:57 am »
So does anyone have a solution for me out there?
I have my music on one PC and 2 other PCs in the house.  I've got them networked and I don't want to run another cable run (about 75') as I know I can run another set of Line Out or the SPDIF cable between the PCs.  I'd like to be able to play the same music in both sources (zones), in sync.  Preferably just using the Network as my connection.  Alternatively (and off topic) has anyone used those wireless A/V transmitters?
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