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[jeroen020]

I've been thinking of re-doing the multizone setup I have to be truly a whole home audio distribution system. My idea is as follows:

• Put a Belkin USB Network hub in every room. This device (priced at 99US$)  offers the possibility to connect USB devices over distances covered by ethernet and any computer in that network (so even over WiFi) can then connect via special software that makes it appear as just another USB-connected device, info

http://www.belkin.com/support/product/?lid=en&pid=F5L009&scid=220

• Connect each hub to ethernet in the same network that my MC machine sits in
• Connect each hub to a set of USB speakers and/or USB sound card, in turn connected to an amp
• Use Belkin's software to (auto)connect to all of the USB audio devices spread around the house, which then show up as separate sound devices in Windows
  
• Configure MC to use each of these sound devices as a separate zone
• Use MC on the PC direct to control the sound throughout the house
• Use xpTunes and/or Rivermote to bi-directionally control MC over LAN throughout the house with Iphone and other mobile devices

Voila! It's not cheap, but at 200 to 300 US$ per room you can have a multi-zone, controllable audio set-up that doesn't require any new cabling (if you have Cat 5 in your house, of course). It's like the Itunes-Airport Express-Iphone remote features but without the Apple bit!

I've been reading into it and it seems you can have several of those hubs in a single network and work with devices on all of them from a single PC. I already have one, so I'll probably order another to make sure this is true.

Second challenge will be to find compatible sound cards and/or USB speakers. Audio is not that bandwidth intensive so I have good hopes (HD webcams seem to pose problems).

Third challenge is to find the best way to control this. Although Netremote can do this and Rivermote is a good tool for Iphone and I'll try out wat xpTunes has to offer, they are not really up to snuff compared to Iphone remote, Squeezebox Duet or Sonos controllers in features and ease of use/set up.

I'll keep you posted on how I fare but any comments or thoughts are very welcome!

[newsposter]

turtle beach makes a very nice usb sound dongle.  It even has optical spdif out so you'd be able to feed a high-end amplifier when needed.

If you are going to do tcp/ip audio distro, look at some of the higher-end components from Denon, Onkyo, etc.  They have models that connect to ethernet and might be 'remote controllable'.

Also look in to how you would send/receive IR remote control commands.  This is also possible within the setup you imagine.  As is lighting control.

Simplifying things, there are any number of simple network devices that are designed to do what you want out of the box.  And they cost at or less than the $300 per room price you seem to be willing to pay.

[DarkPenguin]

Where do they put the play control?  At the end point or back at the MediaCenter machine?

[jeroen020]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

turtle beach makes a very nice usb sound dongle.  It even has optical spdif out so you'd be able to feed a high-end amplifier when needed.

That sounds good. Optical would keep the whole chain digital until the amp.

If you are going to do tcp/ip audio distro, look at some of the higher-end components from Denon, Onkyo, etc.  They have models that connect to ethernet and might be 'remote controllable'.

Well in my kitchen or bedroom I'm more than satisfied with a single source audio - as long as it's MC-based! I have a big Denon AV amp from a few generations back in my living, which I can control via RS-232 in Girder on the same PC that I run MC on.

Also look in to how you would send/receive IR remote control commands.  This is also possible within the setup you imagine.  As is lighting control.

Part of my plan is that I won't need IR for control of MC. IR can't send any data back... xpTunes, Rivermote, Netremote all provide ways to not send commands, but also receive feedback (e.g. browse a playlist) and no need of turning on a TV

Simplifying things, there are any number of simple network devices that are designed to do what you want out of the box.  And they cost at or less than the $300 per room price you seem to be willing to pay.

Well closest I've seen to what I want is the Squeezebox Duet or Sonos, which are not really cheaper... And another downside is that they're not really integrated well into MC, they would have limited access to its resources via UPnP and Sonos even has to fall back on manual exports of playlists...

Where do they put the play control?  At the end point or back at the MediaCenter machine?

I like the idea of having one PC doing all the MC playback, transmit audio over network/USB and control via wireless devices. This way you can also control what's playing in, say, the kitchen on the PC running MC as well as with any phone, Ipod Toutch etc whatever is most convenient.

[jeroen020]

Progress on all 3 challenges:

1) The Belkin Network USB hub works as expected
2) A 15 Euro USB audio card (just analog headphone & mic jacks) in the Belkin is recognized (although it gives a warning, but it does work) via LAN by my MC PC as a sound card and I can configure this sound card for a separate zone in MC
3) I just discovered the new HTTP remote control plugin that user GrantDG is working on. No zone support yet, but it already offers a very powerful browser based control over MC, so no need to purchase dedicated hardware for control or install/maintain software on control devices.

So far so good!