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[Chad]

Sorry if this all has been asked before, but I just heard about J River today from someone over in the Snapstream (BeyondTV) forums.  A software that can output to two soundcards?  Like manna from heaven! 

I'm not a MC11 user, but I'm trying to see if it would be a good purchase for me.  The $40 is fine (unless there's something in the license that is odd) but I don't want to spend time configuring something if I'm not understanding what it's supposed to do, you know?  You know, is it too good to be true?

I have a 9 zone / 6 input system from AccessAudio.  Stereo audio only.  I want to be able to run a digital jukebox as a source, but ideally give individual zones control over the playlists and such.  So I'm thinking I would buy a computer, put a couple soundcards (or one pro one) and feed the zoning box 4 or more outputs.  If MC11 does this, then that saves me from having to buy 4 or more computers, and that saves a lot of electricity. 

Question 1)  How does the multi zone work?  Are there some sort of "virtual devices" that MC11 acts as? 

Question 2)  Can I control MC11 with IR?  I'd be hooking up a IR blaster to the computer, and sending commands that would tell say, the CD that's playing to output 2 to skip a track ahead.  Or sending a macro that would load a new EQ setting.  Do I need something like Girder or does this just work?

Question 3)  If I have 3 optical drives in the machine, can I play 3 CD's and control the independantly?

Question 4)  Can I use an FM tuner card?  If so, can I record FM programs and play them back?  Like a late night radio talk show that I can never stay up for?

Question 5)  Can I SEND IR commands?  To other devices or to learning remotes?

Question 6)  Can I listen to online radio from XM?  I have a subscription.

Question 7)  Since most of the zones won't be in areas where the UI can be seen, is there an "audio interface" to assist you when you want to work blind?

Question    Are there user logins?  Could I customize or restrict based on users?  If so, can multiple users be logged on at the same time, from different zones?


Ok, I also have some general questions, not related to a zone setup.

Question 9)  Can I view Canon .cr2 raw files?  I have a Digital Rebel XT.

Question 10)  What if I have 2 portable devices.  Can I sync both?  My wife and I have much different tastes in music (which is why we need the zones in the first place).

Question 11)  If I want to access MC11 from my laptop, do I need another license? 

Question 12)  How much computing power do I need?  If I wanted to decode 3 .ogg files, listen to a CD, and watch a DVD, would a Core Duo 2300 be enough?

Ok, thanks for reading this.  I'd normally send this off to the sales department, but the website didn't have a link for that.

- Chad

[JimH]

1.  In the FAQ on this board, there is a link to Mastiff's site.  He is the Multi-Zone Czar.  That's a good place to start.

2.  FAQ has info on remotes.

3.  I think so.

4.  No FM tuners are supported.

5.  No.

6.  Not unless you fed it in the Line In port.

7.  No.

8.  Files can be rated and a login required  (X, R, etc.).  Multiple libraries might be useful.

9.  Raw images are supported.

10.  You can sync as many as you have.  They can be named.

11.  If the PC's are yours, one license is OK.  See the purchase info from the main page.

12.  Anything made in the last three years should be fine.

[Chad]

Thank you.  I didn't realise there were two different FAQ's.  The forum one is more detailed for sure.

I'll start reading.  I downloaded the demo, so I'll see how far I get.

- Chad

[jgreen]

Chad--

Based on the kinds of questions your're asking, I quarantee you MC will come the closest to what you want.  As for some of your questions, are you sure that's what you want?  For example:

#4--Why take up a slot with an FM card that doesn't work as well as your old receiver sitting in a corner?  Feed the analog signal from the receiver into your soudcard as a discrete source.  Depending on the card (you mentioned "pro" cards), you should be able to identify that as a separate source.  Then you can, you know, do what you asked about.

#6--Same thing.  If you have the XM box (or the online subscription) and don't mind using a separate knob or app to change channels, you can certainly, you know, do what you want with the signal.

#3--Are you in love with plastic?  Rip all your CDs to HD and you can play as many zones as your bus bandwidth will allow!  A single HD playback shouldn't take up more than 2% of your CPU (or 5%, if you're running ASIO).  Optical disc access is a heavier process, and a cludgier one, IMO (nothing to do with MC--CDs are 20-year old technology). 

[Chad]

Chad--

Based on the kinds of questions your're asking, I quarantee you MC will come the closest to what you want.  As for some of your questions, are you sure that's what you want?  For example:

#4--Why take up a slot with an FM card that doesn't work as well as your old receiver sitting in a corner?  Feed the analog signal from the receiver into your soudcard as a discrete source.  Depending on the card (you mentioned "pro" cards), you should be able to identify that as a separate source.  Then you can, you know, do what you asked about.

Well, I was concerned about my #5.  Could I address the receiver via MC?  Getting the audio in doesn't help if I can't change the station.  And for timeshifting an FM broadcast, this would be important as well.

#6--Same thing.  If you have the XM box (or the online subscription) and don't mind using a separate knob or app to change channels, you can certainly, you know, do what you want with the signal.

I was thinking more on the lines of getting the XM via the internet.  They do streaming audio like many radio stations do.   No hardware, just software.   It's still pay service, but it's included with most subscriptions.

#3--Are you in love with plastic?  Rip all your CDs to HD and you can play as many zones as your bus bandwidth will allow!  A single HD playback shouldn't take up more than 2% of your CPU (or 5%, if you're running ASIO).  Optical disc access is a heavier process, and a cludgier one, IMO (nothing to do with MC--CDs are 20-year old technology). 

Good point.  I was thinking more on the lines of the convenience of just dropping a CD in and being able to just play it.  Don't want to have to rip everything just to hear it.  But with storage costs what they are, it can't be too bad. 

Does bring up a point though, do ALL your media accessed in the library have to be online or can they be offline or nearline?  In case you archive media to plastic.

- Chad

[jgreen]

Chad--
MC has a fairly good system for accessing web radio.  XM online, as you know, is different and doesn't want to play nice.  They have a proprietary Active X player, and I don't know of any media player/organizer that can control XM online.  However, there is a dedicated, legal product for doing this, which XM is currently trying to sue the pants off of.  You can google for it.   

As for offline media, Alex B has posted regarding his system for cataloging this, as has Marko, I believe.  I haven't tried it.

I think your IR questions all need the expertise of Mastiff, or similar hound dogs. . .

[Chad]

Thank's for the tip about Alex B.  Yeah, MC seems pretty savvy about managing the actual media.  My CD-R's and DVD-R's of music can still be used as is.

The IR stuff I just don't know how convoluted and reliable this is.  It's something I'm not that familiar with.

- Chad

[Chad]

Oh and for #7, would narrator.exe work?

[Mastiff]

Sorry, sorry. I didn't see this until now...busy week.

2. Remotes work, but only for the simple tasks (like transport and volume). You really want to set up a good Girder system with the ability to choose playlists by keying in a number (like 666, which on my system is the black metal masterpiece Don't Break the Oath by Mercyful Fate). And of course you'd like to use NetRemote, which works fantastic with MC! Believe me, if you try it, you won't go back.

3. Yes. I'm pretty sure on that one.

4. You can't use the tuner card directly, but you can surely use MC's recording abilities anyway since you can record on any sound card input on the computer, as far as I know.

5. Girder...and NetRemote.

7. Girder has one.

And the user login part is simple: Learn different IR remotes into Girder and give each family member their own remote! With the USB-UIRT It can be any old remote, like VCR remotes (everybody has a bunch of them in the cellar, right?), which are very good since they usually have both transport buttons and a keypad.

[Chad]

Excellent idea about the remotes as logins.  Cute. 

So if I make a bunch of macros I can pretty much have Girder send all the commands to MC or my hardware components (like FM tuner, DVD player)?

I'll check out Girder.  Not sure about NetRemote.  I'm looking more simple, though I do have a Dell Axim  laying around doing nothing. 

- Chad

[Mastiff]

Yeah. You can basically control anything that can be controlled either directly on a computer, through IR or even with a serial interface (lots of amps and stuff has a serial interface for automation). And advanced macros can do a lot of stuff. You can look at the "A Girder day" section on my webpage (http://mastiff.webhop.org/) to get an idea of what I use it for.

[Chad]

Oh my, this really piques my inner geek.  I can see myself getting really invested in this.  Thanks.

- Chad

[Mastiff]

No problem. When you find something good, spread it around! One exception, though: Mrs. Mastiff!

[WinoOutWest]

I'll second the NetRemote recomendation for you.  I have MC 2 zones (feeding 5 different sets of Amps/Speakers) and 2 Axims controlling it all and I couldn't be happy with my setup.  The Axims/NetRemote controls my projector, some basic X10 lighting (like lights off when the movie plays and back on when it pauses/stops) and TV as well as control the HTPC for Music, Movies, TV (BeyondTV) and pictures.  NetRemote also handles all the amp switching etc for different sources and settings.
I have one RemoteControl in the living room and that is my Axim.  Amps/devices that can be serially controlled are much more reliable so won't buy another device that can't be serially controlled.  Right now the only things that are IR contolled in my setup are my TV and Projector and for those I pretty much only turn them on and off via my NetRemote controlled IR blaster.

Its a pretty sweet setup!  Enjoy your journey!

[WinoOutWest]

Also... you may want to check this out as well:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=534233

I helped a buddy get this setup working with J River.  Very slick.  I intergrated 2 different sound cards (sources) into his existing Russound setup (5 or 7 zones). So he can play his existing sources as well as 2 different feeds from MC and controll everything from his Russound.   As for me as roll out the audio to every room I will end up with an Axim/PPC and NetRemote in each room instead as it gives me a lot more freedom to do what I want and overall it will be cheaper.