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Author Topic: Linking multiple zones and controlling them  (Read 1267 times)

yoyoc

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Linking multiple zones and controlling them
« on: November 28, 2010, 11:04:53 am »

I have MC 15.159 installed on 2 win7  PC plus an Airport express ( as separate zone) hooked up to my home theater receiver. 3 Zones in total.

In the setup options I have ticked share library etc, and all the dlna options on both PC. Air upnp is installed.

The library resides on PC1 on my music room which also loads as library server to PC2 a laptop.  After reading instructions, forum searching, tinkering, trial and error, I have been able to play different audio to each of the 3 simultaneously.

wireless is handled by Dlink DIR-655 wireless N. The PC1 is connected by ethernet to giga port, as is the airport express with a matched Dlink wireless bridge.

I have not been able to link and stream the same material to all 3 zones.  It seems only 2 zones can be linked, which defeats part of the purpose if you have a party in the house or are in a party mode which mandates the same music all around the house.

Also when music is streamed to all zones I can not correctly see the playing material from all PC's. If I setup playing to zone 2 though PC 1 there I can see what is playing now and in cue for PC2, but MC in PC2 only shows what is playing now on it and not what is in cue.  The same thing happens to the Airport Express ( as separate zone).

My questions are:

1. Can MC15 link 3 or more zones simultaneously?

2.  When linking zones do they have to be controlled from the PC that originated the choice of material to be played at each zone or can I latter control them from another PC or gizmote?  So far I can not.

3. Since loading library server is supposed to be a bidirectional affair, why cant the zones auto adjust timing when linked? I guess it is possible to send a sync signal bi directional. ???

4.  what is the best method for adjusting timing on multiple zones?

 ?
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JimH

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Re: Linking multiple zones and controlling them
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2010, 11:43:44 am »

I'm not sure about how the Airport will behave, but you can link more than two zones.

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/ZoneLink

Control from the original PC will work.  I don't think others will, but I'm not certain.

Timing is by ear, more precise timing would be nice but isn't simple.
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yoyoc

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Re: Linking multiple zones and controlling them
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2010, 06:14:12 pm »

JimH.

Thanks for your reply.

Well I figured that if in PC2 I load library ( not DLNA mode) so I can control from any of both PC.

However.

Connection and playback is dropping to any remote zone or gizmote. I tested MC runing it all night and all day non stop in PC1 where the library resides with no problem.

However when I connect with either gizmote on android, PC2 (active zone), or Airport as UPNP zone, sound stops at middle of a song and if you look at the main PC playing now at that moment it will not show existance of any of the remote zones.  I minute or two after, the zones return and play can be clicked and restarted.

Drivers are up to date, power management is set to max performance, Lan driver set to dissable power management so its full on.  WIFI transmission is N speed.

what should i check ??

 
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