I’m about to buy a couple used ipod touches and start playing around with this.
Thanks for explaining, that is nice that you can at least select speakers using the ipod. So when you change volume over the ipod it is global. Can you setup ‘scenes’ to have certain rooms activated by one zone selection on the ipod, like a party scene would send audio over the living room and outside airports?
Or do you just scroll through a list of indivdual airports and turn them on and off, so if you wanted whole house audio then you have to turn each airport on manually…no all button?
Is the performance good or are there things to watch out for when using the airports, I don’t have any distance issues.[/quote]
No scenes, you can simply turn the speakers on and off from Remote iPod App.
Not sure if SB does this, but the AE based system actually calculates the delay in the system and when you move form room to room the audio is exactly in synch regardless of location and network/distance delay.
Setting it up is pretty easy, only caveat is that any speakers you attach need to be powered either by external amp, or powered speakers. AE has no built in amplifier.
I have a Russound C-5 system (supports 8 inputs and 6 zones as standard - expandable to 8 ). It comes with 6 LCD keypads for about $3000 (~$500 per zone). I also have the Russound Touchpoint (~$400) which interfaces to the controller and gives iPhone, iTouch control of all zones and sources. Works great.
Thanks robps, it looks like a great solution, but I can’t seem to find if it allows you to select music from a library on a server using the ipod. I guess you’d switch between apps running Apple remote to select music and then the Russound app for zoning.
If the keypads are $500 each, how much is the distribution main unit itself, I’m wondering if I can get away with the main unit and the touchpoint only. I guess I’ll need amplified speakers with this sytem too?
I am on the fence between trying to save money cobbling my own solution together or most likely spending just as much and buying a pro solution and being done with it. Time is money, but tinkering is fun too.
The Russound C-5 comes as a System (has 6 stereo amps built in - 35 watts per channel) and 6 LCD keypads for $3000 (thus it costs about $500 per zone - not that you can buy a single zone!) You can buy the system without the bundled keypads for about $2000 or so (check online).
You are correct about using iTunes for a source - to control it on the iPhone or iTouch, I use the Apple Remote app, then switch to the Russound App to control what zones are on, volume, mute etc.
You can also get software (free) to setup the system - you can name zones, sources, set turn-on volume, etc
Hope that helps
P.S. This is the third one I have installed in my homes - since it requires a CAT-5 cable to each keypad it’s best for new construction (my case).
@denix - Are you saying that I could use the WL-520GU reflashed to do the same job as an Airport Express? I’ll have to do some Googling ASAP!! I love to tinker on such things and I would enjoy keeping my money out of Steve Jobs’ pockets, but I’ll have to weigh the time it will take to set up a few OpenWRT WL-520GU’s. I found a few tutorials for a Squeeze box type solution, thanks.
@shady - that’s correct. I’ve been using a reflashed WL-520GU as a bedroom jukebox, running MPD.
There are many instructions online, one of the best is at:
Even pre-built images are provided there, although somewhat old and limited (internet radio is only shoutcast and local playback from USB-connected drives).
I built own images with latest OpenWrt, MPD with all the protocols and formats, plus NFS client support to play from my file server…
Forgot to mention - as there is no local control, the only way to control playback is remotely. You can either control it from another computer (PC, notebook, tablet, MID/UMPC) or there are MPD clients for smartphones (iPhone, PocketPC etc.)
Currently I use either a PC/notebook or my internet/mobile tablet. But I plan on setting up a touchscreen wall panel to control MPD and also Vera…
Full build env - had some issues first, but worked them around.
I am an OpenEmbedded developer, so feel quite comfortable around cross-compilers and build environments…
