Move It: 29 Multiroom A/V Systems

Owning every DVD ever made doesn't mean much when they're in the other room. The right media server can solve that problem by moving your movies, music, and even photos to any room in your home.


A major part of entertainment is comfort. That means you shouldn’t have to be tethered to a couch, a computer or anything else. Instead of dragging a boom box—or even a TV—around the house, you can let a multiroom system route one or more entertainment sources to various areas of your home.

The first thing to think about is what you want to distribute. Do you want music by the barbecue pit? Do you want to watch DVDs while soaking in the tub? There are systems that stream just audio, ones that do just video, and some that can accommodate whichever you’re in the mood for.

Multiroom systems, by definition, can accommodate more than one area, or zone. If you want music by the pool, in the bedroom, in the kitchen and in the living room, that could be four designated zones. Make sure your system will deliver to the number of areas that you need—and maybe a few extras should you want to expand your system later.

Just because your system feeds 40 areas, that doesn’t always translate to endless entertainment options. Look at the number of sources a system can deliver. Some systems are hard drive based, meaning they store digital audio and video, while others can connect to DVD players, CD players, set-top boxes and more.

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[Link: electronichouse.com]

To view slides of 29 multiroom A/V systems:
[Link: electronichouse.com]