I've installed a Sonance Harbor and no remotes in any room. (I got there after all the walls were closed) I'm looking for a workaround solution to get 4 zones playing different or the same source material without wired remotes. My client has on older Pronto Pro with the IR/RF transmitter and I've programmed the Xantech into it, but the Sonance only receives information for Zone 1, which makes sense since the Harbor remote is only programmed for Zone 1. My question is, how do I get access to Zones 2-6 without going into party mode. The Xantech recognizes that I want to talk to each zone individually, but the only IR codes I have are for Zone 1. Any ideas? Any other piece of gear I should purchase or should have purchased?

Thanks guys, this is a great forum!

Mizell in NYC

In the Harbor all zone cards, and hence all IR codes are the same. The difference between the local codes and the party codes are in the carrier. Local codes don’t have a carrier. Party codes do. Each zone card has a dip switch on it that determines if it sees the IR pick up on the front of the unit. Each zone card has a IR input on the connector on the back panel. A K2, or Master keypad is no more than a learning remote. Just connect the outputs for the Xantec to the Data, and Ground inputs on the zone inputs on the back of the Harbor. Then use the party IR commands. The carrier-less local commands will not work with anything but the K2 or Master keypads.

So to use the party IR commands I need to set the Harbor to party mode, yes? I have connected all the outputs from the Xantech to the inputs of the Harbor, so what I missed is setting the cards inside the Harbor. I think I've understood what you've written, but if not please explain further. Thanks again

You will also need to run an emitter out of one of the common outputs on the back of the harbor to the IR window on the front of the unit, since party commands are only received via the front IR window. Set to “ON” any or all of the 6 dipswitches inside the unit for zones you want to send party commands to.

Further, if you use the powerful new RTI T2+ (Which appears to be working flawlessly in RF Mode) to control the harbor, all of the Sonance codes for all harbor zones are available for this remote. You can download them here under mega codes [Link: mastertheaterbuilders.com]

Another option would be to copy the hex codes out of the Sonance library manager and paste that over to the pronto

RTI added the other part I left out. Download and read pages 2 & 4 from the manual. It gives a good understanding of what is needed.

[Link: sonance.com]

Sorry if I caused any confusion.:-)

So I've set all the dip switches to "On" and run a common emitter from the back to the front. Now all the zones track together. My question then is, How do I, without K2 or Master keypad, select individual zones to turn on and off. An added bonus would be to set each zone with a seperate input source but right now I just want individual power on/off.

For a party the client wants all zones on, but for evening listening, just the pool room and kitchen to be on, the back hallway and living room off.

Thanks

Again I’m being confusing. The wire to the front is really only good if you are using K2s or Masters. You should remove this. You need to route the IR from the RF pickup to the Xantech. I think you have done this already. I am assuming you have the RT-8 IR router. Then from each zone out of the Xantech you wire to the back of the Harbor. RT-8 zone 1 signal and ground to Harbor zone 1 Data and Ground connections. RT-8 zone 2 to Harbor zone 2, and so on. You must use the ‘Party’ IR codes however. The local codes do not have a carrier and as such can’t be taught to, or sent from a Pronto. To control Zone 1 just send the correct code to the Xantech to only output on zone 1. You can create ‘Party Groups’ by first sending codes to the Xantech to turn on the zones you want in that party group. What might be easy is a page in the Pronto where your client would choose which rooms to control by turning those rooms on or off. (In reality the outputs from the Xantech.) Then they would just choose the source and go. I hope this is clearer and helps

Robert