Hi Guys & Girls, help required from the experts

I am trying to remote control the switching over of speakers from one room to another.

Does anyone have any knowledge of remote controlled speaker selection?

Let me explain

I have speakers in the Dinning room, Bathroom and Main Living Room connected to a Kenwood amp/Hi-Fi System via a QED 4 position manual speaker switch, this switch allows me to change speakers from room to room or have all speakers on through the house. The only problem with the current set up is if the speakers in the Dinning room are “on” and I want to turn the speakers “on” in the Bathroom I have to go into the Living Room to change the switch from Dinning Room speakers “on” to dinning room speakers “off” and switch the bathroom speakers “on”, and the same for any other combination of rooms that I might want to listen to the Hi-Fi in. Or leave music on through the house.

To save the trouble of going into the Main Living Room every time I want to change the listening room I would like to be able to turn the speakers on remotely from the room I am in and turn the speakers off remotely in the room I have just left.

My current set up uses Marmitex Poweramids, the receiver is in the main Living Room and the transmitter is in the Dinning Room this allows me to control the Hi-Fi system using the original remote for the Kenwood amp in the Dinning room. A Marmitex Multi Media 8 in 1 Learning Remote control performs the same functions for the Hi-Fi in the Bathroom. (The Marmitex Multi Media 8 in 1 Learning Remote has a built in Poweramid transmitter). A universal Marantz RC2000 MK2 Remote Control is used in the Main Living room to control the Hi-fi, this remote is also used to controls other AV equipment in the Main Living Room.

I could go down the road of installing a Multi Room System but don’t want to go to the expense, since I am more that half way there if I could get a remote controlled speaker selector the job would be complete . Going the Multi room system route would also require retro fit therefore a whole house wrecking job to install cabling.

A Remote Controlled Speaker Switch similar to the QED manual speaker switch would be the answer if such a product were manufacture.

I have received information via avforums.com that some xantech equipment and an RF remote control would do the job, have posted a reply for the info weeks ago but no info back.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Bear in mind that they would need to suit a U.K. set up.
Sorry about so much detail but it may help someone to give me a solution.

Xantech 686-10 is what you need.

I'm not sure why you think you would need to demolish/rewire your whole house to do a true multi-room system though. Do you have Volume controls in each room? If so, look into Matrix Audio. Keypad zoned control over existing speaker leads...

If not, you already have the and IR system in place that sounds like its working in your situation.... You could control the Multiroom with that... B&K CT-600 had separate IR codes for each zone..... I'm sure there are other options as well.

I get to install my first Matrix Audio System tomorrow. I will let you guys no what I think.

Mike

hi Impaqt, Thks for the info,

Funny you should suggest I looked at the Xantech 686-10 remote speaker switcher a few weeks back but after checking out the installation instructions, which I downloaded from Xantech web site. It appeared not to suit my current set up. The reason I say this is because there appears to be no IR receiver in the speaker switcher to receive the IR signal from the Poweramid. Bearing in mind that the whole system is controlled by Poweramids, which receive the infrared signals from various remote controls. But I am open to all suggestions to solve this

Could you give me some details how the Xantech 686-10 remote speaker switcher could be installed using the existing set up as outlined in my original post above? And how could this be controlled I understood looking at the instructions
that a RC68 Programmer/Remote Control would also be required to program a learning Remote Control. Also a 791-44 amplified connecting block would need to be connected

1. You will need the rc68 "source" remote for the Xantech switcher. You'll program the customer's remote with that and keep the RC68 for another day.
2. Pyramid IR device at the base should have a 3.5 mm jack on that for use with an external emitter. plug a mini plug into that jack and take the tip and connect it to the signal, the ring to the ground terminals on the Xantech device.

I installed the Matrix Audio S4 in a customer's house today in place of his stereo receiver and volume controls. From start to finish it took 45 minutes for 2 technicians. I was very impressed with the sound quality and functionality. Programming was way too easy.

Mike

Hi Fred, Thks for the info,

The 686-10 looks like it might well do the business, I have a few questions about the installation/set up. Forgive my egorance if these questions seem obvious.

1. You say connect the tip of the mini plug to the signal
Q. What is the signal terminal on the 686-10, is it the IR "in" terminal?

2. You also say connect the ring to the ground,
Q. which ground? does it matter? there are two shown in the installation manual picture for the 686-10, is it the ground nearest to the IR "in" terminal?

3. Do you know of any dealers in the U.K. that deal in xantech products?

4. Do you know of any learning remote controls that have a small number of buttons? I am thinking that in the Dinning Room situtation that Imay only want to turn the speakers on/off. The main functions of the amp could still be carried out using the original Kenwood remote control which sits in the Dinning Room all the time.

5. Have you any idea what the 686-10 and the the R68 programmer retail for the states. (Just to compare price in the U.K.)

I have a mini emitter connected to the poweramid that controls the amp, I was thinking of putting a mini 2 way plug and connecting the emitter plug to one connection and the wire to controle the the speaker switcher to the other. This should work o.k.

This message was edited by JOHNDR on 09/17/04 12:27 ET.

I don't think this was mentioned yet: all the Xantech switchers etc. can be used with one of their IR pickups, but the cheaper way, if you have a signal like a powermid output, is to connect that output to the IR in on the Xantech stuff. You need a power supply, either way.

Also be sure that the MEASURED voltage coming out of the power supply is 12 volts DC. A 12 vdc unregulated power supply usually puts out about 16 to 17 volts until a substantial percentage of its full current capability is drawn, when it drops nearer to 12 volts. The higher voltage can make Xantech stuff lock up. If you MUST use an unregulated supply, use a 9 volt supply. They used to!


Yup. I think he assumed the Xantech goodie has a mini jack. As you note, it does not.


Last question first: yes. The instructions answer your question about the two grounds.


Sorry, but no.


Sorry, no anser for that one either.


Suggested retail on the 680-10 is $420.00 US. There is no RC-68; it was replaced by the RC-68+, and its SRP is $168.00.


Yes, it should. If the powermid does not put out enough current to switch the 680-10, you will have to get a Xantech IR receiver to pick up the IR coming from the powermid's internal IR emitter or from an external emitter.