Since Apple announced they sold over 4 million iPods over Christmas, I figured it was time to start finding ways to integrate them within home audio. I just bought an Ipod and have a Sonance Iport coming. It's easy to see why iPods have become so popular. They bring fun back to music. What cool things have you guys done to integrate these things? In my opinion, these will become EXTREMELY popular with customers. I'm thinking possible iPorts in the kids rooms with a whole house solution like the MusicCast.

Thoughts?

Ideas?

Any cool accesories at CES?

Thanks

There is an article in this month's Residential Systems about the integrations of those devices and the quality of the MP3.

Haven't seen the article yet, but the past 3 whole house systems I have done include a connection to an IPOD and a computer. I just ran 2 coax to a location (typically the kitchen next to the phone) near electrical and tell the client to put their charging bae there. Then come home, plop your ipod in the base, go to the keypad and select it as a source and good to go. Only disadvantage is there is no way to control it without a clumsy ir add on that requires a separate remote control. But the clients dont mind as they just select a playlist or 'random' and let it play.

Same thing with the computer - use the analog outs of the soundcard into RG6 R&L to the home run location and it becomes a source. This is good for parties etc... Funny part is all these projects have included a music server in the rack. Go figure.

The answer is...

[Link: sonance.com]

To my knowledge this is only a docking station and provides an elegant solution to mounting, powering and connecting the audio outputs to a distributed audio system but is offers no integration options at all. iPod is an other example of popular consumer product foisted upon integrators which is impossible to integrate ( intensionally, I suspect ) and deserves to be consigned to the bottom of the ocean. Even Arrakis, imerge and Escient provide some control interface. Even the iPod IR driver does not work well in our situations.

Alan

Agree Alan, but try telling that to our clients. They dont even care they have to walk over to it every time they want to change a song.

At CES Xantech showed a ZA Kit for Ipods iPods or any other device. It includes a destination and source decora plate. If it's not yet in their wbsite let me know and I'll scan the brochure and post it if anyone wants to see it. List is $199.00

you could always use this [Link: store.apple.com]
with an ir emitter and play around with any of the 15 discrete codes RTI Installer found. I would like to see that base station without the speakers that would be nice.

Alan,

The Sonance I-Port does have a hard wired IR port on the back. This will pass IR from your multi-room system to the I-Pod. The Port also has USB to the PC.

Jason

Isnt that what i said?

I wasn't aware that it had IR I thought at Cedia I saw the IR remote adapter on top of the iPod on display. Thats cool!

From their website you do need the optional iPod IR reciever that you attach to the top. Pretty lame when Blose can make a docking station that doesn't need an additional IR reciever to send IR commands to it. One piece. So it can be done. I don't see why they wouldn't integrate that into the docking station. Who wants to put that stupid IR piece on their iPod everytime? No one that's who.

I would like the Ipod ir codes. Can any one e them to me?
Thanks in Advance

Dave
[email protected]

Thanks for the responses -

I too, would like the ir codes. Should I post in the RTI section???

On the I-Port, the IR connections are on the back of the unit. The IR Plate is to be installed at the equipment location and gives a convenient method of terminating the audio/power/IR all in one pate. The specs list runs of up to 250' can use cat-5 for power and IR.
[Link: sonance.com]
Jason

P.S. Brijaws, you did point out the I-Port, After that, Alan was saying that the I-port was a dock/charger only and had no control options.