The Next Revolution in Home Entertainment - IP Based Multi-Room Distribution

The Holy Grail of distributed audio; unlimited zones and unlimited sources, cost effectively. That milestone will be achieved, and soon, through the combination of digital amplification and IP based distribution systems. There are systems available today that use one or both of these technologies, such as Oxmoor's Zon system and Netlinks' Netstreams product line. The trend will only continue to grow.

The beauty of this approach is that digital music is data, and, as such, can be distributed easily via an Ethernet network. The traditional concept of zones virtually disappears, as each amplifier on the network gets a unique IP address, enabling an audio stream to be routed to it. When combined with a digital music server, the number of zones is limited only by the ability of the server to serve independent audio streams.

The advent of cost effective digital amplification, produced by companies such as D2 Audio and Flying Mole, allows a small, highly efficient audio amplifier to be located close to the speakers, either in the room or mounted in an electrical box. The logical evolution of this approach is to collocate amplifier with the speaker, creating an active speaker. Additional benefits are realized by incorporating the speaker as part of the circuit. This enables the designer to engineer the speaker and amplifier circuits for optimum performance as a system.

Low powered designs of this nature could take advantage of power over Ethernet (POE), simplifying system wiring by allowing a single CAT-5 cable to be run from the router to the speaker. This would not supply a large amount of power (about 15 watts) due to the constraints of the 24ga conductors used in CAT-5. However, the efficiencies gained by an integrated speaker / amplifier design would mitigate this concern to some degree. This type of system is sufficient for background music applications in many residential environments.

Higher power systems can use the existing speaker wire, in the case of a conventionally wired system, to carry power. It can / does use the existing control cable, since many systems have been wired with CAT-5 to the volume control location, for the data.

The bandwidth of a traditional 10/100 network allow, for all practical purposes, an unlimited number of zones and sources in a residential environment. Partly because of this, Audio Over Ethernet has been used successfully in the commercial audio and sound reinforcement world for a number of years now. Cobranet, from Cirrus Logic is the most popular commercial AOE system used today. Another popular system is available from Digigram. These systems both use the MAC layer of Ethernet and are not actually using IP for transmission.

For both residential and commercial applications another primary advantage of using Ethernet is the ability to use the medium for transporting both audio and control signals down the same wire. This increases flexibility and reduces cost for both installation and material.

As was true in the commercial world, the distribution of audio (and soon, video) and control via Ethernet will continue to proliferate in residential distributed audio applications. The combination of flexibility, cost effectiveness and capability are to attractive to be ignored.

Steve Faber has almost 15 years in the custom installation industry. He is a CEDIA certified designer and Installer 2 with certifications from both the ISF and THX. His experience spans many facets of the industry, from the trenches as an installer and control systems programmer, and system designer, to a business unit director for a specialty importer of high end audio video equipment, a sales rep for a large, regional consumer electronics distributor, and principal of a $1.5M+ custom installation firm. Steve is currently is senior sales engineer for Digital Cinema Design, a CEDIA member firm in Redmond, WA. He is on the web at http://www.1touchmovie.com

---

Using Colors in Your Room

Colors play an important part in your Home Decor process.... Read More

Replacing Aluminum Frame Single Pane Windows

In our past articles I talked about all the steps... Read More

Installing Vinyl Siding - Making It Simple

Installing vinyl siding can be a very rewarding process that... Read More

Interior Design For New Homes

When decorating or making decorating decisions for new homes, it... Read More

Top Ten Remodeling Tips

My husband and I just completed our first remodel. It... Read More

Mahoganys Beauty and Durability Makes it Ideal for Deck Construction

A couple of years ago I had the chance to... Read More

Hiring a Waterproofing Contractor

According to the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair... Read More

11 Tips for Stripping Wallpaper: How to Get Rid of Ugly Wallpaper!

I broke my promise to myself and stripped wallpaper again.... Read More

Conventional Steam Saunas vs. Infrared Saunas

The health benefits of steam saunas have been recognized for... Read More

Change The Style Of Your Interior With A Minimum Of Costs

The style of your interior depends for a great part... Read More

Ceiling Fans Look Great and Save You Money

It doesn't matter if you live in a hot climate... Read More

Buyers Guide To Heavy-Built Mailboxes

If you are tired of replacing your mailbox every few... Read More

How to Select Exterior Shutters

Installing exterior shutters is a relatively quick way to add... Read More

Selecting the Right Air Compressor for Your Air Tool

An air compressor is used to power air tools such... Read More

From Toss Out to Sensational Keeper - Lamp Re-Make

When the old lamp from my children's room was turning... Read More

Conservatory Blinds ? the Finishing Touch

There's no doubt that blinds add the finishing touch to... Read More

The Benefits of Small Dehumidifiers

So it's too humid in your 10' X 10' bedroom.... Read More

Choosing Blinds For Damp Atmospheres

There are some important things to consider when choosing blinds... Read More

Pergo Flooring Is Perfect For The Home or Office

Pergo flooring was invented more than 75 years ago, and... Read More

Picnic Tables for Casual Dining Fun

Picnic tables are the perfect solution for an afternoon or... Read More

Deck Decorating

On my blog, I once wrote about life on the... Read More

Repairing a Hole in a Sheetrocked Wall

It is quite simple to repair a hole in a... Read More

Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Any remodeling idea for a small kitchen must address the... Read More

Warm Up the Night! Patio Heaters and Fire Pits

In some areas right now, the weather is ideal for... Read More

Five Easy Ways to Give Your Kitchen Designer Wow!

A beautiful kitchen is the heart of any home (even... Read More

Window Dressing from the Outside Looking In

Window coverings are important to the overall look and feel... Read More

Choosing A New Floor

Is it time to give that tired kitchen floor a... Read More

3 Kinds Of Wood Used In Real Wood Furniture

Real wood furniture is the most popular furniture in existence.... Read More

Whats So Special About My Front Door?

"The doors we open and close each day decide the... Read More

Building a Garage Addition to Your Home

One of the most rewarding home improvements I made to... Read More

Tiles are the Foundation Stone for Your Stylish Bathroom!

Tiles can increase the value of any home. Ceramic tiles,... Read More

Installing a Toilet

The installation of a toilet is a relatively easy job... Read More

Laminate Flooring - Cleaning & Maintenance

One of the biggest advantages of laminate floors is that... Read More