I need a nice distrubution amp for a project I am helping a friend with. I have 5 zones pulled with speaker cable. I have no cat5 in the walls and cant put it in. So I need the remote to work all the zones from a pickup on the face of the amp. Maybe I add a device to convert IR/RF to RS232 or something like that, but the remote has to drive source selection and volume at a minimum, per zone, all from the face area. It is a big, open beach cottage, and the equipment location on the entertainment center is mostly within eyesite, or remote control shot from all the zones. It seems all I find is a remote that will pass anything through the wall controls, but nobody boost the control I need. If I could press Zone X first on the remote, and operate that zone, then press Zone Y, ect, that would be Ideal. If the remote could do alot of functions on the source equipment, that would be a bonus. I have no problem building another remote to do those componets. The second remote would generally stay in the living room.

ANY advise is appriciated.

Prostock

Would an X-10 Powermid do it for you? This is basically an IR remote extender (and it works through walls). I've heard good things about it and you can add additional transmitters to boost the coverage of your remote.

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=195050&i=009PM5900&c=9&tp=2096

(Even cheaper on eBay, or so I'm told.)

There are a lot of options if you need additional remotes.