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Recs for DIY Netstreams replacement?

1K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  pdisme 
#1 ·
I'm looking for some guidance on an equipment swap that would work without rewiring.

My setup is five rooms of audio and video, four more that are audio only. Each room has a Netstreams TouchLinx wall panel and SpeakerLinx amp for control and audio. In the video rooms, a Netstreams wall jack with component output is fed by a Netstreams Panorama matrix in the a/v rack. It takes component inputs and sends the video over single cat5 to the rooms. Bidirectional I/R is included. MediaLinx handles audio input & matrix duties in the rack. It's all controlled by RTI remotes and the RTI receiver talks serial to a Netstreams ControLinx.

Each TV location has two cat5's to the rack. Each wall control location has two cat5's and a 12/4 speaker wire back to the rack, along with two 12/2 speaker wires to the ceiling speakers in that room. The 12/4 is used to power the Netstreams devices but could easily be bridged to the real speakers if a rack-based amp were employed instead. I'm okay with losing the RTI's and using a phone, tablet, computer or wall panel to control the system if that were necessary.

What is motivating this is that in the past six years, I've just had my third Panorama failure, and have had to replace about six SpeakerLinx's, four more are currently dead, fortunately in rooms that are rarely used, and a fifth just died, which is in one of the rooms I actually care about, so I've pretty much had it with their horrible products.

Any recommendations on what I could look at to replace this system that can be done DIY?

I'm building a new house so I'd like to spend as little as possible on something that can replace all of this, gets me at least 720p to the TV rooms and that I can buy and install myself since the new house is way over budget already. I'm an engineer/developer by trade so I'm okay with doing the programming work if someone sells equipment direct to consumers; I'm just trying to avoid paying someone thousands to come swap it all out since I only have eight months left in the current house. If all the equipment available to do this nicely only comes through resellers then I guess I'll have to do what I have to do but figured I'd ask first.

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Well, I would say you are really unlucky.

I'm a NetStreams dealer and my home is rigged with SpeakerLinx for audio and Viewlinx for video distribution.

I have seen some of the original SL220's die and one SL250 but haven't had any failures of the SL251's.

I think the SpeakerLinx is a marvelous device for all its capabilities and outstanding audio quality. And I believe in network orientation and distributed intelligence/functionality so I would say use what you have.

Since ClearOne isn't pursuing actively the resi channel but using the StreamNet technology in the commercial world, Ebay has had a lot of NS gear CHEAP. This is your lowest cost and easiest solution to buy and replace whatever has failed. Also, NS has usually been very generous in RMA's on the SL line.
 
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