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2 TVs with one equipment area - Suggestions

post #1 of 13
7/7/08 at 10:45am
Thread Starter 
Here's the scoop. I have a 42" LCD in the basement that sits on a recessed shelving area with the HD DVD player (I know, bought too soon) and the Direct TV HD DVR unit.

I'd like to move the LCD upstairs on the main floor above the fireplace which so happens to sit directly above the current home of all the equipment in the basement. Maybe a 12 foot difference in locations. If I can, I'd like to add an outlet above the mantle and run my HDMI cable down below to the equipment listed while I redo 2 walls, including the previous home of all this stuff, in the basement.

Question #1: With no experience in the IR/RF field what is a good source or even a kit I could check out to run the equipment from above on the main floor while keeping it on the shelf in the basement? If no kit then what is needed to piece something together?

Question #2: What remote can effectively control this remote plus handle the addition of a receiver and Blue Ray DVD player?

Finally, the reason for the move is I'm framing off to walls in the basement. One is has the recessed shelving and I plan to put a big cabinet door over that. I then want to add another 42" or 46" but a plasma this time as it's much darker with only one window. This would be room centered and a fake cabinet door would flank it on the other side.

Question #4: Would the same IR system running the stuff above work with the basement unit or is a second system required or duplicate pieces?

Thanks in advance.
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post #2 of 13
7/8/08 at 5:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Bob View Post

Here's the scoop. I have a 42" LCD in the basement that sits on a recessed shelving area with the HD DVD player (I know, bought too soon) and the Direct TV HD DVR unit.

I'd like to move the LCD upstairs on the main floor above the fireplace which so happens to sit directly above the current home of all the equipment in the basement. Maybe a 12 foot difference in locations. If I can, I'd like to add an outlet above the mantle and run my HDMI cable down below to the equipment listed while I redo 2 walls, including the previous home of all this stuff, in the basement.

Question #1: With no experience in the IR/RF field what is a good source or even a kit I could check out to run the equipment from above on the main floor while keeping it on the shelf in the basement? If no kit then what is needed to piece something together?

Question #2: What remote can effectively control this remote plus handle the addition of a receiver and Blue Ray DVD player?

Finally, the reason for the move is I'm framing off to walls in the basement. One is has the recessed shelving and I plan to put a big cabinet door over that. I then want to add another 42" or 46" but a plasma this time as it's much darker with only one window. This would be room centered and a fake cabinet door would flank it on the other side.

Question #4: Would the same IR system running the stuff above work with the basement unit or is a second system required or duplicate pieces?

Thanks in advance.

Bob -

Maybe my setup will give you some ideas. I have an equipment closet with an AVR setup for three zones - 1) Living room with projector 2) MBR with LCD and 3) Patio with audio speakers. Connected to the AVR are a PS3, a DVR, a 300 disc CD changer and two amplifiers for zones 2 and 3. I can view or listen to anything in any zone. The projector and the LCD are connected to the AVR with 40' HDMI cables. I use the Harmony 890 remote with RF capabilities to control all of the equipment from all three zones.

I did all of the work myself and it wasn't difficult. Hopefully that gives you something to think about.
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post #3 of 13
7/8/08 at 9:11pm
Thread Starter 
I was pondering the use of the Harmony remote. Now a noob question that isn't in the FAQ page. What exactly is AVR?
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post #4 of 13
7/9/08 at 2:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Bob View Post

I was pondering the use of the Harmony remote. Now a noob question that isn't in the FAQ page. What exactly is AVR?

Audio Video Receiver. The AVR is the core of my system - it has three HDMI inputs and one output (I use an HDMI splitter for the MBR). It has three zones for audio. I like the Harmony but there are many choices. I had previously used a remote from Universal Remote Control that was great too. It does sound like your system is going to require an RF capable remote.
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post #5 of 13
7/9/08 at 9:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Florida View Post

...It does sound like your system is going to require an RF capable remote.

Which the 890 is?
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post #6 of 13
7/9/08 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Bob View Post

Which the 890 is?

Yes it is. Search the forum for other remote options too - there are quite a few RF capable remotes.
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post #7 of 13
7/9/08 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 
Excellent, thanks.
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post #8 of 13
7/11/08 at 9:47am
sorry to threadjack but i want to do a similar setup but i want multiroom audio as well.

what brand avr do you have?
does the avr support 5.1 or 7.1?
can i connect the avr to a multiroom audio unit?
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post #9 of 13
7/11/08 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by frebay View Post

sorry to threadjack but i want to do a similar setup but i want multiroom audio as well.

what brand avr do you have?
does the avr support 5.1 or 7.1?
can i connect the avr to a multiroom audio unit?

I have the Yamaha Rx-V1800. It will do 7.1 but I am using it for 5.1. I use the zone 2 and 3 outputs to two Audio Source amplifiers but I don't know any reason that you couldn't make the same connection to a multi-zone amp. Note that the zone 2/3 outputs only output analog sources.
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post #10 of 13
7/12/08 at 7:34am
Thread Starter 
So I stopped in at a local HT installer and then had them come out to take a look at the home's layout. He suggested the Monster Cable 300 remote as it's made by Harmony like the 890, but he said the 890 has issues with having to reset the remote if the power source to the equipment gets turned off. Big difference in price too: MCR 300 -$399 (another $100 to program) vs the 890 at $250. He also stated I'd need two to run two TVs and their components separately. I haven't gotten the quote back yet, but I think I can save a bit by sourcing materials myself and getting it to a point where they can come in and make it work. Any thoughts on the remote situation? Is this a better remote for that price?
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post #11 of 13
7/12/08 at 10:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Bob View Post

So I stopped in at a local HT installer and then had them come out to take a look at the home's layout. He suggested the Monster Cable 300 remote as it's made by Harmony like the 890, but he said the 890 has issues with having to reset the remote if the power source to the equipment gets turned off. Big difference in price too: MCR 300 -$399 (another $100 to program) vs the 890 at $250. He also stated I'd need two to run two TVs and their components separately. I haven't gotten the quote back yet, but I think I can save a bit by sourcing materials myself and getting it to a point where they can come in and make it work. Any thoughts on the remote situation? Is this a better remote for that price?

Bob -

I'm not familiar with that remote but I peeked at it online and it looks fine. I'm not sure what they meant by "needing to reset the remote if the source gets turned off." What remote knows when the source has been manually manipulated? If you aren't going to invest in an AVR you will need independent sources for each TV. His price for the 890 is a good one, the price for the 300 appears to be full MSRP. Good luck, maybe someone with experience on the Monster remote will chime in.
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post #12 of 13
7/12/08 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
Well they weren't selling the 890, but that's what I could find online. He did show me a Denon and a Sony AVR, with the Sony having a few more HDMI inputs than the Denon as well as being about $600 cheaper.

My thoughts now are to invest in something like the Sony, a PS3 for Blue Ray, and a cheapo Sony DVD player that upconverts for the upstairs TV. I'll start bargain shopping online now. Thanks for your input Florida.
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post #13 of 13
7/12/08 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Bob View Post

Well they weren't selling the 890, but that's what I could find online. He did show me a Denon and a Sony AVR, with the Sony having a few more HDMI inputs than the Denon as well as being about $600 cheaper.

My thoughts now are to invest in something like the Sony, a PS3 for Blue Ray, and a cheapo Sony DVD player that upconverts for the upstairs TV. I'll start bargain shopping online now. Thanks for your input Florida.

Some quick thoughts......

> I'm looking at the Onkyo TX-SR606 for my brothers setup. The price point is good and it has plenty of hookups. My brother doesn't need a second zone so I haven't looked at it from that perspective.
> Don't forget that the PS3 only accepts BlueTooth remote commands. That might not work for you in a multifloor environment. I've just ordered a Schmartz PS3-IR Pro that is due to arrive on Tuesday. That will allow me to send PS3 commands from my Harmony RF remote. I'll give you an update when I have tried it out.
> In lieu of an extra DVD player consider an HDMI splitter. The downside is that you couldn't watch two DVD's from each set. I split both the DVR and the PS3 - it's just my wife and I so it doesn't matter to us. The upside is that you have Blu-Ray and PS3 content in both places. The splitter is auto-sensing and doesn't require anything from the remote.

I am very good at spending other peoples money.....I won't be offended if you go another direction.
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