[wkearney99]

I've got a bunch of machines in a rack in the AV closet. I'd like to have a way to automatically switch the audio output from them to a single set of speakers. I've got an IR controller A/V switch (L/R and composite video, which is unused) now and it does the job. But more often than not I only need to switch to one of the others on a rather infrequent basis and it's a bit of a hassle to use the switch's IR remote. It was cheap and I'd prefer to find an automatic one that was reasonably priced.


I've considered using an IR output transmitter from one of the PCs but would really prefer to avoid over-implementing this solution.


It'd be nice if I could get a switch that would automatically change to whatever input is actively sending an output audio signal. Realizing, of course, that on the rare cases of more than one machine making noise there'd be a conflict. It happens rarely enough to not be a problem.


To summarize, I'm looking to automatically switch between multiple audio (L/R stereo and no video) inputs (4 most of the time, but 8 would be ideal) out to a single set of typical desktop speakers.


Any suggestions?

 

[Neurorad]

Niles makes an auto-switching AB switch, for 2 amplified sources, the ABS-1.


You're saying you want to switch from 1 audio source to another, automatically, based on whether signal is present? How do you turn on and control the source to be heard?


An AV receiver would switch between multiple audio inputs, but not 'automatically' - you'd have to use some kind of remote control to turn on the source, and the receiver.


Maybe you need better control of your equipment, perhaps with a system that could allow for the use of 'macros', so you only have to press 1 button?

 

[wkearney99]

A/B would be a start, and I could get by with just the two inputs, but I'd prefer to have at least the four I've already got on the existing switch. I already deal with using a remote, one that's about the size of a small hardback novel. So using a receiver would be a considerably worse solution.


The typical use is playback of media files, on an infrequent basis. I'm not looking to hear the system beeps or other user interface sounds. Often from inside a web page, such that it's not terribly convenient to get the media played back on the currently active audio output.


The machines also happen to be on a KVM switch. But 8-port KVM switches with audio are pretty expensive.


For now I could rig up an IR output from one of the machines and set up some sort of web page to issue the right IR codes to make the switch.