[gbthompson]

Hello



I am in the process of purchasing a whole house audio distribution system and have narrowed it down to the Nuvo Grand Concerto and the Russound CAV 6.6. For audio i am definitely leaning toward the Nuvo GC because it offers more power and i like the look and feel of the keypads better. My only hangup is I would like to add video distribution down the road. I know the CAV6.6 only has composite video but i believe Russound is coming out with an HD Video switcher that will interface via Rnet with the CAV6.6. As far as I know this would allow control of the HD switcher via the keypads. So here is my question.

Does anyone know if Nuvo is planning any type of Video distribution that will work with the GC? If not is there any other product out there that would allow control of the HD video switcher thru the Nuvo GC system and its associated keypads?


Thank you in advance for any advice or information you can offer.

 

[bdmac97]

I just bought a Nuvo Grand Concerto and have the same goals down the road. I guess I'm not real concerned about controlling the video from the keypads since I don't want to get up to change sources anyways.


I think most matrix switches can be controlled via IR. My current plan is to either put the video matrix as one of the sources on the GC to pass IR through to it from the keypads OR put an IR receiver by the TV(s) and send IR commands to the matrix switch in the basement that way from a universal remote. Another option I'm considering is just using RF and an IR repeater in the basement.


I don't know, I guess I just wasn't really worried about having the GC interface with my video switch in that way. Maybe in the future I'll wish had been?

 

[MikeLo33]

I too am in the same boat, however I decided to separate the two systems completely. I'm going to be using the GC for 8 zones of audio, and the AVAtrix for 6 zones of HD video. I didn't want to rely on the keypads for control of the video and I also didn't like the idea of only being able to use the in-ceiling speakers for watching TV.


I will most likely use IR receivers near the TVs through the AVAtrix for video control until/unless I get CQC up and running to control everything.


Lastly, I intend to use 2 of my video sources (1 DVD & 1 SAT) as input sources to my GC. This way I have the option of pumping matching video/audio throughout the house (think Superbowl or Kid's Movie Party).


The one thing I'm trying to avoid with the GC is spending ~$2k on their Music Server. I know I can build a "music server" for less, but I'm trying to figure out how to integrate that with the keypads.


Not sure this helped...but at least you know you're not alone!

 

[bdmac97]

I am trying desperately to avoid buying the Nuvo music server. Actually I refuse to spend that much money for so little hehe.


I've done some investigating and there seems to be a few options out there outside of full blown CQC. There is some software out there called CasaTunes by CasaTools. This software can interface with the Concerto but the Grand Concerto is only partially supported at this point according to the guy I spoke to over there. Basically it's software that runs on your computer to allow you to control your digital music via your keypads. The limitation in the GC currently is that you basically can't start music playing nor can you change playlists. Once the music is playing it does stream the music info to the keypads and it lets you skip tracks in the playlist.


Another option I'm considering is the Nevo remote control. This thing's kinda pricey @ about $500 but it's a pretty snazzy little remote with Windows CE on it that can interface w/your digital media collection on a PC via WiFi.


I've also thought about using a tablet PC or possibly a Nokia N800 internet tablet to either access my server via Remote Desktop or a web-based player like SlimServer.


My last option I'm considering is modifying cav66.exe to work with the Grand Concerto. I PM'd the author of cav66.exe to see if he'd be willing to give me the source code for it so that I can modify it to work with the GC's serial codes.


Like you, Mike, I also want to be able to send my TV audio through the GC so you can hear it anywhere in the house (and for cable music channels) but still want regular analog audio to go to the TV location(s) as well. I think I may just end up using some kind of splitter to send the audio to the GC and also to whatever video matrix I end up with.

 

[MikeLo33]

Those are all valid options, and many I have looked into already, but I'm still struggling with the cost vs. ROI for each.


$250 for CasaTunes seems to be one of the better options, but I'm 1/3 of the way to the cost of CQC for just audio control


Certainly keep me posted about the cav66.exe, I'd be very interested to see how that goes!


And I do plan to do the same, either use the secondary audio output to the GC (with the primary to the AVAtrix), or splitting the audio signal. Like I said, this will be priamarily for special occasion usage and I don't plan to use the in-ceiling speakers for every day video usage.

 

[gbthompson]

I have thought a lot about the music server as well and $2K+ is a bit much. Another option would be to build a Home Thearter PC. That would ger pricey as well and doesn't interface with keypad but has much more capabilities.


I know its not as clean as some other options but I am thinking of going with Sonos as my music server. The Sonos would be a source to the GC, once i have selected Sonos as the source, control would all be done via the Sonos handheld controller. Since i only need 1 unamplified sonos and a controller the cost is about $750. The main thing i like about it is the controller. I can access my entire music collection as well as internet radio and don't have to go to the keypad. It would also be nice for the patio/pool speakers so i don't need to go inside to change the music.

 

[sclaggett]

I am in the same boat on the music server. The price is painful but it will do everything I would want it to do. It is also unlcear to me if I will get song information and control of any other pc system I build through to the control pads. What is the point of having those types of pads if it won't show playlists etc.. and having three sources of one unit is sweet.


I also have 4 teenage/young adults in my house with the wife and I and I want one unit to deal with three sources to minimize conflicts.


I have about a month to decide before they put the Grand Concerto in my new house.

 

[mike1812]

Going with the GC and AVIAtrix, separate distribution streams.


On the GC, I finally broke down and bought the server. Yeah, I balked at the cost, but my only other real alternative was the ipod interface, and my installer is telling me it's still not out yet (ipod dock + 80G ipod would have done the trick for me). It will be nice having 3 sources at a time available through the server. I just couldn't justify doing something outside the Nuvo and not having full control/feedback through the keypads, even though I plan to do CQC down the road anyway. One option you have (that I considered) was to just have the installer put in the GC system, then buy the server on the web (I've seen them for less than the 2k) and plug it in. My understanding is you only need the software (not the IR Learner kit) to configure the Nuvo stuff, and you can get the software from the Nuvo site for free.


MikeLo33, something you might look into--Audio Authority is making a companion unit for the AVIAtrix that is the 1172 (see post 21 in the "Installing Aviatrix?" thread somewhere here). It plugs onto the bottom of the AVIAtrix and allows audio only to be sent out to a separate distribution module. This lets you plug all your a/v equipment into the AVIAtrix directly, then use this module to send audio only out to whole-house audio systems, like the GC. I don't know price or availability--all I know is what I read that Trent posted on that thread. I'm looking into it, but for me, having video source audio through the whole-house audio system is not terribly important.

 

[MikeLo33]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/0


MikeLo33, something you might look into--Audio Authority is making a companion unit for the AVIAtrix that is the 1172 (see post 21 in the "Installing Aviatrix?" thread somewhere here). It plugs onto the bottom of the AVIAtrix and allows audio only to be sent out to a separate distribution module. This lets you plug all your a/v equipment into the AVIAtrix directly, then use this module to send audio only out to whole-house audio systems, like the GC. I don't know price or availability--all I know is what I read that Trent posted on that thread. I'm looking into it, but for me, having video source audio through the whole-house audio system is not terribly important.

Thanks Mike! I looked back at the 1172 and it's not quite what I'm looking for (if I understand it correctly). What it seems to do according to the thread you referenced is send the 6 AVAtrix sources to the GC as 6 audio sources. This would limit my audio sources to being the same as my video sources?


I only want the video sources to play sound through the ceiling speakers in those rare occasions where the whole house would be watching/listening to the same thing.


This is all in theory in my head btw, so I could very well add an 1172 when I get in the house and start using the system. I just hope I get all the wires in the walls correctly!