[linux-audio-user] Feasibility of Crestron like Linux Based Whole House Audio System - Multisource / Multizone Capable????

[Steve Vanechanos]

Randy

Thanks for the input.  To offer more insight to my VISION:

Each destination is equiped with speakers only.  At this time, the 
speakers are wired to a central location and a very dumb volume 
control.  The
central location is a single zone amplifier (Sonance SonAMP 260).  My 
sources are hooked to a DENON AVR3300.  I use the AVR3300's
multizone capability to enjoy 5.1 surround sound in my family room while 
also listening, through the AVR3300's connection to the SonAMP 260,
to a different/same source throughout the house.

I want to replace the SonAMP 260 with a multizone amplifier or a bank of 
amplifiers.  I want to be able to hook my sources up to a linux box.  I want
the linux box to also be a source so I could load CD's and have it act 
as a jukebox.  Then all outputs will go from the linux box into the  bank of
amplifiers which in turn is hooked to the speaker pairs throughout the 
house.

I want to control zone / source  and volume through a web browser 
application.  That way, technically I could control everything from one 
console
- not very practicle though.  But then I'd like to distribute - at 
geographically convenient locations throughout the house - small, wall 
mounted touch screen
browser "appliances" (for lack of a better description) - which would be 
used to run the web app and control the system anywhere I choose to 
place one.

The app would work something like this:

A touch screen displays up to eight icons, generically zones 1 - 8, but 
the label should easily change to say kitchen, master bedroom, etc.

THE USER THEN SELECTS A ZONE.

The touch screen displays up to eight icons, sources 1 - 8.  The app 
will need some "knowledge" of the source though.  For tuners like directv,
digital cable, XM radio, etc - the user will want to select "channel" 
after source.  If however the source is a "jukebox" like device, it 
needs to run more
sophisticated jukebox software.

THE USER SELECTS A SOURCE.

The touch screen then displays what it can - from and about the source - 
with a volume UP & DOWN icon included.

THE USER ADJUSTS THE VOLUME

Depending on the outcome of this project - I'm thinking there may be a 
real business opportunity here.  Throughout the history of the PC - and 
I've seen
it all - my first "PC" was an 8 bit 4Mhz Z80 running CPM - as it has 
grown in power and sophistication, the PC has continuously absorbed 
applications
 (and trampled on business models in the process) that were previously 
done by low volume, expensive and proprietary solutions.  I'm thinking 
this might
be one of those times and whole house audio maybe one of those 
applications ripe for a revolution.