Anyone have a Media Center at home?

[Teck]

I'm consierding getting one of these when i move. I was wondering what kind of ruff wiring would be needed to have some type of system run through out the house since it will be new construction.

Any links would be helpful so I can see what I'm getting into. Couple of question that I have.

So far as I see most systems only have dual tuners so that is only 2 TV'S it can be connected too?

The biggest part besides the TV is music. I like the Idea of having all of my music on 1 hard drive and available throughout the house. If you wire up speakers everywhere connected to the media center how would you be able to only turn it on in the selected room your in?

Any insight appreciated.

[zippymbr]

There was a recient article in Popular Mechanics called digital home where they set up a simmilar system. It would be worth the read.

[JDookie]

I don't know about a *media center* specifically, but I have my entire house wired for music that plays from two central locations. All indoors music plays from one area (Radio, CD, DVD, etc.) and all outdoor music plays from the outdoor area (same functions).

In order to choose what room is playing and which is not, you buy a speaker selecter box that corresponds to the amount of speakers (or rooms, sometimes called *zones*) you have in your hourse. If you want all of them to play, then push all the buttons. If you only want the kitchen and living room to play, then push the correct buttons, and that's it. The speaker selector is installed *between* the amplifier and the speakers.

As far as the equipment, you can stay on the bottom end at first with just a simply A/V Receiver, or you can go higher end with separate components (Tuner, Amplifier, Equalizer, CD Player, etc.)

My indoor system is completely run off of a Bose dual zone system. This means it controls two zones independently. The first zone is my home theater surround sound in the living area, and the second zone is music for the rest of the house (12 pairs of in-ceiling speakers). The Bose system came with everything for the surround sound theater stuff, but didn't come with anything for the second zone. I had to buy a separate amplifier (Onkyo 2 Channel), Equalizer, and speaker selector. The Bose system basically acted as my tuner/cd player only for the second zone.

The outdoor system is four pairs of speakers which are in my cabana and around the pool area. It is more basic and is just a high powered Onkyo 2-channel stereo receiver with a speaker selector box added.

[Teck]

Thanks Zippy and Jdokkie so far.

Jdokkie I'm looking for something different then what your talking about. Your suggestion will be an essential part of it but not the brains of it. Maybe you havent seen windows media center software yet but that is more what I am leaning to do. It would connect to the reciever therefore allowing all your MP3's, Dvd's, digital photo's and so forth be available on your system. I'd really idealy want some type of indepent control system in every room rather then have to run to the reciever and tell it what room Im in for the system to work.

I figure Ill defenitly need to have standard speaker wires run too everyroom that will have sound, but also Ill need maybe cat 5 (sp) cable to hook up LCD monitors to select music or something Im really not sure on this part. I know that it will at least hook directly too 2 tv's (maybe more) allowing the full function of a computer on those along with tivo type capabilities and then also you can accsess your movie library and all that other stuff.

Here is a link to a media center doubt I'd buy one of these but it gives alot of info on what it can do.

http://alienware.com/product_detail_...de=SKU-DEFAULT

[JDookie]

Ahhh, I see now. Sounds very involved.

[Teck]

Yeah it does, I'm sure it sounds alot more complicated then it is. I mean it's the software that does everything from what I can tell. Also If I knew exactly what it all entialed, wiring and such it wouldnt be to difficult especialy since it will be new construction. I know I can't intialy afford everything off the bat but I'd liked to have it wired so I can piece it in.

[Jademonkey]

Check out the site www.pcmag.com I believe they have done writeups on the kind of system you are looking at.

[becks]

Check out AVS Forums, there's lots of knowledgable people that can help you out. I have a HTPC/Media center set up in my HT but it's not a multi room system, although it easily can be. I would recommend building your own media center as it costs a fraction of what pre-build ones are going for and you can chose exactly what hardware you want.

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