Networking – How to set up a house-wide sound system

audionetworkingspeakers

My house has 2 bedrooms, a living room and a studio (Room for a computer, shelves, etc., don't know how it's called in the US), each one with a RJ-45 connection (LAN, Internet). I want to install speakers in the living room and that they could accept input from every one of the rooms. How can this be done?

Best Answer

Wireless Speakers

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They vary in price, shape and sizes. If you want to build them into the ceiling then you might find some wireless audio trasmitter/reciever packs.

  • Receiving speakers just need power
  • Transmitter needs to have an audio input and powered. Best places somewhere centrally or within full range of your house.

There are a range of stand alone products available

Some tips

  • sub gigahertz (<900mhz)(AM/FM <100mhz; 100mhz <> 700mhz CB radios, atom time keepers, police frequencies,) 900<>1ghz Cell phones) use a mixture of analog/digital signal, stereo at 44khz- the range depends on the output power of the base system
  • 1ghz <> 2ghz - Reserved for military use or other industrial devices - for example GPS or HSDPA for cell phones, Sattelite TV, etc- You wont find products in this range.
  • 2.4ghz will most likley take HDMI audio and stream it in HD quality 48khz, including DTS, and multi channles like dolby surround. The range is as good as a internet 2.4ghz router.
  • 5Ghz the same as 2.4ghz just the range is improved and can penetrate difficult materials easier.

Ordered in by price. Where the first is the cheapest.

Analog or Digital?

Age old question. If you can find a very strong base emmiter. More than 0.5mw then your analog signal should be good, but neighbours will pick it up on their stereos? and is susceptible to noise from microwaves, CB radios and some other weird things. Digital giver better overall quality, is isolated so neighbours cannot easily access it. But can be choppy if the receiving end is in a dodgy/flaky area.

Since this was migrated to SU ...

... it is only relevant to expand to the software side of things involved in using IP speakers.

You can try and look for Network speakers that plug into your network or use your existing Wifi. This will require a server to run at all times(or when you want to listen to music-like a separate computer). And software to handle everything, for example iTunes server or Winamp server with the software that will send data to your speakers.

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