Subject: From: Date:

RE: [ECS] help with whole house audio Kevin Keast Sat, 22 Jan 2000 09:42:00 -0500

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Hi A.J.,

I added my comments below.  They may not be the only answer but it is how I
have set things up for me.

-----Original Message-----
From:	A.J. Griglak [mailto:aj@griglak.com]
Sent:	Saturday, January 22, 2000 8:51 AM
To:	ecs-list@netbloc.com
Subject:	[ECS] help with whole house audio

I have three sets of ceiling speakers that were pre-wired while the house
was built.  Each set was wired for a volume control knob, and all were
home-run into my basement.  I would like to have my computer hooked up to
those three sets of speakers full time, and have my stereo system available
on demand.  The computer system is running ECS home automation software,
which uses a Text to Speech engine for reminders, etc. - which is why I want
a full time connection for that, hopefully with no noise coming from the
speakers when ECS is not talking.  I would also like to listen to MP3's on
the whole house speakers.  The computer is in the basement, roughly ten feet

from where the cabling is home run to.  The stereo system is on the first
floor, roughly 25 feet from the home-run point.  My first question is, what
type of equipment do I need to tie this all together?  Does the computer
need to route through my stereo, or can it go directly to the speakers?
Yes you have to go through your stereo.  The computer sound card can't
handle speakers sets.  It is good that you have impedence matching volume
controls.  You will need these.  One way around this if you only have two
sets of speakers is to use A and B speaker outputs on your receiver, but
with three you need to match impedence.

Are you planning on running WinAmp on the same computer?  You have to decide
if you want WinAmp and ECS to use the same sound card.  If so, you can only
have one of them "in use" at a time.  You can, as I do, run a separate sound
card for WinAmp.  I run my ECS sound to my intercom system, and WinAmp to my
stereo receiver.  If you want ECS and WinAmp over the same speaker system
simultaneously you must have two sound cards and some sort of mixer before
you input into your stereo receiver/amp so they are on the same audio
channel.

Your low output out of your volume control may be because of the wattage of
your receiver and speakers.  Below is a URL to a good "Whole house Audio
Tutorial"  It tells about rules of thumb for whole house audio.

http://www.gohts.com/learn/audio.html

Good Luck, hope this helps a little.

Kevin Keast

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