From: garyp@rmtc.unisys.com (Gary Palangian [RMTC/ISP])
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Wiring house for Sound (Long....)
Keywords: Luxman, Pioneer, Niles, Xantech, RusSound, Home Theater
Date: 6 Jan 93 18:27:05 GMT
Organization: Paramax Systems

In article <doucas-060193120106@134.18.16.125>, doucas@cerberus.bhpese.oz.au (Chris Doucas) writes:
|> I've started building my house(sigh) and am planning my wiring needs with
|> regard to Stereo/sound. I have learnt of one system by Pioneer that lets
|> you control your stereo components(ie receiver, CD, volume, etc.) remotely.
|> For example, speakers in each room of the house can be fitted(or are
|> pre-fitted) with a sensor inside the speaker casing. I can walk around
|> the house with remote control in hand pointing to any speaker, changing the
|> songs(CD), volume, etc, no matter where the stereo system resides in my
|> house.
|> 
|> Anyone know of other vendors with the same features? $$$ is a major factor
|> here.
|> (I've already written away for wireless systems, but it seems to be too
|> new, not widely known, and not quite simple/inexpensive).   
|> 

I'm not sure what Duker is talking about here.  Pioneer receivers do
support multi-room operation via the M100 remote repeater system.  This
infrared receiver plugs into the back of Pioneer receivers and will
transmit handheld remote signals to the receiver.  The cord supplied with
the M100 is 65 feet.  Pioneer recommended to me that the cord not be
lengthened because the unit runs on low voltage and screwing around
with the stock cable may increase resistence or introduce interference.

In any case, don't think that this unit removes the need to wire your
speakers directly to your amplifier.  You will still need to run speaker
lines back to your receiver.  And you will still need to handle speaker
selection if you have more than two pairs of speakers (not mention considering
impedance effects when trying to use the built in switching for two pairs
of speakers).

So, ignoring wireless speakers which have poor capability to reproduce
any sound, any multi-room system will require two components:
1) A way to get infrared commands back to the base unit, and 2) cabling
and switching adequate to control multiple pairs of speakers.

To handle infrared, you may use the M100 from Pioneer, but be aware that
65 feet is not very far and that, as of my last data point about a year
ago, only 1 M100 can be hooked up to a receiver.  Instead, you may
want to consider infrared repeater systems from Niles or Xantech, or
a converter/deconverter from the X10 folks.  Niles and Xantech have
infrared repeating systems a lot like ethernet repeating systems.  
A variety of receivers (wall mounted, fish-eyes, table-top) are hooked
up to a central (or group) of repeaters.  The repeaters are connected
on the other end to transmitters.  The receivers turn the
infrared info into analog data which is sent via the repeaters to 
transmitters.  The transmitters sit near the equipment being
controlled and convert the analog data back into infrared pulses which
are picked up by the equipment.

The bad thing about repeater systems are 1) installation is permanent, and
2) cost is (what I would consider) high.  You can expect about $300 for
a repeater and about $75-$150 per terminal.  The good thing about them is
that they are integrate seamlessly into your living environment.

The X10 folks make the Power-Mid.  The base package consists of a receiver
and transmitter.  They plug into regular outlets.  The receiver picks up
infrared, converts it to radio, and transmits it.  The transmitter receives
the radio signal, converts it back into infrared, and outputs it (hopefully
somewhere near the base unit).  The base package is available via
Crutchfield for $50.  Additional receivers and transmitters are available
for about $25/piece.  There is also a mini fish-eye which can be hooked
up to the trasmitter and placed inside a cabinet near the infrared pickup
on the base unit.  This allows the transmitter to pick up the radio and
sends the infrared into a sealed cabinet (like an armoire) for controlling
the base unit. The mini-fisheye costs $20 and is available from Home Automation
Labs.

As far as wiring for speakers, there are three issues: 1) How to get
wire from amp to speaker, 2) Length of wire run, and 3) switching
capability.   As far as getting wire between the components, I would
highly recommend in-wall wiring.  Niles and Xantech both make wall plates
that work with regular electrical J-Boxes that accept serious speaker cable.
The plates are between $15 (speaker) and $25 (amp) each.  They come with
banana plug or 5-way binding post connectors.  Of course, you could just leave
a wire hanging out of the wall, but it would look pretty sloppy.  One word
of warning, final connection of speaker runs must be soldered to these plates
and trying to solder pure copper, oxygen free speaker wire to gold plated
contacts lying on the floor of your living room is not very easy.  I would
suggest considering the purchase of a pulse power soldering station.  As far
as length of wire run, I would suggest at least 12 guage oxy-free copper (or
12-2 Romex) for runs up to 45 feet.  Up to 90 feet, I would go with at least 10
guage (or 10-2 Romex).  I don't know about codes in Australia, but check
codes carefully because in Broomfield, CO, the choice of guage and wire type
affect how the installation must be done.  Keep in mind that this wire could be
carrying from -70 to +70V at up to more than a couple of Amps.  As far as
switching capability, I would recommend switch boxes made by Niles or RussSound.
These boxes will ensure that you do not run into impedance problems when hooking
up a lot of speakers.  The best boxes can handle up to 12 pairs of speakers and
provide for infrared remote operation of switching and volume control.  They are
very expensive (> $1000).  The more affordable boxes switch up to
4 pairs of speakers manually for about $120.  Think about the ramifications
of not having independant volume control for each set of speakers.
In any case, remember that
you will be distributing amp power among all the speakers that are
hooked up.  Therefore, if you plan to run 3 sets of main speakers all
at the same time, I would seriosuly consider a more, eh, substantial amplifier
than the Pioneer receivers contain.  

Finally, the company that really is into whole house audio with separate
sources in separate rooms and centralized equipment is Luxman.  Explore
their stuff at any high-end audio store.  Do not be shocked by the
prices.  When compared against speaker switches, volume controls, remote
repeaters and the like, the cost of these units is comparable.  Of course,
if you don't like Luxman features, sound, looks, whatever, the price may not be
the deciding factor.

Gary (I'm paying about $1000 for wiring my house) P.





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Infrared 


Any multi-room system must contain 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house