Multi Room Point | Your starting point on Multi Room or Whole House music

HomeSeer Technologies announces the release of its new plug-in for the Apple’s popular iTunes media management software. The new plug-in will allow HomeSeer users to access and control their iTunes and iPod audio libraries and playlists from within HomeSeer. Any HomeSeer home automation action or event can now be created to play artists, albums, genres and playlists from iTunes or the iPod.

“Apple’s iPod has revolutionized the way people listen to music and iTunes is the program of choice for iPod users. With our new iTunes plug-in, we marry the best music technology with the best home automation technology.” states Mark Colegrove, director of marketing for HomeSeer Technologies. The new plug-in is compatible with iTunes v6.0 (and higher) and with all iPod models.

• Read more: Access and control iTunes and iPod audio libraries and playlists within HomeSeer

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Today David Hills from Couture Digital posted a comment on this weblog in the Multi room basics (1) article. Just went over to their site and I feel that it is wonderful.

This to get an idea of their interest:

"Bringing friends and family together in fun living spaces, bringing AV and IT technologies together for greater possibilities, bringing aesthetics and cutting edge technology together for uncompromising style and functionality.

• Read more: Couture Digital operates in a niche

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CES has introduced a system designer on their website for consumers to design their own whole house audio or home theatre system. This uniquely powerful program will help you to design a home theatre or multi-room system that is based on your individual requirements and preferences.

• Read more: CSE System Designer; multi room and home theatre designer through the web

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"We are extremely pleased to have been selected by Polk to be the exclusive distributor for such a successful range of products. Joining forces with Polk puts us in a position to grow our speaker business in the UK with a manufacturer that specialises in both custom installation speakers and home cinema systems" said Steve Beahan, Invision UK’s Managing Director.

"Polk Audio wants to grow rapidly to achieve a leading position in the UK custom installation and the high-end A/V market, and we want to achieve this by having the right distribution partner. "We have found such a partner in Invision UK" said Steve Reed, Polk’s European Sales Manager. "Invision UK are a professional and dedicated supplier of an exceptional portfolio of AV products. Working closely with Invision, will ensure that in addition to offering award-winning loudspeakers, we will also be able to offer the best support and the best service possible."

In a separate announcement, Invision UK have confirmed that they will begin shipment of the world’s first active IP (Internet Protocol) addressable in-wall/ceiling speakers for the NetStreams DigiLinX(tm) digital multi-room audio system (also distributed in the UK by Invision) early in 2006.

• Read more: Polk Audio and Invision introduce first IP-Addressable Loudspeakers multi-room audio system

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strong>New systems accommodate musical choice, can control security cams and satellite TV

Whole-house audio can do it all, from background music through the entire home to managing security cameras on the exterior, according to Steve Hooper of Audio Video Design Consultants.

The Nashville firm, which does about 70% of its work in Williamson County, created the outdoor home theater in the recent Parade of Homes in Legends Ridge.

• Read more: Whole house audio has gone far beyond the intercom

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Decide exactly which music sources (CD, AM/FM tuner, DAB, etc) you want to listen to and where you want to listen to them.

Unless you’re on a really tight budget go for a wired setup rather than wireless setup. It might be more messy and expensive in the short term but it will be more flexible and reliable.

If you live in a lease/rental property, don’t forget to ask the permission of your freeholder if you are planning to get in-wall or in-ceiling speakers installed.

If necessary get the speakers sprayed to match your decor so they are as discreet as possible.

Check that you are not likely to invalidate your buildings insurance if you install speakers in a party wall.

Visit demonstration rooms to get some idea of how the ceiling speakers may sound before installation. Be prepared for sound to vary according to where they are placed, construction of the wall, etc.

Work with custom installers to make sure that any keypads provided meet your requirements. After all there is no point having a state-of-the-art multiroom audio setup if you don’t know how to use it.

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Choosing the type of speaker you want isn’t the only decision you’ll have to make when putting together an audio setup. Questions you should ask yourself are: “How many rooms do I want to listen to music in?” and, “How many sources do I want to control?” If you only want to listen to two sources in two rooms, then you will need only a very basic system. One system definitely worth considering is the QED MusiQ. One MusiQ controller covers two additional rooms to the one your hi-fi is in, and drives them independently via four channels of built-in power amplification. Not only can you listen to two sources in two different rooms at the same time, it’s also possible to adjust volumes independently. Control of your CD player and tuner is provided via basic, but easy to use, in-wall controls. The keypads also feature infrared control relay so you can, say, flick between digital radio stations on your Sky box.

• Read more: Multi room basics (2)

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Planning to kit out your house with the latest that technology has to offer? Chances are that near the top of your shopping list will be the ability to listen to music throughout the house. In nearly all custom installations, multiroom audio plays a significant part, though the type of system you plump for will depend on your budget, the music sources and the amount of control you require.

For around EUR 500 you could have a basic wired or wireless two zone audio setup, while a budget of around EUR 5.000 will get you a multizone audio system in several rooms that will allow you to listen to different sources. Even better are systems costing around EUR 10.000, which boast interactive colour keypads so you can pause CDs and change between radio stations from a wall switch.

• Read more: Multi room basics (1)

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