Re: [linux-audio-user] Feasibility of Crestron like Linux Based Whole House Audio System - Multisource / Multizone Capable????

From: Andreas Kuckartz <A.Kuckartz@email-addr-hidden>
Date: Tue Jan 04 2005 - 00:14:20 EET

The revolution Steve Vanechanos sees for the future is already taking place. It
is somewhat strange but Linux is used in some of the new products while the
Linux audio community does not seem to be actively involved very much
in that revolution.

In some aspects I do not have the same vision as Steve.

I would not want to transport audio information over long distances using analog
means. Audio information should be kept digital as close to the speakers as
possible. I would want to have the (digital) amplifiers close to the speakers.

The audio output from the Linux box should be data streams (i.e. a network
interface). If WiFi/WLAN is used one can get rid of some cables. The future is
wireless.

I doubt that wall mounted panels make sense as the main remote controls in a
home environment. One probably would like to have portable control devices after
a few days (or hours) of standing up, walking to those walls and sitting down
again.

I have appended a list of Open Source projects which could probably be used as a
foundation or framework for the software of a home audio network
and a list of devices which are interesting for this or that reason. The Open
Source projects deal with audio and video, but nobody is forced to watch video
streams to use that software.

Cheers,
Andreas

BTW: Have a look at the ultimate house:
http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/duh/
-----

MythTV (http://www.mythtv.org/)
Video Disc Recorder (http://www.cadsoft.de/vdr/)
DVR http://dvr.sourceforge.net/
LinVDR (http://www.linvdr.org/)
freevo (http://freevo.sourceforge.net/)
NMM (http://www.networkmultimedia.org/)
Dave/Dina Project (http://www.davedina.org/content/)
-----

Terratec Noxon Audio
[WLAN device, inexpensive]
http://productsen.terratec.net/

Slim Devices Squeezebox
[WLAN device, SlimDevices Inc. has an interesting business model and is
interested in close relations with the Open Source community. Their SlimServer
software was released under the GPL. It is implemented in Perl]
http://www.slimdevices.com/

Roku SoundBridge
[WLAN device]
http://www.rokulabs.com/products/soundbridge/index.php

MacSense Homepad
[WLAN device]
http://www.macsense.com/product/homepod/
http://www.gloolabs.com/

cd3o network mp3 player
[WLAN device]
http://www.cd3o.com/

D-Link DSM-320
[WLAN device]
http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=318

Netgear Wireless Digital Music Player MP101
[WLAN device]
http://www.netgear.com/products/details/MP101.php

Pinnacle ShowCenter Wireless G
[WLAN device]
http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage_n.asp?Product_ID=1491&Langue_ID=7

Sound Blaster Wireless Music
[WLAN device]
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=243&subcategory=247&produc
t=9192

Apple Airport Express
[WLAN device]
http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

Sony STR-LV700R
[WLAN device, includes amplifier, not found on the American Sony website]
http://www.sony.de/PageView.do?site=odw_de_DE&page=ProductHome&section=de_DE_Pro
ducts&productmodel=%2FAudio%2FHiFi+Components%2FHFC+Receiver%2FSTR-LV700R&produc
tcategory=%2FAudio%2FHiFi+Components%2FHFC+Receiver

Pontis Media Server MS300
[Media Server, uses Linux, Samba and DHCP]
http://pontis.de/site_e/produkte/ms_300_e.htm
Received on Tue Jan 4 04:15:05 2005

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