Re: Home Cinema basements?

["mark_harrison_uk2" <mph@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "markttay" <markttay@h...> wrote:
> I like the look of the Xantech multi channel amps -
> anyone using them?

I've got one of the MRC44s in the office at the moment.

It's a surprisingly well thought through solution. The only problem
I've found to date is that, out of the box, the RS-232 interface is
only suitable for configuration, not control / source switching on the
fly, which means that fitting it into a more sophisticated environment
might end up relying on IR.

However, the default touch panels are straightforward to use, the IR
routing works well, and the fact that it's an "all in one"
solution
means that there aren't the standard problems of _HAVING_ to interface
it to other things.

I initially thought it was quite expensive, until I started looking at
the prices for standalone IR distribution, touch screens, amplifiers
and so on.

The installation / configuration software (Windows only) is a bit of a
big to use. Despite the cheesy title "Dragon Drop (TM)", it isn't
actually, erm a drag-and-drop interface. However, significantly less
"IT effort" required for it than, say, a Homevision.
Significantly
more "IT effort" required for it than, say, a pair of KAT
modules.

For my own selfbuild, which I don't mind being a bit "Heath
Robinson",
I'll probably go with a matrix switch at line level, some CAT5 baluns,
and local amplification (bear in mind that I own quite a lot of
amplifiers around the house anyway.)

For clients, I don't have any moral dilemnas recommending the Xantech
product. It works well.

Regards,

Mark