Re: Audio / Video Distribution

["wkearney99" <wkearney99@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I think he was asking about wireless control rather than distribution.

I use an older model Radio Shack RF remote for controlling devices when I'm
not in an area that's covered by the IR pickup on the Russound Uno keypads.
The remote sends RF to a base station which, in turn, retransmits the IR to
the devices in the rack.  This does mean I have two ways to push IR into the
stack of devices (and two sets of IR emitters).  Not a problem in most
situations but it is possible to end up with double IR codes being sent.  As
in, pointing the remote at an Uno's pickup and the RF.  Doesn't happen often
as I don't tend to use the RF remotes in rooms that already have the IR
pickup.

> However I agree with what you write. I learned the lesson about
> interference soon after installing a WiFi network for audio control -
> the first time I used the microwave oven, in fact. And I certainly
> wouldn't want to use WiFi for AV distribution, unless it was absolutely
> impossible to run wires.

Yeah, my experiences parallel yours.  But even if interference were
eliminated, as well as blocked signals, it's still be a bad idea for AV
distribution because of bandwidth.  A wired network, presumably running
through switches, is going to be able to efficiently transport multiple
high-bandwith streams simultaneously.  A wireless network, however, has to
share the whole bandwidth among all devices.  This *greatly* slows
performance when more than one or two devices start streaming content.
Wireless works fine For a bunch of office workers doing productivity work or
browsing the internet.  It doesn't cut it when trying to stream content.  I
do make use of WiFi for remote control, several touchscreens running
NetRemote operate wirelessly.  At some point I might add a PocketPC but
currently I'm happy with cheap, easily replaced universal IR remotes.  JP1
rules...

-Bill Kearney