Re: Home Audio and Windows Vista

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 8 Mar 2007 12:42:51 -0800, "wieczors" <sarah.wieczorek@xxxxxxxxx> wrote
in message  <1173386571.418031.8310@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>Good Afternoon:
>
>We're building a home and in the process of researching options for
>home automation. We are planning on purchasing a computer with Windows
>Vista. Has anyone installed a multi-zone audio system and connected it
>to Windows Vista? If so, can you offer some suggestions/advice! Thanks
>and have a great day!
>
>Sincerely,
>Sarah

Sarah,

The simple answer to your simple question would seem to be "no" --  no one
responding has (yet) used Vista with a multi-zone audio system ;-)

With respect to the 'V-word' issue: By the time you get your house built,
most new PC's being sold will likely be sold with Vista so the question is
largely mute. Home Automation equipment not yet adapted to Vista will, by
and large, be ready when you are.

More important for you at this point in the design and construction are
decisions as to what sort of wiring to install in the walls, AS I'm sure
you appreciate, this part of the system is much more easily and
inexpensively done now rather than waiting until after the dry wall goes up
(assuming US stick-built construction).

So what are your HA "audio" objectives?  Do you also anticipate video
distribution?

HA multi-zone 'audio' can include:

1) Voice recognition microphones
2) Intercoms (old fashioned and new-fangled)
3) 'High level' audio output wired directly to speakers
4) Low level audio signals
	a) Input
	b) Output
	c) Control signals

Am I correct in assuming that you want a solution for 3 and 4, not 1 and 2?

If so:

1) How many rooms
2) What is your approximate budget
3) What other HA and AV equipment will you be installing (especially
video)? There are some synergies/combinations that might be attractive from
financial, performance and flexibility perspectives.
4) What systems have you looked at and considered (if any).

(FWIW, I have two rack-mounted dual-Xeon RAIDed PCs,  one of which runs XP
Pro and the other Vista Ultimate. I am building the Vista version
incrementally as drivers and hardware for Vista become available. It is not
yet ready for installation, but when it is, its XP twin will go up for sale
in my porch sale.)

HTH ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org