I am looking for a piece of hardware that does Audio/Video patching
(routing)

I have a house that I have recently wired for a computer based home
entertainment system.  I have all the MP3s and MPEG4 content on a home
server, that can be streamed to any PC or wireless (802.11) laptop in
any room.

I want to be able to play MP3s on any computer, and be able to route
the audio to any room’s speaker system.

I also want to be able to view MPEG4 movies and WinAmp visualizations
to any room’s TV.

Here is how I have things wired:
•	Every room is wired into the server room.  
•	The computer in each room has several wires that go into the server
closet.  These include Audio Out (from the audio card) and Video Out
(from the video card –composite using a RCA jack), and Ethernet (to
connect it to the home network).
•	In the server closet is a audio and video patch bay that has the
output of all the computers, and the inputs of each room’s speakers
and TV.

There are several “whole house” audio routers that can patch A/V from
any room’s computer, to any room’s TV or Speakers.  Here is a link to
such a router:  http://www.elanhomesystems.com/

You can control this thing using Touch Panels, or a PC running special
software and communicating to the device over a serial cable (RS-232).
 That means I need to put a laptop in the server closet to run the
software.  In order to change how things are routed, I will need to go
to the closet to use the laptop.

I want to be able to control the AV router from any PC on the network.
 I know I can do this by using PC Anywhere (or VNC), but this is very
awkward.

I need a router that can be control over Ethernet, but by RS-232 or
Touch Panels.

Is there any out there? 

Is there any other solutions?

---

Request for Question Clarification by voyager-ga on 20 Jul 2002 05:06 PDT

Hi sherpaj!

My first question has to be: What kind of OS are you running on the
server and the other machines? (You mentioned PC Anywhere, so I guess
it's some kind of windows at least on some machines)

The second one is probably: Am I missing something, or is there some
problem in hooking up your server with the device? I assume your
server has an RS232, doesn't it? And the server and the audio router
are in the same room as far as I understood your question...

As for having to use VNC or PC Anywhere to switch on a remote
computer... that heavily depends on the type of OS and the resources
you are running on your remote system.

An example: I have something similar to your setup at home and I'm
using a little CGI script to switch appliances remotely. I'm using a
linux laptop as my central server though, serving linux and windows
machines locally and remotely. I'm also using VNC for applications
that need graphic interfaces which is not at all a problem - just
clicking on an icon opens the remote application window)

Are you set on the parameters mentioned in the questions or flexible?

voyager-ga

---

Clarification of Question by sherpaj-ga on 25 Jul 2002 21:00 PDT

snapanswer-ga you got it!  I called and indeed they do make such a
product.  That is the solution I needed.  You rock.  What do I need to
fill out so that your comment becomes the answer and you get the $$
???

Sherpaj, I am now able to accept payment.  So, I have placed my answer
here so that I can be credited for it.  Again, I am very happy that
this was the answer you were looking for.

Crestron appears to have evertything you want and more.  I think you
will be pleased.
 
http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?type=residential&cat=9

great answer (see above)

Do you consider terminal server on Win2k
also awkard? I like it better than PCAnywhere
because of the speed. 

http://www.winntmag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?IssueID=54&ArticleID=3594
^ very long winded technical doc from '98
  about terminal server.

http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid1_gci213123,00.html
^ very short winded non-technical doc from '01

-AI

It sounds like one of the issues with the proposed setup is that your
patch bay is only addressable through proprietary software, which
controls a piece of RS232 connected hardware.  If that's the case, the
only help I can offer is something cheaper and smaller than a laptop. 
I know it doesn't fundamentally change the problem you are trying to
solve, but, if you find the only way to address your hardware is
through proprietary software, at least it's a smaller, cheaper
package.

It is about the length and width of a CD [157mm(L) x 146mm(W) x
45mm(H)] called the e-PC2 and costs about $750.  See it here:
http://www.ibuypower.com/product-pc/pocket-epc2.htm

The next best thing would work if you were still stuck with RS232,
BUT, if you were able to bypass the proprietary software and speak
directly through RS232 to your patch bay.  (Your hardware provider MAY
include developer information).  It is called an embedded web server,
I think it runs for about $100.  You could basically, then, web enable
your RS232 device via ethernet... which you could make wireless
ethernet if you wanted.  I've seen demos of this device controlling
everything from trains to lights, to thermostats, to whatever you can
dream up.
Zilog EZ80 embedded web server
http://www.zilog.com/products/partdetails.asp?id=ez80190

CircuitCellar article about EZ80 projects
http://www.chipcenter.com/circuitcellar/january02/c0102ts8.htm


I also found a "Serial Port Server" for about $300 that may be of
interest to you.  But, again, you still need to bypass the proprietary
software for your patch bay and speak directly to the port.  You might
want to contact this company with your project, and they might have
recommendations.
http://www.rs485.com/pespsx3.html

Another promising "Serial to Ethernet" solution is found here for
about $130.  Note that they also offer design services.
http://www.netburner.com/products/SB72.html

I liked this "Serial to Ethernet" device, as well, from Moxa.  I
didn't find the pricing.
http://www.moxa.com/product/nport/nportlite.htm

And, now we're talking... a wireless accessible "Serial to Ethernet"
device.
http://www.symbol.com/products/wireless/wireless_sp24_cb3021.html


Based upon what I read at Elan, it seems like they want to make their
system as flexible as possible... they should provide you with the
information you need.  If not, someone could patch into the RS232 and
collect the data so they could determine what needed to be sent for
different controls.  (Also, I noted that Elan offered IR panels that
could be placed in every room... that may be yet another way to go).

Hope this helps.

-	Thanks for all the great comments!   None of them quite hit the
mark, but they are quite appreciated.    Here is some clarification.

-	The server is a Windows 2000 server, it does have a serial port, but
it 70 feet away from the closet that the all the audio and video wires
end up in (sorry for mislabeling it a server closet in my question,
the server ended up not fitting inside).

-	I don’t know how to setup Terminal services, and it is also an
awkward solution (but nicer then VNC).

-	The goal is to be able to talk to the audio/video switcher over
Ethernet, so it can be controlled from any computer in the house.  The
proprietary software used to control it would be loaded on all
computers.   I don’t understand why the companies that make these
switchers (or other “whole house” audio solutions) don’t offer this.  
They all assume you will be doing it from one computer, or by
installing these expensive and limited use proprietary touchpads all
over the house.   If they made one that had its own IP number and an
embedded web server, that would be ideal.




As far as the embedded web server idea:  Even if the hardware provider
includes developer information, I don’t have the time or skills to
write the glue code to talk directly through RS232 to the switcher.

The "Serial to Ethernet" solutions looks great, but do they need code
written also?  I doubt source code for the proprietary software would
be available anyway.

Perhaps Mark of the Unicorn, or another pro-sumer MIDI or digital
audio vendor has something?

I can't belive no one hasn't already solved this problem.   It seems
so basic to home entertainment systems.

Crestron appears to have evertything you want and more.  I think you
will be pleased.

http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?type=residential&cat=9

sherpaj-ga,
  I'm happy that was the answer you were looking for.  I appreciate
your offer for the money, but, I am currently unable to accept funds
until my Google account is authorized.
  In the mean time, your thanks is payment enough.  It was an
interesting question to research, since I have also put my computer to
work as an entertainment center connected to my TV (though my system
only entertains me in one room of my house <grin>).

  Thank you for using Google Answers.