HTC instead of Media Controller

[nati]

I thought I recalled reading somewhere that you can use a Home Theater Controller with attached hard drives and can achieve more storage for a lower cost than using the Media Controller.

Is this accurate? Are people using the system in this way?

If one goes this route, what are the downsides? What is the functionality of the Media Controller that is not available with the HTC?

Thanks.

[danlevine]

Yes this is absolutely correct. If you use an HTC instead of an MC you have less IR out ports, less contacts, relays, and only one serial port. Internally software wise they are the same.

We use HTC's primarily.

Dan

[nati]

Can it still stream audio to the same number of zones?

If one was looking to distribute audio to 6 or 8 zones from the following sources (cable box(s), CD/DVD Player, tuner, networked PC) with minimal contacts or relays attached, would the HTC + hard drive(or networked pc?) storage solution fit the bill? If you use a receiver, does this mean one input into HTC/MC as opposed to each of the inputs that go into the receiver?

Also, since light and outlet controls are wireless, does this not matter for HTC vs. MC?

I guess I am not sure what the IR out ports, contacts, relays, and serial ports are primarily used for? Does this have to do with RF control of other pieces - cable boxes, receiver, DVD player etc?

Thanks for the help. Trying to determine the best solution for a budget project...

[danlevine]

Hi,

You can distribute audio to that many zones, although a Media Controller even though it has 3 audio inputs can only encode one audio stream simultaneously. Contacts are used to detect a circuit being closed or open (ie magnetic door sensors, motion sensors, water sensors, etc). A relay can open or close a circuit (ie sprinklers, door buzzer, gate, etc).

You need IR ports to control IR devices (ie Cable Box, CD/DVD Player, Tuner, PC)

Depending on how you want to go you can use a multi channel amplifier to distribute the audio. You could also use Control4 speaker points which work very well and they work fully over ethernet.

Zigbee is the communication layer for the Switches, Dimmers, Keypads and Remotes. Either the HTC or the MC can function as a Zigbee Server.

Dan

[nati]

Thanks for your help Dan!

So, if I was to purchase the HTC, the 16 channel AMP, the Multi-tuner, and a large external Hard Drive, this would fit the needs outlined above.

It would allow me to control up to 6 other non-Control4 components via IR (2 cable boxes, 2 DVD Players, PC, XBox). I am assuming that Control4 components are automatically recognized and will not use up the IR ports - is this accurate?

Also, can 2 HTC be used together in the same rack, to allow for more IR control (12 total) as well as being able to have the on-screen control capabilities in a Home Theater as well as on a TV in another room? If so, can any of the components attached to one HTC be controlled and used by the other HTC?

[danlevine]

Yes you can use as many HTC's as you would like to add on More IR ports. They can be located anywhere on the Network so if you put them in another room you could use a wireless bridge, an ethernet cable, or a Ethernet over Powerline adapter which have worked out fine for us.

The 16 channel amp is great (FYI it's 8 Stereo Channels)

Dan

[ATOH]

The outputs on the HTC are ALL high output so you could actually put an IR block (like a Xantech in the link below) on the output and have multiple IR devices on the same IR output. We've done this many many times.

http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_78944.htm

[andy.cytexone]

@ATOH

Just out of curiousity, what would you use a blaseted 4 way IR out for? The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is maybe controlling several displays to do the exact thing at the same same exact time...

I like the idea of the box you linked us to, I simply can't think of what else this could be used for...

Thanks for the input!

-Andy

[ATOH]

For example:

Just yesterday I did a system with a plasma, A/V receiver, DVD, cable box upstairs.

Ran cat5 downstairs to a second system, also with the same number of components. That equals 8 devices, right? A/V receiver upstairs is on serial, so really 7. Still more than the 6 outputs on the HTC.

Well, the downstairs pieces are all on the IR block (on IR output 6) leaving 2 empty outputs for adding equipment upstairs, and I took care of the whole basement also.

Another example:

Mits. big screen

SR7200 A/V receiver

DVD player

Stand alone Zenith OTA HD tuner

HD cable box

SD satellite box

D-VHS player

CD changer

Yamaha regular stereo receiver

That's 9 pieces of equipment (all existing, I didn't add any) and I ran it all off 1 HTC. 5 pieces from 1-5 and the other 4 from 1 output into the Xantech block.

[alinford]

Atoh, you say that you just ran Cat5 downstairs:

What components were downstairs?

Did you have a TV downstairs?

Did you run A/V cables out to the downstairs TV from the HTC as well?

I am just trying to figure out the complete wiring you did.

[Uncle Skippy]

For example:

Just yesterday I did a system with a plasma, A/V receiver, DVD, cable box upstairs.

Ran cat5 downstairs to a second system, also with the same number of components. That equals 8 devices, right? A/V receiver upstairs is on serial, so really 7. Still more than the 6 outputs on the HTC.

Well, the downstairs pieces are all on the IR block (on IR output 6) leaving 2 empty outputs for adding equipment upstairs, and I took care of the whole basement also.

Another example:

Mits. big screen

SR7200 A/V receiver

DVD player

Stand alone Zenith OTA HD tuner

HD cable box

SD satellite box

D-VHS player

CD changer

Yamaha regular stereo receiver

That's 9 pieces of equipment (all existing, I didn't add any) and I ran it all off 1 HTC. 5 pieces from 1-5 and the other 4 from 1 output into the Xantech block.

I've thought about trying this myself, but i wondered if the HTC would issue all of the commands in the right order through 1 ir port.

[ATOH]

Atoh, you say that you just ran Cat5 downstairs:

What components were downstairs?

Did you have a TV downstairs?

Did you run A/V cables out to the downstairs TV from the HTC as well?

I am just trying to figure out the complete wiring you did.

Downstairs:

Mitsubishi W53311 (something like that)

Onkyo receiver

Onkyo DVD changer

Amino IPTV cable box

I cut 4 emitters so that I could use the plug upstairs, attached them to cat5 pairs (1 plug per color pair) and attach the emitters at the other end. Cut the plug shorter (6 inches) and leave the rest for the equipment in the room.

I did not run any A/V cables, they just change rooms on the remote and then use the LCD screen and buttons around the RED 4 button to select the source they would like to watch. There is no On-Screen GUI in the basement, but it's a fairly simple system and they can work it just fine.

Xantech makes larger blocks, but I have yet to try them. Here's a 10 port.

http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_79144.htm

[ATOH]

I've thought about trying this myself, but i wondered if the HTC would issue all of the commands in the right order through 1 ir port.

I think that you might possibly have problems with certain equipment if they have the same type of commands but I have yet to come across it. This could be easily resolved by moving one of the offending devices to another port and moving the device that was in that port to the block. Issuing of commands goes in a certain order anyway whether it's through 1 IR port or individual.

[ATOH]

There is now a white paper posted concerning this IR expansion issue we were discussing here.

[danlevine]

Hey Reednation,

It will work perfectly for you.

Dan