Can control4 solve my use audio switching problem?

[fresnoboy]

Hi...   I have a large (about 18 zones) multizone audio system in my house that works very well.  It uses Chromecast audios feeding amplifier zones directly, and from the amps to speakers in the various rooms.  I just the Cast button on apps on the phones and tablets (even works great on IOS for most apps) to pick a stream and send play it on multiple zones in the house.  It's very simple and everyone can use whatever streaming app they like.  In some rooms I have TV's that are driven by Shield TVs (everything runs off those devices) that feed stereo analog audio over a Cat6 balun to the rack that has the chromecasts and the amps.  My plan was to use an audio controlled switch to switch the audio to the TV when the audio from the Shield TV system goes active, but the audio triggered switches seem to need very high audio levels to switch.  This means I have to keep the TV volume level relatively high to keep the audio playback on the TV on.  

I was wondering if a Control4 C4-16S2-E-B switch could do this, so when the TV audio started, it would switch the input to the amp zone accordingly, and hold it there for maybe 5 minutes after the audio stopped, and then switch it back to the chromecast input.  I don't need C4 remotes, streaming, lighting etc..., I just want to be able to drive about 8 zones of audio switching reliably when the TV audio starts.  It would be nice to be able to send a TCP JSON request to my home assistant server when it detects audio, but that's about it.

Can C4 do this with a matrix switch like the one I mentioned?  What kind of controller could do this job?  Is this job big enough for a dealer to do it?  I know there are control 4 programmers that are willing to work remotely on the programming, but there isn't a lot of programming documentation on composer so It's a little hard for me to tell if this is workable.

 

I apologize if the answer is obvious or I am missing something!

 

thx

mike

 

[pdapice]

On 12/22/2020 at 2:03 AM, fresnoboy said:

Hi...   I have a large (about 18 zones) multizone audio system in my house that works very well.  It uses Chromecast audios feeding amplifier zones directly, and from the amps to speakers in the various rooms.  I just the Cast button on apps on the phones and tablets (even works great on IOS for most apps) to pick a stream and send play it on multiple zones in the house.  It's very simple and everyone can use whatever streaming app they like.  In some rooms I have TV's that are driven by Shield TVs (everything runs off those devices) that feed stereo analog audio over a Cat6 balun to the rack that has the chromecasts and the amps.  My plan was to use an audio controlled switch to switch the audio to the TV when the audio from the Shield TV system goes active, but the audio triggered switches seem to need very high audio levels to switch.  This means I have to keep the TV volume level relatively high to keep the audio playback on the TV on.  

I was wondering if a Control4 C4-16S2-E-B switch could do this, so when the TV audio started, it would switch the input to the amp zone accordingly, and hold it there for maybe 5 minutes after the audio stopped, and then switch it back to the chromecast input.  I don't need C4 remotes, streaming, lighting etc..., I just want to be able to drive about 8 zones of audio switching reliably when the TV audio starts.  It would be nice to be able to send a TCP JSON request to my home assistant server when it detects audio, but that's about it.

Can C4 do this with a matrix switch like the one I mentioned?  What kind of controller could do this job?  Is this job big enough for a dealer to do it?  I know there are control 4 programmers that are willing to work remotely on the programming, but there isn't a lot of programming documentation on composer so It's a little hard for me to tell if this is workable.

 

I apologize if the answer is obvious or I am missing something!

 

thx

mike

 

why not do this in programming? i think that you should be able to catch the power on event for the TV or the shield and program your matrix switch to swap inputs?

[Cyknight]

5 hours ago, pdapice said:

why not do this in programming? i think that you should be able to catch the power on event for the TV or the shield and program your matrix switch to swap inputs?

Ehh, has some issues as I understand the OP's intended use.

As I understand it:

-You want to use your own controls for TV use

-You want to use your phones for direct control of the music.

 

This causes issues using C4 as you're trigger to move sound back and forth.

Programming wouldn't work as the system wouldn't be aware of what you're doing.

 

Don't know about the old matrix switches you mentioned (been too long to be sure), but the current Triad version has very low input sensing thresholds, so it could be made to work using that. But I don't recommend it.

Alternatively, if you're ok using C4 remotes or the C4 app for TV use, it could be done in programming as per the above post very reliably. This is the method I'd recommend if using Control4 The system could simply be set to a default input/output setting whenever the room is off (and so revert to the chromecasts) - really basic programming.

Biggest question on what system controller it would take would depend on the TV control in the second situation - if they're all able to use IP control (in C4) then you wouldn't need any IRs, in which case the cheapest (CA-1) controller can handle this no problem. If IR is needed, then it'll depend on the number - and if wires are available - on what is needed to make it happen.

Shields have a great IP driver:

https://drivercentral.io/platforms/control4-drivers/audio-video/google-android-control4-driver-chowmain/

which will come at an added charge.

 

If a system is too small or large for a dealer to handle is up to the dealer so will depend on your local dealers themselves - but as you mentioned, an online dealer here could do this without too much hassle, and there are several good ones in the dedicated section on these forums.