8x8 Extron Matrix Switcher on E-Bay - Cheap right now

[robertmee]

I could be wrong............ but I think the blue connectors on the bottom are for audio.

You guys are mixing up posts...That pic is not Target's unit.

[Target]

At present, I have a harmony 659 that controls a cable box, receiver, and a TV. When you change the channel, the lag is a full half second to a second for the channel to change. Its probably just the crappy cable box, but my wife HATES it. I'm really trying to create a snappy system. Probably being paranoid, but there you have it.

Target

[robertmee]

At present, I have a harmony 659 that controls a cable box, receiver, and a TV. When you change the channel, the lag is a full half second to a second for the channel to change. Its probably just the crappy cable box, but my wife HATES it. I'm really trying to create a snappy system. Probably being paranoid, but there you have it.

Target

I still don't see why you are considering routing audio through the Extron and Nuvo.

[Target]

Ah I see. The problem is that I have 8 zones of audio, and the Essentia has 6 zones of output. Further, I want my living room to be a 5.1 system. I figured that if I routed the audio through the Extron, I could use a 2 zone receiver (Denon 3805) to power the living room and one other zone, and the Nuvo to power the other 6. If I don't go through the extron, I don't believe (please correct me if I'm wrong) that the Nuvo and the receiver can share all of the inputs. Does the Nuvo have some sort of pass through to allow this?

Thanks,

Target

[robertmee]

Ah I see. The problem is that I have 8 zones of audio, and the Essentia has 6 zones of output. Further, I want my living room to be a 5.1 system. I figured that if I routed the audio through the Extron, I could use a 2 zone receiver (Denon 3805) to power the living room and one other zone, and the Nuvo to power the other 6. If I don't go through the extron, I don't believe (please correct me if I'm wrong) that the Nuvo and the receiver can share all of the inputs. Does the Nuvo have some sort of pass through to allow this?

Thanks,

Target

The Essentia does not have pass-thru audio, but you can easily split the audio with Y-RCA cables. So, I wouldn't use the Extron at all. Just buy a bunch of female-male Y splitters and route your sources to both the Nuvo and Denon.

Something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0020767389

[Target]

You have solved my problem. I was wondering how people use these whole house distribution systems without a matrix switch when anyone that can afford whole house audio, probably wants a 5.1 (minimum) surround system in their living room.

Thanks,

Target

[jchurley]

Target

WRT the shared audio - remember that if you split the RCA signal between the Essentia and your living room receiver, you'll have stereo, not surround, sound in the living room (not counting any processing that your receiver may have to "make up" the surround sound from 2-channels).

If your source equipment supports outputting 2-channel analog stereo and multi-channel digital surround at the same time, hook the stereo outputs to the Essentia and the digital output to the Denon.

WRT the lag when changing channels - Do you have the same lag if you use the cable box remote? (maybe it's the Harmony remote). Also - is the cable box a high-def box and do you always have the lag, or is it just between certain channels? One thing that may be happening is that you are changing between channels that are broadcast in different resolutions (1080i, 720P, 480i) and your cable box is set to output the signal in native resolution.

That happens for me when I change between HD and SD, or 1080i and 720P programs with my DTV box. One solution (assuming your cable box can do this) is to set the box to always output the resolution that matches your TV, then the TV won't have to adjust to changing resolutions. Of course then you are relying on the cheap/free box to scale the signal and not the expensive TV (which presumably will do a better job). For me, I keep the DTV box outputting the native resolution and live with the occasional delay.

Hope this helps.

Joe

[ellisr63]

I use a matrix switcher for my HD and digital audio and the Russound CAV for my analog audio and video.... I run both from each source... I think your solution might be to get a second switcher to handle the extra zones... with the AP you can daisy chain them.. not sure about the Extron but I would assume you can.