Need QCQ Controlled Audio Solution

[anogee]

I have eight speakers through my house that are used for CQC announcements. I've used a ClearOne AP800, which I control with CQC using an RS-232 connection to switch the speakers, but it seems to have-bit-the dust.

I'm looking for a simple CQC controlled replacement with cheap hardware or something I can buy on eBay. Could be an audio switcher or just a bank of controlled relays. An existing CQC driver is a big plus. I do need to turn on any combination of the eight speakers rather than just select one of eight outputs.

Any suggestions?

[sic0048]

Any reason why you don't want to simply replace the AP800 with another AP800? There are lots of options on EBay - some under $50.

[anogee]

Yeah, I actually have a spare AP800, so could and may do that. Only problem, it works fair at best. So I have to queue the message, send a serial command to change the switching, verify the reply, send a serial command to change the volume, verify the reply, then speak the message. then do the same for the next message.

If messages aren't spoken real fast it generally works, but if there are many in a row, sometimes not.

Also, the AP800 requires this Windows utility to configure it, that was created in the Windows 3.1 days. It sometimes worked with XP. With Win 7, I'd say it runs maybe 3% of the time, at best. Luckily I don't need to run it often.

[sic0048]

I guess using a relay for each set of speakers is another choice. Personally I had originally thought about using my ELK alarm system for home announcements via their "listen in" system. Ultimately I thought that was a little too cludgy and never got around to buying the hardware to do it.

Now I've converted my phone system into an Asterisk based digital system and I'm slowing replacing the old analog phones with nice digital phones that have intercom capabilities.

Dean has already said he hopes to build in at least a basic SIP interface with CQC which would allow me to send CQC generated messages over the phone system's intercom feature. When that happens, it will be a nice addition and be a great solution to the announcement dilemma.

[Dean Roddey]

I got started on SIP, but it's a big subject, and ultimately other things had to push it back off the top of the list again for now.