MULTI-ZONE AUDIO

The Home Automation Scripting Engine was originally written to run a Multi-Zone Audio system. I quickly discovered that simple "Event Mapping" provided by other software would not provide the functionality I desired. The original concept was to provide INEXPENSIVE zone control of CDJ and x10 devices. 

SYSTEM CONTROL

The end system provides Zone control via x10 "Slimswitches" - Each switch communicates with an x10 "transceiver" in that zone. Each transceiver is set to a different x10 housecode so that the HASE knows the origination of the command. As you can see in the picture below, the switch provides 8 functions. In some locations, the I used multiple switches to provide additional functionality (Master Shutdown, Master Mute,  Sync Zones)

The HASE receives the x10 commands via the x10 CM11a computer interface. SlinkeServ, the com/dcom slinke gateway connects to the serial port for the CM11a and then places the commands into the Slinke event traffic.

The HASE script has events defined for the x10 commands and parses the x10 commands to determine the requested action. Pressing the slimswitch's  top left button would generate the following command:

    x10_1: on [c1]

• x10_1 is the loaded device name for the CM11a

• Since the slimswitch is designed for on/off control of 3 lights, the left side of the button generates an "on" command.

• c is the housecode programmed into the slimswitch, and the corresponding transceiver for that zone

• 1 indicates the devicecode - this slimswitch has been programmed for devices 1-3 on housecode c

For this command, the HASE will execute the x10_1_on script. This script contains the logic to determine the housecode and devicecode so that the appropriate action is performed.

sub x10_1_on (params)

evtZoneCode = left(params,1)
evtZone = ZoneCodeLookup (evtZoneCode,2) 
if evtZone = 0 then exit sub
evtCmd = right (params,1)

ActivateZone (evtZone)

Select Case evtCmd
    Case "1":
        NextPlaylist (evtZone)
    Case "2":
        NextStation (evtZone)
    Case "3":
        ZoneShutDown (evtZone)
End Select 
end sub

AMPLIFICATION AND SOURCE SWITCHING

All amplification and source switching is handled by slink-controllable SONY receivers. Control-A1 receivers are now available for under $300 and are PERFECT for this application. The only challenge is their size - You'll need to allocate more space that if you purchased a true multi-zone amplifier. An added bonus is the integrated tuner, so each source can have its own AM/FM tuning!

SOURCE AUDIO

This system contains 2 SONY CD-Changers, and uses the analog outputs fed into a 10 channel mixer, a Midiman "Multimixer 10". Another input on the mixer is used for the HASE Voice Synthesis capability. The system uses voice response to give the user feedback on the current playlist, track, etc. 

The CD-Changers are controlled by CDJ, which is running along with Slinkeserv, HASE, and the Slinke Socket Server on a Windows 2000 PC. The PC uses a video card with S-Video outputs, and this output runs into the home theatre system's source switching, along with the "mixed" analog audio from the CD-Changers.

The analog audio from the mixer also is distributed to the zone receivers. The zone receivers provide either the CD audio or audio from the receiver's internal tuner. Since the receivers are all Control-A1 devices, the status of each zone's receiver is always known by the HASE script.

SYSTEM COSTS

A special thanks to Jim Ashley, my sales person at Sound Advice (A Florida Audio / Video retailer) - Jim always takes the time to show me the latest Sony gear & even perform some head to head comparisons!