Switching audio via an Ocelot and SECU's

Robert Green · 2006-01-30T23:30:02+00:00

I was so impressed by John Warner's Ocelot-based home audio that I decidedto build one like it. I want to place PC amplified speakers throughout thehouse in zones corresponding to the 12 IR zones I have established (actuallyit will be one set of speaker for every two zones). I want to be able tomute the audio, simulate "distinctive rings" based on caller ID (if it's oneof my wife's VIP #'s it rings one way, mine another, etc). I want to beable to pipe front door and speakerphone conversations through it as well.My question is this: How do I switch all of the audio feeds through a SECUwithout inducing hum or sharp "snap" transients? What kind of cable shouldI run? Should I remove the amps from the speakers and mount them in thewire room and just have normal speaker wire going to the speaker boxes?What kind of relay would switch a 38W Sound Blaster speaker without burningitself or the relay out? Any ideas will be helpful!--Bobby G.

Jan 30, 2006 41 Replies

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Actually, a lot of people thought of it. They use two RR501s.

Other than RF range problems and potential interference, it's trivial.

One outlet on each phase, near the electrical panel solves the range issue.

Interference is easy to deal with - I wish Insteon had done what Philips has done with the Pronto RF. It's double modulated - they modulate the 418 or

433.92MHz carrier with 40kHz and with the data envelope. Their receivers ignore anything that doesn't have the 40kHz modulation. Since Insteon uses a fixed frequency, when there is interference from other devices you have to change the frequency of the other device. There are sure to be instances where the intererer is either fixed frequency or beyond your control (i.e. a neighbor).

The frequency issue, the potential for problems from the same signal sinks that bedevil X-10, and the fact that extended Insteon codes take longer than

1/3 of a powerline cycle are the only weak points I see in their design. The fact that each module repeats the PLC signal alleviates the signal sink problems but do not eliminate them.