Cinema setup, Matrix,audio questions.

deus3x

deus3x

deus3x

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I'm pulling my hair out in regards to sorting my cinema and house setup.

I'm currently building a cinema room. I have Cat6 around the house and i plan to run all the TV's via Cat6 to the Matrix under the stairs. Then in the cinema room will be the projector and receiver and speakers. The projector will plug into the matrix which will be fed the HD movies via a server which will have media portal or something along them lines.

I'm stuck with how to get the audio to the receiver Do i need a sound card on the server and to link cable from the receiver to the soundcard,

Or is it a better option to purchase a media streamer and have it in the cinema room then linked to the server then the steamer to the projector and receiver :confused:

The plus of the projector going to the matrix is that it can also be linked to the blu ray player and Ps3. I'm just stuck how to setup/feed the audio.

all advice would be grateful, any advice on a receiver and speakers would be another plus.
 
Silly question... what do you mean by the term "matrix" in this context?

(First i thought you were talking about "matrix audio" ie. dolby surround, then I thought you actually had an uplink to "the matrix" in the cupboard under your stairs - but I'm sure this is just some bit of hardware I don't know about)
 
You should have investigated this before deciding to go the matrix route.

If your use of the word "matrix" is correct, then your answer is to choose the correct baluns to convert the source signals from and back to AV.

AV Matrix switches aren't compatible with IP signals. You can't put a PC on one input and a streamer on an output and expect to get a signal. Nor should you run baluns over a router.


(for the benefit of masterluke and other readers, a matrix (or matrix switch) is an electronic switch for multiple sources and with multiple destinations. Any source can be routed to any combination of one-/some-/or all outputs. You simply select one source and then choose which output you want to send that signal to.

AV Matrix Switches work with either video & audio signals (HDMI, composite video, component video etc) or with AV signals converted by baluns to run over CAT cable. As a result, the signals are "live". It is less flexible than an IP based system (computers moving IP data packets over a network to media streamers) but costs significantly less for similar or better picture quality.)​
 
Hi Luid,

Thanks for the input, I plan to run.. Server to matrix via HDMI cable / matrix to AV receiver via cat6 / then frpm AV to projector via HDMI.

This sound better.
 
Ok - thanks for the explanations. I'm just guessing here, but I think you need to send audio to the matrix together with the video via HDMI? If you want multi-channel audio then you would have to use HDMI (or optical) anyway. You shouldnt need any additional cabling for audio?

EDIT - You will need a Video card with HDMI-out. I think ATI cards support audio via HDMI directly and NVidia cards need to small cable to go from your SPDIF output pins to the graphics card (and probably a DVI->HDMI adaptor.
 
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The thing about these CAT solutions is (and I'm generalising here...) that the cheap baluns are very different from expensive baluns.

A decent balun pair will give you out what you put in. If 1080p goes in, then 1080p comes out. That's not always the case with cheaper baluns. You'll find quite a few that reduce the resolution to overcome the transmission losses. That's not a good thing.

deus3x, the plan to use a HDMI matrix then go CAT baluns tpo cover the distance is fine. |\just make sure the baluns are up to the job of carrying 1080p/60hz and HD audio without losing quality.
 
The Octava gear is good. It'll also take care of IR control as well which is useful.

Amps and speakers - Before any firm recommendations can be made you really need to say what type of speakers you're looking for. Bigger boxes will generally give a better sound. Smaller satellites are more discrete but at the expense of performance.
 
Hi Lucid,

I have finalized the kit as this, please let me know what you think.

SUB: Monolith-DF + Subwoofer 500W RMS
FRONT: B&W 685 SPEAKERS (PAIR)
CENTRE: B&W HTM62 CENTRE SPEAKER
REAR: B&W 686 SPEAKERS (PAIR)
RECIEVER: Yamaha 2067
 
BK subs are very well respected. I'm not a big fan of B&W though, so personally I'd go for Monitor Audio or Focal. I'd also go for dipole/bipole rear speakers rather than direct firing ones at the sides/back.

I notice you've gone for the 2067 which is currently on clearance at a few sites, so obviously value is important to you. Have you had a look at the Monitor Audio Bronze packages also currently on clearance here?. The BR2-AV is a cracking deal, it has dipole/bipole switchable rears, and is v.good for music too. The other kits on offer build on those qualities.

I realise that these MA kits come with subs and you may have set your heart on bk, (and you could always sell the MA sub anyway) I think you'd end up with a more musical package if you went Monitor Audio.
 
Hi Lucid,

I have found the Yamaha 1067 for £525 on discount so i may go towards getting that. What u think.. Or get the 609 when its realised.

The BR2 is a great price, I would still get the BK sub. so many options. :/
 
Once you get to this sort of level all the amps are pretty accomplished, it's just then a question of setting a level of performance and features that meets your needs and desires.

If it were my money then I'd have the 2067 amp. It has a better reserve of power which will help the dynamics. The video processing is far better and picture adjustments can be made per input, so it's a much more versatile AV hub. Oh, and it may not be important right now, but it has a 2nd zone remote. That might not sound like a big thing, but having the 2nd remote always available in that adjacent room makes Zone 2 a far more usable feature. Wire up a old pair of speakers in the kitchen and you'll find yourself enjoying the radio and streamed music more often that you ever imagined.

Speakers - Like I said before. Get the BR package and BK sub. Sell the BR sub. Go to AV forums and check out the classifieds.
 
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