Re: TTS and how to do it?

["Paul Gordon" <paul_gordon@xxxxxxx>]

OK fairy nuff,

For controlling "what output goes where" - you need to do some
source 
switching, - I'm >assuming< that what you're talking about here is
the "TTS 
goes to the kitchen, while MP3's go to the bedroom" type of
scenario...

Have you thought about putting multiple soundcards in the audio server PC,
and doing all the source switching and volume control in software? - might
be feasible for a small number of zones.... (dunno how many cards you could
actually get to work in a single PC before windows says
"ENOUGH!")

For my purposes, I just need a dedicated TTS speaker network, - each room
in 
the house will have it's own audio system anyway, so I'll never need to
switch sources to the TTS speakers, - I'll have a single speaker in each
zone that is used for TTS output *only*, I'm not fussed about volume 
control, - I'll pre-set the volume to a suitable level, and issue mute 
commands to the room-based audio system so that TTS announcements aren't
fighting over the TV or music playing...

What would be really useful of course is a little magic black box, with 2
sets of speaker-inputs and one set of speaker outputs, that is installed
in-line in the speaker cables to a single set of decent room speakers. -
the 
normal AV system output goes to input 1, and the rooms speakers on the 
output (obviously!), in normal operation, that box does nowt, - the AV 
system is directly connected to the speakers. But, - the HA/TTS speaker
output is connected to the 2nd input, and when a signal appears, the box
mutes the 1st input by a user definable amount (but leaves it connected to
the output), and also mixes in the 2nd input... So that in any room, when
(and only when) a TTS output is being sent to that room, it automatically
gets mixed in to the rooms AV speakers, and any AV source thats playing
automatically gets muted... (I prefer to mute a playing source to 50% 
<rather> than pause it or switch it out of the speaker circuit
entirely, so 
I'd prefer not to just put relays in the speaker wires...)

Another thing I'm considering is not piping central TTS about the house at
all, but generating TTS at the point of delivery. This gives even greater
flexiblity, as the TTS can either be controlled centrally, or by the local
zone-based controller. - I'm thinking along the lines of a Fuji 510 or 
similar in each room, on the house LAN, running a copy of ACE client and/or
ACE-TTS. ACE server runs on the same machine as Homeseer. When Homeseer
wants to make an announcement in a particular room, it passes the
"speak" 
command to ACE server, ACE server then forwards it to the ACE client in the
room, and the ACE client actually does the TTS. - I'd have complete zone
control, volume control, and source switching if I need it, as the local
room-controller "could" also be playing other audio sources as
well... 
(although I think we've established that a Fuji doesn't have enough grunt
for that...). Plus I only need a CAT5 cable to the zone, instead of speaker
cables as well. In that vein, I am also looking at putting a
"proper" PC in 
various rooms, hidden in floor/ceiling voids, cupboards etc, and just 
controlling it with a Fuji...

Food for thought...

Paul G.


>>I want to be able to control what output goes where and how loud
it
>is, all from the software side. Using a pair of speaker outputs is
>cunning (I have that on my Arcam amp but have never used it) but
>a bit too limited for what I have in mind.
>
>I just want a bit more flexibility.
>
>Stuart
>
>
>

_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: 
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx



For more information: http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx 
Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx 
Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx 
List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.