HDTV Magazine
(Not logged in)  Sign In  |  Register  |  HelpHelp
Free HDTV Magazine Daily:
The HT Guys HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #253 - Ara's A/V Network
By The HT Guys
Braden Russell and Ara Derderian
Posted on February 23, 2008
Category: General Interest
 Add to NewsvineNewsvine Add to Del.icio.usDel.icio.us Email ArticleEmail

Receive instant notification of new episodes: Register Now to receive notification of new episodes of The HDTV Podcast via email as soon as they are published.
Digg This
advertisement
iTunes
Today's Show:

Listen Now - mp3
RSS
Website

Ara's A/V Network
We've received a few emails asking for Ara to describe his A/V network. By now you probably know that at the center of the system is a Mac Mini serving up DVDs but what else can it do and how many zones does Ara have in his house. Today's show will take you through a virtual walk through of Ara's home. 
Click image for larger picture
 
Zone 1:
  • Motorola Cable Modem
  • Airport Extreme Wireless N Gigabit Router
  • Mac Mini 1.8 GHz 1 GB RAM
  • Airport Express with Airtunes
  • Slingdevices SlingBox
  • Netgear GS605 5-port Gigabit Switch
  • 32 inch Viewsonic 720pLCD TV

Zone 2:
  • Mac Mini 1.8 GHz 1 GB RAM
  • Newer Technology 750GB External Hard Drive
  • HD Homerun
  • Netgear GS605 5-port Gigabit Switch
  • Samsung 50 inch DLP

Zone 3
  • Mac Mini 1.8 GHz 1 GB RAM
  • Netgear GS608 8-port Gigabit Switch
  • Airport Express with Airtunes
  • Slingdevices SlingBox
  • Yamaha RX-V2700 Receiver
  • Xbox 360
  • Toshiba HD-A3 HD DVD
  • Samsung BD-P1400 Blu Ray
  • DirecTV HD DVR
  • Mitsubishi WD-65831 DLP TV
 
Zone 4,5,6
  • Apple iMac

Zone 7
  • Airport Express with Airtunes

Communications Closet
  • Netgear GS608 8-port Gigabit Switch

 

Cost

How it all works Together
  • All movies are stored on the external drive connected to the Mac Mini in Zone 2
  • Over the Air HD programs are recorded and stored on the Mac Mini in Zone 3. These programs are shared with all computers in all zones, even wireless laptops if connected
  • An off the shelf application (Remote Buddy) provides access to all the movies, television programs pictures, and music on the system. The application also acts a web server so control of the system can by achieved via an iPhone, iPod Touch, or any other computer with a web browser.
  • The computers and music devices have played 4 simultaneous HD programs and one stream of audio served off the Mac Mini simultaneously.

Posted by The HT Guys, February 23, 2008 06:42 PM

Reader Commentary

See Forum Topic: HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #253 - Ara's A/V Network (0 replies)
Showing only excerpts from 0 out of 1, Read More

More from The HT Guys

About The HT Guys

The HT Guys, Ara Derderian and Braden Russell, are Engineers who formerly worked for the Advanced Digital Systems Group (ADSG) of Sony Pictures Entertainment. ADSG was the R&D unit of the sound department producing products for movie theaters and movie studios.

Two of the products they worked on include the DCP-1000 and DADR-5000. The DCP is a digital cinema processor used in movie theaters around the world. The DADR-5000 is a disk-based audio dubber used on Hollywood sound stages.

ADSG was awarded a Technical Academy Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2000 for the development of the DADR-5000. Ara holds three patents for his development work in Digital Cinema and Digital Audio Recording.

Every week they put together a podcast about High Definition TV and Home Theater. Each episode brings news from the A/V world, helpful product reviews and insights and help in demystifying and simplifying HDTV and home theater.