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setting up< Apple> media center questions.

T

txr0ckabilly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 21, 2008
421
0
Southwest Louisiana
for starters, i want to get an apple tv and an airport extreme. i've got a 1 TB external drive, mac mini, my 57" plasma, cable box/DVR, a 7.1 stereo/receiver and a pair of outdoor speakers.

ideally i want to set up as much stuff as i can in the closet at the back of the living room. i'd also like to have my outdoor speakers set up on my patio.

the problem i've run into at my friend's house is that i can't set the outside/patio speakers to play music while the living room has a movie playing. it's the same sound throughout all speakers. i want to able to turn it on and off of different "zones" in the house. i also want to be able to adjust the volume of different zones independently. i would also like to control the whole configuration with my iphone and touch.

i need some instruction and a shopping list for cables and components that i'm lacking for my setup.

thanks in advance.

(also since this is the apple tv and home theater section of the forum, how about a sticky or a wiki link at the top that could answer some of these questions. searching and sifting through all the post for a pice of info is kind of time consuming. since i'm at work my time is a bit limited. :D )
 
11800506

11800506

macrumors 65816
Oct 31, 2007
1,060
1
Washington D.C. Area
Sounds like with that Airport Extreme you'll also want to get an Airport Express for the patio speakers so that you could stream your iTunes library to it. I don't think you'd be able to play different music on each different set of speakers however (I'm not sure though) but you should be able to play music or a movie through the speakers connected to your Apple TV while the speakers connected to the Airport Express play music from your library. This page on Apple's website has some basic information on the Airport Express's music features as well.
 
Tilpots

Tilpots

macrumors 601
Apr 19, 2006
4,195
71
Carolina Beach, NC
For yor patio speakers, see if your AV receiver has "zones." I would think most 7.1 recievers would. Then follow the instructions for that brand of receiver. Should be simple enough.

I think the problem with AE would be having it plugged in inside and then connected to the speakers outside. If that's not an issue, this would be a great way to accomplish your task as the previous poster mentioned.
 
T

txr0ckabilly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 21, 2008
421
0
Southwest Louisiana
thanks for the replies.

With the express I only see one 3.5 mm jack. I'm going to have to do a bit of research.

Does the express have two channels or would I have to put an amp in line?
 
T

txr0ckabilly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 21, 2008
421
0
Southwest Louisiana
Well after a bit of research I now think my best/cheApest option is to by the AE and a $60 amp and install those in the eve of my house. Then I can run the speakers from there under my eve. I can still control it with my phone.

With zones set up through the receiver I can't control it from my phone.
 
T

txr0ckabilly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 21, 2008
421
0
Southwest Louisiana
Ok so I'm setting everything up. I've got all my entertainment center set up but I'm not sure of the linear setup of tv apple parts.

ATV optical to surround and ATV video HDMI to TV is pretty much a given but Where do I put the laptop, AAEx and the HD into the setup? Please forgive the "noobishness" of my questions, this my first "digital media center".

P.S. The laptop represents the only computer in the house that will host MY library.
 
T

txr0ckabilly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 21, 2008
421
0
Southwest Louisiana
ok you bastardz (bastardz =apple fans)...

i have now abandoned the windows laptop and bought a mac.

yes i know all the "you'll be so much happier" crap. so now tell me what to do:

components=

1 mac mini
1 wireless/bluetooth apple keyboard/mouse
1 apple airport extreme
1 apple tv
1 1TB external HD
1 7.1 onkyo (sp?)
1 HD/DVR cable box
1 HD plasma TV with 2 HDMI ports
1 wireless network already up at my house.

forgetting the outdoor speakers- because that is pretty much a given due to the fact i also bought a airport express and an amp to feed the speakers- where do i go as far as setting up my media server?

i drew up a couple of different flowcharts diagramming what "i'm thinking i want to achieve" but i'm kind of stuck now.

please give me some idea of how i should line this up- linear (what connects to what connects to what connects to what....) for an optimal media experience.

thanks again,
 
The Mad Hatter

The Mad Hatter

macrumors 6502a
Oct 12, 2004
555
89
SoCal
txr0ckabilly said:
ok you bastardz (bastardz =apple fans)...

i have now abandoned the windows laptop and bought a mac.

yes i know all the "you'll be so much happier" crap. so now tell me what to do:

components=

1 mac mini
1 wireless/bluetooth apple keyboard/mouse
1 apple airport extreme
1 apple tv
1 1TB external HD
1 7.1 onkyo (sp?)
1 HD/DVR cable box
1 HD plasma TV with 2 HDMI ports
1 wireless network already up at my house.

forgetting the outdoor speakers- because that is pretty much a given due to the fact i also bought a airport express and an amp to feed the speakers- where do i go as far as setting up my media server?

i drew up a couple of different flowcharts diagramming what "i'm thinking i want to achieve" but i'm kind of stuck now.

please give me some idea of how i should line this up- linear (what connects to what connects to what connects to what....) for an optimal media experience.

thanks again,
Click to expand...

Media Server: Ext 1TB HD--> (via USB2, FW400/800 preferred) Mac Mini (with iTunes running and shared, with your media linked to the afore mentioned Ext HD)--> (via ethernet) Airport Extreme (hopefully in the "N" band).

...wireless transmissions...

Media receiver (aka AppleTV): AppleTV (with audio passthrough set to on, and linked to your server's iTunes)--> (via HDMI) Onkyo Receiver --> (via HDMI) HD Plasma .

There you have it in a nutshell (additional input welcome).

Oh, and don't forget to patchstick your ATV with XBMC/Boxee.

AppleTV Nirvana now achieved. ;)


HTH
 
T

tivoboy

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2005
3,978
791
cable

What cable does one use to get audio out of the APE? It says optical, but it seems like a 3.5mm LR audio jack.
 
T

tivoboy

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2005
3,978
791
optical

I'd like to use the optical, after having been an audiophile now nearly 27 years, I hadn't actually SEEN a mini/3.5mm optical plug. Now, I just need to find one somewhere, mini to regular toslink. I have found some small adaptors, but not much in the way of mini TO regular toslink, other than some amazon shady sellers.
 
T

txr0ckabilly

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 21, 2008
421
0
Southwest Louisiana
well i've almost got it all set up. i've abandoned the amp and speakers outside because the amp was crap. anyone suggest a "decent" set of powered speakers to hook to the airport express? they don't have to be outdoor speakers necessarily because they'll be mounted under the eves and under my patio.
 
S

spice weasel

macrumors 65816
Jul 25, 2003
1,255
9
bigbossbmb said:
i just got mine from monoprice... it was $2.23. can't be beat.
Click to expand...

+1 for monoprice. I got one there too. A couple of years ago I bought an inexpensive Toslink cable from Radio Shack that has regular and mini-plug on both ends. The end is a swivel that pulls out, rotates, and then clicks back into position. It's great when you need to yank it out of one component and use it for a laptop on the fly.
 
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