Multizone Audio - Automatically Turn On a Zone if Off

Configuration
1

I recently setup the Alexa media player service through HA. I’m using an Echo Input on one zone of my Monoprice 6-zone amp for whole home audio. Now I’m working on setting up some automations that I want to have TTS announcements included with. I have figured out how to turn On a zone prior to the Alexa media service making an announcement. Then, I have HA wait for X seconds and turn the zone back off. Here’s my ultimate goal:

  • Automation is triggered
  • HA turn on all output zones on the Monoprice amp
  • HA switch inputs for all zones to the Input that has the Echo Input attached
  • Alexa media broadcasts the TTS announcement over all zones’ speakers
  • If the zone was “off” prior to the announcement, turn it back Off
  • If the zone was “on” prior to the announcement, leave it on, and switch that zone back to the input it was on before the announcement.

Is this doable using just HA, or will I need to configure a 12VDC trigger to enable the PA function (switches all zones to Input 1) on the Monoprice amp?

2

Hello,

Did you ever get this working? I am looking to do the same exact thing using a monoprice 6-zone amp except use a rpi with mycroft on it to do the TTS announcements etc. My initial thoughts were to plug in the rpi into the PA In input into the monoprice and from what I read in the description it automatically does what you are asking it to do unless I am not reading it right:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=31028&AID=11051853&PID=9011671&ref=cj&utm_source=cj&utm_medium=11051853&utm_term=Skimlinks-2617611&cjevent=6127fac6468511ea82ed03b70a24060d
“A separate PA input allows you to override selected audio material and broadcast a single audio source to each connected zone. Additionally, a mute input allows you to mute each output channel using a single source trigger.”

Thanks!

3

… bit of an old subject here, but, I’m wondering if anyone got this working. If the PA input works better, can anyone point me to step by step instructions to take that route?

Thank-you