I have HA dealing with all of my lighting, including using MQTT and Node-Red to communicate with my old software that supports UPB lighting that HA does not. It works really well. I have been learning scripting and using it for scene controls. And that works great.
Also have Google Home working well.
But I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around multizone audio/music using the hardware I have and local MP3 files, etc. And how to deal with the UI once I get the backend working Selecting music to send to the zones, etc.
Here’s what I have:
Vaux LA-1600A 16X16 stereo matrix switch/controller. Using it to control 5 sources of audio and 11 zones of output, going to a 18 channel amplifier (9 stereo zones) and a couple of receivers. It is controllable via RS232.
Inputs are MP3 files coming from 3 sets of outputs on a media server to 3 of the inputs on the Vaux. AN AM/FM tuner, And a Chromecast. I have more outputs on the server available and am think to use one set for TTS output.
So I have no idea where to even start making this work. I want to be able to select from the 25,000+ MP3 files I have and send them to any of the zones. Or Pandora, Spotify, etc to the Chromecast and then to the Vaux’s ins and outs.
I know that the norm around here is to use multiple chromecasts, squeezeboxes, or RPis. But I have the infrastructure in place already, with a central equipment location and all of the speakers wired in ceiling. Plus, we tend to “group” zones on the fly around here. So we’ll be listening to music in the kitchen and then decide to add the office or the living room as we go. And with 11 zones, it’s hard to imagine preassigned groups for all of the possibilities.
Hope this all makes sense. I’d be greatful for any help.
In the same boat. Attempting to figure out how to send audio to multiple zones on a receiver and add or remove zones on the fly. It may take putting together some custom stuff on the front end with lovelace. I’ve done quite a bit with love lace so if I make progress I’ll shoot it your way but its going to be a little while.
Actually, I got it working fairly well. I’m pleased with the setup. I have LMS (Logitech Media Server) control 2 Squeezebox players. One is actually a Chromecast Audio and the other a Raspberry Pi running piCore player. Then I use a Russound MCA-C5 multizone amp.
I have the LMS mobile interface in an iFrame on a card in LoveLace and I’m using Mini-Media-Player on another card with all of the zones.
Hi. Sorry to dig this old thread up, but did you build a script for controlling the vaux lattis switch? I am thinking about using it for a somewhat different role, to switch amp inputs from a TV to a chromecast audio so I can have both feeds available in a room and automatically have the amp switch depending on what is active.
I can get a couple of the 8 channel versions of that switch pretty easily. If you have the script that would seem a better way to go than other solutions.
Which Russound did you end up using? Was that easier to integrate? I have a 16X16 Matrix that is also controlled via Rs232, but have yet to find any solution to control it?
I ended up with an MCA-C5. It was painful. But mostly because their TCP/IP implementation is problematic. It would constantly lose connect that only a power cycle and HA restart would fix. And it happened every couple of weeks.
I had to use SOCAT to get IP from HA to translate to RS232. It worked OK. Once in a while it would lose it’s mind and I’d have to restart SOCAT or the PC. But I’ve since built a new Windows based server and run HAOS in a VM. And I run a program called Comm Tunnel. Works well at capturing TCP commands and rerouting them to a serial port. Haven’t had a single glitch.
I probably wouldn’t buy another Russound MCA-C series again though. But until it breaks, I’ll sit tight.
It seems that most Home Assistant people doing whole house audio are using Sonos or something similar. But for a whole house multi zone matrix it seems there is not a great solution. Or maybe I am too new to figure it out.
I currently have Control 4 and I am evaluating moving to Home Assistant. I currently have a 16x16 audio matrix CMX (videostorm). It is controllable via RS232 serial not sure really how to get it to work in Home Assistant and was willing to upgrade. Just not seeing great options.
Most people on HA are doing distributed audio end points as media players, like Raspberry Pis, Google Nests or Alexas and the like. That’s not really what I was after. I have high quality Ceiling speakers all over my house. A matrix, either amplified or with an external amp is the way for me.
Good to see some other folks using the MCA-C5 with HA. I recently took over the development of the Russound RIO integration and have been working to make it more stable and add a bit more features. Glad to see that capturing the TCP commands is working well for you. I wrote a new reconnection handler that resolves the constant disconnect issue with the unit over TCP/IP. These changes will be included in the next release of HA. (2024.8).
I’m monitoring the fourms and GitHub for any issues with the integration so if there’s something you are looking for, just shoot me a DM or open an issue.
