What is the appropriate Barix device to use to stream music and serial commands to a Russound CAM6.6 on the other side of the house from my WHS?

Also does this configuration support Shoutcast?

We currently support the Barix Exstreamer 100.  Keep in mind that only MP3 music playback is supported.  An alternative that does not have these limitations is to use a combination of wireless USB audio and networked serial server solutions.

Sounds good. Do you have an examples of these devices that have been successfully implemented in the past?

*** EDIT - I am going to test this running on a windows home server with a Moxy serial server and a Linksys WMB54G music streamer.

Lets hope its not 100 bucks wasted!

Here is an example of a setup we use in-house:

1. Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi with 5.1 Surround.  You will need 1 x RCA to RCA cable and 2 x 3.5mm to RCA cables
2. Sabrent SBT-USC6K USB to Serial Converter
3. USB Extender over CAT5 (either a Gigaware extender from Radio Shack or Cables-To-Go USB Super Booster Extender)

Setup

1. Connect the USB extender to your PC that is running CasaTunes and connect this to your CAT5 cable you have running to your Russound and connect the other end of the USB extender to the CAT5 there.
2. Connect the powered USB Hub to the extender by the Russound.
3. Connect the external Sound Blaster X-Fi card to the USB Hub
4. If Vista and Windows 7 do not recognize the X-Fi USB Sound Card you will have to load the included drivers on the PC.  Make sure the card is set-up as a 5.1 soundcard in the sound manager.
5. Now you will have up to 3 PC sources of music for your Russound.  Just hook up the required cables to the sources on your Russound.
6. Connect the USB to Serial adapter to the USB hub and the serial interface on the Russound
7. Configure CasaTunes Setup to use the appropriate COM Port and Sound Card

Note: Instead of the USB-To-Serial Hub you could use the Moxy Serial Server above.

DK - 22 March 2010 01:16 PM

Here is an example of a setup we use in-house:

1. Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi with 5.1 Surround.  You will need 1 x RCA to RCA cable and 2 x 3.5mm to RCA cables
2. Sabrent SBT-USC6K USB to Serial Converter
3. USB Extender over CAT5 (either a Gigaware extender from Radio Shack or Cables-To-Go USB Super Booster Extender)

Setup

1. Connect the USB extender to your PC that is running CasaTunes and connect this to your CAT5 cable you have running to your Russound and connect the other end of the USB extender to the CAT5 there.
2. Connect the powered USB Hub to the extender by the Russound.
3. Connect the external Sound Blaster X-Fi card to the USB Hub
4. If Vista and Windows 7 do not recognize the X-Fi USB Sound Card you will have to load the included drivers on the PC.  Make sure the card is set-up as a 5.1 soundcard in the sound manager.
5. Now you will have up to 3 PC sources of music for your Russound.  Just hook up the required cables to the sources on your Russound.
6. Connect the USB to Serial adapter to the USB hub and the serial interface on the Russound
7. Configure CasaTunes Setup to use the appropriate COM Port and Sound Card

Note: Instead of the USB-To-Serial Hub you could use the Moxy Serial Server above.

That is a very cool idea. I don’t really have the option of running an additional cable right now…. I wonder if they have USB over TCP/Ip extenders. That would be slick!

Not sure whether these are available, nor have we tested any of these, but if you use a USB-to-Serial does that not eliminate the need for a 2nd cable in your case?

There are some products out there and they definitely should work. This would be good if you have CAT5’s distributed from one location to the server and the Russound/Nuvo and you don’t want to give up using the CAT5’s for your LAN. The IP USB devices are not real inexpensive, but they are not out of reach, either. Let us know if you try one!

Also, if D-Link fixes their SharePort utility (very buggy right now), that would be another solution, provided the remote USB device (Russound/NuVo) is located near the D-Link Router. I have experimented with this solution and it works well until the router drops the connection. Lots of discussion on this at their forum.

Kim