C-Bus and AV distribution possibilities

I apologies up front if I've posted this to the wrong group but I'm trying to establish the possibilities and capabilities of using the C-bus system for both audio & video distribution.
We have a Client who's wants to distribute AV throughout his property using a centralised file server. I believe, using a colour touch screen and media player this may be possible? However, he wants the ability to access different files in different areas at the same time.
My question is could, say, three touch screens be configured that they could access a dedicated PC (i.e one touchscreen per PC) with all the PC's networked together sharing a central library. This way each touchscreen could run media player? Is this possible? and if so what are perceived limitations/drawbacks.

Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dale

 

C-bus typically does not do A/V. It does now do audio, but not audio/video.

Starserve is the ditribution system, but not the answer to your question.

Touchscreens are a little small for media as well, they are on y 6.4".

Mick

 

Thanks, the thought was that the outputs on the touchscreen could be used to output to TV, amps etc?

Dale

 

Hi Dale,

The Colour C-Touch is a device that is more designed as an interactive, stylish, sort of control panel for a C-Bus network, and although it does have certain multi-media capabilities, that isnt really its main design focus.

It does have an AV output for display on a TV or similar, as well as the ability to play both music and video on its screen from a PC running Windows Media Player (with a certain plug-in), via an ethernet network, and possibly certain types of media via web-pages, but these are pretty much the limits of a C-touch's powers.

There are many other options on the market for achieving what you are looking for, and there are quite a few guys on here that will be able to give you some fantastic advice.

As far as distributing audio is concerned, the new(ish) Multi-Room Audio system from CIS can quite happily do the job for you, but not video (at the moment, not that I would have any idea if CIS have any future plans for this or not).

Good luck with the research buddy

 

The best solution ive found for distributed AV is Digitalhomeware they have touch screens that can be customised for users to dislplay lighting (talks direct to cbus) the abilityto display all your MP3 music via album cover art and play different music to different rooms. The ability to record tv using DHW media centres with 2 x digital tuners and display's Tv guides for quick recording search of channels. plus user set scenes to control anything connected to the digitalhomeware network. This lets the user create a scene such as Welcome. turn lighting on in area 1,2,3 turn amplifier on and volume 55% play track 1,4 8 from album X. The possibilities are endless plus its a Australian made product that some may have scene at CEDIA this year that had lots of AMX and crestron Integrators thinking twice about other systems. Check it out Digitalhomeware.com Hope this helps. Cheers