Speaker remapping based on the direction I'm facing?

[hardware]

Hi everyone.

I have a gaming computer on the North wall and a big screen TV w/BR-DVD on the East wall.

Gaming computer has 7.1 out going to a 7.1 capable onkyo receiver and out to the appropriate speakers.

I can send the TV and/or DVD output to the Onkyo, but the sound is now all wrong relative to the direction I'm facing.

Ideally would be to replace the receiver with one that has a remapping function, and you could assign a map to an input. But I've never seen this feature on a receiver or anywhere else.

Another possibility is maybe there is a sound board of some sort specifically for this purpose?
I have no clue about the soundboard market.

What I really need is a board with 7 inputs and each one can be switched to an output a or output b, and ultimately a master switch that moves all of them from A to B at the same time.
This is a little dream project for the DIY person that has a little engineering skill, and I would be
willing to pay someone to create it for me.

I would actually set up 8 speakers at the four corners and four centers of the room.
Map A would look like this: (Facing North)

[Left Front]----[Center Speaker]---[Right Front]
[Left Middle]----------------------------[Right Middle]
[Left Rear] ---[Unused Speaker]--- [Right Rear]

Map B Would look like this: (Facing East)
[Left Rear] --- [Left Middle]--- [Left Front]
[ Unused ]------------------------ [Center Speaker]
[Right Rear]--- [Right Middle]---[Right Front]





I really don't want to run two separate receivers and two sets of speakers.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks,

Dan

 

[ssddx]

perhaps your best choice is to use a bank of A/B speaker selectors.

receiver->switch->speaker

for example, the inputs from both left front and left rear would go to an A/B switch which in turn would go to the appropriate speaker. likewise for all speakers. to use your pc you could have the buttons all ticked for A. for tv, swap them all over to B. i would not switch them while the system is on but this should work.

instead of 6 A/B switches, you could likely use two 6-zone switches to do the same thing. have one box be A and one be B and just toggle the inputs off when you're done using A on the one box then turn the toggles to the on position on the B box. just make sure you dont have any A on before you turn on B.

i've never attempted an odd request like what you suggested, but a switch should work. its not a one-button solution however i've never heard of a one-button solution for an odd request like you have either.

 

[hardware]

Ssddx,
First, thank you for your time.
Yes an AB switching system would work.
Its quick and simple but as you see has no safeguards.
The possibility for feedback and damage by making one tired mistake is clear.
Also I don't understand your suggestion for zone switching.
How does that help me over wiring direct?

At the very least I am looking for a single a/b switch that would change all switches at once.
I suppose as a last resort I could go to a college and ask a professor to recommend a student that
might be willing to build one for a fee.
If it were done at an electronics level, that would mean only once set of wires going to each speaker.
This makes the safeguards internal.
I am not discounting your solution and appreciate your time, but I will wait to see what others think.

I am actually surprised that my situation is unique. I can't imagine I am the only one with a computer and TV in the same room.

Dan

 

[ssddx]

you're not the only person with a computer and tv in the same room - in fact i have the same myself and i use an AVR as well. i use the television as my screen though so everything lines up. also, while not uncommon to use hifi for computer use many people use things such as soundbars with tvs or pc speakers with computers which makes the question not pop up as often as you might think (yours is actually the first i've seen here!)

true, a bank of a/b switches would not have protection in case you made a mistake. this is why i said to make sure your system was off (receiver =off) and to turn off all speakers on the banks before enabling. that would be protection, although perhaps not the kind you wanted and it is susceptible to user error.

i did find this: http://trade.indiamart.com/details.mp?offer=8145091912 which looks somewhat like what you wanted however i doubt if it is available as it looks like a concept. in practice i've never really seen something like that operational and as a fully polished product for sale.

even if it was done at an electronics level you would still need both A and B inputs going to the switch. using an A/B switch would have the same. in both cases only one set of wires go the the actual speakers... the switch box just has two inputs per speaker. basically what you want is the same thing as a bank of A/B switchs just with one button to push to change everything over at once... instead of manually selecting each one. a "master" a/b switch if you would.

 

[hardware]

I placed the project on Freelancer.com.
So far I'm getting electrical engineers offering to create the blueprints for the item only....For around $500.00
Manufacturing separate. Looking an awful lot like I'm going to stick with built in speakers or a sound bar for my TV

 

[ssddx]

that price isn't bad if they are both cad electrical schematics as well as design drawings for creation of the enclosure and all things within. it sounds like you went on a site which is more for actual production than one-off hobbyist type stuff so prices would seem high for your type of need.

thats another reason i mentioned just using a bank of a/b's. its much cheaper. if you think you're going to mess up and damage your system by not paying attention, perhaps its best if you dont use a switch and just get a soundbar for the tv.

i'm not an electrical engineer, but if you hang out on a DIY electrical forum you might be able to get some free advice on how to make a circuit that does what you want, however making it will be your responsibility.

 

[americanaudiophile]

If you use speaker selectors like this one
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=8231&catargetid=320013720000066114&cadevice=c&kpid=108231&gclid=CPHCu7_sg8cCFYcWHwodaX4GuA
that allows you to choose which amp drives which pair of speakers your should be able to safely switch (worse case you get two speakers on one channel for a second).
The level controls are important too because you would need to re-balance the channels to get correct levels for each direction. You would not have a way to reset the distances however so I don't know how much this would muck things up.
What about using the TV as your gaming monitor when you want surround sound? A lot less hassle and a bigger screen too.

 

[ssddx]

What about using the TV as your gaming monitor when you want surround sound? A lot less hassle and a bigger screen too.

THIS.

 

[hardware]

TV as gaming monitor....okay...
Which 55 inch TV do you recommend as being fast enough to game with (FPS such as GTA5, etc) ?
Any budget, any technology. No bigger than 55 inches and no lag @ high frame rates.
Likely a 4k tv.
I was going to rebuild my system with 3 4k monitors (28-32 inch) on my desktop, but a 55 inch may work too.

 

[ssddx]

televisions can only handle up to 60fps due to their input being limited to this. however, if you're gaming at 4k you're likely not going to be surpassing this unless you have some really beefy hardware.

my tv is a bit older now but i play both console 30/60hz and pc games 60hz on it and its fast enough to me at least. i'd make sure you disable motionflow or other strobing/post processing technologies like 120/240hz on them to kill any input lag. since you have a tv already - why dont you just experiment with that?

your choice what you do - it was just a suggestion given your odd predicament

 

[hardware]

The office is being remodeled. Completely torn apart. Which is why now is the time to figure this out....when I can run as many wires as I like anywhere I like. The TV for this office was a 50 inch plasma which was given away. Unless there is a significant incentive otherwise, I will be moving my Samsung 55 LED tv in there. Anyway, as a result there is no way to test immediately.
Tonight I've hired someone from Freelancer.com to make the box I want. Should be here in less than a month.
If they do it right, problem solved for around $300

Dan

 

[jhnftzptrck]

Hey hardware, I know this thread is 9 months old, but where did you end up with this? I'm trying to do exactly the same thing right now and running into the same issues, and considering the switch thing. I'm using AppleTV and also trying to remap the HDMI signal before it gets to the amp, maybe with a Raspberry Pi. I can do that with VLC. Did you run with the switch in the end, and does it work OK?

 

[hardware]

I had someone build it for me on freelancer.com.
Ended up being around 350 with remote control.
Haven't even had a chance to test it yet, since the room is now in the finishing stages.
Should be done within 30 days. The wiring is run, I simply have to mount and connect the hardware once the flooring and wall covering are complete

 

[jameselson]

I'm also trying to find something like this. I have a Bowers & Wilkins MT-60D which is five identical speakers and a subwoofer. I have a sofa opposite the TV and the L/R/C speakers as you'd expect. But I also have a sofa at 90º to this, and when listening to music would like to sit there, swapping the speakers around

Is it really that niche?

James

 

[hardware]

I'm also trying to find something like this. I have a Bowers & Wilkins MT-60D which is five identical speakers and a subwoofer. Is it really that niche?
James

Apparently so. First world problems, right? LOL Actually even if you were to use my solution you would need to buy an extra speaker so you have a fifth speaker in the proper place from the second listening location. Only 5 speakers would be operational at any one time, but you'd still need the sixth.

 

[jameselson]

Yes, I appreciate its a first world problem 🙂

I'd actually be happy with only two active speakers when not watching the TV (well, L R and sub).

It's not that common to have the same speakers for both front and surround so I can see its not *that* common a request but there's enough home theatre packages that do it to just about warrant it.

James