audioShare Frequently Asked Questions
Competitive Analysis
- How Does audioShare® Compare to an Intercom System?
- If audioShare® Functions Like a Telephone System, Why Not Buy a Telephone System?
- How Does audioShare® Compare to a Music Distribution System?
System Design and Installation
- How Many Wall Stations Can be Connected to a Single Power Supply?
- What is Home-Run Wiring?
- What is Daisy-Chain Wiring?
- How Many audioShare® Devices Can be Connected to a Single Hub Port?
- What is the Maximum Cable Distance Supported by audioShare®?
- What is the Line Terminator Needed by the audioShare® system?
- How do audio sources connect to the audioShare® system?
- How do in-wall amplifiers get powered?
audioShare® in Detail
How Does audioShare® Compare to an Intercom System?
audioShare® is similar to an intercom system in that it provides the ability to communicate in a home or office. However, that is where the similarities stop. Intercom systems are very outdated and have not changed technologically in over 30 years. As a result, intercom systems currently lack the necessary features such as direct dial, computer-controlled volume control, and digital audio transmission technology needed to make them practical and useful. Features that can only be found together in the audioShare® system.
So what is wrong with intercom technology on the market today?
- All intercoms use analog technology which is susceptible to noise caused by electrical wiring, wireless devices, and home appliances resulting in annoying noises and poor sound quality.
- All intercoms are monophonic meaning any 'very' limited music capability the intercom has sounds like that old AM radio you enjoyed as a kid.
- All intercoms have scratchy, manual volume controls that make communication impossible when your kids decide to turn the volume all the way down - making it really easy to ignore you.
- A majority of all intercoms have no selective call capability meaning when you talk into the intercom the entire house gets to hear you even though you only want to talk to a specific room.
- Intercoms look old fashioned and bulky with the oversized 'Master' unit taking up a wall in the kitchen and the ugly 'Remote' units in each of the rooms.
- Intercoms have no hands-free capability meaning you have to push a button to talk. Want your kids to talk back? Hope they can reach the button!
- Intercoms have no room monitoring (like a baby monitor) capability.
- Intercoms have no upgrade capability meaning what you buy is what you get. Don't like it? Tough!
- Intercoms have no user interface telling you what is happening on the system.
- The list goes on and on and on .... No wonder Intercoms Stink!
On the other hand, audioShare® was designed from the ground up to ensure that the necessary features that enable practical, easy and efficient communication were accounted for and available to the customer.
- audioShare® is 100% digital meaning you never have to hear annoying humming noises and interference. You are always assured that you will hear crystal clear sound.
- audioShare® has exclusive computer-controlled volume controls ensuring that you can communicate at the correct volume all of the time. You can even remotely control the volume of any wall station anywhere in the house.
- audioShare® works just like a cell phone meaning you can call any room in your house (you can even conference call rooms) just by dialing the room number. Once connected you can have a completely hands-free conversation without anyone pushing a button.
- audioShare® features a separate microphone and speaker allowing audioShare® to provide exclusive real-time microphone sensitivity technology that automatically eliminates feedback, makes baby monitoring more pleasant at night, and eliminates potential distortion.
- audioShare® is software upgradeable allowing you to add new features and capabilities as your needs change and your family grows.
- audioShare® is great looking and has a user-friendly LCD screen that tells you exactly what the system is doing and what room(s) you are talking/listening to.
Don't waste your money on an intercom system that will fail you immediately after it is installed. Let audioShare® meet and even exceed your home communication needs. Stop yelling! Buy audioShare!
If audioShare® Functions Like a Telephone System, Why Not Buy a Telephone System?
audioShare® is similar to a telephone system in that an individual can directly-dial another telephone extension. Also, audioShare® and most telephone systems both support digital audio technology which virtually eliminates all of the typical interference and noise found in intercom systems. However, the similarities between audioShare® and telephone systems stop there. Telephone systems were designed for voice and that is it. Telephone systems cannot support music, surround sound or any other form of audio prevalent in our homes today.
audioShare® has the ease and functionality of a telephone system with the versatility to handle even the highest quality audio technologies such as CD and DVD players, Dolby Digital® and DTS® surround sound technologies, satellite radio, and much, much more. Why limit yourself to just voice capabilities with a telephone system when you can spend the same amount of money on an audioShare® system that supports the same voice communication capabilities as a telephone system with added high-end audio and music capabilities.
How Does audioShare® Compare to a Music Distribution System?
audioShare® and a music distribution system can both connect your audio and video equipment with every room in your home making music just a button press away. In fact, music distribution systems are currently the rave in the consumer electronics world and reports show that the trend will continue to grow. However, what typical music distribution systems have in convenience and ease of use they lack in scalability and accessibility. This is where audioShare® out-performs and out-values other music distribution systems.
To further understand, take a look at the difference between a “distribution” system and a “network” system. A “distribution” system takes an audio source such as a CD/DVD player or a cassette player and amplifies the signal to speakers in various zones throughout a home. A zone can be a room or a group of rooms in a home which can independently listen to and control the audio source. A zone can only receive audio signals and a source can only send audio signals. A music distribution system has a limited number of sources (inputs) and zones (outputs) and can not be expanded. Also, music distribution systems do not support the transmission of high-end audio formats such as Dolby Digital®, DTS®, DVD-Audio®, and SDDS®surround sound.
A “network” system on the other hand makes any node or unit in the system a potential source (input) and/or receiver (output). A network system can also be expanded easily to add a virtually limitless number of sources (inputs) and receivers (output) in the system. This means that any audio device in your home can be sent to any other room or audio device in the home. Let your imagination run wild with the endless number of possibilities you have with a network.
audioShare® is exactly that, a “network”. Therefore, all of the features and benefits of a network are found in the audioShare® system. Any audioShare® wallstation can be connected to any analog or digital music source in any room. Any audioShare® wall station can be connected to in-wall/in-ceiling speakers via discrete in-wall amplifiers or directly to home theater or stereo systems via digital or analog connectors. The audioShare® wall station can even be used exclusively to listen to music in rooms where you don't want to spend additional money on speakers. audioShare® gives you the total flexibility and cost savings you need without giving up the high quality and compatability you expect in today's world of digital music.
How Many Wall Stations Can be Connected to a Single Power Supply?
A single audioShare® power supply is capable of powering up to 20 audioShare® devices. For specific power supply capabilities see either the audioShare® Hub wiring information or the audioShare® Power Injector wiring information support sections.
What is Home-Run Wiring?
Home-Run wiring is a topology where every wire or cable starts from one central distribution box inside a home, and then radiates out to each room. Home-Run wiring has several advantages. First, each audioShare® device has its own cable, independent of any other connection, so it’s easier to make changes in the future. Second, it’s easier to diagnose problems with Home-Run wiring, and when problems do occur, they’re isolated to that one wire or cable.
What is Daisy-Chain Wiring?
Daisy-Chain wiring is a topology where a single wire or cable starts from one location inside a home, and then traverses through each room. Daisy-Chain wiring is typically a less expensive wiring topology because it requires less wire and does not require central connectivity equipment. Also, Daisy-Chain wiring sometimes makes system expansion easier because additional rooms can be added by connecting wire to the closest room in the Daisy-Chain. However, Daisy-Chain wiring is not very flexible to change, is limited in the number of audioShare® devices that can be connected to each other, and is much more difficult to troubleshoot.
How Many audioShare® Devices Can be Connected to a Single Hub Port?
The audioShare® Hub can support up to 8 audioShare® devices per port (in a Daisy-Chain configuration).
What is the Maximum Cable Distance Supported by audioShare®?
The maximum length of a cable supported by audioShare® is 1000 feet (or 300 Meters). This is the total cable length from the power source (either the audioShare® Hub or the audioShare® Power Injector) to the last audioShare® device on that cable.
What is the Line Terminator Needed by the audioShare® System?
The audioShare® system is 100% digital. This means that even the audio transmission between audioShare® devices is digital. As such, in order to ensure the accurate delivery of digital information, all audioShare® devices at the end of a cable must be terminated. For an example of how to use line terminators in either Home-Run wiring, Daisy-Chain wiring, or a combination of both Home-Run and Daisy-Chain wiring review the audioShare® Wiring Diagram.
How do audio sources connect to the audioShare® system?
Each audioShare® wallstation has both digital inputs/outputs and analog stereo inputs/outputs on the back. This allows the audio devices in the same room as the audioShare® wallstation to be directly connected to it. To accomplish this RCA cables can be discretely run behind the wall from the audioShare® wallstation to a wall plate. The audio devices in the room can then plug into the RCA jacks on the wallplate to interface with the local audioShare® wallstation. Connecting the in-wall amplifier is exactly the same. Run RCA cables behind the wall between the audioShare® wallstation analog stereo output and the in-wall amplifier's input.
How do in-wall amplifiers get powered?
Although the audioShare® wallstatons and doorstations receive power via the CAT5 (or similar) cable through the hub or power injector module, the in-wall amplifiers require separate power sources due to the high power requirements of the amplifiers. The in-wall amplifier is powered by a 12 volt 3 amps or higher power supply (can be purchased from audioShare). Ideally, a 14~16 gauge speaker wire home run from the in-wall amp to the wiring closet is suggested. If multiple amps are used throughout the home then 14~16 gauge speaker wire should be home run from each in-wall amp to the wiring closet and connected to a single power supply (or more depending on the number of in-wall amplifiers in the system).
What are the Intercom Features?
The Intercom features of the audioShare® system exceed even the best known intercoms on the market. With common features such as privacy, door communication, do-not-disturb, and whole-house paging the audioShare® system also adds the following exclusive features:
- Direct Dial to any room or selected multiple rooms
- Hands-free Operation (like a speakerphone) for both ends of a conversation once a connection has been established
- Baby Monitor and House Monitor modes
- Remotely control any wall station from any other wall station including volume, privacy settings, connection type, etc.
- Passcode protected Parent Locks
- Default Volume setting for every wall station allows volume to be restored automatically when intercom communication starts
- Separate microphone and speaker providing better quality voice transmission and exclusive features like full handsfree, separate speaker and mic volumes, etc.
- Software upgradeable for future feature enhancements
The audioShare® system currently exceeds the capabilities of even the best intercom on the market today. And with the software upgradability of audioShare®, new features will also be available.
What are the Music Distribution Features?
The Music Distribution features of the audioShare® system are comparable to the top-of-the-line music distribution systems on the market. In addition, audioShare® is the only selective call system capable of transmitting 100% digital stereo and surround sound signals bi-directionally from any station to any other station in the home. With audioShare® you will be able to:
- connect any audio device such as mp3, CD, and DVD players as well as home computers, satellite receivers, and radios to any audioShare® device and send the audio signal to any other audioShare® device. This allows you to send any audio signal anywhere in your house to your patio speakers, your home stereo, your computer or even your dining room speakers. With 100% digital, bi-directional transmission, the connectivity possibilities are endless with audioShare®.
- interface with state-of-the-industry technologies such as Dolby Digital®, DTS®, and SDDS® digital audio formats.
- every wall station is capable of connecting to both analog (left-right) and digital inputs providing unlimited flexibility in how you connect all of the audio devices in each room of your home together.
- Default Volume settings for each wall station allow music to begin playing at the correct volume, always.
- Analog and Digital outputs on each wallstation allow you to connect audioShare® to discrete in-wall amps and speakers as well as your home theater and stereo components for the highest quality music reproduction.
And, while competitors' systems limit the number of audio sources, audioShare® allows multiple audio sources from any wall station - creating virtually a limitless number of audio sources.