Which is the best Multi Media system to use in a house with CAT5 Cable installed in each room?

Question

Which is the best Multi Media system to use in a house with CAT5 Cable installed in each room?

Answer 1

GREAT QUESTION!

The following answer assumes that you don't have anything else going on, wiring wise, other than the CAT-5.  In other words, you don't have speakers pre-wired in any of the walls or ceilings.

If so, then Sonos is probably the best answer.  They make the coolest looking and working stand-alone system.  By stand-alone, I mean, they have a solution that incorporates a "station-like" playback device that has its own speakers in it.  Kind of like a sophisticated boom-box that's tethered to your CAT-5 connection.  Each of these units acts like a "node" on your home's computer network.

Their wireless remote interface (looking like an iPod on steroids) is pretty nifty to use and gives artist/track info of everthing the system accesses.

Of course, it takes either a professional installer to get it all set up right, but if you're net-savvy, it shouldn't be more than another "Sunday project" for you.

Now, there are other competitors, like a Sony Vaio offshoot that does something similar, and you can also get an Apple product or two that could help you out, but these will need a nearby TV (at least) to make them work properly.

Hope this has steered you in the right direction.  Good luck and let me know how it goes, I'm interested to know what direction you decide to go in.

Cheers,

Rod Pera