Sonos Controlling legacy equipment

[FreeWay]

We're reseaching using our FreeWay product (just google DKT FreeWay) to
give our Sonos clients control access via CR100 of thier legacy
equipment (ie those sources attached to the ZP100 - CD servers, radios
&c). The FreeWay is a general purpose AV controller and has a user
accessible ethernet port via which various bits and peices of existing
equipment can be controlled (IR, RS232, logic &c.)

Does anyone on this forum want to look into this? You'll need to
implement a 'virtual' ZP100 in the network and send UPnP comms to that
unit. The FreeWay traps this and makes the conversion into IR codes,
RS232 or whatever.

We'll help you with whatever we can.

Post back if interested.
Rgds to all,
Decay

[MichaelD]

Have you worked out how to implement a 'virtual' ZP100 in the network?

Michael

[FreeWay]

Hi Michael,

No we haven't, that's what the call out is for. You may get some help
from Sonos themselves but when I met with them at CEDIA last year they
just looked confused (probably just exhibition fatique). We like the
product a lot and it has a definate place in the repertoire of our
clients - but without being able to control the equipment attached to
each ZP100 it remains a cludge that people would rather avoid. Shame
really, but the FreeWay will fix that.

ATB
D

[MichaelD]

There's a lot of people out there that want to control other equipment
with the SONOS controller, so there is a demand for your product, but
implementing a virtual ZP is what even more people want to do to allow
them to use a PC as a Zone Player.

As far as I am aware, nobody has been able to achieve that, the
connection between each ZP and SONOS net looks pretty difficult to
replicate.

Help from SONOS is unlikely, (but might happen), my thinking being that
if we could create virtual ZPs, then we'd put one on each PC on our
networks, and save buying physical Zone Players, which might hit SONOS'
revenue pretty hard.

But good luck!