Scratch Build – In Progress Home Rack build, whole house audio & Spa TV

Been living in my own house for a few years now I thought it was about time I "geeked" it up a bit and sorted out the mess that is my server/network cupboard.

Sorry about picture quality my camera has died

Cupboard was a slap together job to get it all hooked up and working and kinda just go left as it was working.


All empty


"Rackmounting" the amps for house audio.
Just bought a 1U blanking panel and took to it with the angel grinder.


Amps are "Class T" 20w per channel off ebay. Around $22 each. Not bad for the price and will do what I need for now.


Back in a looking a little neater


Patch panel arrived to tidy up CAT5 cables


I'm waiting on the arrival of some rack rails which I intend to screw into the shelf and roof which will tidy it up even more.
Also need to either buy or build a new case for the server as I have run out of room for more drives. (11 currently)

 

Picked up some cheap ceiling speakers of ebay (~AUD$29 for the pair)
Was pleasantly surprised at how they sound considering.



First hole cut


Both installed and wired above the spa bath.


Next two installed in the kitchen/dining area


Raspbery Pi running XBMC and Airplay to control it



Thinking another two in the master bedroom and am going to mount a screen at the foot of the spa for movies, etc but haven't quite figure out the best way to mount it yet.

 

Got the additional Raspberry Pi's setup last night bringing the total to 4 in the house.

Airplay view from my iphone now.
Audio-RaspPi will be connected to the amps that drive both the kitchen and deck speakers and the others will be kept separate to enable different music to be played in different rooms.

 

I so need this in my life! Great little project dude

 

Thanks
It the sort of thing that you didn't know you missed but once it's there you think "why didn't I do this ages ago?"


Still waiting on the rack rails so not much has been done on that front other than mounting the third and final amp.



Deck -> Kitchen -> Bathroom

 

Started on the bathroom TV over the weekend.
Tried to just pull off the tiles but didn't have much luck so resorted to just cutting the hole out and then will just re plaster/tile around the screen when it's mounted with glass to cover the screen.


Begins of the hole


All cut out


VGA and 12volt power run.


Testing



Friend is building up a custom bracket for the screen and then hopefully get the plastering done over the next week.

 

Rack rails arrived today so finally got everything mounted.

Didn't get some pics before I started mounting things but pretty much cut the rails with the angel grinder to length bent the bottom to sit on the shelf and then used self tappers to attach top and bottom.

Patch panel and switch mounted


Modem router and PSU mounted


Everything mounted


Mounted and powered up

 

Spa telly testing using Iphone XBMC remote to control

 

Bracket for the screen all mounted


Screen mounted to bracket


Hopefully getting the plaster done this week then just have to organize some tiles and glass to finish it off

 

Been a little progress...
Beginnings of the plastering


With the screen test fitted

 

Nicely done

 

Nice work!

That is a great little amp that has room for MASSIVE upgrades for very little cash outlay:
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?226235-Modding-the-Lepai-T2020A&highlight=LEPAI

 

nice build so far are you going to get 1 of the waterproof cases for the phone

 

Cheers

Thanks
All three amps are running off a 12v 12amp PSU thats mounted with the modem and router.
I may look at doing the caps on them at some stage but so far they have been pretty good.

I've got an old iphone 3GS that I'll probably use for the remote.
Not too worried if it goes for a swim it's pretty stuffed.
So far haven't managed to drop my phone in the bath (touch wood)

 

It looks great and I would also like to have my house set up like that. One question Why such a big hole for the screen? They make stud finders for about $10. Great job none the less.

 

Pretty much impossible to remove the tiles from the plaster without destroying them so it was easier to cut the whole tiled section out and then re tile the wall rather than stuffing around trying to cut tiles on the wall, etc.

 

wow some really cool little ideas, might need to dig my PI out

 

They are a great little device. With the new "NOOBS" image on the Raspberry Pi site can have them up and running in 5 minutes now as well

Got 4 of them in the house now and one soon to be in the car. All running OpenELEC (XBMC)

 

Replacement tiles have arrived and I've ordered the tinted glass to cover the screen.
Hopefully in the next week it'll all be back together

 

Little bit of progress. Plastering has been done and the tiles have arrived.
Glass should be here any day and the wall can finally go back together haha.