Hi
I am starting construction on a patio in the next few weeks, just want some setup recommendations as I managed to sneak my Sonos expansion into the budget :)
The space is going to be close to 800 square feet, so I want to make sure I have enough coverage for the entire area. I currently have a pair of Polk outdoor speakers (used with a Connect and small amp) that will be in one "zone". I am thinking I need at least 4-6 more speakers to cover the area adequately. Currently looking at the TIC GS4 driven by Connect Amps.
My main question is around the TV setup. I'm planning on getting a Sunbrite outdoor TV with a dedicated pair of outdoor speakers (driven by a Connect Amp), and I would like to be able to hear audio from my TiVO box as well as an Apple TV. Since there is only one Line In on the Connect/Connect Amp, is the easiest way to get audio from both sources to use the Line In on two different Connects, and then group the zones together when needed? I would say 90% of the time I'll be using a streaming source like Apple Music or Prime music to send the audio to all the different speakers simultaneously, but there will definitely be times when the TV sound will be needed while music is on in another area. There are also times when I will want the TV audio all over the space.
Looking for advice from others who have a larger outdoor setup on Sonos.
Thanks!
Planning a patio - Sonos setup
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I don't have an outdoor setup, but does the TV have any analog outs? It would be infinitely easier (ok, maybe not infinitely) to have the TV be the switch for the audio stream, than it would be for you to be grouping and ungrouping various speakers all the time. Or, I'd be tempted to look for a audio extraction box, which might be more complex given the outside nature of the system....
Or, you could go with a simple switch for the RCA going to one CONNECT:AMP, too, and that wouldn't need to be powered, I think.
But yes, you could indeed send the data to two different CONNECT:AMPS and choose which one is the "master" every time you're playing sound through the various speakers.
Or, you could go with a simple switch for the RCA going to one CONNECT:AMP, too, and that wouldn't need to be powered, I think.
But yes, you could indeed send the data to two different CONNECT:AMPS and choose which one is the "master" every time you're playing sound through the various speakers.
Makes sense. The TV does have both Analog and Digital Out. Hopefully the HDMI audio from the sources will pass through, I'll have to test that out.
I have a somewhat similar setup to yours. I've never measured the size of my backyard space, but it's atleast 800 sqft. I only have 4 speakers (2 pair) back there and I run them off of one connect:amp with a speaker switch in between. I actually have a 3rd pair of speakers in my garage that I occasionally run as well. I've never really had any issues with the volume.
I also decided not to mount the speakers on the house, as my yard is not that deep. Instead, the speakers are mounted on posts near the back fence line pointed in. This way, I'm not sending music into the neighbors yard so much, and people near the house can have a conversation without yelling over the speakers.
Now, regarding the tv. I have one I roll out on a cart from time to time, and I can connect it to the connect:amp through RCA. It works, but the lip sync delay is too much for me. The connect:amp isn't designed for use with a tv. It is designed to buffer the audio slightly in order to better enable syncing the music with other sonos products.
So, since you already have a connect, instead of getting a connect:amp or multiple amps, get a bigger amp designed to work with tvs and can power 2 pair or more speakers (maybe a speaker switch as well) The connect will be one input to the amp/receiver and the tv can be the other. This may sound like your giving up the ability to switch inputs and volume control with this setup, but Onkyo has announced that they will soon 'work with Sonos' so that you can control volume and switch inputs on some Onkyo recievers through the Sonos app. This is the setup I plan on switching to myself. I already have a connect and everything wired up, just waiting to see what receivers will work with Sonos (probably anything with wifi).
As an aside, if it's feasible through wiring, consider linking your outdoor tv with your indoor tv. I put a hdmi splitter before the input on the indoor tv, so that I could send the same signal to the outdoor tv. In this way, you can have sports or whatever playing inside and out in perfect sync when you want to.
I also decided not to mount the speakers on the house, as my yard is not that deep. Instead, the speakers are mounted on posts near the back fence line pointed in. This way, I'm not sending music into the neighbors yard so much, and people near the house can have a conversation without yelling over the speakers.
Now, regarding the tv. I have one I roll out on a cart from time to time, and I can connect it to the connect:amp through RCA. It works, but the lip sync delay is too much for me. The connect:amp isn't designed for use with a tv. It is designed to buffer the audio slightly in order to better enable syncing the music with other sonos products.
So, since you already have a connect, instead of getting a connect:amp or multiple amps, get a bigger amp designed to work with tvs and can power 2 pair or more speakers (maybe a speaker switch as well) The connect will be one input to the amp/receiver and the tv can be the other. This may sound like your giving up the ability to switch inputs and volume control with this setup, but Onkyo has announced that they will soon 'work with Sonos' so that you can control volume and switch inputs on some Onkyo recievers through the Sonos app. This is the setup I plan on switching to myself. I already have a connect and everything wired up, just waiting to see what receivers will work with Sonos (probably anything with wifi).
As an aside, if it's feasible through wiring, consider linking your outdoor tv with your indoor tv. I put a hdmi splitter before the input on the indoor tv, so that I could send the same signal to the outdoor tv. In this way, you can have sports or whatever playing inside and out in perfect sync when you want to.
Danny
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