Russound recently announced that it will be bringing to market its new Collage 
multi-room audio distribution system. What makes the system unique is its ability to use the existing electrical outlets in your home to distribute data and power from the control unit to the keypads. Using a home’s existing power lines to carry the signal drastically reduces the need to cut multiple holes in existing walls to run a traditional system’s cables, which makes the Collage an ideal solution for a retrofit project. Key features of the system include the ability to access your stored digital files over the network, and point to point intercom capability. Collage’s main components include an in-wall amplified keypad, which incorporates RDS-equipped FM tuner, and a Media Manager device, which connects to a home’s ethernet network and acts as a bridge between the Ethernet network and the powerline network. The universal plug-and-play-equipped, DLNA-certified device also connects to ShoutCast’s subscription-free Internet radio aggregation site to stream Internet radio to the keypads. The subscription-based Rhapsody music service can also be streamed to the keypads, as can music on Ethernet-connected PCs and NAS devices and a powerline-network iPod dock. The keypads will display cover art from networked sources.
A Typical Installation:
To install the keypads, a hole would be cut in the wall above an electrical outlet or near a light switch, then Romex would be run from the outlet or switch to the keypad to deliver power and connect it to the powerline network.
The room’s speakers would be run to the keypad.
The system also connects to legacy sources via an IR source bridge, which features analog-stereo and digital audio inputs, composite-video input for use with a security camera, and IR outputs to control IR sources.
The double-gang keypads, about a third taller than traditional keypads, feature a click wheel to navigate menus and double as an intercom for room-to-room communications and baby monitoring. The keypad’s amp is rated at 2×15 watts into 8 ohms and are 4-ohm stable. It also features built-in FM antenna and external-antenna jack. Can be expanded as your budget allows, with prices stating at approximately $850.00 and because it’s Russound the quality and reliability is inherent. For more info download their press release
See how easy it is to install a Collage keypad by clicking here. This is a .wmv file
