The Garage & Workshop Audio/Video/Networking Thread

[Lu-Max]

I thought I would start a thread just for showing (showing off? ) the audio and video setups you have in your garages and workshops. Since streaming services for AV distribution have become commonplace, lets also include your network setups too.

Personally I find it much easier to get hard work (especially monotonous work) done when I am rocking out to hard rock & heavy metal. Maybe your inspiration comes from classical, country, hip-hop, talk radio, etc., but whatever your choice of musical or video muse, please share your AV setups with the GJ.

 

[Lu-Max]

I'll start it off with my el-cheapo temporary setup. I will be moving soon into a house with a dedicated workshop, so this crappy setup will be sufficient for now.

I bought a set of Monoprice Active Wall Mount Speakers on sale, product number 7495. I mounted them to some soffit shelf studs. They are 'active' speakers which means that they have internal amplifiers so you just plug them in. My audio source is a used Logitech Squeezebox 3 (SB3) that I picked up on eBay. I ran an outdoor-rated rated Cat5e cable from my house along the fence and into the garage where I have a small 4-port switch. The SB3 is plugged into it and I can stream Pandora, Spotify, etc using it. The audio out cable from the SB3 plugs into the back of one of the speakers. I also made a small shelf for the SB3 to sit on and control it using a remote.

I don't know if this video link will work, but here is a quick DEMO.

Admittedly crappy, but it gets the job done for now.

 

[LX-Markham]

Just got my wall cabinets installed and looking at audio next.

My old university days speakers and amp will be finding a new home in the garage. Will be looking at this thread for ideas to stream music from our home network. Planning on running a CAT5 cable from the house to the garage through an empty conduit I have. But from there, I'm lost on what direction to go.

 

[LX-Markham]

Digging this thread back up because I finally got the speakers hung and the receiver installed in the wall cabinet. Now need to figure out the best way to stream music off either our home network, or off my i-phone.

 

[Lu-Max]

Nice. I've been using the Logitech (SlimDevices) Squeezebox products for years, I really like them. Usually I just pick a Pandora channel and hit play, done.

 

[theyardy11]

I plan on using a sound bar in mine, hunting the pawn shops right now, not going to put a brand new speaker in to get filled with metal shavings, sawdust and whatever else I have blowing around. Like the ideas and pictures you guys have so far though.

 

[Lu-Max]

BTW, LX, what speakers are those?

 

[fred d]

Ok I am glad I saw this thread.

I have a home stereo receiver in my garage inside of a cabinet. The cabinet is made of metal and I put it inside the cabinet to keep it from getting lots of dust,metal shavings, etc.

My problem is my radio reception *****. I've tried using external antennas, power antennas to boost the signal and nothing has worked. It has been suggested that it's possible that I don't have adequate grounding at my electrical plug-ins.

I have gone to using just a standard DeWalt portable battery operated radio that plugs into the wall. I am not using my external speakers. only the speakers that are in the DeWalt radio. The problem is I live on a very busy street and to get the radio loud enough really to hear over the road noise has it blasting.

Looking for suggestions to get better reception on stereo receiver.
Mostly I listen to talk radio to follow MLB Team while working out there when in season. Other wise it is older R&R and sometimes country

Help

 

[LX-Markham]

^^^AM or FM?
I'm planning mounting an FM antenna on the roof and plug it into my receiver.

BTW, LX, what speakers are those?

Yamaha NS-A835's

 

[fred d]

Both am & fm
And I am close, with in 20 miles of stations that can be picked up over 100 miles away

It is not bad all the time
Signal will be doing well then just start skipping in and out.
Thought it was the receiver, but brand new one is the same

 

[gahrajmahal]

Not happy with the poor quality Bluetooth speakers that are available, I asked the fellow GJ'ers to help me build a setup. Here is what we / I came up with. Should work with most smart phones, tablets, laptops and other Wi-Fi devices. Before you ask, my range is about 20 ft. with the laptop.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187208

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have a Mackie powered mixer mounted in my workbench with ceiling speakers throughout the shop.
I also have a 70V paging amplifier with connections to my phone system that will mute music when I page. Primarily just play music from my laptop or iPhone.
There's a couple other misc devices to make it all work but I'll spare the gory details

 

[Lapkritis]

Curious if any of you guys with detached garages have used a power line wifi signal extender?

Such as Actiontec Wireless Network Extender Plus Powerline Network Adapter 500 Kit (PWR51WK01) or Netgear XWNB5201 Powerline 500Mbps to N300 WiFi Access Point Extender. I work in the industry but no experience with these in use.

 

[jomobco]

Curious if any of you guys with detached garages have used a power line wifi signal extender?

Such as Actiontec Wireless Network Extender Plus Powerline Network Adapter 500 Kit (PWR51WK01) or Netgear XWNB5201 Powerline 500Mbps to N300 WiFi Access Point Extender. I work in the industry but no experience with these in use.

I do...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269827