1066 Zone @ volume problems. Help

[badger1]

I am trying to use the volume control for zone 2 of my 1066 processor.
Here is my question. I currently have a remote transmitter (those little (RCA) pyramids). In my second zone (my garage) I had previously been able to just aim my "previous systems reciever" remote (a Denon 3805) at the pyramid in the garage and it would relay the signal through that pyramid, through the wall, to the pyramid that was in the house facing the Denon. I could control the volume and other funtions of my reciever this way. The pyramid in the garage just plugs into an AC outlet and the pyramid in the house (the one with the antenna on it) also just plugs into an AC outlet. Neither of these actually plugged into the back of my Denon.
Can I use this type of remote signal transmitter to control the volume of Zone 2 on my 1066?
I read the 1066 manual and it said I need an IR repeater. What is that? Where do I get one? How much do they cost? How do I hook it up.
As you can tell, I am pretty lost when comes to how this stuff works and what it means. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Kevin D]

Yes, you can use it the same. You will have to hit the ZONE button on the Rotel remote first before doing any zone function. And you will have no way to know whether it's in the zone2 mode or not (it times out after 10 seconds or so).

So it will work, but you will have times where you accidentally do something to zone1 and not realize it. The IR repeater system requires a wire to be ran, but it could plug directly into the zone2 IR input on the back. Doing this would no longer require hitting the ZONE button first. The regular IR commands only effect zone2 when fed directly into this port.

Does your pyramid have a 1/8" output jack on the base? I've seen some with one before. If so, you could get a 1/8" mono cable and run from the base to the zone2 input on the back. This would let you continue to use the pyramids and have discrete zone2 control.

There is another way, but it would require a programmable remote (Pronto, Harmony, etc). There are different IR commands for zone2 only, but they are not on the standard remote.

Kevin D.

[badger1]

1066 Zone 2 volume control

Kevin,
just to to clarify, If I put the processor in Zone 2, via the front control panel, (I can easily do this before going out to my garage) I will just be able to point the 1066 remote at the pyramid in the garage and I will be able to control the volume?
I tried this last night and I was able to control my Denon cd player with my 1066 remote (which I programmed yesterday) by pointing at the garage pyramid, however I could not change the volume on the processor.
I will try again tonight, I possibly did something wrong.

If that does not work, you also mentioned I could plug a wire into output jack on the pyramid(which it has) and then plug it into the input on the 1066?
What input on the 1066?
Sorry for asking so many questions,I am very inexperienced and I do not have the manual in front of me.
Thanks for any help!

[Kevin D]

Actually no, that's the issue. Hitting the ZONE button on the front, or the ZONE button on the remote only puts it in zone control mode for about 10 seconds if you don't hit any buttons. That timer resets every time you do hit another button.

IE, for the standard pyramid to work, you would have to hit ZONE, POWER, SOURCE. If you wanted to adjust volume later on you would have to hit ZONE, VOL +/-. If it missed the ZONE command or you forget to hit it, you will be controlling zone1.

If you use a cable from the output jack, it will go into the ZONE REM plug on the upper right side of the pre-amp. That way, the regular power/source/volume buttons would only change zone2, without having to hit the ZONE button first.

The only down side to that is that you can't have the front of the pyramid facing where it will hit the front of the 1066. If you did, you would wind up controlling zones 1 and 2 at the same time. So you might have to play with the positioning so that it hits your Cd player and other sources, but not the 1066.

Kevin D.

[rmassey]

I've been trying to help a friend with Z2 on his 1066 and am facing these same issues. This is perhaps the worst zone2 implementation I've ever seen. Did they improve this on the 1068/69?

Thanks for the explanation Kevin.

[badger1]

1066 zone 2 volume problems

Thanks Kevin, I wired the pyramid to the back of the 1066 and it is working just fine. I appreciate you helping me with your advice.

Badger1

[Eiffel]

While using the Zone Rem connector is the best solution, there is a way to force the 1066 (or 1055) in and out of the Zone 2 mode:

If you press the Multi (Direct) key twice, you will always set the receiver to control the main zone. if you press the Multi key twice and press the zone key afterwards, you will always be in zone2 mode for 10 seconds.

With a remote with macro capabilities, and assuming good IR signal transmission, this gives decent control for Zone2