Multizone receiver

Roon Software Discussion
1

I am just getting started with Roon and have several multizone receivers (Denon X4700H and Onkyo RZ810). I am able to leverage Roon through the primary zone. Is there a way to leverage leverage the other zones?

3

I don’t have any experience with either A/V receiver, but the Denon does appear to allow you to play a separate HDMI input into Zone 2, but only an HDMI input:

https://manuals.denon.com/AVRX4700H/NA/EN/SEHFSYnbfakksh.php

The Onkyo appears to operate similarly. From Page 16 of the PDF manual:

if you connect:

ZONE 2 TV

You can enjoy content from a Blu-ray Disc player on a TV equipped with an HDMI input jack in the separate room (ZONE 2) by playing a Blu-ray Disc player in the main room (where this unit is located), or play the content from another AV component. Only the video from devices connected to the HDMI IN1 to IN3 jacks can be played on the TV in the separate room.

Setup:

  • Settings are required in Initial Setup, “4. Multi Zone Setup” (P21) to enjoy this feature.
  • The audio from externally connected AV components can only be output when the audio is analog or 2ch PCM audio signals. It may also be necessary to convert the audio output of the AV component to PCM output.
4

Sorry for the confusion. I have both receivers working in multi-room setups. I was trying to see if there was a way to use Roon to stream to each of the zones?

As an example, I can use Control 4 to steam audio to each of the zones independently. Granted it is a completely different platform but similar use case.

5

Since you have Control4, then I recommend you look here, it may be the most efficient approach:

6

If the Onkyo supports UPnP you could use a UPnP bridge to send it over the network. There is a free software one used by Logitech Media Centre that can be run solo or there is paid extension (plugin for Roon). It may or may not work well as UPnP can be a bit flakey. Otherwise you could build a small Roon endpoint using a Raspberry Pi and use that to feed the Onkyo directly this could be via USB if it supports that or via Spdif via a low cost output card. Or you could feed the core direct via HDMI or USB into it.

7

Can you clarify? Are you trying to listen to Roon in the non-primary zone while another source is active in the primary zone? If so, this is totally doable. If you’re trying to listen to the same Roon content in multiple zones, this also works.

What you can’t do is listen to different Roon content in each zone. There is only one AirPlay receiver. You would need an additional source, like @Simon_Arnold3 is describing above.

To play one Roon source in alternate zones, I usually use the HEOS app, though there are probably other methods. Open that, turn on the zone(s) you want, if necessary change them to AirPlay. Then set Roon to play to your receiver, and you’re done. I did this last week when I wanted to listen to music on the patio without turning on the main zone in the house, which would bother my wife while she was still working. I launched the HEOS app, turned on only Zone 2, and hit play in Roon. The main zone did not turn on and I had my music outside. She later finished and turned on the TV (which is in the primary zone), and that did not interrupt me.

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