by Guest » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:24 am
I tried a set up like this, with direct wiring (cut and stripped the plug from a pair of headphones) and got mixed results. A word of warning -- my experience is all anecdotal -- I have not attempted to measure any of this or apply much critical thought, its just what I think I observed.
While it worked for the most part with the connecting block you linked to (or the two-zone version of it, anyway), I ended up suspecting that the block does not amplify the signal enough for my purposes despite the power supply being connected. I ended up with the impression that the power supply is there primarily to power the Xantech receivers (12 V output?), which have no power supply of their own.
The bottom line for me was that I was splitting each zone from the USB-UIRT (5V output?) to two emitters and the signal seemed to be too weak some of the time for some of my components.
In the end I purchased the next step up in the connecting block line from Xantech -- the ones specifically called "... Amplified ..." in the product name. These are more expensive but I found a couple on eBay (one for each zone). I am relatively happy with this set up, but still have not had the time to debug all the glitches -- which may just be a matter of time, more experience with Girder, etc.
I did make another related post today -- I think the high power output of the amplified connecting block may have fried a couple of DVD players using the stick-on "mouse" emitters. This is just speculation on my part and I am looking for someone here to validate that as a possibility. It may have just been the cheap hardware put in low-end (but "name-brand") DVD players breaking on its own...