The Denon 2808CI is a mid range AV which at about $900 comes with some impressive multi zone features. The AV unit features independent zone control across three zones. Independent zone control allows you to select the same or different sources of audio and/or video.
Here is my setup:
Main Zone: HDMI video out with 5.1 surrond sound audio. This powers my home theater.
Zone 2: Composite video with Left/Right audio out sent to external amplifier. This zone sends a composite video signal along with audio to a LCD tv in my exercise room.
Zone 3: Left/Right audio. This zone goes to my speaker selector switch.
So with the above setup, my kids can watch a movie in the home theater room while at the same time my wife can watch TV in texercise room while I listen to music upstairs. Inputs used in this case our our Sony DVD player for home theater, cable box for exercise room, and panasonic DVD player for music.
Make It Count! Some Practical Tips
- If you want 3 zones, your main zone must be 5.1 and not 7.1 because the two extra amps will be required to power the left and right audio channels of zone 3.
- The video signal for zone 2 is sadly composite.
- It’s possible to extend audio into additional rooms through the use of a speaker selector. I use a Sima SSW 6 Zone speaker selector which costs about $45 bucks. It’s very basic but it does have impedenece protection. My only regret is not getting a speaker selector that works with a remote because then it could be controlled through my Harmony 890 remote. I send zone 3 of the Denon 2808ci AVR to the speaker selector and in this way I now have not one additional zone but six.
- It’s even possible, I *think*, to get an extra video zone out of the Denon 2808ci however it would not be an independent zone. For the main zone, most users will have an HDMI out going to their projector or main TV yet there are additional video outs should your choice of cableling not be HDMI. Again, I have not yet tested this, but I don’t see why I can’t run a component video out on the main zone in addition to the HDMI. I would send the component to my LCD upstairs and combined with the audio which I can bring in through Zone 3, I should be able to pull video and audio upstairs. The downside is that the video input must be what is playing in the my main zone, which is my home theater. Another consideration is that I would need one hell of a long component video cable – a 50 footer in my case, so back to MonoPrice.com again for me. This solution would allow me to access DVDs in my Sony 400 DVD changer from upstairs using my Harmony 890 remote. I’ll give it a try a report back
