Home Automation Info

Reviewed by HAI Staff

Overall Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Entertainment Center Product Features

Simply put the Russound CAV6.6 system distributes six audio/video sources to six rooms in your home. This system supports stereo audio and composite video, which is limited to standard definition TV (i.e. 480p). A wall-mounted keypad in each room provides source selection, volume control, and channel up/down selection.

Similar to the Logitech Harmony 890, the CAV6.6 system controls the audio/video (A/V) source components via IR emitter cables connected to each A/V device. This allows the CAV6.6 to not only provide the basic controls described above for the keypads, but permits the homeowner to take a device remote control to another room and point it at the keypad for complete control of the device. This is especially useful for watching distributed satellite TV from the bedroom without paying the monthly fees for a second satellite receiver box. The only drawback is you can not watch HDTV programming in the bedroom using this system, which is probably an acceptable solution for a guest bedroom.

In addition, the CAV 6.6 system is expandable to support up to 36 A/V zones by adding CAV6.6 units. The system can integrate with your doorbell or a Russound Compoint intercom system, allowing either to interrupt the audio program so the doorbell or intercom conversation can be clearly heard. A single CAV 6.6 system can support up to 4 A-BUS sub-zones, which allows a second room to be paired with one of the 6 primary rooms. This works well for a master bedroom/bathroom or living room/dining combination. Other features: Do Not Disturb mode, Party mode, and favorite program presets are also useful and easy to set up.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Ease of Installation

Russound products can only be installed by authorized dealers or installers who have received product training and have access to PC-based installation software and other tools. In order to install a CAV6.6 system your home must be pre-wired with speaker cable for audio, RG6 coaxial cable for video, and Cat5e cable to the keypad location in each room. For new homes this wiring can easily be planned as part of the low voltage wiring construction phase. For exisiting homes that are not pre-wired, the installation cost to retrofit the required cable runs may be prohibitive. Note all wiring starts at the CAV6.6 location and fans out to 6 or less other rooms in the home.

The actual installation of a CAV6.6 system is straightforward for an experienced installer. The PC Power Tool software available to installers reduces the time required to configure the system. Note if full device remote support at each keypad is desired, the CAV6.6 system will have to "learn" the IR codes for each A/V source device. This can be a time consuming process for the installer as Russound does not provide a library of IR codes, and the installer may not have a personal library of codes that covers all the devices in your entertainment center. However, if you limit this feature to your TV programming source only it will reduce the installation time.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10

Entertainment Center Product Reliability

Once the CAV6.6 is configured and tested successfully its operation is quite reliable. Russound provides a knowledgeable technical support staff for installers with questions or issues during installation. The CAV6.6 box does generate a significant level of heat, so be sure it is installed in a well ventilated area.

In any system with IR emitters the most frequent problem is the stick-on emitter can dry out and fall from its intended location, which results in the IR codes being missed by the A/V device IR sensor. A little super glue will generally fix this issue.

The CAV6.6 RNET System comes with a two year warranty.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10