need help with outdoor system

Considering the price point, I think wireless speakers are out, i think wired speakers would sound better for the same money. I'm starting to get used to the idea of wired speakers run off of my Denon avr's second zone. There is a penetration next to the avr for the coax cable, we dont have cable, never will. i can run wire through there. This will be a long run, like 50 feet or so.
Now I just need to connect my music library to the Denon. I started out in iTunes, with aif and alc files, which the Denon does not read. They got in bed with Microsoft early on, I think they're doing all formats these days, but not my unit. I need to try it with flac, and I've also started ripping in wav, which I'm sure the Denon sees. The most convenient thing would be to connect my external drive via USB into my Denon, control that with the iPad, and power it with the denon's second zone. I don't think I can use Jremote for this, because I don't want to add my laptop and the Vlink into the chain. Too much stuff to move around. So I need an iPad app...that connects to the Denon... The app has to be able to see apple and PC based music formats, maybe I can get the Denon a software upgrade to enable it to do the same. Sounds like a fantasy, but my wife wants music out there, and she generally gets what she wants.

Is the Denon a DLNA device? If so, it may be possible to connect your JRiver system to it and control it with JRmmote. I would have to think about how to to do that, but it may be possible with Jriver.

Now about a simple PC laptop hooked to the Denon running JRiver and controlled by Jremote. The PC does not need to be fancy, just a simple laptop. You could have it directly access your files or run in client/server (TRemote) to your main JRIver system. You can use the headphone out or get a simple USB converter to to feed the Denon.

It may take a little thought, but I think there are several solutions, especially if the wife insists on it.

You can use 12 gauge wire to run 50 feet, no problem. I am running 100 feet to my hot tube. My wife insisted, and we made it work :)

Good luck. It is very doable.

If a speaker wiring run to outdoor speakers is available for your AVR, then IMHO Sonos becomes a good option. Set-up is straightforward:

You need a Sonos bridge (app 4" x 4" x 2" box) wired to your router. Run the Sonos set-up software to point the Sonos system to your music library. Plug a Sonos Connect (app 4" x 7" x 7" box) into your AVR as a new source. Select the Sonos Connect as your source for zone 2. Hard wire the outdoor speakers of your choice to the zone 2 output of your AVR. Control your music library via Sonos app on your iPad. You'll also get access to (and control over) Pandora, MOG, etc from the Sonos app on your iPad.

As a bonus, you get wireless access to your library anywhere you want by adding additional Sonos Zones (they make powered units both with, and without, integrated speakers) . Also, you'll have access on Zone 1 of your AVR (if you don't already have it there).

The Sonos hardware is +/- $450 and outdoor speakers are available at all price levels, so there's a fair bit of price flexibility in this approach, too.

Good luck.

Marty

@ DTC - what is DLNA? My AVR has a network card, but I have read that they are unreliable in this unit, and mine is 3 years old, and I've never used the network connection, so not sure if that is a reliable way to go.
Yup, I can connect my laptop to the AVR right now, using the vlink192, and control everything via Jremote on my ipad. Maybe I'll start out there, and upgrade to Sonos later. It's just kind of a pain to constantly hook/un-hook the vlink from my basement system...
Why do I need a Sonos bridge, can't the Connect just jump onto my wireless network? I have a wireless router. I find the Sonos stuff to be kinda expensive for what it does, I realize I get access to all kinds of internet media with the connect, but $350 to hook into my library seems high...it might not seem so bad after a little more research tho. I tried to buy a Sony media streamer because it was cheaper than the apple TV and had composite video outs, but wound up smashing it to bits in the garage with a 3 pound sledge because it was such a P.O.S. Moral of the story - going cheaper doesn't always get the same result...>sigh<
Speakers first! I was looking at the Def Tech AW6500

DLNA is a protocol that lets one media system talk to another wirelessly. Many receivers have it, . JRiver can connect to a DLNA server. However, I am not sure that a DLNA server on your receiver (if it has that capbility) can then deliver the audio to zone 2, which usually requires an analog input. Check the specs ouf

You can get a separate USB DAC to connect a laptop to the Denon. Something like the HRT Streamer II is less than $200, assuming you have a laptop to run Jriver in the same area as the Denon. You could either load you music files onto the laptop or have JRiver access them wirelessly from their current location. You can run JRiver on multiple PCs with the same license. You can set up JRemote to access either PC using the network access keys of JRiver. I only suggest extending you JRiver system because you already have it installed and working and because it works well for me on multiple systems.