I needs some help with home automation...

[philabuster]

I just want to know what I need for whole home audio and video so I can do as much prewiring as possible. I have 2 ideas of a location to house the equipment, so I would like to pre-wire that area with power, data, IR, etc.

1 thing is for certain. Everything, I mean everything, must be controlled by an Apple inerface. iPad, iPhone, iPod, etc. There are many apps out there using wifi remote technology. There are also many apps which support many home automation technologys. I am leaning toward Z-Wave automation technology and Homeseer for the home controller, but I am open to other technologies if you have better suggestions, but for a reasonable price obviously. For example, Control4 is rediculously expensive and uses the same technology as Z-Wave. I am considering mounting a permenantly fixed iPad into the wall and also have one floating around the house. There are many solutions for permanent wall mounting which supplys continious data and power to the iPad.

So far I have segregated 5 zones for audio. All zones must be capable of playing sat. radio, internet radio, and it must be tied to iTunes.

Zone 1: Dolby 5.1 in living room (5 speakers), all ceiling mount, but I may be able to do wall mount for the 2 in the rear of the living room.

Zone 2: 2 ceiling mount speakers in the kitchen

Zone 3: 2 ceiling mount speakers in the Master Bedroom and 2 ceiling mount speakers in the Master Bath. Not sure if I should get outdoor speakers for the Master Bath considering the shower condensate. FYI, the speakers will not actually be mounted in the shower. I do not need sound from the TV to come through the speakers mounted in the Master Bedroom, but it would be fine if its not a major feat.

Zone 4: 2 ceiling mount speakers on the back porch. I will have a TV mounted over the outdoor fire place and I would like audio from the TV to come through these 2 speakers.

Zone 5: Dolby 5.1 in Man Cave (5 speakers), all ceiling mount.

Example: If I'm watching a movie in the living room, i would like to be able to play the radio in the master bed room at the same time.
Example: If I'm watching a movie in the man cave, I would like to also have a football game going on the outdoor TV with sound through the outdoor speakers.

TVs
1 TV in living room
1 TV in master bed room
2 TVs in man cave
1 TV on back porch over fire place
1 TV in each of 4 bed rooms

All TVs will use Direct TV (which I think has a whole home feature now which might help me, but I dont have it currently) The man cave will have the second TV running off of Reserve Telephone Company Cable.

The internet will be driven by Reserve Telephone Company and I need to have a strong WiFi signal no matter where I am in my house or outside for that matter. If I need to have additional routers used as extenders, I'm fine with that.