For whole-house audio, unless you are comfortable only listening to the "left" or "right" channel of a stereo recording, you'll want to choose one of these two options for getting stereo from a single speaker . . .
Attached document expands on importance of proper Cat5/Cat6 connections for HTD whole-house systems, the proper wire sequence and how to troubleshoot problems using a test cable.
The LCD screen on my keypad appears to have missing pixels or small sections are dark. Can this be fixed? There is a good possibility that dirt or dust (often drywall dust) has found its way behind the screen. You can remove the dust with compressed air . . .
Ground loop hum is sometimes induced between audio components and an amplifier/whole-house audio controller. This hum is easily removed with a ground loop isolator, including one priced under $20 from Radio Shack . . .