Structured Panel to A/V Rack Connections

[drvnbysound]

Thanks for the input guys. Exactly why I wanted to ask and find out first

 

[drvnbysound]

Slowly making progress...

Shortly after the above picture, I realized that I needed to move the power wire to the top panel to the other side of the stud, so it was not behind the lower panel (in case I, or anyone else, decided to drill into the panel). So I re-routed the power, and installed the lower panel.

Last night I started cleaning up the wiring and making connections....

Im going to be ordering another half-panel bracket for (3) additional Cat5E boards (one of which is at the bottom of the last picture - I just had it there for reference location while I was routing the wiring), and a 12-port patch panel for F-type connections.

 

[drvnbysound]

Finally got around to making some more connections last night... (phone camera sucks)

I still need to terminate all of the Cat5E cables that are on the left of the image, into the 3 boards middle-right.

Just hoping I've got plenty of room left for the cable modem, router, and a switch - I think it's going to be fairly tight...

 

[drvnbysound]

I haven't updated this in a few months... I've been out of town a few times for work, which makes it tough to stay on top of this. Anyhow, I got all of the Cat5E terminations complete a few weeks ago. Shortly after I added the Linksys 8-port wired router; I scrapped the idea of putting a wireless router in the panel since it will be covered with a metal door. I converted my original Linksys wireless router into an access point, which is now centrally located in our home - rather than being installed in my office (the 3rd bedroom). I got the second Netgear Gigabit switch in yesterday, and got both of those installed tonight. The only thing remaining will be to add all the patch cables, as needed (and clean up a little bit of wiring on the bottom left):

In other news, I also got [the now discontinued] SageTV running a few weeks ago:

I currently just have Sage looking at a single HDHR tuner, but I've got another one of those to add, along with (2) Hauppauge HD-PVRs.

 

[Del91574]

Hard to tell if your coax has terminators or your splitter has them built in, but should be considered irregardless with all the coax landed to a single point.

 

[drvnbysound]

Will do. I haven't had any issues yet, but this was something that I definitely missed.

Curious, all of the coax between the house and the enclosure run into the F-type mounting plate (http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=5F100-6VF&section=39632&minisite=10251). The same goes for the coax that runs from my outside demarc box and the enclosure. There are only a few that are patched over to the splitter and actually used. Should ALL unused coax (including those that end on the patch plate) have a terminator, or just the unused ports on the splitter (where a signal actually exists)?

 

[tmbrown97]

In an ideal world, you'd only patch the ones to the splitter that are actually in use, and you'd use terminators on the unused ports on the splitter. Once you patch the other unused ones, theoretically you should terminate at the other end (usually the wall plate) but that'll still come at a cost to signal.

 

[drvnbysound]

In an ideal world, you'd only patch the ones to the splitter that are actually in use, and you'd use terminators on the unused ports on the splitter. Once you patch the other unused ones, theoretically you should terminate at the other end (usually the wall plate) but that'll still come at a cost to signal.

Bolded part of your quote above - that is exactly as I have it now... the only cables that are patched to the splitter are those that are currently in use.

Really, my question was is there any reason to use terminators on the unused cables that run from the various rooms (terminated into wall plates), to the patch plate? Basically these are just unused wires that aren't connected to anything at all...

 

[Del91574]

Unused ports at the splitter or any run that is connected to RF signal needs to be terminated using appropriate terminators.

If they're not connected/patched, you don't need to terminate, but a lot of times, we'll terminate the wall plates and patch everything through and split at the head end even though the field equipment isn't there, just taking all the losses, etc. into consideration from the get go

 

[tmbrown97]

Really, my question was is there any reason to use terminators on the unused cables that run from the various rooms (terminated into wall plates), to the patch plate? Basically these are just unused wires that aren't connected to anything at all...

If something isn't electrically connected to the distribution system, it's not relevant in the termination sequence. Meaning, signal comes into the house, hits the distribution panel, then out to various receivers. At each leg of the cable should either be a receiver or a terminator. If you don't hook unused cables into the splitter, then they don't matter.

 

[drvnbysound]

Unused ports at the splitter or any run that is connected to RF signal needs to be terminated using appropriate terminators.

If they're not connected/patched, you don't need to terminate, but a lot of times, we'll terminate the wall plates and patch everything through and split at the head end even though the field equipment isn't there, just taking all the losses, etc. into consideration from the get go

If something isn't electrically connected to the distribution system, it's not relevant in the termination sequence. Meaning, signal comes into the house, hits the distribution panel, then out to various receivers. At each leg of the cable should either be a receiver or a terminator. If you don't hook unused cables into the splitter, then they don't matter.

Thanks for the responses. I figured that would be the case, but wanted to verify to be sure.

 

[drvnbysound]

Received and installed terminators almost 2 weeks ago Thanks for the input guys. I've seen a number of new home installations where cable providers have put in 1x6 or 1x8 splitters in the demarc box and have never installed terminators on the unused ports... good to know how to do it right!

 

[drvnbysound]

I will have to add some additional pictures later... I got around to working on the ELK installation this weekend and feel that I have about 80% of it completed. I have all of my existing wired sensors (both contacts and motions) wired to the panel, along with the DBH, XFMR, etc. Soon to purchase XEP and M1XSLZW.

Where I am now... I bought the M1GSYS4S kit. The information provided there shows that it comes with the ELK-73 speaker. I am 99% certain that this should be wired to OUT 1. Please correct if that is not the case. That said, I also want to add the SP12F to my KP2. Where does that SP12F connect? Also, to OUT 1? I am very familiar with loads and understand that this 'port' should be wired to 4 to 8 ohms... by adding the SP12F (32-ohm) to the ELK-73 (8-ohm) I would be at ~ 6.4ohm, which would be fine...

 

[Del91574]

Yes, OUT1.

I'd recommend ditching the 73 and just going with 4 SP12F's and knocking the total load to 8 ohms across the board. Better sound distribution also.

 

[drvnbysound]

Yes, OUT1.

I'd recommend ditching the 73 and just going with 4 SP12F's and knocking the total load to 8 ohms across the board. Better sound distribution also.

Thanks for the confirmation.

I have an Ademco speaker there now (where the 73 is slated to go), from my previous Vista-20P installation. I may leave it there for now and see how it works/sounds upon initial installation/testing. The location of the KP2 (and thus the SP12F) is pretty well central to the home. If it's sufficient all on it's own, can anyone explain the disadvantage to wiring the 73 to OUT 2?

With my Vista-20P installation, the Ademco speaker only sounded if/when a burglar alarm condition is met. I may want the 73 to do the same (and leave all audible messages to be spoken via the SP12F). I assume I could do this by programming OUT 2 accordingly?