TV / Audio

[doogan123]

Hi all again. Since everyone has been so helpfull over in the alarm forum, I figured i would post my plans for audio and TV. Fell free to comment, rip apart or maybe - just maybe let me know i am on right track!!..

Just to be clear - I have not figured out what equipment at this time - so while my walls are open - i am over wiring ( i think)

Audio -

wiring in ~ 7 Zones. Fron Gear Location In Basement to Zone Keypad (Deep Gang box) i am runing 1 cat 6, 1 16/4 and 1 16/2 . From Keypad box I am runing a 16/2 to each speaker ( 2 per Zone). My thoughts are as follows:

• Cat 6 to Gear will control Audio keypad back to Gear.
• 16/4 will be spliced to the 16/2 to each speaker
• 16/2 to Gear is a spare for Power down the line if needed

I have spoken to a few audio guys in my area and they feel that this infrastructure will give me what i need. for multi Zone audio. I will also run an RG 6 to attic from Gear for Antenna for FM reception. I will also run a Cat 6 and 16/2 for power to a IPOD dock location and any other possible source module

Thoughts on this?

Next is TV

This one i have not put much thought into, and even tho i am a comp engineer - know verry little about TV dist.

Saying this - I am doing the following from each TV point to closet ( second floor - i am using a central closet for all 4 bedrooms) :

1 Cat 6 to act as a control wire ( for remote control on TV)
2 HDMI Cables for tv and DVD. Runs are all 50 ft and under
1 RG 6 for Raw TV in the event that i do not have cable boxes for all TV's Day one
For Master bed, Den, office etc, I may run an additional cat 6 - for whatever?

To the closet then, I will run 4 (+ a few spare) RG6 from my basement to feed the cable boxes for each room ( in the future)

Thoughts here are that I will mount the cable box and dvd player in the closet. I have 2 HDMI runs and a control wire then to the TV in the room

Am i way off the mark here - or is this sufficient. are there other better wiring designs?

thanks everyone and sorry for the long post

 

[68sting]

I would run a few more cat6 wires to each location. One for ir and a couple others for baluns just in case they update hdmi again. I would also run another cat6 for any gear you might plan on having in that location. My pvr, dvd players, and tv all have ethernet connection now. I would also run at least one component video cable to each location. I just purchased an hdmi splitter and decide to stick with my component video splitter in the end. Without going in to details I find it to be the most reliable user friendly way to distribute my video.

 

[doogan123]

I would run a few more cat6 wires to each location. One for ir and a couple others for baluns just in case they update hdmi again. I would also run another cat6 for any gear you might plan on having in that location. My pvr, dvd players, and tv all have ethernet connection now. I would also run at least one component video cable to each location. I just purchased an hdmi splitter and decide to stick with my component video splitter in the end. Without going in to details I find it to be the most reliable user friendly way to distribute my video.

68sting - Assuming you are referring to the tv portion of my question - thats a good point. what i may do is run the component cable to specific locations.. like master suite... den etc.

thanks for your input

 

[mustangcoupe]

I would run a few more cat6 wires to each location. One for ir and a couple others for baluns just in case they update hdmi again. I would also run another cat6 for any gear you might plan on having in that location. My pvr, dvd players, and tv all have ethernet connection now. I would also run at least one component video cable to each location. I just purchased an hdmi splitter and decide to stick with my component video splitter in the end. Without going in to details I find it to be the most reliable user friendly way to distribute my video.

68sting - Assuming you are referring to the tv portion of my question - thats a good point. what i may do is run the component cable to specific locations.. like master suite... den etc.

thanks for your input

What some people do is run 5 (i think) runs of rg6 mini(?) and terminate into f connectors (typical cable screw on) and then adapt them to rca for component if required. otherwise you then have enough rg6 for anything

 

[Neurorad]

Check out Dan (electron)'s new construction wiring guides 101-102-103

Link in post#5 for is valid

http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6700

 

[sic0048]

Nothing wrong with what you are proposing, but I'll throw in my 2cents.

I personally would ditch the HDMI cable for now. It is pretty hard to distribute actually. Finding the right equipment that works together is hard. Most HDMI matrix switches are very expensive if you expect more than 1 input going to more than 1 output. I think most pros are still sticking with component distribution for this reason.

I'd also recommend 2-3 "spare" cat5e/cat6 wires for each location. This will allow you to semi future-proof and would allow you to go to HDMI in the future if it becomes the distribution method of choice. You would have to use baluns at each end, but that shouldn't be any problem. Those items are already available and will continue to evolve with the market.

So I would not run HDMI, but instead run 4-5 precision coaxial cables (coax that is designed for component video distribution - not your cable company grade coax). I would also run 4-5 cat5e/cat6 wire. 1 for network (more device require network) or phone, 1 for IR or serial control, and 2-3 spare for future use with baluns.

This is assuming on having just a TV at each position. If you plan on having more equipment (like a local DVD player or STB, etc) then the amount of wires would need to increase for each device.

 

[felixrosbergen]

Why the cat6 to the audio keypads?

I have cat 6 for LAN connection but haven't terminated RJ45 ends on cat6 before. I'm just using cat5e patch cords since they too achieve gigabit. The reason i ask is that the Nuvo keypads have RJ45 ports on the their back so you will need to terminate that cat6 to a RJ45 plug to get it to work. I can tell you in a few days if this work since i need to be putting a RJ45 on a cat6 for another reason.

Does anybody know of an audio keypad that woudl need power seperately from the cat5e connection? I know Nuvo and Russound don't. Not familiar with others. The extra 16/2 seems unnecesarry. If the main players don't need it i would think you're pretty safe to leave it out.

 

[felixrosbergen]

And for TV i ran 5 coax..i used the regular RG6QS because this is only to get some output from the PC to my screen so i don't care too much about quality. And ran a bunch of extra cat6 and cat5 (sagetv, surround amp RS232 control, IR, Wii LAN connection, possible baluns for HDMI, etc). It was easy for me to run it so i have 4 cat5's, 2 cat6's and 5 coax for component and a 6th for trandition cable signal (in case all the fancy stuff fails the wife can still watch TV).

Good catch on the coax to the attci for future antenna. May want to run 2 just in case. Nuvo can combined their XM and FM/AM antenna onto a singel coax, but not sure if all can do that.

 

[Neurorad]

Why the cat6 to the audio keypads?

I have cat 6 for LAN connection but haven't terminated RJ45 ends on cat6 before. I'm just using cat5e patch cords since they too achieve gigabit. The reason i ask is that the Nuvo keypads have RJ45 ports on the their back so you will need to terminate that cat6 to a RJ45 plug to get it to work. I can tell you in a few days if this work since i need to be putting a RJ45 on a cat6 for another reason.

I'm pretty sure the cat6 terminations are size RJ45, just like cat5e and cat5.

At least they fit into my router, and work OK. ^_^

 

[felixrosbergen]

Hi Neuro:

I know the plugs are still RJ45, but didn't know if the large conductor size of a cat6 fits/works with a normal cat5e RJ45 connector? I use the EX-RJ45 which are pretty snugg on regular cat5e conductors.

Does one need ot use cat6 rated RJ45 connectors?

 

[doogan123]

WOW - thanks alot. Let me ask a few questions now

sic0048

Good points - let me ask. If i get this precision coaxial - are you saying that i just run 4-5 and i can make up the component video bundle then after the fact? would this be instead of a bundled component video cable? I can easily run addl cat 6 - not a problem. Can i get a component video switch for the Component video down the line ?. I am not set on HDMI - Was just told that this would work best.

Let me ask - is the quality of component video at the same level as HDMI or digital HD ? It sounds like i have more flexibility with it also? (YEs i am new to TV stuff - just want to future proof - will learn after!)


Mavric

CAt 6 is just because i have it. Its the newer cat 5e, still users the same RJ45 heards, just cat 6 grade heads. I have all this stuff so i am using it. cat 5e when terminated correctly easily reachs GB speed -as i said i have the cat 6 and really its over kill, but am thinking video to the keypads.. etc The 16/2 - same situation - i have it, and its a just incase run.

For the attic - I actually will run about 1/2 dozen runs of coax - incase i ever do a dish system, antenna, tv in attic space ( i have large attic) or bad cables. I am a big fan of over wiring ( especially when i have it)

 

[doogan123]

Not to confuse the thread - but i have another question on DVD. The wife just indicated her distaste to have to walk into a closet to change a dvd (you cannot win!!) So what are my options for DVD locations. If i Run the 5 precision to make a component bundle - will i be able to integrate a DVD and the cable feed through this one set of cables?

Also for down the line - what should i be planning for to avoid multiple DVD players ? I am sure there is some central video solution out there that has multiple outputs (or am i getting out of control here?)


thanks everyone - this forum is very helpful!!

 

[felixrosbergen]

Do you have a PC local to the DVD viewing location?

I run SageTV on all TV's. The SageTV server is in the basement, but the wife can stick whatever DVD she wants to watch in the PC in the kitchen and it will play anywhere.

It's easy to do with SageTV but you'll need to get DVD43 (free but doesnt work on 64bit) or AnyDVD (not free) in order to make this work with the copyright protection.

The server will look at the desktop PC DVD drive. That drive will show up in the SageTV GUI and you can play it anywhere you have SageTV.

 

[sic0048]

WOW - thanks alot. Let me ask a few questions now

sic0048

Good points - let me ask. If i get this precision coaxial - are you saying that i just run 4-5 and i can make up the component video bundle then after the fact? would this be instead of a bundled component video cable? I can easily run addl cat 6 - not a problem. Can i get a component video switch for the Component video down the line ?. I am not set on HDMI - Was just told that this would work best.

Let me ask - is the quality of component video at the same level as HDMI or digital HD ? It sounds like i have more flexibility with it also? (YEs i am new to TV stuff - just want to future proof - will learn after!)

Yes. You can buy either bundled cable that has 3-5 individual cables inside a single outer sheath, or you can run individual cables. The bundled wire is more expensive, but easier to install. So it just depends on what your priorities are.

I know component cable is rated for 1080p signals. Now some equipment won't allow anything higher than 1080i over component, but that is a device limitation, not a wire limitation. So if you really want 1080p, just pick your equipment carefully.

My parents recently had me wire their house during a major remodel. They wanted a distributed a/v system like I have, but they also wanted a local DVD player because they use Netflicks and that is where most of their movies come from. They didn't want to have to go downstairs to the wiring closet to put a DVD into the player. So I ran an extra set of component wires (6 to be exact) to the TV location in the bedroom. Then I got a DVD player that is controllable via their home automation software (CQC in case your wondering). I output the component video, stereo and digital audio out from the DVD player and down to the matrix switch in the closets. Then all the TVs are also hooked up to the outputs of the matrix switch. This allows them to put a DVD in the bedroom player and watch it on any TV in the house.

Since they don't own a lot of DVD, I ripped their collection to the computer and they can choose to watch those DVDs via one of several Sage HD Extenders that are located in the wiring closet (also hooked up to the matrix switch). On the other hand, I do own a lot of DVDs and instead of ripping them all, I have a Sony mega-DVD changer at my house that is hooked up to my system. But either setup would allow you to have 1 main DVD collection that can be viewed from any TV in the house.

That is just one example of how you can set a system up. There are many other ways too. It just depends on your goals and budget.

(or am i getting out of control here?)

PS - welcome to the dark side. Once you get started, there is no end in sight! ^_^

 

[felixrosbergen]

For runs under 50ft, has anybody actually determined if RG59 is really needed rather than Rg6QS?

I basically have RG6QS thorughout the houe mainly just for CATV not for component. I decide i want the component output from the server to display on my TV (so i can get a CQC interface screening on the TV). Rather than spend the money on baluns to run component over cat5 i've just running some extra coax. Since RG6QS is all i have in the house this is what i used. It's not connected yet...is this going to work?