Video Distribution in New Home

[Louise]

Hello,

I am building a new house and have fallen in love with HDTV and where the cable comes into the house in the basement I would like to add equipment that would distribute the signal throughout the house without degrading the signal. I have no idea what I need to buy although I plan to run all the wiring to the rooms.

There will be approx. 8-9 TVs in the house....the house is 3000 sq ft upstairs and 3000 sq ft downstairs. Where I live now the cable company added an "amplifier" I think it is to strengthen the signal because there is more than 4 tvs.

I don't want to have that problem in this new house.

I also plan to run a surveillance system and would like to tie that signal in to distribute on the tvs. Is this possible and what would I need to accomplish this as well?

What would you recommend for the right equipment for the job....?

All replies appreciated.

Louise

 

[DavidL]

You can run the HD signal into a HDTuner. Then, the output of the HD tuner would go into a Video matrix Switcher like this one:http://www.cinemaronline.com/hdtv_switches_crm84.html

Then, you run component video cable to the individual TVs.

You can have more than one HD receiver if you want to have multiple TV channels going on at once. The matrix switcher lets you route either HD receiver to one or more TVs with relatively low signal loss. You can also put a DVD changer, a HTPC (PC) as signal sources too.

Audio goes from the source to the switcher and then out to either discrete amplifiers or to whole house audio amplifiers to speakers in each watching / listening area.

Then, you can control all of this via a PC running automation / control software like MainLobby. You can operate this via IR remote controls or even better, touchscreen PC screens. The control system is another whole conversation.

That's the "right" way to do this.

 

[Smarty]

Then, you run component video cable to the individual TVs.

Sorry for the basic question...so that means you would have to run 3 co-ax cables to each TV location?

If that is correct, does anyone make a 3 component cable (so you could just make the single run), or do you just do 3 individual runs??

Video Newb

 

[mcascio]

Smarty,

Check out this balun:
http://www.cinemaronline.com/products.500050.html

You can run HDTV plus Digital Audio all over a single Cat5. I use them all over my own house.

 

[DavidL]

If you are in new construction, run the 3 RG6 wires for component video. AND multiple Cat5e or Cat6 runs.

 

[IVB]

Even those I've got CAT6 all over my house, I personally chose to avoid the high cost of baluns and I ran the Planet Waves 3-wire minicoax. Much much cheaper.

You've also got a TON of choices for component HD video switchers, starting as cheap as $400-ish off eBay. Here's a short-list of ones that are controllable via your home automation software of choice. There's pro's & con's to each of these, check out this page for details on the protocols and limitations therein ( http://www.charmedquark.com/Web/Learn/Devices/Devices.htm ) :
- AutoPatch (1YDM/4YDM/8something)
- Neothings Avalon
- DVI LInk DS-41R
- Extron SW* Switchers
- Extron System 8+
- Extron System 10+
- Key Digital KD-SW4x1
- Kramer 2053
- Zektor HDS4.2

 

[RandyKnight]

In a matrix switched system like this, how do you tell when an input is in use by an output? Can this be handled via tha automation software (i.e. CQC, ML, HomeSeer).

IOW, if the HD Satellite Reciever is being watched in the Family Room, I don't want someone in the bedroom to be able to grab that input and/or change the channel, etc.

How would you categorize a source as "in use" and then conversely, release it when it is no longer being used.

 

[CDC]

Don't forget the audio to each location you have TVs.
CDC

 

[DavidL]

RandyKnight,
"In a matrix switched system like this, how do you tell when an input is in use by an output? Can this be handled via tha automation software (i.e. CQC, ML, HomeSeer)."

YES. Most of the RS232 matrix switchers are 2 way devices and report back their status. Within MainLobby Server, that status is tracked. This then allows both a automation capability as well as a graphical user interface so you can essentially view the current status of the matrix switcher and what sources it is using as an Input, as well as the Output.

 

[IVB]

Yep, same dealio for CQC. You have a variety of options available to you as to how to lock it out so other zones can subscribe to the same feed, but only one is the master. There's no "one size fits all" answer, as people are inherently different and think of multizone/multisource in different ways. You'd want to review the options and see what makes sense for your audience.