AV fellas, some help would be appreciated!
Discussion
Folks,
I've just moved into a new house and I'm looking at running a lot of cabling, simply because a lot of it is missing at the moment! I've done a small bit of reading up but please bear in mind I'm a total n00b with these things so a lot of what I'm saying may be wrong.
At the moment I've got a few media sources, Sky HD+, Apple TV, HD media streamer and a couple of blu-ray players.
I've got a few places I want to get AV to, 3 bedrooms, living room and dining room.
I want all rooms to be covered for Freesat/digital TV. To do this I was going to upgrade my Sky Dish to an OCTO LNB and run coax from the dish to each room. Does adding so much outputs from the dish cause any issues? My plan was to finish the cables up with similar wall plates to these, would they be ok?
http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?s=Audio%20Wall...
As bedroom 3 will only ever be a guest bedroom I intend to only run coax to it, the HDMI sources will be for the other 4 areas. I guess I'd be aswell running the cat5/6 even if it's not plugged in though?
I have a cracking area in my loft/eaves (just behind one of the bedrooms) that I could store my HD devices that I want to share. Aswell as that I should be able to pull all my wiring from the LNB under roof tile straight into here.
From that point I was intending to run 4 x cat 5/6 cables (what would you recommend?) to each room. In this same location I was going to have a 4x4 hdmi matrix. This is the one I was looking at, I only found it by googling. Is it a reliable/recommended brand? http://www.hdconnectivity.com/matrix/4x4-hdmi-matr...
I was looking at using their Baluns too so thought I'd better check.
Have I missed anything or is there anything that stands out as being missing/not considered? I don't know much about the cabling (I'm going to run it and bring someone in to fit the RJ45 faceplates) but I'm looking at bringing 3 sets of 4 cables down the same wall, aswell as 3 x coax. Can you get any interference doing this? What about existing power cables running down the wall? Can you get interference if they are too close? How close is too close?
Any recommendations for cable type/suppliers, hd kit suppliers, face plate suppliers etc would be most appreciated!
I've just moved into a new house and I'm looking at running a lot of cabling, simply because a lot of it is missing at the moment! I've done a small bit of reading up but please bear in mind I'm a total n00b with these things so a lot of what I'm saying may be wrong.
At the moment I've got a few media sources, Sky HD+, Apple TV, HD media streamer and a couple of blu-ray players.
I've got a few places I want to get AV to, 3 bedrooms, living room and dining room.
I want all rooms to be covered for Freesat/digital TV. To do this I was going to upgrade my Sky Dish to an OCTO LNB and run coax from the dish to each room. Does adding so much outputs from the dish cause any issues? My plan was to finish the cables up with similar wall plates to these, would they be ok?
http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?s=Audio%20Wall...
As bedroom 3 will only ever be a guest bedroom I intend to only run coax to it, the HDMI sources will be for the other 4 areas. I guess I'd be aswell running the cat5/6 even if it's not plugged in though?
I have a cracking area in my loft/eaves (just behind one of the bedrooms) that I could store my HD devices that I want to share. Aswell as that I should be able to pull all my wiring from the LNB under roof tile straight into here.
From that point I was intending to run 4 x cat 5/6 cables (what would you recommend?) to each room. In this same location I was going to have a 4x4 hdmi matrix. This is the one I was looking at, I only found it by googling. Is it a reliable/recommended brand? http://www.hdconnectivity.com/matrix/4x4-hdmi-matr...
I was looking at using their Baluns too so thought I'd better check.
Have I missed anything or is there anything that stands out as being missing/not considered? I don't know much about the cabling (I'm going to run it and bring someone in to fit the RJ45 faceplates) but I'm looking at bringing 3 sets of 4 cables down the same wall, aswell as 3 x coax. Can you get any interference doing this? What about existing power cables running down the wall? Can you get interference if they are too close? How close is too close?
Any recommendations for cable type/suppliers, hd kit suppliers, face plate suppliers etc would be most appreciated!
Edited by jonnydrama on Sunday 12th August 21:21
I'm sure VEX or toxicnerve will be along shortly with some advice. I am going through a renovation / rewire at the moment (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=207&t=1173009&mid=3371&nmt=Yet+Another+House+Renovation+Thread) and they have been extremely helpful.
I'm looking for chrome or brushed steel faceplates with black inserts and really like the look of the screwless grid system from Schneider Electric (formally G.E.T).
Regards COAX cable I believe WF-100 (the foam filled stuff with the thin copper sheeth not the braid) is the stuff to get.
I'm looking for chrome or brushed steel faceplates with black inserts and really like the look of the screwless grid system from Schneider Electric (formally G.E.T).
Regards COAX cable I believe WF-100 (the foam filled stuff with the thin copper sheeth not the braid) is the stuff to get.
For that number of rooms and trying to distribute satellite etc you would be better pulling enough cables for:
4 x satellite (dish to have a quad LNB)
1 x FM aerial
1 x DAB aerial
1 x TV aerial
and putting them all in to a decent multiswitch. You basically combine all the inputs on the switch and then distribute out to the rooms as required. Each coax at the room contains all the inputs.
A quick google and this is the first place that pops up - http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/multiswitch.htm
4 x satellite (dish to have a quad LNB)
1 x FM aerial
1 x DAB aerial
1 x TV aerial
and putting them all in to a decent multiswitch. You basically combine all the inputs on the switch and then distribute out to the rooms as required. Each coax at the room contains all the inputs.
A quick google and this is the first place that pops up - http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/multiswitch.htm
jonnydrama said:
Folks,
I have a cracking area in my loft/eaves (just behind one of the bedrooms) that I could store my HD devices that I want to share.
Not sure about anyone else but my loft, 1970 Wimpey semi-detached, gets absolutely roasting hot in the summer. Not sure how well HD devices, I assume you mean disks, would do up there. I have a cracking area in my loft/eaves (just behind one of the bedrooms) that I could store my HD devices that I want to share.
Edited by jonnydrama on Sunday 12th August 21:21
I'm in the NE of Scotland, probably the other end of the country from you lol.
What would you recommend cable wise? Cat5e or cat6? Are there any suppliers products you recommend?
Is it ok to run cat5 and coax next to each other, I presume it's just power cables that cause an issue with interference?
Are there any Matrixs/Baluns you recommend? The HD Connectivity stuff seems reasonably priced but I'd hate if it was unreliable.
I take your point about the games consoles/dvd players in each room and totally agree, this is what I'll do.
Thanks for all the help in this thread, I'm clueless at the moment but getting better I guess haha.
What would you recommend cable wise? Cat5e or cat6? Are there any suppliers products you recommend?
Is it ok to run cat5 and coax next to each other, I presume it's just power cables that cause an issue with interference?
Are there any Matrixs/Baluns you recommend? The HD Connectivity stuff seems reasonably priced but I'd hate if it was unreliable.
I take your point about the games consoles/dvd players in each room and totally agree, this is what I'll do.
Thanks for all the help in this thread, I'm clueless at the moment but getting better I guess haha.
Just had a look, it looks like a neater solution. HDMI Convertor only required at recieving ends and comes with a 3 year warranty. A bit more expensive like you say but may be worth it!
Slightly concerning though that one site offers 4x4 matrix and 4 baluns for about £1200 and another is over £2k?! I may have missed something so will re-read the specs tonight.
Slightly concerning though that one site offers 4x4 matrix and 4 baluns for about £1200 and another is over £2k?! I may have missed something so will re-read the specs tonight.
Mini Hijack Alert
This thread got me looking at the Altona gear for extending my HDMI signal from a hidden cupboard out to a wall mounted TV.
I already have 4 x Cat 6 runs (unterminated at the mo).
Given I have the cable for both is there any OTHER reason to recommend the one wire solution or the two wire solution except price ? Presuming I am looking at the right units.
http://www.atlona.co.uk/atlona-hdmi-extender-with-...
http://www.atlona.co.uk/atlona-hdmi-extender-200ft...
This thread got me looking at the Altona gear for extending my HDMI signal from a hidden cupboard out to a wall mounted TV.
I already have 4 x Cat 6 runs (unterminated at the mo).
Given I have the cable for both is there any OTHER reason to recommend the one wire solution or the two wire solution except price ? Presuming I am looking at the right units.
http://www.atlona.co.uk/atlona-hdmi-extender-with-...
http://www.atlona.co.uk/atlona-hdmi-extender-200ft...
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