New House - New AV Setup - help me work it out
Discussion
Current setup at existing home is relatively straight forward.
Sky HD box in lounge, along with Onkyo amp, PS4, 6.1 Kef Eggs with MK Monolith sub. All works 'OK'. RF2 of Sky HD sent to loft, and distributed via coax to kitchen (x2), bedroom etc, each with Magic Eye for channel changing. So effectively SD multi room.
We also have a second Sky HD box in a separate reception room but not that concerned about that.
New house has some different considerations, and technology has moved on a bit since then.
I will be getting Sky installed, but likely Sky Q not HD - so I'll immediately lose the ability to use the RF output without a modulator - but if I can distribute HD instead of SD that would be preferable anyway. More importantly, I'll want to send DTS / 5.1 audio as I don't want to be restricted to stereo.
The new house is pre-wired with network cable (I'm assuming 5e but it could be 6) with everything cabled to a 'plant / comms room' centrally. There are network points which also carry coax where the TVs should go, so I may be able to put the 'main' Sky box in the comms room and simply route the HD signal around over the network cabling (or coax if it'll carry the audio).
The family room must have DTS / 5.1 audio as I want to put a Sonos play bar / sub / Play 1 (x2) 5.1 setup in there. The main living room must also have DTS / 5.1 audio as I'll probably get a new amp and re-use my Kef speakers (either 5.1 or 6.1).
The master bedroom I'm not so concerned about the audio - but Sky HD is needed there.
There's also planned to be a cinema room but that may lend itself to a separate Sky Q box anyway.
So, given the different combinations of Sky Q boxes available, and given the new technologies available - and given a decent budget to get a decent job done, which way would you go with all of this and why?
Oh - and last question, can you take the audio input (Sky / TV) which goes into the Sonos playbar and play it out through other Sonos speakers not in the 5.1 setup? I'm thinking of a Play 1 or Play 3 in the kitchen area of the family room / kitchen to make sure it is audible without having to have the volume too high.
Any ideas / discussion gratefully received. We're used to just being able to flick a TV on and carry on watching whatever was on Sky anywhere else in the house so want to keep that as much as possible but integrate new technologies, HD, better audio, etc.
Sky HD box in lounge, along with Onkyo amp, PS4, 6.1 Kef Eggs with MK Monolith sub. All works 'OK'. RF2 of Sky HD sent to loft, and distributed via coax to kitchen (x2), bedroom etc, each with Magic Eye for channel changing. So effectively SD multi room.
We also have a second Sky HD box in a separate reception room but not that concerned about that.
New house has some different considerations, and technology has moved on a bit since then.
I will be getting Sky installed, but likely Sky Q not HD - so I'll immediately lose the ability to use the RF output without a modulator - but if I can distribute HD instead of SD that would be preferable anyway. More importantly, I'll want to send DTS / 5.1 audio as I don't want to be restricted to stereo.
The new house is pre-wired with network cable (I'm assuming 5e but it could be 6) with everything cabled to a 'plant / comms room' centrally. There are network points which also carry coax where the TVs should go, so I may be able to put the 'main' Sky box in the comms room and simply route the HD signal around over the network cabling (or coax if it'll carry the audio).
The family room must have DTS / 5.1 audio as I want to put a Sonos play bar / sub / Play 1 (x2) 5.1 setup in there. The main living room must also have DTS / 5.1 audio as I'll probably get a new amp and re-use my Kef speakers (either 5.1 or 6.1).
The master bedroom I'm not so concerned about the audio - but Sky HD is needed there.
There's also planned to be a cinema room but that may lend itself to a separate Sky Q box anyway.
So, given the different combinations of Sky Q boxes available, and given the new technologies available - and given a decent budget to get a decent job done, which way would you go with all of this and why?
Oh - and last question, can you take the audio input (Sky / TV) which goes into the Sonos playbar and play it out through other Sonos speakers not in the 5.1 setup? I'm thinking of a Play 1 or Play 3 in the kitchen area of the family room / kitchen to make sure it is audible without having to have the volume too high.
Any ideas / discussion gratefully received. We're used to just being able to flick a TV on and carry on watching whatever was on Sky anywhere else in the house so want to keep that as much as possible but integrate new technologies, HD, better audio, etc.
Everything you have described is very easy to do and there are a couple of areas which you could improve on too. Are you looking to self install or engage a professional?
You need a HDMI matrix in the comms room which will take your SKY feeds and distribute over the Cat cable to a receiver box behind the TVs. Essentially every TV thinks the Sky box is local to it but you can watch them anywhere in the house. You then need to add in another layer to allow control of the Sky box and HDMI matrix from whichever room you are watching TV in. There are a few ways to do this from sending remote control signals down the cat cable which the Sky goes up (bad but cheap) to having a processor in the comms room which you talk to over wifi and sends an ir command out to the Sky box (good, more expensive and more reliable). If you go the processor route you then have choices from basic through to advanced.
It really depends on how much hassle you want and how much you want to spend. You could do something with bits of string, a lot of time and patience but hardly any money or you could make a phone call, hand over a pile of cash and having something which meets all your requirements now and in the future.
Personally I would avoid the Sonos route if you have the infrastructure for something else. It is good quality but expensive and you could do better if you have the right cables.
You need a HDMI matrix in the comms room which will take your SKY feeds and distribute over the Cat cable to a receiver box behind the TVs. Essentially every TV thinks the Sky box is local to it but you can watch them anywhere in the house. You then need to add in another layer to allow control of the Sky box and HDMI matrix from whichever room you are watching TV in. There are a few ways to do this from sending remote control signals down the cat cable which the Sky goes up (bad but cheap) to having a processor in the comms room which you talk to over wifi and sends an ir command out to the Sky box (good, more expensive and more reliable). If you go the processor route you then have choices from basic through to advanced.
It really depends on how much hassle you want and how much you want to spend. You could do something with bits of string, a lot of time and patience but hardly any money or you could make a phone call, hand over a pile of cash and having something which meets all your requirements now and in the future.
Personally I would avoid the Sonos route if you have the infrastructure for something else. It is good quality but expensive and you could do better if you have the right cables.
Cheers NorthDave,
I do already have some Sonos kit and it just seemed like a reasonable way to make the family room / kitchen work 'easily' for both audio and surround sound.
That end of the room is glazed on 2 sides (its a barn conversion) and already has wooden flooring down, so I may end up quite limited on getting cabling to the rear speakers. There are, however, already floor mounted plug sockets so the play 1s can plug in exactly where I would need them - whereas getting speaker wire there would be a royal pain - so although it will cost, it will integrate with existing Sonos stuff and sort of makes sense from a cabling PoV.
Sounds good with a HDMI 'matrix' - i'll look into it. Rather spend appropriately now ('home moving budget') than try and patch up a 75% job later, so won't be going the 'string' method.
Can I feed multiple HDMI sources into the matrix in the comms room as I could definitely think of other things that would be useful there (e.g. blu-ray / netflix even CCTV) which can then be viewed on any screen. I currently use my PS4 for netflix in the lounge, but the built-in netflix on my Samsung smart TV in the bedroom - but being able to have 2 or more rooms showing the same netflix would also be great as that's how we use Sky at the moment.
I do currently use a logitech harmony remote, with Sky remotes dotted around the house, but happy to consider other options using wireless / bluetooth or whatever is needed!
TBH I will probably get a professional installer in as I may need some extra CAT5/6 cabling done anyway, and I'd like someone to just 'get it right'.
Not to mention I also want to setup a cinema room and likely will need some cabling for Atmos etc in there too.
Flooring for upstairs hasn't gone in yet, but the underfloor heating has. I need to speak to the builder to see if there are any extra cables that can be pulled around, but as I don't know exactly what an installer would want, I don't know what to ask for!
I do already have some Sonos kit and it just seemed like a reasonable way to make the family room / kitchen work 'easily' for both audio and surround sound.
That end of the room is glazed on 2 sides (its a barn conversion) and already has wooden flooring down, so I may end up quite limited on getting cabling to the rear speakers. There are, however, already floor mounted plug sockets so the play 1s can plug in exactly where I would need them - whereas getting speaker wire there would be a royal pain - so although it will cost, it will integrate with existing Sonos stuff and sort of makes sense from a cabling PoV.
Sounds good with a HDMI 'matrix' - i'll look into it. Rather spend appropriately now ('home moving budget') than try and patch up a 75% job later, so won't be going the 'string' method.
Can I feed multiple HDMI sources into the matrix in the comms room as I could definitely think of other things that would be useful there (e.g. blu-ray / netflix even CCTV) which can then be viewed on any screen. I currently use my PS4 for netflix in the lounge, but the built-in netflix on my Samsung smart TV in the bedroom - but being able to have 2 or more rooms showing the same netflix would also be great as that's how we use Sky at the moment.
I do currently use a logitech harmony remote, with Sky remotes dotted around the house, but happy to consider other options using wireless / bluetooth or whatever is needed!
TBH I will probably get a professional installer in as I may need some extra CAT5/6 cabling done anyway, and I'd like someone to just 'get it right'.
Not to mention I also want to setup a cinema room and likely will need some cabling for Atmos etc in there too.
Flooring for upstairs hasn't gone in yet, but the underfloor heating has. I need to speak to the builder to see if there are any extra cables that can be pulled around, but as I don't know exactly what an installer would want, I don't know what to ask for!
Do these matrix things work fine with 5e?
I'm just at the point of ordering cabling for my (less ambitious!) set up, but screwfix don't do cat 6 and ebay sources look decidedly iffy - so finding it hard to find a price.
Can anyone recommend a good source of cat 6 cable which will actually be cat 6 and shielded? Got to get it all run in the next couple of weeks...
Cheers!
I'm just at the point of ordering cabling for my (less ambitious!) set up, but screwfix don't do cat 6 and ebay sources look decidedly iffy - so finding it hard to find a price.
Can anyone recommend a good source of cat 6 cable which will actually be cat 6 and shielded? Got to get it all run in the next couple of weeks...
Cheers!
dxg said:
Do these matrix things work fine with 5e?
I'm just at the point of ordering cabling for my (less ambitious!) set up, but screwfix don't do cat 6 and ebay sources look decidedly iffy - so finding it hard to find a price.
Can anyone recommend a good source of cat 6 cable which will actually be cat 6 and shielded? Got to get it all run in the next couple of weeks...
Cheers!
Have you looked at someone like comms express? You will be able to get cable and appropriate ends without any problem.I'm just at the point of ordering cabling for my (less ambitious!) set up, but screwfix don't do cat 6 and ebay sources look decidedly iffy - so finding it hard to find a price.
Can anyone recommend a good source of cat 6 cable which will actually be cat 6 and shielded? Got to get it all run in the next couple of weeks...
Cheers!
NorthDave said:
dxg said:
Do these matrix things work fine with 5e?
I'm just at the point of ordering cabling for my (less ambitious!) set up, but screwfix don't do cat 6 and ebay sources look decidedly iffy - so finding it hard to find a price.
Can anyone recommend a good source of cat 6 cable which will actually be cat 6 and shielded? Got to get it all run in the next couple of weeks...
Cheers!
Have you looked at someone like comms express? You will be able to get cable and appropriate ends without any problem.I'm just at the point of ordering cabling for my (less ambitious!) set up, but screwfix don't do cat 6 and ebay sources look decidedly iffy - so finding it hard to find a price.
Can anyone recommend a good source of cat 6 cable which will actually be cat 6 and shielded? Got to get it all run in the next couple of weeks...
Cheers!
All backed up by the world's cheapest continuity checker from ebay. What could possibly go wrong?!
But thanks for the suggestion!
VEX said:
Hi Timetex,
Your profile says you're in Herts, are you staying here in the move?
I am very local (Tring) if you would like someone to advise you on 'getting it right' I am happy to be that man.
Just not in the next two weeks are we'll be down at Goodwood FoS with a stand! (Woohoo)
V.
hey VEX,Your profile says you're in Herts, are you staying here in the move?
I am very local (Tring) if you would like someone to advise you on 'getting it right' I am happy to be that man.
Just not in the next two weeks are we'll be down at Goodwood FoS with a stand! (Woohoo)
V.
sorry, I didn't get a message to say the thread was updated!
Actually the new place is in Cambridgeshire (St Neots way) so still not a million miles from you.
Since it is virtually complete but obviously not lived in until we complete, I can get accompanied access to it for measuring up.
I've asked the developer about him being able to pull some speaker cable around, and additional network ports etc., but obviously I need to make sure I'm requesting the right things and that it is planned properly, as I don't want to have to go breaking walls / lifting floors / cutting holes in nicely sprayed surfaces once we've moved in!
Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff