Pre-wiring for home theatre in new build -- advice please!

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steve98

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#111065 23-Oct-2012 10:49

Hi there

We are building a new home currently and we're approaching the stage where wiring can be installed. I want to prewire for home theatre but I need some advice.

I will be pre wiring for wall mounted satellite-type speakers, however I'm struggling with what to do with brackets. To do it 'properly' it looks like I will need to terminate the speaker cable to connectors mounted on a face-plate, then install speaker brackets next to the faceplate and run a small length of wire between them. This sounds kind of ugly, so I'm searching for a better way.

I have found these brackets in the US that are a kind of two-in-one solution where the brackets screw directly into the gang box and the wire just feeds out through a hole in its own faceplate, but I cannot find anything like that in NZ.

What do people normally do? Open to suggestions - thanks!

Steve

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#704984 23-Oct-2012 11:08

Me, I'd just mount the brackets and poke the wire out through the wall in line with the terminals in the speaker. You'll not see it unless your speakers are offset a long distance from the wall. I'm not a fan of introducing additional points of potential failure (ie speaker terminal face plates) in situations where you're not going to be changing speakers regularly.

steve98

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#705189 23-Oct-2012 16:46

Does anyone know if it's building code compliant to just have speaker wire poking out of a hole in the gib? Last thing I would want is to fail a building inspection over the HT wiring!

berrys

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#705202 23-Oct-2012 17:02

steve98: I have found these brackets in the US that are a kind of two-in-one solution where the brackets screw directly into the gang box and the wire just feeds out through a hole in its own faceplate, but I cannot find anything like that in NZ.

How about ebay?

steve98

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#705241 23-Oct-2012 18:26

That is a possibility, thanks, but I'm still interested to know what others have done or would do? Any other opinions on the neatest way to to do this!

NonprayingMantis

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#705242 23-Oct-2012 18:29

steve98: Does anyone know if it's building code compliant to just have speaker wire poking out of a hole in the gib? Last thing I would want is to fail a building inspection over the HT wiring!

Should be fine. Internal gib doesn't have to be weatherproof or anything like that.

Pock

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#705247 23-Oct-2012 18:44

steve98: Does anyone know if it's building code compliant to just have speaker wire poking out of a hole in the gib? Last thing I would want is to fail a building inspection over the HT wiring!

This is fine.

What kind of satellite speakers will you be installing, i.e. how big?

steve98

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#705331 23-Oct-2012 20:48

Pretty small. My current speakers are a Yamaha set, NSP-240. I'm not an audiophile, just enjoy surround sound, but I doubt I'll ever be into full-size floor standing speakers.

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Camden

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#705371 23-Oct-2012 21:46

Hi Steve

I wired the rear speaker cables in wall to std PDL flush boxes.I mounted the speakers on swivel- tilt wall brackets adjacent to the flush boxes.The flush boxes were installed at the back of the speakers so that they would not be seen.
If you are in the wiring stage you most probally haven't got the gib up yet so put some timber dwangs in to mount the speaker brackets too. I used a std 2 gang PDl plate with the screw fix cable connector mechs.They are colour coded red and black.
Most flush boxes are just nailed to the stud or dwang.I would be rather hesitant to hang the weight of a speaker off it unless it is a little light plastic one as in a "home theatre in a box" type system.
If neatness and appearence are of more importance you may wish to consider in ceiling or in wall speakers for the surrounds. In another room I have round in ceiling speakers for the rears and they work well and you don't notice they are there.In the dining room we have a pair of inwall mounted speakers for sterio music and they work well too so there are lots of options to think about.
I think I bought the wall brackets from Rexel in ChCh but they are available from lots of places.
See the photo.The wiring shown can't be seen from the interior of the room.

Camden

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#705383 23-Oct-2012 21:55

Further to the above,sorry but I tried to upload a photo of the install but it disapeared somewere to a gallery but I don't have the skill to find it !

HiDefinition

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#705446 24-Oct-2012 02:58

Have you considered hiring a professional?
Having a speaker wire "poking out a hole in the gib" will not affect your final however, it is a new home your constructing not some half built Algerian ruin...
Have you thought about in wall and/or in ceiling speakers - not necessarily all of them maybe, just the surrounds?
I realise you have speakers however, by the time you shag around with wall plates and brackets etc they'd be in working and barely visible and for less than you may think.
Good luck

Cheers

tukapa1

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#705457 24-Oct-2012 07:01

You could look around for something like this

http://www.cableorganizer.com/quest/wallplates/single-dual-gang-bulk-cable.html

I used a (larger) equivalent behind my home theatre cabinet with all the HDMI runs I did when I built my house.

steve98

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#705469 24-Oct-2012 08:39

HiDefinition: Have you considered hiring a professional?
Having a speaker wire "poking out a hole in the gib" will not affect your final however, it is a new home your constructing not some half built Algerian ruin...
Have you thought about in wall and/or in ceiling speakers - not necessarily all of them maybe, just the surrounds?
I realise you have speakers however, by the time you shag around with wall plates and brackets etc they'd be in working and barely visible and for less than you may think.
Good luck

Cheers

Have thought about in-wall speakers. I see JB HiFi has some Jensen branded ones, any thoughts on those? Also any other places you would suggest I look for those?

Thanks

timmmay

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#705494 24-Oct-2012 09:05

In wall sounds hard to replace or upgrade. In ceiling sounds easier.

HiDefinition

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#705531 24-Oct-2012 10:11

Unfortunately, in wall/ceiling speakers (often referred to as "custom install") speakers are a lot less common at retail due to the need for them to be actually "installed" to be able to be demonstrated properly. Yep, heard of Jensen, can't ofer an opinion tho, I haven't listened to them.
At this stage, you need to focus less on the final product and more on the where and how.
Describe the layout of the room so we have a better idea.

Cheers

Jaxson

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#705558 24-Oct-2012 10:56

Whether you opt for your satellite speakers or in walls etc, the pre wiring will be mostly the same, assuming you're likely to mount either in the same general location. I'd run a few extra cables to allow for a 7.1 install at some stage in the future, ~ just leave enough in the wall cavities to be fished out at a later date if required.

Also think about the sub location, either pulling an all in one pre terminated sub cable, or some RG59 coax you can terminate yourself later. Your sub will need a power outlet nearby too.

All the usuals from there, as in if you're wall mounting a TV then ensure you get in now with some additional bracing to hold the tv mount and allow for an electrical outlet up the wall to power the TV. Give a lot of thought to where your receiver/bluray player/freeview PVR is going to be physically located. You'll want to run cables from the TV location back to this gear, so you'll want a heap of connectivity options between there. Also some ethernet cables if you're looking at connecting data to a TV/PVR/Bluray player etc, either now or in the future.

There are other posts on here about faceplate outlets for this sort of thing. I'm big on one cable between two devices so I'd look at brushed faceplates etc, but you can install terminated face plates if you desire, and run fly leads between the device and the wall. It gets more involved if you're looking at putting everything in a cupboard quite a distance away from the TV etc.

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