New Home Wiring - Future Proofing

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JimmyLizar

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#28160 20-Nov-2008 16:57

Hi All

This my first post, and I am a bit of a noob, but have read this forum widely, especially posts from sbiddle & cyril7.

I am about to build a new 4 bedroom + study home and want to future proof it re cabling.

We plan to have a SD sky decoder (may get mySkyHDi later) on one 1080i tv in the family room and a myFreeview|HD UHF receiver on a second 1080i tv in the Living room. We have no real desire to 'pipe' either of these 'feeds' to any other rooms now (eg. to Master Bedroom), but I dont want to preclude us from doing so in the future if the need arises.

I feel coaxial (RG6) cable for distributing TV is not really the way of the future especially if we are talking about HDMI.

I plan to use a central distribution cabinet, 24port patch panel, adsl modem and 8port gigabyte ethernet switch much as sbiddle & cyril7 describe in lots of previous threads + plus one of Cyril7's special boxes (if he will sell me one).

Behind each of the tv's will be 3x RJ45's and 2x F connectors. 1x RJ45 for sky decoder connection, 2x RJ45's for distributing HDMI to any other location in house (if required later, using HDMI splitter & extenders). The 2 F connectors are satellite feed and UHF/VHF feed.

There will also be 3x RJ45's and 2x F connectors in Master Bedroom, 2x RJ45's in Bedrooms 2-4 and 3x RJ45's in Study

Does this sound like a sensible/reasonable idea?

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cyril7

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#179404 22-Nov-2008 13:18

Nothing really silly with your idea, but honestly HDMI distribution is still not the best way, it was never intended for this applicaiton and is expensive to do. In a few short years media server/client distribution will be more common place, so having both Cat5 and RG6 is still what I recommend.

I recommend that you up the RG6 feeds as shortly if you have a Sky HDi you will need two feeds from the dish not one, plus a UHF feed, forget VHF its on death row for broadcast TV.

If you want one of my special phone distribution boxs the PM me, I may have a special deal on first production versions.

Cyril

JimmyLizar

321 posts

Ultimate Geek

#179449 22-Nov-2008 16:56

Thanks Cyril7

A few questions:

1) Why will you need two RG6 from satellite dish? Whats happening?
2) You say distributing HDMI is expensive? Are you referring to the cost of the splitter & extenders? Is there a better way to do this?

Re: the special phone distribution box, our house plans our out to tender at the moment, so we wont be starting to build until next year. Will PM at that stage.

Thanks heaps for your help, much appreciated

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cyril7

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#179451 22-Nov-2008 17:08

Hi, as for Sky, they have not declared their exact intentions (as any commercial operator is incline) but they are going to roll out a new 4output dual orbit LNB that will provide access for multiple tuners. The current single output LNB can see both orbit locations but only for one tuner at a time. This is no good for a box like the MySky/HDi. I suspect what will happen is that the capacity on D1 that they have access to will be used for SD expansion only, and HD services will move to D3 when launched. This means they only have to upgrade HDi dish setups in the immediate future.

So bottom line is that you should ideally run 3 lines from the central coax distribution to the roof for Sky and one other for UHF. Run 3lines to all major AV sites and 1 to bedrooms.

HDMI is expensive to run if you use Cat5/6 cabling to do it, not only the splitters but also the baluns, hence I see limited sense in HDMI distribution, better off going the multiple STB route, that way you get optimum connection at each AV site and full independance, ie one STB per TV. Obviously the cost of STBs (if they are rented Sky ones) can be prohibitive, but thats one you need to think through. As for FreeView, the cost of Sat FreeView boxs is now low enough to furnish each AV site without real regard for cost.

Cyril

JimmyLizar

321 posts

Ultimate Geek

#179482 22-Nov-2008 19:48

Makes sense

What do you use for central coax distribution. Are you talking about splitters?

I guess with three RG6 running to each TV I will need 3x splitters? All located in roof space?

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cyril7

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#179550 23-Nov-2008 08:13

Pretty much although more than 2 or 3 receivers and you would probably need a multi switch but often just a point to connect roof cables to room cables with splitters, switches or just couplings, again located at the central space in the roof, and dont forget a power point close by incase a amp or powered switch is used.

Cyril

JimmyLizar

321 posts

Ultimate Geek

#179878 24-Nov-2008 13:38

If we decide to forgo the option of 'piping' mySkyHDi to another location, do we need 3x RJ45 behind the TV, will 1x RJ45 suffice?

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sbiddle

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#179900 24-Nov-2008 14:35

JimmyLizar: If we decide to forgo the option of 'piping' mySkyHDi to another location, do we need 3x RJ45 behind the TV, will 1x RJ45 suffice?

If you're on a very tight budget but you're just limiting yourself in the future. It won't be long before you are hooking boxes up to the net, if you only have a single RJ45 you can at least split this into 2x 100Mbps ethernet or 1x ethernet + phone but if you want Gigabit you can't split this.

I wouldn't install less than 2x RJ45 sockets anywhere where I was running a single jack, simply because it's so easy to run 2 cables together and does offer you the flexability in future.

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cyril7

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#179907 24-Nov-2008 14:54

I pretty much always furnish the AV areas with a 6way plate containing 3x RJ45 and 3x RG6, and sometimes there is an extra plate for carry HDMI and component plus audio up or across the wall to the panel TV above or beside the AV gear. Well thats probably the most common setup.

Cyril

JimmyLizar

321 posts

Ultimate Geek

#180136 25-Nov-2008 08:38

what HDMI wall plate do you use?

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cyril7

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#180145 25-Nov-2008 09:24

Hi, 90% of the time, none, HDMI is fragile enough without adding "fly leads" where not needed. As most HDMI cables run from the rear of a AV cabinet to a wall mounted panel or ceiling mounted PJ I simply ensure the cable has an extra meter or so at each end and let it through a wall plate mech hole, a HDMI connector will just fit through a PDL mech hole.

In situations where I have needed them I have got keystone ones off ebay, I understand PDL have one due to market soon.

Cyril

JimmyLizar

321 posts

Ultimate Geek

#180171 25-Nov-2008 11:21

I have just come to the same conclusion myself. PDL 4 gang wall plate behind TV & one low on wall as well. Feed necessary cables thru holes. If I ever move the TV will put bank cover plate over.

Just been into JA Russell. They said PDL dont do a HDMI wall plate yet (as you alluded to) but they can get one (2x HDMI) from a different supplier for $90 each. I think i'll pass thank you! Considering you would need 4x HDMI fly leads + 2x HDMI link cables as well.

Thanks for all you help.

.....c'mon sucker lick my battery........
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