AVForums

Our philosophy in our forums, reviews, podcasts and feature videos is to promote audio and visual excellence by gathering and sharing the best information and resources available.

Help

To begin please visit our help section »

Not a Member Yet?

It only takes a minute to start enjoying the benefits of AVForums membership, and it's free!

Member Log in

BIG HELP NEEDED - help me wire/cable/hardware up the entire house!!

Post Reply
Old 22-08-2004, 4:32 PM   #1
geordie boy
Guest
Posts: n/a
BIG HELP NEEDED - Multi-Room cable/hardware advice needed!

Hi all,

I'm in the fortunate position of currently building our next home and as the roof goes on next week the electricals/wiring will be starting soon after.

There will be one dedicated home cinema room in which I'm pretty sure I've sorted all the set-up and cabling requirements.

But, I'm hoping to be able to wire a set of speakers into the ceiling/floor of almost every room and run all the cabling back to a central point.

I also know of someone who has small remote control panels in each of their rooms that they are able to control all their music/tv/dvds/lighting and just about everything for every room and the whole house from each remote panel as it all feeds back to central amplifiers all run from a processor.

So the help I REALLY need is:-

1. Any suggestions on suitable & affordable (there are a lot of rooms!) ceiling or wall moutable speakers?Preferably flush mounting but would consider smallish speakers not flush mounted.

2. Does anyone know where I can find information/prices on possible Multi-Room 'remote' panel set-ups and the processing technology required?

3. Any ideas on the kind of wiring I would need to cable to these remote panels - will Cat 6 cabling suffice or am I likely to have to send power to these points also.

4. Any other threads in this forum that would help (had a quick look and not found any as yet)

All help MUCH appreciated.

Last edited by geordie boy; 22-08-2004 at 5:07 PM.
  Quote
Old 22-08-2004, 5:09 PM   #2
Assured Advertiser
 
hornydragon's Avatar
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Where ever you want me to be.
Experience Points:
63,997, Level: 61
Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 102, Got 1,406
Posts: 28,088
http://www.qed.co.uk/acc/roomlink.html
Cheap but good control for IR to multiple rooms can use cat5 and is based on S4.4 MR system! some cheap learning remotes and a an Audio matrix switch is all you really need (sources and amps as well though!) Wiring is is simple enough, get lots of cat5 in and speaker cable, how many rooms and be sensible as cost is £4-600ish per room. This is my rule of thumb for hardware as a minimum!!!!!
Normal house we go for Masterbed + ensuite (subzone), Kitchen. Dining, Livingroom (normally has Hifi etc in it), outdoors, + what you want other beds, family bathroom and extras, games room, garage, where ever you spend time.Also try and spec TV in ensuite shower room and TV in bedroom on central system!
  Quote
Old 22-08-2004, 7:02 PM   #3
geordie boy
Guest
Posts: n/a
cheers horny - think a 'pad' system rather than an IR system may be favourite at the moment - its hard enough to get the mrs to work out the tv remote control! Like your other suggestions in speaker thread on MR system - looking into them - cheers.

Anyone know of any good independent dealers to speak to that really know their stuff?
  Quote
Old 22-08-2004, 8:48 PM   #4
Assured Advertiser
 
hornydragon's Avatar
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Where ever you want me to be.
Experience Points:
63,997, Level: 61
Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 102, Got 1,406
Posts: 28,088
contact QED and ask for local dealers for systemline and for living control try CSE http://www.csesolutions.co.uk/ for local dealers.
  Quote
Old 22-08-2004, 8:59 PM   #5
Member
 
suzywong's Avatar
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Southampton
Experience Points:
6,845, Level: 19
Points: 6,845, Level: 19 Points: 6,845, Level: 19 Points: 6,845, Level: 19
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 1, Got 0
Posts: 262
Speakers: I don't know what they sound like but there's a lot of Linn Sweetspots up on ebay at the moment. you might be able to do something woth them.

Computer network. you must runn CAT5 to every room. We had the opportunity to do so when we moved to our present home eight years ago, because the whole house needed rebuilding & redecoration. I didn't think we'd ever need it, despite my IT-director-wife telling me we would.........

she was right...(and she's quite happy to remind me)....

......the LAN now has 4 fixed PCs and a couple of ports for notebooks.....but nothing into the lounge for streaming audio/video to the HC system...and the cabling is a mess!

Last edited by suzywong; 22-08-2004 at 9:14 PM.
  Quote
Old 22-08-2004, 9:04 PM   #6
Assured Advertiser
 
hornydragon's Avatar
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Where ever you want me to be.
Experience Points:
63,997, Level: 61
Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 102, Got 1,406
Posts: 28,088
Thats why you need a structured wiring cabinet and patch panels!
  Quote
Old 22-08-2004, 9:15 PM   #7
Member
 
suzywong's Avatar
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Southampton
Experience Points:
6,845, Level: 19
Points: 6,845, Level: 19 Points: 6,845, Level: 19 Points: 6,845, Level: 19
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 1, Got 0
Posts: 262
Quote:
Originally Posted by hornydragon
Thats why you need a structured wiring cabinet and patch panels!
That's what she-who-must-be-obeyed keeps telling me!
  Quote
Post Reply



Thread information and display options
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off