Sky, Mac, Music in multiple rooms

Phil80

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Hi, I've just bought a new house and want to wire it completely so I can have Sky, Mac and music in every room. I'm a electrician by trade so able to do all wiring myself but I'm wonder what my best options are. I would like I have Sky hd in each room, individual controlled. Mac in each room all going back to a central point and music in each room individually controlled in each room. What's the best option?
 
Do you want it so you can watch different sky channels in different locations at the same time or just that you can get Sky into each location but will only be watching one location at any one time?
What sound do you want in each location? Just from the TV or a surround system in each location?
How many locations for each element?
 
Are you saying a Mac computer in each room or access to a central Mac in each room ?

Maybe a sketch of what you are trying to achieve with number of rooms and sources would help

Seb
 
I would like to be able to watch Sky HD different channels in each room. I would like to be able to have a data connection in each room that access a central Mac pc and also play different music in each room, this could be a Sonos system but was wondering if this could be linked to the Mac. I would like all the kit to be located in one place so I don't have to have boxes in each room. Just a to/monitor in each room
 
For each room you will require a Sky box and subscription. How many rooms ?

The data connection to the Mac what is this for, just for streaming music ?

If so Sonos will be able to access the Music stored on the Mac.

What you would require cabling wise, is at least 3 Cat6 runs to each room from your central point. One for HDMI Over Cat6, one for each Sonos speaker (though this could be wireless , though might as well be wired if you are cabling), one for Networking Smart TVs.

To distribute sky to multi rooms you would need a HDBaseT matrix with as many sources and rooms as required.

ie
a 4x4 HDBaset Matrix would supply 4 Sources to 4 rooms in any combination
a 4x8 HDBaset Matrix would supply 4 Sources to 8 rooms in any combination

If each room is just going to have a dedicated sky box centrally located then you will need a HDBaseT Extender per Skybox linked to each room.

The advantage of a matrix based system is that any skybox can be watched in any room, so if you have started watching a downloaded film downstairs you could then continue to watch it upstairs

Seb
 
Thank you for your response.

7 rooms in total.

I would like to use the Mac in a similar way that your access a office network/server system. Be good if I could just have tv/monitors in each room that accessed the Mac centrally. But could that be done via multiple locations?

With the music, I would like to be at to play different stuff in each room and was hoping if I could do this via the Mac it could be controlled via an iPad or other Apple device.

With the sky couldn't I not use their multi screen box? Would I need 7 boxes/7 subscriptions?
 
What do you want to do in each room on the MAC ?
An office type server network requires a "client PC" in each room not just a monitor.

If you get a Sonos speaker in each room then each room could play the same or different music and all of this could be controlled via an Ipad or Smartphone.

You would need 6 extra MultiScreen (multi-room) boxes and 6 extra Multiroom subscriptions in addition to the Main SKY HD box.

Maybe scale this down a bit and get 2 or 3 SKY Hd Boxes and Subscriptions (multi-room). Then use a matrix that would allow each room to select any one of the Skyboxes to watch. Would you really want to be watching 7 different channels in the house at the same time ?
 
Just would like a tv/monitor in each room with a keyboard and mouse that would access a central Mac system. So you are able to access internet, local files etc.... Save having a Mac in each room?

I thought I could wire speakers from each room to the central position and somehow connect this to the Mac and then use this to control what music in each room/zone separately?

I think your idea of just having 3 Sky boxes centrally makes sence, I have two already. My only worry is that I have 3 children and if they want to watch different channels in each of their rooms, plus if the wife and I wanted to watch something different downstairs, is this possible. But it sounds like a very expensive luxury!
 
No you would need "client" in each room with the monitor, keyboard and mouse or a complicated system with the MAC having multiple graphic cards.

The mac itself could act as a server for music but you would still need a media player and amplifier per room . If you use Sonos you could have 7 x Sonos Connect :Amps centrally located and then run Speaker cables to each room back to these.

4 sky boxes sounds perfect then but i am sure you may be able to do with 3, you can always add another later.
 
Centralised systems sound good in principal but from what I have seen get very complicated very quickly and this then tends to mean they get very expensive. They also seem to become very complex to use as well.
It may be better to teach your kids to share and hence learn to negotiate what they will watch!!!!!!!!!! :)
 
Sonos is very simple and your plan of centralising it is quite common.

Sharing the Mac files as a server is easier if you just have local MacBooks or similar and access the files over the network.

4x8 HDBaseT Matrix for the Sky to each room would sort out the Shared SKy whether 3 or 4 boxes.

Would you like me to price this up for you ?
 
Yes please, and thank you for all advise you have given!
Centralised systems sound good in principal but from what I have seen get very complicated very quickly and this then tends to mean they get very expensive. They also seem to become very complex to use as well.
It may be better to teach your kids to share and hence learn to negotiate what they will watch!!!!!!!!!! :)
Yeah right!
 
Do you have Cat6 cable and Network Switches etc already ?
What speakers are you after for Music Zones ?
 
I have cable but no switchers. Basic ceiling speakers will do.
 
We use these as size of downlighters so very discrete but powerful enough

small-flush-mount-speakers-12-wmax-[2]-1968-p.png
 
'I'm a electrician by trade so able to do all wiring myself' - OK so we have your capabilities defined, we get to pick up the pieces on lots of systems an 'electrician' has 'designed' :)

The rest you need to take some time over and properly define the requirement - inc longer term planning for when the kids want there own computer, and keep in mind many kids now use their tablet more than a SKY or other 'TV' device.

If you mix central plus local Sources plus provide local wired and wireless network points in each zone you will have maximum flexibility,

For kids rooms a wired Sonos PLAY:3 or PLAY:5 will sound way better than In-ceiling speakers and offer more flexibility for Line input, wired network connection plus a Vol +, - and Mute button.

In-ceiling also requires you to soundproof the speakers if there are rooms above the speakers.

If you centralise your x2 SKY plus a Freesat box along with a MAC MINI plus run cabling to local Freesat box's you can have max flexibility and cut down on the monthly subscriptions.

Apple TV local to each zone with iPads Airplaying to them is another good option.

Take some time to carefully define the requirement.

A bit of network savvy is also worth considering - managing lots of wired and wireless network devices properly can make a big difference to the performance and reliability of your system.

Yours is quite a typical enquiry we and the installers we work with deal with day to day.

Joe
 

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