Home Entertainment Network

ectm

I am about so start first fixing my new house and want to ensure that I put in network cabling that will allow me to pipe music, tv/video/sky, phone and data all around the house.
The quotes coming back from the specialist firms are extremely high.
Am I right in my assumption that if I put in Cat 6 cable with points in every room and wire them back to a cantral patch panel that I will be able to buy adapters to allow me to convert the signal from the sky box to Cat6 and then reconvert it back in each room so the video can be viewed on TVs?
Most of the firms out there seem to have their own proprietary cabling system but is Cat 6 the way to go?
All advice appreciated.

Pocky

ectm wrote: »

I am about so start first fixing my new house and want to ensure that I put in network cabling that will allow me to pipe music, tv/video/sky, phone and data all around the house.
The quotes coming back from the specialist firms are extremely high.
Am I right in my assumption that if I put in Cat 6 cable with points in every room and wire them back to a cantral patch panel that I will be able to buy adapters to allow me to convert the signal from the sky box to Cat6 and then reconvert it back in each room so the video can be viewed on TVs?

Yes, but why do you want to go the route with "adapters"? They are all active electronic devices adding to possible errors in your system.

If you use a high grade cable such as the MMC-230 from Kerpen you can run native signals over it to distribute around the house. The Kerpen HomeNet system can carry signals up to 2.5GHz which is the only one capable for Satellite transmission (2.1GHz). And you can change usage at any time.

ectm wrote: »

Most of the firms out there seem to have their own proprietary cabling system

don't believe that. What they do is using like two coax and one Cat5 in an outer plastic shield to make it look like a "cable". Ask them to send you a sample and you will see for yourself

The best way is to go for a neutral cabling and than let them offer the rest like multiroom audio or video later. If they use there "own proprietary" system you are stucked with them. At least Kerpen HomeNet only sells you cables and connectors and leave it up to you to chose what devices you use.

Check www.IrishHomeNet.com or www.Kerpen-HomeNet.de or www.BKS.ch

randombar

I'm going through the planning phase myself and wondering (if I get the planning) what're the basics or "musts" you should have when cabling the house? Speakers in four corners or ceiling for surround sound? central hub? network ports? co ax sockets? what would the best most basic set up be for the future?

Pocky

GaryCocs wrote: »

Speakers in four corners or ceiling for surround sound?

is that where your ears will be, up at ceiling hight? Since when is surround sound coming from the ceiling????:eek:

GaryCocs wrote: »

central hub?

YES

GaryCocs wrote: »

network ports? co ax sockets? what would the best most basic set up be for the future?

An infrastructure that will carry as much signals and services as possible

Casey711

Have you tried looking at systemline modular, it uses CAT5 only i have left the link below.
Casey

http://modular.systemline.co.uk/c174/Home_Buyers_%26_Owners.htm

randombar

Pocky wrote: »

is that where your ears will be, up at ceiling hight? Since when is surround sound coming from the ceiling????:eek: YES An infrastructure that will carry as much signals and services as possible

Ya ya but do you have wiring going to the corners of the room for the speakers or wha?

Pocky

I would not put speaker cables in the corners but would look at location for the speaker pending furniture etc. and than wire for either wall mounted about 1 meter above floor or sockets at about 30 cm above floor for larger floor stand type speakers

Brayruit

Pocky wrote: »

Check www.IrishHomeNet.com or www.Kerpen-HomeNet.de or www.BKS.ch

Read these with interest.

We are planning a redo the house and would have the opportunity to cable all the rooms into a central hub etc... but is wireless capacity not catching up the extent the cabling would be unnecessary (And expensive)

Pocky

You will never get the same bandwidth and capability with wireless as the "airspace" that can be used is limited. So every piece of equipment will transmit in a tight and cramped space.

It is also not possible to "fence in" the transmition, so it will leak outside your house as you can not control it. There are more than enough wireless access points out there widely open.

Should your neighbors be close by and also use wireless you will both use the same tight "airspace/wavelength" and get interferences and congestion.

Brayruit

Hmmmmm.... ok then here is a supplementary question.

Iwould like to centralise a HTPC with the Sky+ or Sky HDbox and distribute throughout the house. Do I have to distribute the signals over coax or is there some superior cabling that will give me the same signal quality as SCART / HDMI?

Pocky

The Kerpen MultiMedia cable will do SCART now. HDMI requires something like 16 wires. There is an adapter to do HDMI over the MultiMedia cable. So it is one cable for all your needs.