Setting up Home Entertainment System. Advice needed

melon_collie

I was looking for some advice on setting up a new home entertainment system. Moving to a new house in a couple of weeks. I will have the TV in one room with the intention of having all boxes (SKY, DVD, Sound System, etc) in a different room out of sight. Anyway, when the house was being wired I ran 8 CAT5 cables from the place where the TV will be, back to the location where the boxes will be stored. What should my next step be to allow the TV to connect to the Sky box, Sound system, DVD, etc? Is it possible for me to configure the system so that 1 remote control can operate the 3 boxes when they are out of sight? I would really appreciate some help on this. Thanks in advance

Idleater

melon_collie wrote: »

Is it possible for me to configure the system so that 1 remote control can operate the 3 boxes when they are out of sight? I would really appreciate some help on this. Thanks in advance

Yes,

What you need is a RF capable remote control. One example is the logitech harmony 900.

Homer

Don't necessarily need an RF remote. A universal/learning remote combined with an IR receiver will work also and can be cheaper. The advantage of an RF remote is that you don't need to point it in the direction of a receiver, you don't even need to be in the same room!
There are surface

and flush receivers available


Just make sure if you go for IR receiver and a universal remote that it is plasma friendly.

.

melon_collie

Thanks for the advice on the remote. Any ideas on how to connect the TV to the SKY box, DVD, and sound system using CAT5 cable? Thanks again

Idleater

melon_collie wrote: »

Thanks for the advice on the remote. Any ideas on how to connect the TV to the SKY box, DVD, and sound system using CAT5 cable? Thanks again

You are best connecting the sources together via an av processor/receiver. You can then run a single hdmi cable via baluns to your tv and use the avr to power a speaker system.

HiFi Guru

The last response is your best option, using an AV receiver in conjunction with HDMI over CAT5 baluns. I'd suggest using as good a set of baluns as you can afford, as the handshaking issues on the cheaper units will break your heart. (I work in the trade, so I've come across this problem a lot.) If you set the output resolution of all of your sources to the same output level (720p, or 1080i), it will improve the speed of the TV displaying the picture for each source.

I'm reluctant to recommend any specific brands as they all have their failings, but if you set your mind to not going over a resolution of 720p the majority of the units out there will work smoothly. As soon as you go for 1080p the trouble starts. (The picture flashing on and off every few seconds being the most common.)

The only unit I have seen that works perfectly over a single unscreened CAT5 cable is Crestron's Digital Media system, and it ain't cheap!!!!