New construction... input needed

[ErinH]

Hey, guys. I'm building a new home and framing should be done next week. I'm going to wire the top floor's room up for HT use, though I won't be actually using it for probably a year or two down the line. However, I want to go ahead and wire it up right while it's cheap rather than ripping out sheetrock later.

I'm thinking something simple. The reason I'm delaying putting it all together now is financially based, so going nuts with it isn't really feasible anyway. Probably 5.2 with a projector overhead and a screen on the front wall. I'm going to wire for 7.2 just in case.

The HT room will be on the 2nd floor that's about 26x16. The gear will be stored in a closet at the back of the room, with the screen at the front wall where a window will be (which will be blacked out once the HT room goes in to effect). The room has kneewalls on the side.

I do have (6) AE IB15's I bought last year with intentions to use them in the HT but at this point, I'm not even sure I'll be doing that. Going to hang on to them for now, though, just in case.

My list of things to buy consists of

• Wall plates (hdmi, speaker, sub)
• Wiring (hdmi, speaker, coaxial for sub)

I know I need some sort of IR or RF transmitter for signal control since the components will be in a closet behind me, so is there something that is recommended here I can go ahead and order and install so I don't have to perform a retro install?

I also may run cat 6e and wall plates in the house but I'm not sure.

Key points:
Simple HT planned.
Needing to make sure I get everything I need for wiring and connections this week.
Anything you can think of that I MUST have?


FWIW, I wanted to go crazy and do distributed audio, double layered drywall, clips, a THX style baffle wall, etc, etc to make this an audio dream but I just can't justify the budget for that.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hey, guys. I'm building a new home and framing should be done next week. I'm going to wire the top floor's room up for HT use, though I won't be actually using it for probably a year or two down the line. However, I want to go ahead and wire it up right while it's cheap rather than ripping out sheetrock later.

I'm thinking something simple. The reason I'm delaying putting it all together now is financially based, so going nuts with it isn't really feasible anyway. Probably 5.2 with a projector overhead and a screen on the front wall. I'm going to wire for 7.2 just in case.

The HT room will be on the 2nd floor that's about 26x16. The gear will be stored in a closet at the back of the room, with the screen at the front wall where a window will be (which will be blacked out once the HT room goes in to effect). The room has kneewalls on the side.

I do have (6) AE IB15's I bought last year with intentions to use them in the HT but at this point, I'm not even sure I'll be doing that. Going to hang on to them for now, though, just in case.

My list of things to buy consists of

• Wall plates (hdmi, speaker, sub)
• Wiring (hdmi, speaker, coaxial for sub)

I know I need some sort of IR or RF transmitter for signal control since the components will be in a closet behind me, so is there something that is recommended here I can go ahead and order and install so I don't have to perform a retro install?

I also may run cat 6e and wall plates in the house but I'm not sure.

Key points:
Simple HT planned.
Needing to make sure I get everything I need for wiring and connections this week.
Anything you can think of that I MUST have?


FWIW, I wanted to go crazy and do distributed audio, double layered drywall, clips, a THX style baffle wall, etc, etc to make this an audio dream but I just can't justify the budget for that.

You are not having any luck with inputs, I see.

I would plan a complex system for wiring and equip it as you need to. This way, you have all the foreseeable wiring in place for an eventual system if and when that time comes. If not, you can just equip it as a simple system; reduces remodeling issues.
Some have suggested using the in wall flex tubing to blank outlet covers for future wiring needs.. Just make sure that where you need an HDMI in the future, the conduit is large enough to poass the connector on one or two.
120V outlets for in room components: powered subs in a few possible locations with sub cables. Projectors need power outlet. Remote sensors.
Perhaps RG cable from attic to equipment cabinet for an FM antenna now or in the future.
Perhaps cable there as well for a possible sat link? RG is not that expensive now.
Cat for hardwiring components in closet? I could have used a run but too late. Hard to see future needs in 10 years or so.

 

[avengineer]

Agreed with the above. Flex (I use Resigard from Carlon) is best where you'll need HDMI later. You can also use PVC pipe, just so the bends are a large radius. Pull in a pull cord if as you build up your PVC so you'll have it when you are ready. Resigard comes with cord already inside. Everything wants a network connection, and for best performance, use wire, don't depend on Wifi, or other wireless technologies. Run a Cat5/6 to each possible device, home-run to your closet or better, all the way to your router. For coax, use RG6 quad-shield, highest MHz rating you can get. For future IR repeaters, just run another Cat5. You'll have to splice, but repeaters never come with enough emitter or sensor cable anyway. It's just two or three wires. You can usually put two emitters on a single repeater output, but no more than two.

Be sure all your power outlets are on the same phase, saves you some ground loop headache later.

With all that coax and net cable, you should have a media box somewhere for neat termination and distribution. Get power to the box, there could be a switch or router in there.

 

[stuarthannon]

Some quick advice

You can never have too many outlets in your equipment closets, separate circuits as well.

If your running 1 cat5/6 run two because you'll need it later.

Remember 2cat to your projector

Run 2pair in wall speaker cable to all points (and wire for 7.2) even if you leave the cable behind the drywall, you'll have it there later.

Leave a lot of slack in the equipment closet. Enough to pull gear all the way out while staying plugged in, if you can't comfortably get behind the rack.

LABEL EVERYTHING both sides. Label the source side and the destination. It'll save a lot of trouble and headache later.

Did I miss anything?

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[stuarthannon]

As for control,

Look into Control4 or Universal Remote.

With a good install they can be bulletproof and headache free.

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[ErinH]

I appreciate the reply, but this thread is old man. I moved in last July. Lol.

 

[jneutron]

So then, we can all pigpile on you telling you what you should have put in.

Hope it went well for you.

During reno, I put in 9 runs of cat cable (bought 1000 feet), two spare coax, two spare speaker runs, two thermostat spare, two telephone spare, and 4 copper pipe runs for later heating zones.

Funny thing was, when a plumber was drilling for a vent stack, he drilled through one cat cable.. He came down horrified that he did it, I told him don't worry, all the cables there are spares.

He though I was nuts.



Of course, he is correct.
jn

 

[ImcLoud]

When the economy was better I contracted a few builds, I understand about the tight budget situation.. here is the advice I used to give... Run the conduit and chases, put string in them and have them plastered in, record the measurements for later reveal... So you will have the conduit all ran with chase string inside....
This is good for a couple reasons, 1 you dont have to invest in any cable rite now. 2 you dont have to worry about you putting in hdmi cables in then in 2 years no one uses hdmi anymore 3- you can run the chases and string for what ever you want and then only unclover what you want in 2 years.... 4- no unused boxes staring at you for 2 years, the conduit will be hidden until you cut it out... ect..

So run a conduit to where you will put your av electronics, 1 to the ceiling, 1 to each speaker local 1 to where the sub will be, ect... and you are only out the price of the conduit and a roll of string.... Plus maybe in 2 years everything is wireless... {make sure you run a separate high voltage conduit to the project and have an outlet installed where you sub is going to be...

 

[jneutron]

On a previous reno, I installed 4 boxes around the living room, with conduit dropping to the basement. I spoke to the GC about it, pointed out that the boxes had been mounted FLUSH to the studs such that the rock can be installed without cutouts, as I wanted the boxes for later use. The sheetrock was to cover the boxes entirely.

I left 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheets of paper taped to each box, stating DO NOT CUT THE sheetrock over these, they are to be buried within the wall.

What happened...you guessed it.

jn

 

[Rickster71]

On a previous reno, I installed 4 boxes around the living room, with conduit dropping to the basement. I spoke to the GC about it, pointed out that the boxes had been mounted FLUSH to the studs such that the rock can be installed without cutouts, as I wanted the boxes for later use. The sheetrock was to cover the boxes entirely.

I left 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheets of paper taped to each box, stating DO NOT CUT THE sheetrock over these, they are to be buried within the wall.

What happened...you guessed it.

jn

The guys doing the rocking couldn't read English.

 

[Alex2507]

The guys doing the rocking couldn't read English.

I can read and I cover them all the time.