sjdgpt said:
Correction:
Conduit is your BEST friend
Ha - yes.
3/4" conduit is pretty narrow really and is the minimum I would go wtih. Carlon (brand) conduit is what the link above will give you and the 3/4" size has available quick fit connections that connect directly to low voltage boxes. Just run the conduit to a box, cut it, snap it into the fitting, then snap it into the low voltage box and you are good to go.
Crestron is commonly referred to as 'top of the line'... Which is not entirely correct. It is a top shelf control system, but it offers many pieces that reach down to more consumer friendly pricing. Never cheap, but also not outrageous. For example: In an 8 zone setup you can put a keypad in each room for an average cost of about $650.00 per room, not including amp and speakers. So, maybe $1,000.00 a room. While this isn't cheap, it is less expensive than a couple of the distributed audio systems that didn't offer as much performance or capability that were recently reviewed in Home Theater (or Sound & Vision) magazines. Of course, you can negotiate pricing down 10% or more as I am listing FULL MSRP on this.
Now, are there other options? Definitely... Pronto type remotes can work well if you are very careful about what equipment you purchase. Distributed audio systems from companies like Sonance offer 6 zones of sources to be handled independently with control keypads in each room for a fair price.
The main advantage you get with Crestron is that once it is setup, then you really won't have a reason to touch your system other that loading DVDs or CDs. If you want to watch a movie, you press button, it starts up the projector, gets it on the right input, turns on the receiver, drops the screen, sets the aspect ratio, etc., etc. It may allow you to change surround settings if you want, or make some other tweaks while it is on, but then when you shut down it will reset everything to the way it was when you first came into the room. This greatly reduces user error and simplifies system operation.
This is almost impossible to do with any other remote control system on the market which makes it a great way to go. Of course, it's also what I program for a living, so I am pretty much required to by hyped on it.
Really though, I like it because it is an honest product. The surest sign of quality to me is when I finish programming a home on Friday and leave without giving anyone training because the family isn't home. Then on Monday I call them and they tell me how they watched some movies in the theater and how much they are enjoying the system. Their entire family just used a complex $30,000+ home theater because they had a control system in place. That's the added value you get.
Now, I'm sounding like a sales guy, I know, but there are no remote systems I have seen that come close to doing what Crestron does. Pronto type remotes with macros can do a decent job, but also have serious issues. Since they are IR or use sketchy RF, there is always a chance that an IR code will be missed. That means that the macro isn't always 100% accurate. Then you end up with confused users. As well, some equipment doesn't use IR codes that all Pronto remotes work really well with. So, the overall use can end up a little sketchy.
Of course, I don't know your budget, but if you are being serious about everything else in your home, then making it usable in a way that makes you and everyone in your home happy is really critical. At least it is worth taking a look at first hand and comparing some other equipment to first hand as well if at all possible.
I can't be of much use to you just by explaining stuff, and unless you are in the Washington, DC area, there is not much I can show you either.
