In Wall Wiring

[eetkin]

Hello Everyone -

For new home construction, In a family room I would like to mount an LCD on the wall over the fireplace. I would like to have a cabinet elsewhere in the room that would have my cable box / blue ray player / xbox360.

My thought was to run a single HDMI cable through the wall from the cabinet to the fireplace. The cabinet would have a HDMI switch so I can select the device I want to send signal to the TV.

Is this the best way to do this? Thoughts / Comments / Concerns are most welcome as I have some time to decide the best way to set this up.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello Everyone -

For new home construction, In a family room I would like to mount an LCD on the wall over the fireplace. I would like to have a cabinet elsewhere in the room that would have my cable box / blue ray player / xbox360.

My thought was to run a single HDMI cable through the wall from the cabinet to the fireplace. The cabinet would have a HDMI switch so I can select the device I want to send signal to the TV.

Is this the best way to do this? Thoughts / Comments / Concerns are most welcome as I have some time to decide the best way to set this up.

HDMI cables fail fairly frequently so run all wires in conduit. TVs over fireplaces are a bad idea. The TV is too high and uncomfortable, and they run too hot, have a short life and are known to smoke in that location.

 

[BMXTRIX]

This is becoming more and more common, but what you are suggesting to do is a bad idea if that's all you plan to do.

1. CONDUIT CONDUIT CONDUIT! I repeat this everytime someone is smart enough to ask before they build. Conduit is cheap. Compared to the first time you pay someone to rip down drywall and repair it to run one wire, you will learn this quickly. Run 1.25" conduit from your rack location to the TV location. Do NOT run wires in the conduit at this time!

2. Run 2 HDMI cables (www.monoprice.com) and if you can find them, try to get HDMI 1.4 cables which may be available in the length you need for not a lot of cash.

3. Run Component, composite, and 3-4 pieces of CAT-5.

Let's be serious! These cables are super cheap and running them later sucks. Especially if you have an issue with any HD source, or you need that one cable briefly to setup a source. CAT-5 because everything runs over a network now, and ever more and more cable converters are coming to market to help future proof things.

Make sure there is enough of a mantel on the fireplace to keep heat directed away from the display, and it would not be a bad idea to use one of the newer slimmer displays to get it closer to the wall and away from the heat/smoke.

 

[Kai]

Conduits, panels and more than you currently need are the way to go.
I wish I'd done that when I built my house 5 years ago. I constantly whine about my stupidity until my wife dope slaps me back to reality.

I'd put a box in the wall where the tv will be mounted. The box would contain a power outlet, 2 hdmi connectors, at least one component connector group, at least one but better two coax and optical connectors, one standard video connector and one standard audio set of connectors...yellow, red, white. Also add at least one cat6 cable for internet connectivity...most new tv's have some sort of internet capability...netflix, etc.

I'd also wire the house for audio as well. It is easy and inexpensive to put a speaker connector plate in the wall where you want to place your speakers today and perhaps in the future. Again using conduit is best as you can easily pull new wiring without fuss and muss.
If there is even a possibility that you will use inwall/inceiling speakers at some point in the future, run the conduit and wiring to the locations best for the speakers. Take photos of the locations for future need.
Place a master box, and/or boxes in the space you will use for all the gear clearly defined using a lable maker. Make sure to include at least one cat 6 connect (from the computer/router location to the gear location), two or more would be better...one for the BD player and one for the receiver...even if your current receiver doesn't have one you don't know what the future may hold. Think about the need for a media center at some point. Perhaps a RS232 cable as well.
Add a master coax line from the main box to the "closet" as well. You will have a dedicated line for your system without any splitters involved.
Better to have an extra set of cables that you don't need know than one less than you will need next year.

Don't forget the master bedroom, etc. It is easier to prepare a location for a wall mount TV/speakers now than in the future. Power, cable TV, signal, etc. wiring is easier now than later.

Also think about how you are getting your TV signals today and perhaps tomorrow. You may want to run a conduit/line from the attic/roof area to the closet for an antenna for OTA signals and/or for a satellite connection.

Make sure to take plenty of pictures of the runs and terminations for future needs. It never hurts to see what is behind the walls without having to make holes lol.
Use separate conduit for power and signal. I'd use a separate conduit for speakers as well.
It may cost you an extra grand initially but worth several thousand in the future and the lack of aggravation is priceless.

I did not do this at all when I built my house. I could have easily and inexpensively but I just did not think of it. We were so involved in the design and construction...my wife and I worked with the contractor and did all the painting and would finishing ourselves...that I totally forgot about the entertainment portion of the design...what a dope. Now I have to cut holes in walls and run longer lengths of wiring/cable than I should have had to use. I also have to be very careful as the whole house uses radiant heat so I have tubing carrying the fluid under the floors and you don't want to screw up and nick one of those tubes.

Good luck and keep us involved and informed...especially with pics.

 

[mik]

This is becoming more and more common, but what you are suggesting to do is a bad idea if that's all you plan to do.

1. CONDUIT CONDUIT CONDUIT! I repeat this everytime someone is smart enough to ask before they build. Conduit is cheap. Compared to the first time you pay someone to rip down drywall and repair it to run one wire, you will learn this quickly. Run 1.25" conduit from your rack location to the TV location. Do NOT run wires in the conduit at this time!

2. Run 2 HDMI cables (www.monoprice.com) and if you can find them, try to get HDMI 1.4 cables which may be available in the length you need for not a lot of cash.

3. Run Component, composite, and 3-4 pieces of CAT-5.

Let's be serious! These cables are super cheap and running them later sucks. Especially if you have an issue with any HD source, or you need that one cable briefly to setup a source. CAT-5 because everything runs over a network now, and ever more and more cable converters are coming to market to help future proof things.

Make sure there is enough of a mantel on the fireplace to keep heat directed away from the display, and it would not be a bad idea to use one of the newer slimmer displays to get it closer to the wall and away from the heat/smoke.

Great advice. I'm in the process of just starting to finish my basement and will def. be doing this . Thanks!

 

[Rickster71]

All good advice with regards to conduit.

I'd like to add a bit:
I'm of the opinion that some HDMI cables are being slightly damaged when being pulled through too many conduit bends. The code limits conduit bends to 360 degrees of total bend per run.

For someone that's new to wire pulls; I'd try to limit your number of 90-degree bends to a max of three in each run. Bends too close together will present a problem also.

It's just like in the Old Westerns, where they just throw the horses rein over and around the Hitching post; that creates 360 degrees of friction. Effectively becoming a "Cinch" type Knot. And when you try to overcome that much of resistive friction, you can damage the wire.
Hope this helps.

 

[TLS Guy]

All good advice with regards to conduit.

I'd like to add a bit:
I'm of the opinion that some HDMI cables are being slightly damaged when being pulled through too many conduit bends. The code limits conduit bends to 360 degrees of total bend per run.

For someone that's new to wire pulls; I'd try to limit your number of 90-degree bends to a max of three in each run. Bends too close together will present a problem also.

It's just like in the Old Westerns, where they just throw the horses rein over and around the Hitching post; that creates 360 degrees of friction. Effectively becoming a "Cinch" type Knot. And when you try to overcome that much of resistive friction, you can damage the wire.
Hope this helps.

As usual I think your points are well taken.

I think it well worth hiring an electrician with a pipe bender. Friction is lower with steel than plastic and bends can be made more gentle.

 

[BMXTRIX]

As usual I think your points are well taken.

I think it well worth hiring an electrician with a pipe bender. Friction is lower with steel than plastic and bends can be made more gentle.

Some people use standard water conduit, which is not correct.

Carlon Resi-guard low voltage conduit is corrugated which provides lower friction and resistance due to smaller surface area. Also, the 1.25" size allows for it to pass through headers and studs without taking down the wall. Finally, because it's flexible, you can control the sweep pretty easily. I tend to go with a single grand sweeping curve at the header to take it into the ceiling joists, then stub it out into unfinished space (if possible) or then do the same thing to take it back down into a large electrical box.

The key is really having the conduit in place and not bending the heck out of it. It needs to hold wiring in it, not Slinkys.