Wire Hell - seeking advice

[brainsneeze]

Hi there,

This is my first post, but its a good one. My bud just had me over and showed me his almost finished addition complete with wiring for his home theatre. unfortunately, for the plasma, he has 1 cat5, and 1 rg6 wire to connect the plasma. He needs wiring for his center channel speaker, and something that will give him an hd signal.

Since his walls are closed, I'm trying to find the best way to get what he needs with the fewest wires possible and maybe even using what was already run.

His Plasma is a Pioneer PDP505 - it has a DVI-D input. His receiver is a Yamaha HTR-5840 and will be getting his tv via cable.

I especially would like to avoid component cables because any new wires will have to be fished through the wall.

Any ideas?

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Have him order an inexpensive DVI wire of proper length, and tie it - as well as a speaker wire to the existing cat5 in the wall. Pull the DVI and speaker cable through the wall tied to the cat5. Now he's got his digital video connection (DVI) and speaker wire for the center. You can always use the existing wires as "fish tape" for new wire(s). Just make sure to tie it tight.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Realistically, that likely won't work simply because the holes in the 2x4s are likely less than 1/2" and DVI, nor even HDMI will fit through them.

Your buddy has to open the walls - simple as that - if you want to hide wires. Then you should run ALL the wires necessary. Component video, HDMI, VGA, composite video... maybe even a second HDMI run. Cable should be run to the (duh) cable box, not the plasma.

Audio feeds for later use make a lot of sense, just in case.

But, if the home is new, then now is the time to do it before custom painting is done to the room.

It is unfortunate that so many new home builders are 100% clueless about proper wiring that is necessary to run within an A/V installation. Your buddy is SOL on the deal and even worse - he PAID for it! Proper wiring is impossible from almost all builders unless the buyer knows everything that is exactly needed.

 

[MikeSp]

Perhaps the baseboards could be removed and a 1 inch piece removed from the bottom of the drywall to make room for the wiring and then the baseboards reinstalled carefully, making sure that no nails are inserted through the new wiring. It should not be difficult to then fish the wiring up through any walls as needed or if needed.

MikeSp

 

[Rickster71]

Run wires in the Basement.

Does he have a basement?
If so, that's the place to run the wires. Then just drill up into the walls.
An attic is good second choice.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

With a little creativity, it's not too difficult to conceal speaker wires.

 

[mustang_steve]

I used to live in an older home with a small gap between the baseboards and the carpet....I just tucked all my cables under there using a screwdriver I machined all the edges off of (nice rounded tip, so it would not cut the cable jackets at all). Worked perfectly.

 

[mulester7]

.....but how about those porcelyn one inch tall resistors keeping speaker cable off the carpet and the neuron flow constant?....makes perfect sense to me....I bought six dozen for when the unbelievers are swung over....hey Gene, ya' got a minute to learn about neuron flow in your speaker cables?....huh?.....

 

[Geno]

.....but how about those porcelyn one inch tall resistors keeping speaker cable off the carpet and the neuron flow constant?....makes perfect sense to me....I bought six dozen for when the unbelievers are swung over....hey Gene, ya' got a minute to learn about neuron flow in your speaker cables?....huh?.....

Ain't them called "neurotitrons"? I laid in a supply of "em myself

 

[brainsneeze]

Thanks for the ideas - paint is up already - so opening up is not an option. There are exisitng runs going up through the open attic and down to the tv, so that's the likely path. We'll probably have to punch a hole and chip out 1 of the cats - paint is new, so matching it won't be a problem...

 

[BMXTRIX]

If you need to open the wall at all then now is the time to do it. I moved into my home and had to run (and remove) a bunch of stuff that left holes in the wall. It was a piece of cake to put a few coats of spackle on with some patches and do some sanding and repainting. No way to tell where the holes were because the paint is the perfect match.

It's a year or two from now, when the paint fades from the original color when things get tough.

But, if you have an open attic, and decent access, then that is definitely the way to run things. Just remember to do it in the AM before temperatures in the attic hit 100+ degress in the Summer heat.