Multiroom audio and video cabling

Posted by: MichaelC on 09 June 2006

A little request for some advice.

We have the builders in and the project is such that this is the opportunity to wire the house for the future. The electricians have started first fix.

We have therefore asked them to run digital coax and Cat5 cabling to various rooms around the house.

At the moment the cabling is being run from various locations to a central point which happens to be in the proximity of our consumer unit.

My plan of sorts is to be able to route audio (not yet thought of what the source will be, possibly hooking up to my collection of olive boxes), internet (makes sense for broadband access points around the house) and Sky around the house.

Obviously we could use wireless but the idea of cabling seems appropriate given we have the opportunity to install and the difficulties we have already encountered with wireless connection of computers around the house.

What else should I be considering at this stage with a view to future proofing?

Are there any good idiot's guides to setting up multiroom installations?

Sorry I am a little vague but I have got to start somewhere.

Thanks

Mike

Posted on: 09 June 2006 by Beano

This company uses the cat5 cable system to send all the music, audio-visual etc around the house. DIY based as-well, with some useful information on its website.

http://www.opus-technologies.co.uk/

Beano

Posted on: 10 June 2006 by Mr Underhill

Michael,

A couple of thoughts:

In your position I would consider putting in a dedicated electrical spur for the HiFi.

I'd also look into electrical filtering --- I don't know if this is possible. The issue here is that doing high speed networking through the mains is now possible, this 'data' will probably not be confined to the building where is is installed. A few years ago a read an article where this form of networking was used and the network traffic was being tranmitted by electric street lights outside.

Install CAT6.

I would also consider shielded twisted pair. As WiFi takes off, I have at least 6 APs around me, long cable runs can act as aerials. Barry Fox did an interesting article on this a couple of months ago.

Run a CAT6 cable to behind where you will have the HiFi - in case you decide to use a Squeezebox et al.

I have structured cabling (CAT5) round the house and house my hardware in the loft. One plan I have is to rip my CDs/DVDs onto a HDD array and stream them down to my DAC.

Martin

Posted on: 10 June 2006 by MichaelC

Thanks.

It looks like running Cat5 cabling is the way to go. It looks, after some googling, to me that there can be installation issues with Cat6 cabling eg no margin for error in terminating etc.

The electricians are already primed to run a dedicated mains feed for the olive boxes. Memera fuse box, RCB, and multiple spurs, leading to unswitched sockets and one fuse spur/switch spur (I am not sure which) where I will run a hydra.

I had thought about concealing speaker cable as well but not having any idea where speakers in various rooms will go I have abandoned that idea although I have a cunning plan for the future based upon utilising roof voids and cellars.

Posted on: 12 June 2006 by Mr Underhill

Michael,

The mains feed sounds like it has the classic ingredients.

CAT5 will certainly allow you to run Gb network speeds - should that prove necc!

Please note the SHIELDED part (STP) - most cat5 installed is UTP, unshielded.

You might also want to consider getting it run in conduit - to allow for upgrades in a few years.

If you get the time why not do a full briefing on what you have done in due course, I'd be interested!

M

Posted on: 13 June 2006 by Mr Underhill

Ahhh, fond memories of my portable record lathe!

...my lathe, my parents records.

Martin