WholeHome

You will notice a previous blog entry on this same topic, but it has been such an overwhelming topic of discussion lately that I need to update a few things.

Why is it such a big topic? Mainly because Comcast has done such a poor job of explaining what they are doing and why. The best example so far? I was standing in a Comcast office recently and this poor guy came in with a stack (6) set top boxes that he had ripped out from all his TV locations. He said he had received a letter saying Comcast was going all digital and that he needed to get equipment for all his TVs to be able to view the new digital channels. What a huge waste of this guy’s time – having to rip them all out and then just put them all back when the lady behind the counter said he didn’t need to change anything… He was pissed, and all it would have taken was a little bit better consumer education.

Instead of the standard – almost unreadable – red screen saying Comcast is converting, how about putting up a simple 1 minute instructional video that repeats… Come in, I mean this really is not that hard.

Bottom line, we have tried to explain the “backside” of what the cable companies are doing – with a new set of webpages – why, how, when, and how much it will cost you… Check it out here.

If you want the condensed version, just check out the youtube video (but if you get hooked on the video you will go to the website anyway… It is an addiction.

Due to popular request, I’m posting (as time allows) the “PreWire your Home” eBook -

Home systems and entertainment continues to evolve

20 years ago, a daisy-chained RG59, or worse yet a flat twin lead wire, was sufficient to carry the aerial antenna signal from your roof to every TV. Most homes had, at best, one or two phone lines run to central locations. Interestingly, we were all happy.

The World, however, has changed. High speed internet, on-demand movies, and a need for both hundreds of live channels of content and most recently, dynamic in-home media content to every TV is catching many a homeowner off guard and causing a lot of extra wire retrofits.

Make no mistake; trying to get wires to where you want them after walls are already finished can cost thousands of dollars and in some instances be nearly impossible. The best plan is to prepare during the building process, but even the up front process of thinking through every future option can be daunting. Luckily, there are a lot of great resources to help you through the whole process, and this guide is a good start.

The problem is that unless you are regularly keeping track of technology advancements, it would be difficult for you to predict and plan for what you will want or need 5 years from now. The people that seem like on-the-edge geeks are pioneering new technologies and methods and determining what will become mainstream. The truth is, you cannot possibly completely future-proof your home, but you can certainly plan the next 5 or 10 years, greatly increase the value of your home, and have a great time doing it.

Get more help online:

When you are ready to jump into your own project, however, we highly recommend joining one of the online forums where literally thousands of talented folks are eager to help you through specific issues, such as right here at the Shack!

If you really get in a jam, there are lots of professionals that would be happy for you to hire them. In general, look for installers that are members of CEDIA ( www.cedia.net has a nice way to locate dealers by zip code). Prices and skill-sets vary widely but wherever you live, there is always a backup.

A couple of tips if you want professional help:

• Some dealers are big home theater companies – meaning some specialize in $50K plus jobs, some dealers are closer to home handymen – make sure you match their skills to your particular job.
• Inquire about their specific experience with your specific system. You should not pay for them to learn.
• Make sure they are bonded, if they get hurt on your property you don’t want them coming after you or your insurance company.
• If you are having electrical work done (real wall outlets, switches etc) that is a specialty – have a licensed professional do that for you, the low voltage guy should not just “throw it in”

Hiring and directing a professional in this area is much like going to the Doctor – being informed and knowing what you want before you step through their door is your best way to get good results. All of us in this business definitely want happy customers, but it is a business and if we can talk you into the next better system or “just a few more upgrades” we will – lovingly. Professionals tend to be opinionated about systems and methods and a great source of detailed information but any one that tells you something is too hard to explain, or not willing to take your direction and input should be a contractor you walk away from immediately.

If you are actually building your own home or using a custom builder, you are all set because you are in charge, but if you are buying from a semi-custom or tract home builder you need to carefully plan your approach.

Some tips to keep in mind as you arrange your project:

• Builders are schedule driven and paid bonuses based on completion rates on a schedule – any project like this threatens their personal pocketbook.
• Everything is negotiable – but you have to find the right person to negotiate with and do it at the right time. The sales person is the place to start. They are incentivised with making the sale and are generally willing to work out a deal to give you access if you lay that out up front.
• Get your agreement in writing. Make sure that the limits of your actions are clearly spelled out, how long you need to do the work, your agreement to hold everyone involved harmless in the event of injury, your responsibility for damage, your agreement to follow and be held accountable to local and national codes.
• Be prepared to smooth the way with the builder as well – as cheesy as it sounds, a case of beer is usually a good choice (end of the day, not cold so they don’t consume while they are working on your home). A couple pizzas a the opportune moment is also a good gesture. What you want is for the builder and his crew not to resent you – they need to call you to tell you if there is anything that is getting in their way or will interfere with inspections. Clear communication is key.
• When you get the chance to actually do the work, speed is key. Take a couple days off work and get it done, don’t drag it out over multiple weekends. You are looking for the few days in between the framing inspection and when they come in to insulate.
• While there are no specific codes that hold low voltage wiring to the same stringent levels as electrical, you should follow a few basic principles so as not to draw attention to your work. It should look as if a professional installed it under the direction and supervision of the builder:
  • All boxes should be standard height (match switch or outlet heights)
  • All wires should be secured (stapled, tied or hung) within 6” of a box, supported horizontally every 2’ and vertically every 3’.
  • All wires should be out of the way of drywall installers and with large bundles or close to the surface, metal plates installed.
  • At the media cabinet, wires should be neatly gathered and coiled and secured like you did at the boxes. Finally, be sure to plan the finish work. The media cabinet does not have to be completed prior to final inspection if it is not in a finished space, but all room boxes at least need a blank cover plate. If you are responsible for phone/TV outlets as part of your deal you need to terminate those using keystone plates prior to final inspection.

So, what can go wrong?

I’ve had plenty of folks say their builder (or home company) was not willing to work with them or insisted that they only allow work from a licensed professional. Low voltage wiring requires no license or certification from the government so the excuse is hollow. The best advice I can give is that you MUST be prepared to walk away from the deal. I’ve never had anyone tell me they could not come to some arrangement although there are a lot of painful stories.

A good negotiating technique is to volunteer to take on the network, phone and cable labor and materials if they let you do the rest of the low-voltage pre-wire. That can be worth $1000 or more to them as they have to pay a low voltage company to come in and do the basics.

My own experience with my last home was particularly distressing. I ended up paying extra for basic structured wiring (2 RG6, 2cat5) to each room through the builder, but clearly I couldn’t stop there. So I went in one night with the “general knowledge” of the builder and installed just a little extra wire. 3 1000’ spools of Cat5 and 4 500’ spools of RG6 later I was done. Unfortunately I had to go off on a business trip for the next week, intending to finish, secure, and tidy up my work the following weekend. I returned to find all my wire neatly coiled in the middle of my living room floor along with a note from the builder that they had to do an inspection while I was gone and they failed because the city electrical guy objected to all the loose hanging wires in the basement. The builder had left me a message (which I missed) and ended up having to get his electrician in to clean it up. The cleanup was catastrophic to my plans. As insulation was the very next day, I had no time to renegotiate and get back in there. The best I could do was to get permission to put in a couple of conduit chases so I could get wires to the different sections of my home from the basement. What did I learn? Communication, smooth the waters with the builder, do not get in their way, and always keep in mind what incentivises them.

But, in the end, it is your home, they all work for you. Do not back down.

Even if you are a minimalist, every home needs phone, TV, doorbell, and at least support for internet. Forget about you having sworn off TV, you have to put in at least the basic services for resell value. I hear from realtors all the time that the lack of phone and cable outlets in each room is frequently a turnoff in older homes.

This section attempts to provide the future homeowner with the tradeoffs between keeping costs low and providing as much functionality and planning for future needs. We highly suggest that you read through the other chapters that go through other home systems and options before you complete your home plan, but please – at least put in what is in this chapter for the sake of the next owner of your home.

Key philosophy: If you are going to do it, do it right!

Bottom line – the list first:

Outside-IN:

4 RG6 Sat: To the central media cabinet, run 4 RG6 outside to the south facing side of your home.
2 RG6, 1 Cat5e: 2 RG6 and 1 CAT5e to your cable TV demarc point.
2 Cat5e: 2 Cat5e to the phone demarc point.

Media Cabinet to Rooms:

2 RG6, 3 Cat5e: Homerun 2 RG6, 3 Cat5e to every room (kitchen, playroom, garage, den included).
16-2 for surround: Pre-wire for surround sound (2 rear, 2 side, 2 front, center, subwoofer) in the    main TV location and at any home theater locations using at least 16-2 lamp cord.
Be sure to wire for doorbell and at least a couple of motion sensor locations for a future security system.

Where to get supplies:
While everything you will need should be available at your local Home Depot or Lowes, if you are doing any project that requires more than 1000’ of wire, you can usually save some money by ordering online. [url]www.monoprice.com[/url] has a nice selection of wires, terminations, and media cabinets to choose from. If you plan ahead, you can even get different color wires so you can more easily keep things organized.

Details Outside-In:

4RG6 for Satellite – These should all be RG6 Quad Shield coax. While any kind will work, if you have a choice get exterior grade, and if possible get coax screened to 3GHz.

Dish network – requires one wire from the dish (or from a switch) for every two tuners (that is two boxes or one DVR). Even if you run 8 tuners in your home, you will need at least two wires from the dish to feed the switch(es) in your media cabinet.

DirecTV has three predominant systems currently in use:

With a “Legacy” setup (More than one wire comes down from the Satellite dish)
If you have only Standard Definition boxes, you need TWO wires in from the dish to a switch that will reside in your media cabinet.
If you have ANY High Definition boxes you will need FOUR wires in from the dish to a switch.

With a SWM (Pronounced Swim) system (Only one coax comes down from the Satellite dish), that one wire comes down to your media cabinet, goes to a power inserter then into a splitter (looks much like a cable TV splitter) to feed all your TVs. The standard system, however, only will feed 5 tuners (again a standard box is 1 tuner and a DVR is two).

A Hybrid system combines the two and gives extra benefits but you usually have to prearrange this kind of installation as the pieces are not always on the installer’s truck. This kind of system uses a “legacy dish”  a 5LNB dish, 4 wires out, and a stand alone SWM-8 switch in your media cabinet. This more easily allows expansion to more tuners and allows you to insert a locally generated set of channels that all the TVs in the home can see. This is particularly good for in-home A/V distribution, or adding security cameras to your home’s TV system. If you already have a “legacy” system, the stand alone SWM-8 switches are readily available on the internet for around $120 including the needed power supply from sites like [url]www.weaknees.com[/url]. Be sure to check that all your receivers are SWM capable – most will be marked with SWM near the satellite connection on the box, or check with the folks at weaknees for more information.

If you live in a particularly cold/snowy climate, consider wiring for a dish heater.

2RG6, 1Cat5e to the Cable TV Demarc point – These should be RG6 Quad shield and exterior grade Cat5e if possible. The absolute minimum here is one RG6 coax, but the extra coax and cat5e are good safety precautions in case you need to add:
•    an amplifier at the demarc point, the extra coax can carry power to the amp.
•    a legacy voip system – older units have the voip modem on the outside of the home and/or at the demarc point
•    a cellular repeater
•    Satellite Radio, FM antenna etc.

2 Cat5e to the phone demarc point – A single Cat5e can carry up to 4 individual phone lines so one is usually enough, but as wires corrode and have trouble over time exposed to the elements, it is recommended installing a second just as a backup.

Details Inside the Home:

2-RG6, 3-Cat5e: From the media cabinet to each room in the home forms the core of the communications and entertainment system in your home. Let’s run through them one at a time, and point out the versatility this setup gives you.

Dedicated line to Cable Modem: Be sure to run a dedicated line directly from the demarc point to the location where you plan to put your cable modem. The cable company will install a tap off the main line that runs to the modem.

2 RG6: Video. Whether cable or satellite using a SWM or legacy system, having 2 RG6s to each room will allow you to have a DVR in any room. If you only end up using one of the two coax wires, the other can be used for a security camera backfeed, as an extra audio or video distribution point, or even running spdif audio as part of an audio distribution system.

3 Cat5e:
One is for phone lines – a single cat5e can supply up to 4 individual phone lines to each room.
One is for Ethernet. Yes, wireless is a great thing, but wired will always be faster and more secure. Keep in mind that in the future your whole-home entertainment system might very well be IP delivered over Ethernet.

Two are for Audio/Video. By adding a low cost balun (a device that lets you connect audio and video wires to an Ethernet cable) you can transfer high definition component as well as full digital Spdif audio from your media cabinet to any room. For more details, see the Home Distribution Systems chapter.
NOTE: Keep in mind this is an “absolute minimum so you can sleep at night” chapter. If you think you might want whole-home HDMI upgrade this to TWO Cat6 wires.

Surround Sound at your main TV watching location.

You will need to make a few decisions – where you’re A/V receiver will be located, whether you will use standing, hanging, or in-wall speakers, and how many speakers. Regarding the last, the most common today is a 5.1 system, which means 2 “front” Left and Right main speakers, two “rear” Left and Right speakers, one “center” speaker usually located just above or below the main TV, and one subwoofer. If standing or hanging speakers, you will terminate the wire using low voltage boxes (basically just orange “frames” readily available at your local home improvement store, if in-wall, you can coil the end of the wire around a nail so that the hole can be cut later for speaker installation.

While there are plenty of specialized wires available, the absolute minimum would be to use 16-2 zip cord. For a more professional installation, a two conductor red/white speaker wire in a common grey outer wrap is a nice upgrade 16 or 14 Ga wire can be used (CL-2 or CL-3 normally). 16Ga is usually good up to about 50’. That would allow you to make sure you get the polarity right on each speaker so you do not get strange phasing effects.

Note that the subwoofer commonly takes a different wire. A COAX makes a good choice for that connection instead of the lamp cord, and keep in mind that the subwoofer will need power so make sure it is located near an outlet.

Good general rules for speaker locations:

Center channel: right above or below the main screen.  Main front: Left and right of the main screen at the midpoint screen height or slightly above. Optimal placement is in a box or rectangle around the main seating location (usually 8 to 20’ from the main screen directly in front of it). Imagine that seat in the center of a box/rectangle, the two front and two back speakers should be at the corners of that box. It is ok if the rear speakers are closer to you than the front as their volume can be adjusted to “virtually center” you in the box by the receiver. Ideally rear speakers are at about head height when seated, but as that is not always possible, mounting standing head height on a wall is also common. Your receiver should come with good instructions for balancing your system, and some, using a microphone, will do it themselves.

Doorbell and Basic Security System Planning:

Your builder should take care of the doorbell, but you can always double check and upgrade just a little. For the doorbell, the common wire is an 18-2 solid “bell wire”. Somewhere there needs to be a transformer – it is usually mounted on a metal electrical box and fastened to a stud or ceiling joist either in the attic or the basement. From that location you need one run to the front door (and any other doors you want bells), and one run to each place you want the actual bell. If you are running more than one door and/or more than one bell, you should bump the wire guage up one (up means to a 16 guage).

A simple upgrade would be to add a CAT5e cable to the front door as well. One of the most common security additions people want is a front door camera. The Cat5 wire should go to your media cabinet.

For the Security system, the absolute minimum would be to run from the media cabinet (or right next to it for a future security cabinet) to at least one motion sensor location near each main open area, entrance, or location of valuables. Keep in mind you don’t have to cover every square foot of a home, just places that an intruder would have to walk through to get to your stuff. There is specialized security wire available both for sensors and for motion sensor locations, but a Cat5e to that motion sensor location will also work just fine.

Future Proof – at least a little. See the section on future proofing. Consider putting conduit in some places to let you expand later.

The Official Standard TIA-570
The latest version released in 2004 states that at a minimum, one RG6 and one data (they actually say cat 3) should be taken to each of the following rooms and placed every 25 feet on a wall:
•    Each bedroom
•    Kitchen
•    Living Room
•    Den/Office
Obviously the “minimum” stated in the document is significantly more.

Wire Types, Uses and Substitutions:

A later chapter will go through wires types by systems used in detail, but by way of general overview the following wires are preferred:

RG6QS: RG6 Quad Shield should be used anywhere coax is needed. 
It is generally good up to and including satellite frequencies. Most places sell RG59 but it generally only is good up to 700MHz or so and will not carry the higher cable channels or satellite frequencies. Coax generally can be had in red, blue, black and white; color coding is a huge help for identifying wires for trim out work. If you have a LOT of camera runs, then RG59 can be used, but if you are buying 1000’ rolls anyway, just stick with RG6QS everywhere. What about RG6 (no quad shield)? Yes it is cheaper, but will be more susceptible to interference and noise – you get what you pay for.

Ethernet, Phone, Keypads: For almost every residential application, Cat5e is sufficient and will work up to 1GB/s. Cat6 is better, but unless you terminate it properly, use the right ends and techniques, and have equipment capable of using the advanced wiring, you might as well stick with Cat5e.

Solid or Stranded? It Depends:
Cat5e and Cat6 comes in both solid and stranded formats. Solid means for each individual conductor (8 in a Cat5/6 cable) there is only one solid round conductor. Stranded means that for each conductor there are actually multiple wires wrapped around each other – typically 7.

Solid Conductor Cable: Turns out that solid wire theoretically has better conduction characteristics although the difference is negligible and most likely unnoticeable in a typical installation. Solid conductor wire works much better for punch down blocks and keystone jacks since it tends to hold its shape better when punched between the knives of a terminal. Solid wire, however, kinks and breaks easier than stranded wire so extra care must be taken when pulling to insure that it comes off the roll smoothly and does not kink. If it gets kinked it should be replaced. Solid conductor wire also does not work as well with typical RJ45 connectors – although most will accept either stranded or solid. The little teeth that get pressed into the wire can break solid wire. Special triple tooth connectors work best for solid cable if you need to go that way.

Stranded Conductor Cable: Is more flexible and much better for patch cords. It is better for crimp style connections, and much easier to roll.

Bottom line, use solid for in-wall and connections to patch/punch panels and use stranded for patch cords. The best advice, however, is to buy all solid bulk wire and buy pre-made patch cords. They will be better performance and last longer than anything you create yourself due to the molded ends.

Cat5e, Cat6, Cat7/ClassF??? Help
It is actually more complex than choosing a speed and putting in the right cable.

Cat5e is the most common installed cable at the moment and with good install techniques will support 1Gb/s speeds and will even support 10Gb/s speeds up to 15 or 20 meters. Since that is not long enough for many installations and existing installations are almost certainly longer than that, cat5e was written out of the 10Gb standard.  So the standard now includes cat6 up to 55 meters, augmented cat6 as well as cat7/ClassF supporting up to 100 meters at 10Gb/s. Generally a cat6 installation will run 30% more than a cat5e installation, and a full classF installation will run triple.
* Cat5 – some installations capable of supporting Gigabit Ethernet – see TIA/EIA-568-B-2 annex D for more information
* Cat5e is good to 100MHz – upgrades NEXT loss, return loss, and ELFEXT loss, 1Gb-T
* Cat6 is good to 250MHz – doubles S/N ratio – 1Gb-TX, some can support 10Gb
* Cat7 is good to 600MHz
Gigabit Ethernet uses full bi-directional and 4 pair schemes.

That said, it is absolutely as critical to install your chosen cable properly. The system is only as good as its weakest link. If you choose Cat6, install Cat6 keystones, patch panels and patch cords. Keep the twist tight all the way up to the punch. Cut ends very close. Use gradual bends in the cable, support it properly, and stay away from electrical lines.

Station wire: Generally, 22-2 or 22-4  works for about any security application. Things needing power need 4 wires, otherwise 2 is sufficient, but check on pricing. The price difference may be small enough to just run 4 wires everywhere. Note that Cat5e can be easily substituted.

Speaker/Audio: 16Ga speaker wire home wide is preferred – to walls and ceilings, with Cat5e run to keypad locations for future upgrading.  The easiest is usually to run 4 wire cable to each room for stereo, then run the two wire variety to each individual speaker.  If you cheap out and use zip cord, give it a twist – at least one twist per foot, preferably two. Long story short, twisted wires reject noise better than long runs of parallel wire. Theoretically, noise picked up on one is nullified by noise picked up on the other. Either way, it can’t hurt.

Extra Definitions: – Plenum wire can be used in “air duct spaces” , specifically it is used in commercial applications in suspended ceilings where air returns are common. It helps keep burning insulation, in the event of a fire, from contaminating the air system.
- Riser wire is preferred when making vertical runs between floors (it supports itself better
- U/V wire should be used where exposed to sunlight
- Booger wire should be used for direct burial

Thanks to all who have been providing such kind and generous comments regarding the eBook I’m writing. It is very fulfilling to know that in some small way we are helping people.

That said, I’ve basically just realized that although there is a lot of good information and some great pictures in the book, it is getting to be a pretty hefty read. I’ve begun to put in more bulleted summary lists and keep extraneous words to a minimum, its long enough now that it is a full evening of dedicated study.

So, I’ve decided to attempt to put as much of the basic information as possible into a single color coded spreadsheet – the goal of which is to be printable on a single page. The concept being that you should be able to get the basic “what belongs where” info in a single glance and then refer to the full text for details, tips, and installation tricks.  So watch for drafts of that document to come out shortly.

Also, I’m still looking for guest authors on the following topics:

1) Calculating, sizing, and constructing in wall and in ceiling boxes for speakers

2) Home Automation and control (focus on pre-wiring, but a brief explanation of system types – see the whole-home audio chapter)

3) Lighting control and automation.

Let me know if any of you are interested.

David

I just go through creating two new installation documents – both are available for free download (links below)

The first goes through the considerations and installation details for those of you who would like to install TWO BOCS units in your home – Why you say? Becasue each BOCS supports 3 inputs so a second BOCS gives you a total of 6 inputs that are available homewide.

The satellite document covers the details of the various install methods in a satellite enviornment – and specifically, if you are considering putting in a DirecTV system the set of things you need to prearrange with your installer and the type of system you need to make both systems work together.

As always, feel free to ask any questions.

Install a second BOCS instructions HERE

Install in a satellite environment HERE

David Feller

My last blog post received so much feedback and requests for more information, I was able to get my company as well as our North American Distributor to sponsor a full eBook on the subject.

Frankly, questions about what wires to put in walls before your home goes up are the most common inquiry we get at home shows, and other public forums. It is a universal desire to at least be prepared for the future.

I’ve published the first 4 chapters and you are welcome to get a copy by going to www.bocsco.com/prewire

I’m also looking for help – I’ve already got folks from AVSforum and cocoontech contributing, but I’m looking for the following:

• Pictures of your home installation – pre-wire, lighting systems, audio systems, home automation systems etc. Credits given on pics.
• Someone to write a chapter on home automation
• Someone to write a chapter on whole-home lighting systems
• Someone to write a chapter on home theater control systems

The table of contents (subject to change as we get going) is as follows:

• Seriously, Why bother?
• Can I actually get away with this?
  • Some tips to keep in mind as you arrange your project:
  • So, what can go wrong?
• The Absolute Minimum – and Why…
  • Bottom line – the list first:
  • Where to get supplies:
  • Details Outside-In:
    • 4RG6 for Satellite 9 2RG6, 1Cat5e to the Cable TV Demarc point
    • 2 Cat5e to the phone demarc point 10 Details Inside the Home:
    • 2-RG6, 3-Cat5e: From the media cabinet to each room
    • Dedicated line to Cable Modem:
    • 2 RG6: 11 3 Cat5e:
    • Surround Sound
    • Good general rules for speaker locations:
    • Doorbell and Basic Security System Planning:
    • The Official Standard TIA-570
    • Wire Types, Uses and Substitutions:
• Future Proofing Coming Soon
• The Actual Installation Coming Soon
• Overall Considerations Coming Soon
• Coordinate with your Electrician: Coming Soon
• Home Systems to Consider Coming Soon
• Things to avoid Coming Soon
• Home Distribution Systems Coming Soon
• Home Automation Systems Coming Soon
• Home Security Systems Coming Soon
• Problems you will encounter Coming Soon
• I forgot a wire – Retrofitting Coming Soon
• A Room by Room checklist Coming Soon

I look forward to any inputs yall can provide – this will end up being a great resource for the technical community.

DF

One of the most frequently asked questions is “What wires should I install in the new home I’m building?”

Keep in mind that most builders are pretty touchy about you meddling in their project. In fact, I spent two full days pulling extra wires all over my own home right after it was framed, only to come back the next day to see all my extra wires pulled out and neatly coiled on the living room floor. So a couple of suggestions: don’t try to sneak it, buy your builder a case of beer, tell him exactly what you are going to do, and make sure you get his blessing. If you are building a two story home with a basement, make absolutely sure that there is a chase of some kind from the attic to the basement or install a good sized 2 or 3″ conduit or you will be sorry later. And finally, if you are working with the builder, make sure you strap all your new wires properly – according to local code. It has to look like it was professionally done or the inspectors might cause the builder trouble and make that case of beer less valuable.

Absolute Minimum:

As for wiring, if you are going for absolute minimum, my recommendation is (2) RG6-quad shield coax, (1) Cat5e for phone, (2) Cat5e or 6 for Ethernet and a spare for video, and (2) 16GA lamp cord for in-room speakers. Everything but the speaker wire should go to a single “mudring” (orange box frame for low voltage wiring). The Speaker wire should go to a “switch height” box near the room entry and then continue to optimal in-ceiling speaker locations so you can later put in volume controls. And don’t forget pre-wiring your living room and/or home theater location for surround sound. 2 rear, 2 side, 2 front, center, and sub locations – for the sub, I would double wire with speaker wire (same 18GA lamp cord) plus an RG6 coax in case the output you choose is RCA.

One extra upgrade:

Consider running one more cat5 to the location where you put the speaker control in each room – this will allow for future upgrade to a keypad that allows you to choose sources for the room.

So – where should all those wires go?

Telephone (one cat 5), TV (Coax), and Ethernet (Another Cat5) should all go to a single wiring panel – usually centrally located to minimize run lengths – closet, basement or preferably somewhere with attic, ceiling, chase access so you can run more wires later if needed. On-Q/Legrand and Leviton both make very nice cabinets that fit between studs and have nice snap-in modules like telephone punch blocks, cable splitters, and even ethernet switches.

My setup is not as well dressed as it should be, but I have everything in one place –

Audio may or may not go to the same location. If you invest in a switch that lets you put all your sources down in the basement and control everything from keypads in each room, you can run all those wires to another panel right next to the phone/ethernet/cable one. In my home, I ran all my speaker wires to my second story loft, where I have a Mac-mini running into a stereo amp (cheapest possible stereo audio receiver I could find at Best Buy), that feeds a multiroom switch. In all cases, I recommend putting in a switch so that the system is balanced, and if you choose to turn off a room, it does not change the volume in the rest of the rooms.

For the more advanced users – futureproofing…

A much more comprehensive guide, including hookup details, wiring for other major systems, proper wire dressing etc, there is an exceptional guide (broken up into three parts) from Cocoontech.com that I’ve save HERE for your convenience. It is a big read, but worth it if you are starting a new project.

And for your convenience, I put together a simple reference table – There are about 100 other services you could plan for, but if you take these into account you are easily 90% covered.

And what post would be complete without a plug for BOCS – home video distribution has never been easier than with our all-in-one system that any homeowner can tackle. www.bocsco.com

I’ve been getting a lot of questions on firmware and the features that each version supports – So – I’ve updated the “Firmware Features” post (See the little menu to the right) with a detailed accounting of more of the features as well as a little matrix so you can see what the version of firmware you have is capable of…

Again, the firmware was not really designed to be field upgradeable, but I’m happy to upgrade your equipment if you have a need or give you the information you need to upgrade the firmware yourself…

So – the big question I’m looking for help and advice from the community, how does one decide whether to allow source code (for the remote in particular) to be open source? Frankly, I get a kick out of being able to find a new situation, go spend half an hour hacking up code and being able to have a completely programmable, versatile remote control, and I think there is a decent community of folks that would like it. But what is the overall value, support would have to be – well – zero. What are the chances it would just irritate people? Anyone had experience with this?

A little more technical detail on how we do programming

We use the TI MSPFET430UIF interface (USB connected to a PC – last I checked they are about $100) and the FETPRO software (free of charge from the Elprotronic website, the free version will not update serial numbers but programs software, the link provided goes directly to their download site) and a little custom board that allows us to connect the Remote or BOCS device to either the UIF interface or a serial port to a PC for debugging. I’m attaching a schematic of the interface board below. The jumper is set in “external power” position when programming a BOCS unit (with its own power supply applied) and set in on-board power mode with batteries removed for programming remotes. When the interface board is plugged in (straight through cable pin 1 on interface board to pin one on BOCS unit or remote – they have different ends but both are straight through cables), the pull up/dn states on the interface board enable a tri-state amp on the device to be programmed which disconnects an on board serial port and hijacks that to talk to the processor… So – if all you want to do is program firmware, only a cable with proper pull up/dn pins is required. Firmware must be programmed through the jtag port, debug info is only available on the serial port.

DO NOT LET THIS SCHEMATIC INTIMIDATE YOU – I’m providing it for general interest – there is a very simple way to hook up to the remote and you do not have to even understand the schematic to do so…

EDIT:

Thought I’d add a couple of notes -

As you can see from the above diagram, the main programming interface is from the jtag two wire direct into the connector that goes to the remote – i.e. unless you have a specific need to use the serial interface (mostly for debugging but rarely used), you don’t need to complicated board shown in the schematic – a 4 wire jumper from the jtag programmer over to the remote would suffice.

We have, indeed, decided to go open source – I’ll post the details on avsforum.com so if you are interested in modifying anything for your own use or posting your updates back to the community, there is now a way to do just that.

David Feller

Just a quick note that there is a lot of new information on the support site www.bocsco.com/support

Specifically, I’ve been getting a few questions lately about missing channels – Comcast seems to be in the process of shiting around where some of their channels are broadcast… If you have suddenly lost any channel (that you always got before) – check out the “Lost a channel?” entry on the wiki!!!