Need overview for a proposed audio/visual, security and computer layout

February 5, 2013 6:41 AM

Looking for a good overview for a proposed audio/visual, security and computer layout in an urban residence. e.g. list of equipment, layout, controls, outlets, wiring, speakers. This is new, not retro-fit, the walls are open, all the wiring and controls can be neatly coordinated. Help me see this in plan; as a well-tuned clock; not a mish-mash.
posted by ebesan to technology (5 answers total)

You're question ages in the minutes since it's been posted.

Here's some info but in reviewing it, it seems dated.

Basically, you can hire one good electrician to do all of the preliminary wiring for electrical, phone, speakers, and Cat 6, the only problem is that wired communications are becoming obsolete.

One presumes that you're doing the following:

1. Computer networking

2. Subscription TV (Cable, Satellite, IPTV)

3. Surround Sound

4. Home music system (e.g. Bose)


So, if you're doing a home theatre, you want a place that's relatively baffled/soundproofed, with little or no glass. Will you have a flat screen or a projector? (You need to decide.)

How much will be downloaded versus over wire subscription?

The convergence of these technologies makes it really confusing. For example, we have U-Verse, which delivers Telephone, Internet and Television Channels via IPTV. We love it. U-Verse now offers wireless receivers so you don't have to wire up television hook-ups in the walls.

Ditto the Wireless Internet router. Our router runs 5 computers a scanner and a printer in our house, all on one wire. So you won't need to run Cat 6 wire in the walls or wire up outlets in each room.

Now with Hulu, Netflix and other services, you may not want to subscribe to television programming, preferring to download what you want to see, via your wireless router.

Telephone can come in via a wire and through various jacks in the house. Again, we have one station that wirelessly connects our extensions.

Wireless technologies are making your question moot.

I recommend getting with an excellent electrician who does installation of home theatre and consulting with him or her.

Also, decide what method you'll be using for Phone, TV and Internet, that will dictate your wiring.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:12 AM on February 5

If your budget allows for it, consider hiring a company that specializes in this kind of thing, rather than just having an electrician do this. Look for companies that do quality home automation systems. Even if you don't want home automation (it's worth considering, but it definitely has pros and cons), my experience is that those companies tend to be much more skilled at running AV and network wiring. They will also be able to advise you on what to install and where to install it. Find someone who can do the whole thing, to avoid the mish-mash effect.
posted by primethyme at 7:40 AM on February 5 [1 favorite]

Be very, very careful if you hire an electrician to do this. I work for a home automation company, and low-voltage wiring installed by over-confident electricians is both the bane of my existence and one of my most consistent sources of on-the job amusement ("Hey Chris, wait'll you see what they tried to do over here!")

I would recommend that you find a low-voltage specialist and tell them what you want done and how you plan to do the work. If you're trying to lay out a plan for a DIY project (your question doesn't really make this clear,) tell them so, they might still be interested in helping you out on a consulting basis.
posted by contraption at 8:16 AM on February 5 [1 favorite]

You are right. We have the GC, and a separate consultant. But I want to understand the issues here, and maintain an overall view too. I like things organized!
posted by ebesan at 8:18 AM on February 5

Well, as I said earlier, home automation systems have their pros and cons. One of the pros in my experience (and I do have an HA system) is that everything can be unified. If you want, you can have the system handle your A/V with whole-house audio and video distribution, security, lighting and HVAC. Controlled from a mobile app, touch screens throughout the house, remote controls, etc. (depending on what system you get). It's not cheap, and there are probably some aspects of it you don't need or want (for example, I chose to use Nest thermostats rather than the HVAC control that our HA system offered -- I liked the interface of the Nests better, and didn't feel that I needed the integration with the main system). So as you're talking to vendors, be really clear with them about what you actually need and don't. The price can vary pretty wildly depending on what you do.

Beyond that, there are two decisions we made in our house that I'm really happy with (ours was a retrofit, so we didn't have quite as much freedom as you do):

1. Put in way more network and cable jacks than we thought we needed. This goes even more so in new construction. Adding in additional jacks is relatively inexpensive when the walls are already open. Adding them later is a major pain. Put them everywhere you might conceivably need them (and then maybe add some more). You don't want to end up two years down the line wanting to rearrange your family room, and have to string cables across the floor because there's no jack on the wall you moved the TV to.

2. Put the A/V and computer equipment in a central, tucked-away place (easy enough to access if you need to change something, but out of the main living areas). We have a closet in the middle of the house where our main equipment all lives. Everything looks much tidier without a stack of gear sitting in every room. Obviously you need to make sure you have adequate ventilation, etc. in that location, but it's worth it.
posted by primethyme at 9:14 AM on February 5 [1 favorite]