I am currently having a new home built and my builder low-voltage sub is a AMX dealer. I would prefer going with Crestron as that is what I have used in my home for the past several years plus by taking some of the components with me, I can cut down on the implementation costs of the automation system in my new home.

Since the builder is not a Crestron dealer, I obviously can't get the Cresnet cable pre-run through the house. So my question is will I be fine just dropping a pair of Cat 5 cables to each location where I will eventually install a touchpanel? (I would be looking at several TPS-4L touchpanels and a few keypads throughout the home). Or will I run into equipment communication problems connecting the Crestron equipment without their certified cable?

Thanks,
AE

You usually "can" get by with wiring other than Crestron branded cable....I dont know why your LV sub cant get the wire....its available from most of the major wire companies....not just Crestron themselves. Try that first.

You may find that it will work fine with CAT5 or other wire, but if something doesnt work for some reason, the first question Crestron support will ask is what wiring you are using....if it isnt certified wire, they may tell you you are SOL.

Why not run a couple pieces of conduit? One to the attic, one to the crawlspace, and one from either or both of those to the future touchpanel locations. Then you have even more options down the road.

I still think you should be able to source some Cresnet wire from somewhere.

AE,

Make sure your builder runs an AMX "AXLINK" cable to all your touchscreen locations. That consists of a pair of 22 AWG shielded cables and a pair of 18 AWG shielded cables. And guess what? That happens to be the same as a Crestron Cresnet cable (and I mean the SAME). I also strongly recommend running a minimum of (2) Cat 5 cables to your wired touchscreen locations.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

As QQQ noted, "AXLINK" cable is the same as "Cresnet" so you should be OK here. Personally, I wouldn't run Cresnet over CAT5, but I know people who do and they don't appear to have any issues. If you have any problems with communicating with your touchpanels, Creston will probably tell you to rewire with Cresnet.

If you install the newer touchpanels that communicate via IP, you can simply run CAT5 to those locations and you will be fine.

When I built my home, I ran Cresnet, 2 runs of CAT5 and 2 runs of quad shield RG6 to each touchpanel location; I'm pre-wired for just about everything :)

good luck!

If you install the newer touchpanels that communicate via IP, you can simply run CAT5 to those locations and you will be fine.

Don't you still need Cresnet or some other wire for power?

Don't you still need Cresnet or some other wire for power?

to be honest with you, I really don't know (I'm too cheap to buy them), but that makes sense to me.

All of my touchpanels are the older ones that run off of Cresnet (and coax for the video feed).

Don't you still need Cresnet or some other wire for power?
Yes

CAT 5 will work (as I once programmed an install for a "dealer" who used to it for cresnet), I however wouldn't recommend it. If you have more than 8 devices running of bus power you will run into problems. CAT was designed for communications not 24v power supply. QQQ beat me to it, AXlink and Cresnet are IDENTICAL. I also [hope] you would be smarter than to tell Crestron you are using AX-link or something else. AS far as they are concerned you are using "certified" Cresnet cable.lol

It has proven a little challenging to get the correct cabling from the builder's low-voltage sub (a little surprising since I figured that not only are they an AMX dealer, but as the self-proclaimed third largest integrator in the U.S. they would be a little easier to get the correct cabling installed for either an AMX or Crestron system). However, after some teeth pulling and about a dozen design revisions I believe I am set with a run of 2 Cat5 cables and a 4 conductor cable to each touchpanel location.

Thanks everyone for your guidance. This information has helped me steer the contractor in the direction I needed.

I just have one more question - in the future I may add an additional home theater in one of the bonus rooms (this would be separate from the dedicated home theater where all of the home control and distribution equipment will be racked). To connect this additional equipment, I would add an additional controller. What kind of cabling do I need to connect these controllers to each other? If I'm sticking with Crestron and both controllers are ethernet enabled (i.e., an AV2 with an ethernet card and an MC2E) will this work or do I need an additional run of Cat5 or a 22/18 4 conductor cable (or both) between the two?

Thank you,
AE

Cresnet is only a branded name on a standard available cable 2-18awg+2-22 awg You can find this wire at any wire supply (CSC,Graybar,etc)...of course you could also us Crestron IM and run cat 5e. You do not really need an extra controller for another room. The touchpanel would be the definer...Remember distance challege for RS232...to keep cost down depending on where service is coming in what you want to do: maybe a CP2e, or MP2e with extension devices (tuner/recvr/IR) etc...Contact me for further Consulting

AE,

There are a number of ways Crestron controllers can be chained together and there are terms such as inter system communication, master or slave etc. that will get thrown around. The relevant answer to your question is I would again run a Cat 5 and a Cresnet wire to the additional location. This covers you for all eventualities if you need to add a processor for the theater. Please note that this of course has nothing to do with other cables that may need to be run for satellite receivers etc.

we wire all our TPS4L with one cat5 and one Cat6 works like a charm. Anything larger we used the cresnet branded wires mostly cresCat D that includes the cresnet wire along with two cat5.

I would not daisy chain using cat5 all should be home runs or you will have power problems once the chain gets larger than a few panels. If you must daisy chain use cresnet.

Don't cheap out on the cabling. It's the hardest part to replace if you have a problem. I would run Cresnet or AXlink along with that cat5 or cat6 cable. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish.

I'm guessing that your advice comes a little late since he asked the question 8 months ago. I sure hope his house is now past the prewire stage!

CJ

A Crestnet or AXlinks and 2 Cat5e to each touchpanel location, a Cat5e and Crestnet to each T-stat location, a Crestnet wire to the pool location, and a Crestnet and Cat5e to each sublocation all home runned to the main equipment location at a very minimum for a typical Crestron prewire. Plus a thing or 2 I know I forgot about.

Don't scrimp on the wiring, when it comes back to haunt you it will hurt....

I am building a new home and the electronics vendor that my builder is recommending uses Crestron/Adagaio. Obviously he recommends cresnet wiring to touch panel/audio keypads

My questions to you is I am not even sure whether I will use Crestron/Adagio for audio//HVAC. What should I plan for prewire
for future home automation. I am leaning more towards HAI. I was told If I do cresnet control wire I will have problems integrating with HAI system.

Wouldnt be enough to run 2 cat 5E/2 runs of RG6 to every location where I need a drop for future possibilities/expansion.

What is Cresnet wire, how different it is different from other wires or is it just crestron branded.

Thx for your help

You could always run CresCat which is a combo Cresnet + CAT5.

http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?type=commercial&cat=1007

Cresnet will not replace your coax, phone or network. You will still need coax and CAT5 for those. Cresnet is used to connect Crestron TP's, APAD's, TSTAT's to the control system. It can't hurt to have it in place.

You could always run CresCat which is a combo Cresnet + CAT5.

http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?type=commercial&cat=1007

Cresnet will not replace your coax, phone or network. You will still need coax and CAT5 for those. Cresnet is used to connect Crestron TP's, APAD's, TSTAT's to the control system. It can't hurt to have it in place.

If you go with Crestron's CRESCAT-DC-NP (http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?type=residential&cat=1007&subcat=1021&id=1143) it contains 2 CAT5e and 2 RG6 Quad Shield plus Cresnet Control Cable. 1 pull give you 5 cables.

If I decide to go with Crestron's CRESCAT-DC_DP I am limited to integrating only with Crestron touch TPADS, APADS ETC.. Would I be able to connect HAI omni Control TP to this configuration

Wire is just wire. What it will hook to depends on what is on the other end. So you can use the CAT5 to hook up anything CAT5 can hook up including network, phone etc.

The bottom line is yes, you can use one of the CAT5's to run HAI STATS. But why would you run coax to a TSTAT? I would run Crescat to areas like STATS and maybe the bundle to video areas.

Hi there

Thx for the reply. I am new to this electronics tech world. Could you please tell me what do you mean by STATS/TSTAT

Hi there

Thx for the reply. I am new to this electronics tech world. Could you please tell me what do you mean by STATS/TSTAT

Thermostats. For example, Crestron's part # for a Wireless (infiNET) Thermostat is CHV-TSTATRF (http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?type=residential&cat=1039&subcat=1309&id=1514). So TSTAT for short. There are about 3 different "TSTAT" models.

Hope that helps!