New Construction Wiring

Check out the offerings from iruleathome.com and Sonos.com. There is thread for the former on these fora. Both are iPad controllable
That might affect your decisions
Don't forget an RG6 for an attic antenna. HDTV signals over the air cant be beat
Seems like overkill if you are paying someone to do it. Not so, if you do it yourself. Wire is cheap

I would use Cat. 6 instead of Cat5E....

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

In general IP is always going to be more flexible than legacy predecessors. This rings true for surveillance, HVAC, security, lighting etc.

On the ipad or iphone controls, there are two different ways to do it. Get subsystems like whole house audio, hvac, lighting, sources etc that have iphone capabilities built in, knowing that you will constantly be swapping apps and knowing that if one app is better than the other there is nothing you can do to customize it, OR, get a real control system that takes all those subsystems and puts them in one place. And gives even more flexibility with timed functions, additional client support (like android, PC, etc) on screen displays on tvs, remote management etc. Crestron and control4 are the market leaders here.

Also for each audio zone you will want 4 conductors in total, two for each speaker. It also makes sense to wire to a control location in that room with cat5 for an in wall ipad, touchpanel, or volume control.

You should search and ask questions in the AV Distribution subforum.

This is a search of that subforum for 'prewire'
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/searc...rchid=17005969

Not sure how useful that mini coax will be. I think component video won't be an option for TVs and disc players in the future, search for 'analog sunset'.

I'd run both ethernet cable and RG6-18/2 siamese for the cameras. IP Cameras are still too expensive. You'll be set when you need to replace your CCTV cameras in 8-10 years.

Cocoontech.com wiki Wiring Your New Home 101-102-103 guides are a must-read.

You are asking good questions. Read a lot and consult with prewire folks. I was going to do my own prewire but decided to turn that over to others. I bought all cables - quite a bit from Monoprice and can generally recommend them. I used Monoprice CAT6 and it was stiff however and hard to work with. I had to redo a number of connectors as some didn't test well with Monoprice Cat 6 connectors. It was a big pain. Cat5 would have been much easier.

Are you doing alarm, home automation, whole home audio, Satellite/Cable, camera surveillance, telephone, lighting control, HVAC control, video intercom, etc? I did all the above and some of it is still a work in progress 6 months later I have all equipment in my equipment closet including all set top boxes, HTPC, DVD, receivers, cable modem, gigabit switch, etc. I am now searching for a 4x4 HDMI matrix switch and can't recommend one yet, other than to say the Monoprice did not work. I'm now looking at Gefen. I like the HAI system I used for much of the home automation. It is great for alarm and for energy savings with lighting and HVAC.

My personal prewire list included:

Speakers: 16/4 jacketed cable - to all speaker locations including outdoor locations

Double RG6 to wall locations in most rooms - one for Satellite and one for Cable TV - include 2 RG-6 runs to exterior satellite dish location and 2 to telephone box for Cable TV

4 outside cameras to mud rings in overhangs - run 2 CAT5 - one for video balun/ triple power pairs and one can be for future IP camera with PoE. Coax and power lines are NOT NEEDED for cameras any longer unless the runs are well over 100 feet each.

CAT6 - 2 outlets per room (use quad plates with phone, ethernet and 2 coax)

Intercom - CAT5 and 18/2 DC to 3 interior color montors; CAT5 and 18/2 AC 24V to front door camera/bell

Whole house audio - 8 CAT5 runs to volume/selectors, 8 CAT5 runs to remote audio input/IR plates

Phone -run CAT5 to 14 locations

Run 22 ga HDMI cables to 3 TV's - 30 feet, 50 feet, 70 feet, also run 6 CAT6 to these same 3 locations to future proof for 3D/HDMI 1.4

Install three 36 inch in-wall structured wiring cabinets in equip closet

Install 22/4 and 1 CAT5 to 4 keypad locations and touchscreens

CAT5 to two thermostats. CAT5 to 3 remote temp sensors including attic, equipment room and outdoor sensor.

Orange plastic 2" conduit through ceiling headers at various locations for pull strings/ future proofing

Install wiring for 4 PIR, 4 heat/smoke detectors, 1 siren, 54 contact switches, 2 garage door switches, 8 moisture sensors

RG6 to 2 subwoofer locations

CAT5 to automated main water shutoff valve

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good luck with your project.

Plasman, the problem with your cat6 may have been the Monoprice connectors, and not the cable.

I haven't had any issues with Leviton cat6 keystone connectors and EZRJ45 cat6 crimp connectors, with Monoprice cat6.

I appreciate the stiffer cat6, with the central spline. Cat6 can also be found without the spline, from some other distributors, if you look hard. The spline isn't part of the cat6 specification, but it may help the wires meet testing spec.

@neurorad can you link the cocoontech guides? I'm looking over there and see nothing for whole home pre-wire.

nvm, found it...

http://www.cocoontech.com/wiki/Wirin..._New_House_101

thanks for the tip

Sorry for not linking, was in a hurry.

Glad you found it/them.

Cocoontech Wiring Your New House Guides 101-102-103

As linked above by Lobojim.