New House, because I love this stuff.

Well, the name says it all. I set out to buy/ build a new house because my old place didn't have the space I wanted for my home theater. Until recently, I worked in the industry as a consultant and had the opportunity to acquire some fun toys over the years. As I am in the middle of a home build and I am currently in frame, I would very much appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions. So here is the plan.....

This is the house my wife and I are building. 3900 Sq ft with a game and media room.

First Floor

Second Floor

Doing both of these options

Scope:
Centralized Equipment Location
12 Zones of HDMI distributed Video
15 Zones of Audio
Control4 Control System
Lighting Control of 90% or greater of all switches in home.
HVAC Control
Solar Panels
Dedicated Theater with Genelec Sound, Stewart Screen, and JVC 950 Projector
3-Display Game Room with Arcade setup for game play across all displays
8+ Security Cameras
Occupancy Sensors in 6 rooms
Seating Sensors in Theater

This will probably grow, but the equipment I have purchased accomplishes the scope above.

Current State - They put on the roof today, I haven't taken any pictures yet. Meeting with electrical contractor tomorrow morning.

Backyard - I would also like to do a theater in the backyard once everything is done.

I plan to model the game room after this. Little different, 46" Sony Google TV flanked by (2) 24" LEDs.

This is my inspiration theater. Clean lines, comfortable. I have several trades that work with me and I plan to work with them to do wainscoting on the bottom with speakers behind faux panels and fabric walls above. Considering star ceiling.

Wiring Plan:

Master Bedroom -
·***** Coax for cameras to TV from equipment
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data
·***** Audio Back-feed
·***** In-Wall Speakers
·***** Cat-5 to sides of bed for future phone or data


Master Bathroom -
·***** Coax for cameras
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data
·***** Multi-Con for interface
·***** In-Ceiling Speakers
·***** HDMI
·***** Cat-5 for sensor


Master Closet -
·***** Cat-5 for sensor
·***** Dual Cat-5 to alarm panel


Laundry -
·***** Cat-5 for sensor


Family Room -
·***** Coax for cameras to TV from equipment
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data
·***** Audio Back-feed from HC-200
·***** 5.1 Speakers
o** Fronts to be wired both in-ceiling and for floor standing speakers.
o** Rears to be wired in-ceiling
o** Center in the ceiling and above mantle.
o** Subwoofer in niche
·***** Dual Cat-5 to Niche for phone and Data
·***** Dual Cat-5 to niches for balun backfeed.
·***** Audio Backfeed from niche.
·***** Audio Backfeed from TV


Kitchen -
·***** Cat-5 for phone in butlers pantry
·***** Cat-5 for data in butler's pantry
·***** Cat-5 somewhere for possible control panel.
·***** In-ceiling speakers above Island
·***** IR Control for LED Lighting
·***** Cat-5 for pass through to floor


Dining -
·***** In-ceiling speakers
·***** Dual Cat-5 and Dual coax to plate location on floor.


Foyer
·***** Cat-5 for motion sensor
·***** Cat-5 near stairs for phone or data
·***** Cat-5 to doorbell


Office -
·***** Coax for cameras
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data and IR to TV
·***** Cat-5 for component video
·***** Audio feed to speakers
·***** Audio feed from computer
·***** Dual Cat-5 to desk for Data
·***** Cat-5 to desk for phone
·***** Dual Cat-5 to desk for Balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 to desk for 2 audio baluns.


Front Patio-
·***** Camera Locations with Cat-5 and Siamese
·***** Speakers in-Ceiling
·***** Cat-5 for motion Sensor


Garage-
·***** Camera Locations with Cat-5 and Siamese
·***** Speakers in-Ceiling
·***** Cat-5 for motion Sensor
·***** Dual Cat-5 for video balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for IR and Data
·***** Multi-conductor to TV location
·***** Cat-5s to both garage opener locations
·***** Cat-5s to button locations
·***** Cat-5s to door sensor locations


Loft Desk Area
·***** Cat-5 for Data
·***** Cat-5 for Phone


Guest -
·***** Coax for cameras
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data
·***** Dual Cat-5 for phone/ Data
·***** In-Ceiling Speakers
·***** Back feed from HC-200


Exercise -
·***** Coax for cameras
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data
·***** Dual Cat-5 for phone/ Data
·***** In-Ceiling Speakers
·***** Back feed from HC-200


Kid 1 -
·***** Cat-5 for Camera


Game -
·***** Coax for cameras
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data
·***** Dual Cat-5 for phone/ Data
·***** Tower Speakers
·***** Back feed from HC-200
·***** HDMI to Small TVs X2
·***** Cat-5 to Small TV's x2


Theater -
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data and IR
·***** 7.2 XLR Wiring
·***** Cat-5 x 2 to back of sofa location for seat sensors
·***** Coax to sofa for transducer
·***** Cat-5 to each speaker
·***** 7.2 Speaker wiring.


Backyard -
·***** Dual Cat-5 for balun
·***** Dual Cat-5 for data and IR
·***** 2 Surface mount speaker locations
·***** 2 rock speaker locations
·***** Cat-5 to garage wall for pool controller
·***** HDMI to TV
·***** Component to TV

Along with wiring, I have been putting a lot of thought into sound isolation. I am building a spec home so there is only so much I can do, but I do plan to insulate the interior walls, use sound putty on outlets, acoustic sealant on top and bottom plates. I don't know if there is anything else that can be accomplished given the constraints of building a spec home. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

This was a CEDIA 2008 winner for best theater. I found this on HGTV-PRO's website for contractors.

Funny you should say that, the change order was already written last week. There will be a doorway between the WIC and laundry.

We had a formal in the last house and I turned it into a theater. Will use an office everyday.. Still feel like the dining will be wasted on my wife and I. No kids YET, so I cannot imagine ever eating in there even on formal occasions.

Yes, it is in the third plan drawing above. I plan to close in the niche on the front wall and recess the genelec speakers in that space.

Not in Texas!

Although the property taxes are rough, will be in the neighborhood of a JVC990 every year.

I have had some discussions with my builder about this. Only my elevation has this space above the office. So the permits are filed for 3900sq ft and this cannot be changed. I plan to finish this out and use half for storage and will make the other half a play room off of the upstairs bedroom. Something like this would be kind of cool one day when we have children.

Thank you for this great advice. I am going to bolt them up this weekend after pre-drywall inspection. I will try and post pictures of the space this evening if I can sneak out of work before it gets dark. My boss just tasked me to design a dist. audio/ Vid. system for our offices. They are taking advantage of my background. Currently work for a company that does high process mechanical for semi-con fabs..

Thanks...

Most of those drops are going to be for signal feed from the DVR to the TVs. I will probably install 5-6 exterior cameras for no other reason than having evidence if cars get broken into and not wanting to get up if the doorbell rings. I will be wiring for some internal cameras as well. We don't have kids yet, but when we do we will probably have a nanny and some hidden cameras would be nice to check in on things from work. Just trying to prepare for all eventualities.