AVS › AVS Forum › A/V Control & Automation › Home A/V Distribution › New Leviton Structured Media Panel (FiOS)
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

New Leviton Structured Media Panel (FiOS)

post #1 of 26
3/3/12 at 9:14am
Thread Starter 
After staring @ this:


OEP32453 by MrKal_El, on Flickr

for a few years, finally decided to clean it up & make it more presentable (to me )

Not alot going on but thoughts guys?...


OEP32488 by MrKal_El, on Flickr


OEP32490 by MrKal_El, on Flickr


OEP32494 by MrKal_El, on Flickr


OEP32498 by MrKal_El, on Flickr


OEP32965 by MrKal_El, on Flickr


OEP32967 by MrKal_El, on Flickr


OEP32973 by MrKal_El, on Flickr

...more pic here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrkal_el/
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 26
3/3/12 at 12:26pm
That looks great! Nicely done.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 26
3/3/12 at 12:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 996911 View Post

That looks great! Nicely done.

Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 26
3/4/12 at 7:02pm
WOW, that looks awesome! I'm actually in the middle of doing one myself. I got On Q, probably should have got leviton. Could you give me the list of stuff you have in there? Also, where did you get the velcro straps?
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 26
3/4/12 at 7:04pm
oh, another question. Did you ground the enclosure, if you did how did you do it?
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 26
3/4/12 at 7:08pm
WOW, that looks awesome! I'm actually in the middle of doing one myself. I got On Q, probably should have got leviton. Could you give me the list of stuff you have in there? Also, where did you get the velcro straps?
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 26
3/4/12 at 7:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

oh, another question. Did you ground the enclosure, if you did how did you do it?

You don't have to. Why would you anyways?
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 26
3/4/12 at 7:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

WOW, that looks awesome! I'm actually in the middle of doing one myself. I got On Q, probably should have got leviton. Could you give me the list of stuff you have in there? Also, where did you get the velcro straps?

In my personal opinion, OnQ is not the best one to use, since you very quickly run out of space. As for these cabinets, most people like myself, find out that you are not only limited to them, but you very quickly outgrow them.

I use a 3 foot a/v rack with two shelves and a patch panel to keep all of my equipment on, and still have room to add more if needed.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 26
3/4/12 at 10:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregzoll View Post

In my personal opinion, OnQ is not the best one to use, since you very quickly run out of space. As for these cabinets, most people like myself, find out that you are not only limited to them, but you very quickly outgrow them.

OnQ is just the brand. They have enclosures in different sizes such as 14", 20", 28" and 42" heights.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 26
3/5/12 at 7:17am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

WOW, that looks awesome! I'm actually in the middle of doing one myself. I got On Q, probably should have got leviton. Could you give me the list of stuff you have in there? Also, where did you get the velcro straps?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

oh, another question. Did you ground the enclosure, if you did how did you do it?

Thanks again for that... (post pics of what your are doing)

The Panel is actually Grounded since the receptacle is grounded and is screwed to the panel at bare metal (Leviton removes the paint around the screw terminals).
As you can see the green grounding screw is on the bottom if any component in the Panel needs to be grounded.

I used:

Verizon FiOS Ethernet/MoCA networking WiFi Router

Older Linksys/Cisco 8-Port GIGA Switch. (Soon to swap out w/ a new model from either Linksys/DLink/Netgear)

Leviton Hospital grade Surge protected receptacle: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/Produ...minisite=10251

Leviton 8 Port 2.05GHz Splitter:
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/Produ...minisite=10251

The 2 Leviton CAT 6+ 6-Port's were actually taken out of my original 1U Patch Panel. I popped em out to save some $$ since each are about $35-$40.

You can use these: http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/Produ...minisite=10251

As with Leviton or any other SMC...there are hundreds of ways to customize them...so you should research. A Lot.

As for the Industrial Velcro...Got it at Home Depot & the most economical & bang for your buck is the 4' * 2" package for about $10. Cut it to size.

And last but not least: All my cabling is ALWAYS bought from Monoprice.com...I have literally saved Thousands of dollars with that site...plus their tremendous selection.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 26
3/5/12 at 7:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregzoll View Post

In my personal opinion, OnQ is not the best one to use, since you very quickly run out of space. As for these cabinets, most people like myself, find out that you are not only limited to them, but you very quickly outgrow them.

I use a 3 foot a/v rack with two shelves and a patch panel to keep all of my equipment on, and still have room to add more if needed.

I totally understand the use of a rack...which if I had the space, the need and wanted to spend the $$, I def. would have gone that route.


I always love seeing wiring & equipment (it's a sickness), could you post some pics of your setup?
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 26
3/5/12 at 8:09am
Attachment 239418

Really no differen than what the OP started with. It actually sits under the landing going into our basement, and works out real well for what I am doing with it.

There will soon be a server on the bottom shelf for media and content storage. My other server died a couple of years ago, so everything has been kept on a workstation that has a 500gb hard drive, but that is running out of space, so going back to the other way that I had stuff stored on the network.
LL
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 26
3/5/12 at 10:07am
Thanks mrkalel for your reply!

What I plan to do is, put my cable modem, directv on demand device, wireless router. I also have some ethernet that I found in the wall which I didnt know about. I would like to use for internet throughout the house. I'm stuck with how to distribute ethernet.

This is what I have so far and installed. I can post some pics later.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_248357-60784...2Bq&facetInfo=

http://www.lowes.com/pd_248359-60784...2Bq&facetInfo=
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 26
3/5/12 at 10:56am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

Thanks mrkalel for your reply!

What I plan to do is, put my cable modem, directv on demand device, wireless router. I also have some ethernet that I found in the wall which I didnt know about. I would like to use for internet throughout the house. I'm stuck with how to distribute ethernet.

This is what I have so far and installed. I can post some pics later.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_248357-60784...2Bq&facetInfo=

http://www.lowes.com/pd_248359-60784...2Bq&facetInfo=

I would be wary on putting your actual Wifi into the cabinet. I have 2 AP in my home so I actually just use the Router for routing... You would cut down your Wifi signal alot in a Metal Enclosure.

Just use another router or AP for your Wifi. (Plus you should get better network performance w/out 1 Router doing Wifi & Routing.)
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 26
3/5/12 at 11:14am
Juice916, You can turn off DHCP on that wifi router, and use it as a AP. If it is capable of having Tomato or DDWRT loaded on it, you get a more robust device. There are also access points that use POE (Power Over Ethernet), so that you do not have to use a power plug, power gets delivered over the spare ethernet pairs. Just have to run Cat-5e or Cat-6 to the location.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 26
3/5/12 at 7:07pm
ok, here are some pics on what I have done so far. I haven't moved any of my devices yet.

I was worried mine wasn't grounded but as you explained I guess mine is as well because of the receptacle. Picture below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6811575662/

Here's the enclosure, nothing in it yet...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6811576498/

Heres my wireless router
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6811635362/

Here is my cable modem, not sure how I would mount this in box.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6957745135/


after reading your replays. I guess I would just need a switch to put inside and leave the wireless router outside and like you said, just use it as an AP. Would this be a good switch?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...t=1#largeimage

I have another set of questions for mrkalel.

What are those on both sides of the panel. Just curious.
how did you mount your two devices?
Where did you get that triangular power thing from? thought that was cool.
I thought about adding another receptacle but i'm trying to see if I would need it.

Thanks mrkalel and everyone who has replied. Sorry mrkalel if I took over your post.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 26
3/5/12 at 7:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

ok, here are some pics on what I have done so far. I haven't moved any of my devices yet.

I was worried mine wasn't grounded but as you explained I guess mine is as well because of the receptacle. Picture below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6811575662/

Here's the enclosure, nothing in it yet...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6811576498/

Heres my wireless router
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6811635362/

Here is my cable modem, not sure how I would mount this in box.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72004057@N06/6957745135/


after reading your replays. I guess I would just need a switch to put inside and leave the wireless router outside and like you said, just use it as an AP. Would this be a good switch?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...t=1#largeimage

I have another set of questions for mrkalel.

What are those on both sides of the panel. Just curious.
how did you mount your two devices?
Where did you get that triangular power thing from? thought that was cool.
I thought about adding another receptacle but i'm trying to see if I would need it.

Thanks mrkalel and everyone who has replied. Sorry mrkalel if I took over your post.

Looking good so far...(of course just clean up the wiring later)

Those what things on the side? Do you mean the 2 6 Ports? Read earlier reply...

I mounted w/ the industrial velcro I wrote about earlier...

The triangle power splitter: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

You don't need another recepticle IMO, just get a small power strip.

As for the switching: I dont like that splitter...Get one from the companies I listed earlier...make sure it is a 10/100/1000.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 26
3/5/12 at 9:21pm
You mounted the Verizon FiOS Ethernet/MoCA networking WiFi Router
Linksys/Cisco 8-Port GIGA Switch with velcro?

Sorry for the repatitive questions, I appreciate all your help!
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 26
3/6/12 at 10:18am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juice916 View Post

You mounted the Verizon FiOS Ethernet/MoCA networking WiFi Router
Linksys/Cisco 8-Port GIGA Switch with velcro?

Sorry for the repatitive questions, I appreciate all your help!

Yup...Cut a few strips & but it on the back.... Perfect solution IMO
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 26
3/6/12 at 2:01pm
I would never mount a router inside the box. You're going to cook it. Heat is the enemy of electronic devices. I've got one of those routers (on 3rd one now, due to power brick failures) and then tend to run a bit hot. That and look at the case, the manufacturer didn't go for a more expensive tooling to mold that heavily vented case just for "looks". They did it to help dissipate heat. Get the router out of the box and out in open air.

As for those boxes, meh, I prefer racks and patch panels. Things change over time and those boxes always end up not having enough space. Especially not when it comes to maintaining proper bend radius angles for coax. The only point I may use some in our new remodel is for an on-level distribution point upstairs. I like the idea of having a box upstairs with conduits running out to each room from there. Even with straight runs of wire back to the main rack. A box would give me a point to handle any additions or changes with less trouble than going all the way back to the main rack.

At the very least I'd get a box with vents at the top and bottom of the cover/door. Or have a local metal or custom auto body shop put louvers into it. Give the box a way to allow convection to circulate the air in there.

As for racks under steps or in basements, be SURE you're not exposing the gear to excessive humidity or heat. Heat's bad, for sure, but so is corrosion from moisture, or short circuits due to mold growth. I made the mistake of having a router setup that way in an old house a long time ago. Didn't take more than about 6 months for it to start failing. Any open connectors developed corrosion, and the inside of the box had a nasty white powdery growth on everything. Don't know what it was but didn't care to look much closer. Scratch one router and a lesson learned.

Unless you've got stuff that's specifically designed for harsh conditions you're better off putting it in places that have the same level of comfort as the rest of your home.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 26
3/6/12 at 3:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wkearney99 View Post

I would never mount a router inside the box. You're going to cook it. Heat is the enemy of electronic devices. I've got one of those routers (on 3rd one now, due to power brick failures) and then tend to run a bit hot. That and look at the case, the manufacturer didn't go for a more expensive tooling to mold that heavily vented case just for "looks". They did it to help dissipate heat. Get the router out of the box and out in open air.

It is done all of the time, and rest assured, there is enough airflow in there for them, and no they will not cook.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 26
3/6/12 at 3:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wkearney99 View Post

I would never mount a router inside the box. You're going to cook it. Heat is the enemy of electronic devices. I've got one of those routers (on 3rd one now, due to power brick failures) and then tend to run a bit hot. That and look at the case, the manufacturer didn't go for a more expensive tooling to mold that heavily vented case just for "looks". They did it to help dissipate heat. Get the router out of the box and out in open air.

As for those boxes, meh, I prefer racks and patch panels. Things change over time and those boxes always end up not having enough space. Especially not when it comes to maintaining proper bend radius angles for coax. The only point I may use some in our new remodel is for an on-level distribution point upstairs. I like the idea of having a box upstairs with conduits running out to each room from there. Even with straight runs of wire back to the main rack. A box would give me a point to handle any additions or changes with less trouble than going all the way back to the main rack.

At the very least I'd get a box with vents at the top and bottom of the cover/door. Or have a local metal or custom auto body shop put louvers into it. Give the box a way to allow convection to circulate the air in there.

As for racks under steps or in basements, be SURE you're not exposing the gear to excessive humidity or heat. Heat's bad, for sure, but so is corrosion from moisture, or short circuits due to mold growth. I made the mistake of having a router setup that way in an old house a long time ago. Didn't take more than about 6 months for it to start failing. Any open connectors developed corrosion, and the inside of the box had a nasty white powdery growth on everything. Don't know what it was but didn't care to look much closer. Scratch one router and a lesson learned.

Unless you've got stuff that's specifically designed for harsh conditions you're better off putting it in places that have the same level of comfort as the rest of your home.

These are all great points, and everyone should pay attention to them. That being said...

A few things w/my setup:

These are all the same components running for years in my finished basement, with no humidity issues...

The router is designed to be mounted in that orientation & I actually removed two extra wire pop-outs on the top of the Panel to allow extra venting. Also the wall on the other side is opened up to allow even more venting. (I monitored the SMC for a few days & it only gets to about 85deg right around the top & ~80deg @router.

As for the Bend radius for the COAX's: I ran it straight w/ a bend radius into the box over 1.5'....so no issues there. (Plus all runs were tested after for MoCA & Video.

Again with the issue of racks vs panels... I LOVE the look of beautiful rack done w/ great wiring etc...but I debated if I really needed to spend the $ and deep down I knew that this would be perfect for me...

I see no reason to need to do additional runs of CAT cables since what I have run is all CAT6 rated for 550Mhz. I already have runs perfectly positioned where I need them (and can throw switches if the time comes)...so don't really see this running out of space for me...(for this application)

One of my fav things of my network is the MoCA networking. In an extra room that I turned into a mini-office w/ no ethernet, I added another FiOS N router w/ DHCP turned off and now have a 4 port ethernet switch AND a WiFi AP that gives me my full internet speeds of 155Mb/65Mb
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 26
3/7/12 at 9:14am
It looks good...really it does!

...I'll just say I prefered your first setup
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 26
3/7/12 at 9:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by video321 View Post

it looks good...really it does!

...i'll just say i prefered your first setup

:d
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 26
7/1/12 at 6:45pm
How did you mount the fios router? I plan on doing this soon(hopefully) and i want to mount my fios router in the enclosure. Thank you in advance.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 26
7/1/12 at 10:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jusjoe99 View Post

How did you mount the fios router? I plan on doing this soon(hopefully) and i want to mount my fios router in the enclosure. Thank you in advance.

After buy the various brackets available...I decided they all look like crap...finally decided to just use industrial Velcro...work perfectly!
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Home A/V Distribution

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › A/V Control & Automation › Home A/V Distribution › New Leviton Structured Media Panel (FiOS)