Let me see your pre-wire install pictures!

Smurf tube is easier to work with. You can leave it long enough that if you decide later to locate the equipment at a different level on that wall, you can make the opening at that point for a "Old Work" or "Smart Box", then cut the smurf tube and terminate it into the box. Problem with EMT, is that you better know to the T where you are going to locate the equipment, because once you have the walls closed up, there is no going back.

And always, always go to the largest size you can get, due to you may only think about pulling that one HDMI, one composite up there, due to you are going to do all of the switching at the AVRS, then find out after you get all of the equipment, now you have to pull a couple more HDMI's or Composites, because you do not want to go through the hassle of pulling Cat-6 for the short run.

Someone earlier did post this HDMI from Rainbow Fish http://rainbowfishcorp.com/Fiber-Optic-HDMI.html Only drawback is, that you have to have equipment with a USB interface, where the Receiver is getting plugged into, plus it is a costly option.

Your local electrical supply stores have all sizes of flexible ENT PVC conduit, blue and orange, and fittings and brackets.

Can you run the conduit from the family room to the mechanical room? Do you have an attic, to add a chase from the attic to the basement mechanical room?

Cocoontech forums have lots of prewiring pictures.

For all those future things we don't know about.

For 2-floor houses with basements (unfinished or with drop ceilings) it's easy to add new cable to most locations on the first floor. From an attic, it's easy to add cable to most locations on the 2nd (top) floor. It's getting the cable from the attic back to the basement (where the equipment usually is) that's the hard part.


Not that huge. You can probably find several runs to make, and then find use for the rest. Run from basement to attic, from attic to an outside box facing the back yard, etc.

Jeff

1" or larger is better, especially to A/V areas where HDMI replacement cables may be needed in the future...

I ran flex conduits to:

• Service Entrance (telco/cable)
• Near Back Patio (to service future pool / patio area)
• Back Yard Equipment Area (future pool / pond controls)
• Office / Study built-in cabinets
• Family Room A/V cabinet
• From A/V closet to attic

Doing it over, I probably would have done a few more.

In my theater, there are conduits between the rack/attic, rack/projector, and rack/screen wall...

Jeff

dankuz-

Running flex conduit as everyone says is a great suggestion. I kick myself in the a$$ everyday because I failed to do that!

I have a 2-story house and trying to find connecting walls and make sure no obstacles are in the way in order to get to the attic (for second story drops) are not fun...trust me!

Only thing I would caution you on is to check with building inspection or whatever to see the max size you can drill a hole in your walls / studs for running the conduit. I would assume 1 inch would probably be ok but I am sure they do have sizes they would not allow (due to weakening the structure).

Also, for jautor or anyone else, would it be ok or advisable to run regular pvc conduit vs flex conduit if you have a straight run up to the second story?

The gray PVC NMT rigid conduit is much cheaper. I've read that it can be bent with heat.

Lining up the floor holes in the chase may be difficult, if floors are present between stories.

Not on new construction with the walls open. You could basically take a hole saw into the wall cavity and drill up or down between the floors...doesn't seem to difficult to me. Now existing walls in place might be a bit more difficult to drill but I would be willing to try for new construction if I had it to do it all over again

it's like I told my dad when he was building his retirement home.

Think about all of the times over the many years and many homes you lved in where you busted your butt because something wasn't where it needed to be and all of the time and added expense was expended to work around the issue.

After much discussion where we imagned ourselves in each room as well as facing each outside wall (on each level) I had him add lots of additional electrical outlets in places that made total sense once you really thought about each area in greater detail... And not just in each area alone but each area at night or day in the summer winter spring fall ... Holidays ... With several weeklong guests etc etc.

Like one examle was to put outlets near/under all the windows at ground level for Christmas lighting and/or just dramatic effect lighting. Electrical under the eventual driveway near a big tree that would be the centerpiece of a planting bed... Near the crawl space entry and other strategic locals in the backyard.

In the end it made the most sense to put all the outdoor runs in its own panel located next to the main house panel. I also had him put the vital in-home circuits in yet another panel so it would make it much easier to add a reasonably sized 'whole house' generator that much easier if such a thing made sense in adding. Sure there was added expense to my changes but not nearly as much as it would cost to fix once the home was wrapped in brick!!

What he really wanted from me was some 'smart wiring' advise ... Which I also provided but my input on his electrical plan (his expertise) really impressed him. Thinking back on this makes m smile... Even thou he passed away of a sudden heart attack just months before they were finished with the home.