Multible wireless receivers, multible inputs, multible remotes?

What is your budget and how much do you care about picture and sound quality?

^^^

it had better be a big budget, and include a line item for extra strength excedrin... as that sounds like a massive headache in waiting....

it would be easier, cheaper and better just to put unique sources at each location... "wireless hdmi" does not appear to be ready for prime time yet, at least for something like the op is proposing...

wired, otoh, using a hdmi extender over cat5/6, would provide a workable solution... for example, several of my sources are shared by using an extender and a matrix switch...

Chris, I didn't have too much time to answer the OP, but everything you said is true.

For the OP, wireless HDMI is not an HDMI standard. The methods of transmission are standards (plural) because the method of transmission varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. You'll find some of the wireless HDMI implementations will go through walls and others won't. You'll also find that some compress the video and others do not. Think of it as more of a single-use option - I need to send my receiver output to a line-of-sight projector, for instance. I would not recommend doing anything important or complex with wireless HDMI, since your results will vary by the manufacturer.

You mentioned "doing this right". If you were doing this right, you would start by running your cabling in-wall. Our house is completely wire-free on the walls and that was done by having conduit installed in the walls before the walls were closed-up. In your case, you can still run cables in the walls by using walls without insullation, making strategic holes in the walls and then using wall plates to provide connection points for the cables. For HDMI, running cat 6 cable in the wall will be much easier than running HDMI cable, so you might consider the various switcher/converters that take HDMI and convert it to cat 6.

Again, to do it right, the best thing to do is to make sure you understand your setup before putting anything in the wall. As part of your setup also plan on a remote control system that likely works on RF. If you're running multi-room, that really is the best method. The WiFi systems work, it just requires patience since the WiFi negotations have to take place each time the remote "wakes-up". A remote which has dedicated RF and also allows for two-way control with WiFi is the best of both worlds.

Again, none of this is cheap. So, my earlier questions are still relevant to figuring out your best solutions.

yea andy, i figured you'd be back with the "why this isn't a good idea" in due time, so i just threw in a couple of pennies...

i agree with all of your post, fwiw... wire everything, use rf remotes...

for the op... to do this "right" (i.e. properly wired, proper remotes, etc.), you are looking at probably a minimum of at least $1500, and that's going "inexpensive" on the remotes... you will need a remote for every room, "travelling remotes" genrally not a good idea (the remote will always be in the other room when you need it)... also, you will need to pull cat 5/6 cable (depending on your house, could be hard) and terminate it (not hard)...

as noted, your best bet is likely just to duplicate your sources... unless you are trying to do something specific (in my case, trying to get as much equipment out of the theater as possible)...

as noted by andy... before you really go any farther, sit down with a piece of paper and plan out where you think you want to go... "we" can then provide you with some ideas if you really want to pursue this...

You're on the right track. The key is to put pencil (or pen or pixel) to paper and try to make sure you've completely covered the first room and then branch out.

I think most of the people you meet here would put the holes in the wall before using so-called wireless HDMI. Remember you'll have a TV on the wall (the mounting will make its own holes), so you can hide a wall plate behind the TV. You then add a second plate where you'll have the equipment and the equipment hides that. If the two are relatively close, then you simply drop the wires down the inside of the wall (assuming no insulation). Just remember to measure twice, cut once and you can always make the hole bigger but smaller requires a good drywall repair-person. If you check various DIY websites, you'll find some good explanations on how to do it. Not hard once you try it.

I've read reviews from some people who like their HDMI wireless system and others who won't use it anymore. Because there isn't a real standard with wireless sending a signal that gets converted to HDMI, you'll have to see what each manufacturer offers and check reviews from actual owners.

Unfortunately any multiroom remote that I would recommend would be well over $1K just for a remote and a remote base unit. Try places like Smarthome for DIY solutions. One of the easier ways to do a whole-home wireless is to have base units where the equipment is. The base unit then sends the remote command to the components. Your remote simply talks to the base unit. That's simple but not cheap. An IR blaster can work on a similar principle but instead of a base unit, it simply sends out the stored IR command once it receives something from the remote. Works great if all equipment can see the blaster IR output, except if you have two of the same pieces of equipment with the same remote codes. So, lots of choices and prices.

The one real word of caution is that if you get too complicated starting out, you'll spend all of your time chasing problems and little of it enjoying the system. So, map out what you want to do and then get prices. If the prices don't work out, then rescope what you want to do (and leave yourself an easy way to add more later when you have the money). Don't forget the cost of any switches and also make sure you have enough power where you are going to have the components.

Here's a quick table (off the top of my head) of things you should plan out:

1) Location of equipment relative to TV? (lighting OK, including glare?)
2) How will each component's video output get to the TV? (what signal path)
3) How will each component's audio output get to the receiver (or TV)? (including stereo versus multichannel)
4) How wlll the audio output get to the speakers?
5) How will you control each component? How far away?
6) How will you get power to the components and the TV?
7) Is there sufficient cooling for the amount of components?
8) How will you protect each component from lightning and power outages?
9) How much of the currently owned equipment can be used in the new house?
10) How will the cables be hidden?


Once you have answered those for the family room, then it will be easier to branch out into other rooms.

- yup... plan. plan. plan. there are things that would have gone much easier forme had i planned better in advance...

- truer words have never been spoken...

- that's a pretty good list...

op... there are all kinds of creative ways to hide wires... don't let that stop you... i HATE to see wires (my wife, otoh, doesn't care, i am lucky in that)... in my theater, there are no exposed wires (with the exception of the speaker wires to the wall plates)... the only wire that is fished through the wall is the cat6... everything else is hidden behind a soffit i built for the front of my room, behind crown molding that i used along the baseboards and techflexed snakes (that could be easily hidden as well)... if you click on the link in my sig, there's some pictures towards the end of the thread of how i did this...