[DDODD]

Here's my contribution to the world of AV. I have only documented the centralized equipment used for distribution throughout the house along with my modest primary system (want to add a FP soon). I have two other small AV systems and a reasonably high end audio only system.


I built this system over the last two years since we moved from our cramped 1700 three bedroom rancher to this ridiculously large 5500 six bedroom, five bath manor. It became obvious that a centralized system utilizing a mix of consumer and commercial equipment made sense for this application and I used my background as a computer network engineer to design and build what you see today.


I have used a wide range of equipment including a high end ChannelPlus AV/IR distribution system down to a $59 DVD player. I welcome your comments and questions; you may email me directly at [email protected] .


You'll find my Home Theater and Electronics page by following the link below:

http://www.ddodd.com/ht.htm

 

[DDODD]

Well, no sooner had I finished the web page when my wife suggested that I move our dedicated audio system back into the family room (that had been displaced by the HT equipment). I hesitated at first not wanting to have both a pair of mid sized Infinity RS-4 tower HT speakers and large Klipsch La Scala audiophile speakers sharing the front wall. I decided to swap the RS-4s with the tiny rear US-1s combined with their own Infinity 100w sub. These sit nicely on a bridged Hafler Class A 9130 power amp that rests on each La Scala. Interconnects to each power amp are DIY using high quality RG-6 cable and connectors with gold plated F to RCA adapters at each end.


Equipment list:


>Home Theater


Sony XBR 36" Wega television

Infinity CC-3

Infinity US-1 front channel

Infinity RS-4 rear channel

Infinity 100w SSW-10 subwoofer X 2


>Centralized equipment


Sima six pair speaker selector connected to PA amp for distributed audio

150VA UPS for web server

HP Brio Pentium II web server: www.ddodd.com

Sony STR-DE685 AV receiver

CSI PA amplifier/mixer with CD, satellite music and telephone paging inputs

Minitek DVD-1600 DVD/MP3/CD/CD-R(W)/Picture CD player

Sony DirecTV satellite receiver dedicated to family room

2 X RCA DirecTV satellite receivers dedicated to ReplayTV units

20 hour ReplayTV modulated on channel 17

30 hour ReplayTV modulated on channel 21

RCA DirecTV satellite receiver modulated on channel 24

JVC HR-S7600U Super VHS tape deck modulated on channel 33


>Audio system


Forte' preamplifier

Alesis M-EQ-230 equalizer

Apex AD-600A (region code free) DVD player

Sony SLV-67HF VHS VCR for "backing up" DVDs

Klipsch La Scala horn speaker X 2

Hafler 9130 power amp in bridged mode X 2


>Game room system


RCA 25" television

Sony STR-DE335 AV receiver

Sony DVP-S500D

Sharp VCA552 VHS VCR

Video Saver Pro USP777V2 (removes Macrovision 2 from DVDs)

Boston Acoustics A-150 front channel speakers (w/new woofers)

(phantom center and rear speakers until system is completed)


Again, all of the equipment except the incomplete game room system can be seen at:

http://www.ddodd.com/ht.htm

 

[me2050]

Just browsed your web site. I'm new to HT and wiring home, your wiring looks fairly sophisticated to me. Could you kindly post your project plan on how you wired your home.

 

[DDODD]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I haven't visited the forum as regularly as usual - trying desperately to finish up some projects around the house.


The wiring was quite simple actually. Because of the size of my house, I brought in a crew of pros but I wired my previous residence myself. It helps if you have a perimeter foundation and access to an attic crawl space. There are special cables available, the most common has a bundle of two RG6 coax and two Cat5 twisted pair cables but at $3 - $4 a foot I decided to have separate cables pulled. After all it costs the same to have one wire pulled as four.


First I tried to determine which locations I would ever require a telephone, television and/or a pc. Then I had two RG6 coax cables and two cat 5 cables pulled to each location. I also had 14 ga speaker wire pulled to several rooms where I anticipated adding distributed music. In addition, I had RG6 and single pair cables pulled to several locations outside to provide video and power for outdoor surveillance cameras. The main locations were the front door, the pool and at least one run for each side of the house. I am currently running six cameras, four on a quad screen and two on individual channels.


If I had it to do again, I would add more locations and add an additional coax and twisted pair for the front door for audio and door lock control.


I hope this helps and if you have any more questions, feel free to email me directly at [email protected]