You need to provide more info. Mainly, are you going to be using sources simultaneously and does every TV need access to all sources? Also, more info about your wiring would help (how many cat5e, RG6 at each drop?)
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Originally Posted by ljo000 /forum/post/20855727
You need to provide more info. Mainly, are you going to be using sources simultaneously and does every TV need access to all sources? Also, more info about your wiring would help (how many cat5e, RG6 at each drop?)
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Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/20859434
(5) Mix of tv's - decide if you can live with 720p displayed on all sets. If not, then go with component distribution (although there is the component output sunset, which MAY impact your Tivo's at worst). If you can live with 720p across all tv's, then look into HDMI matrix distribution. Suggest you read heavily the threads on this in this forum, as if not done properly using quality components, you can create a massive nightmare. Not trying to scare you, but component distribution is rock-solid, easy-peasy, while HDMI, because of the nature of HDMI, may not be so easy-peasy (though vendors have had a year or two to vet many of the early-adopter problems, so you should probably see fewer issues now).
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Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/20859434
(1) No issue on the avr located in the main rack away from home theater- you just need to make sure you have some means (universal remote with RF base, home automation controller, ir relay, something) to communicate from your remote in theater to the avr in the rack. Actually, that brings up a good question - how DO you plan to control all of this - the distribution matrix, the various centralized components, etc.? Also, you may find that you will need to tweak the audio delay to get audio in sync with video.
If I blend HDMI and Component, the AVR would be HDMI to the main TV... Would I run the TIVO etc through the AVR? and also component? Confusing... (AVR remote would choose input?)...
Thanks, yes... I am also looking for a reasonably priced IR solution... a total solution (meaning all TV's with remotes).
(2) so ONLY 5 cat5e to each set - no RG6 (not that you need it based on your plan, just want to verify)
All cat5e and 5 to each set.
(3) Probably a good call on gaming.
Thanks.
(4) Yes, the cutdown on devices greatly simplifies, but now you've added an iPod that you didn't list before. What do you want from the iPod - music only? music and video?
Music... would it be better to just do some sort of computer based media server? If so, what would that be? I know you can use a PS3... but we just took that off of the whole house system.
(5) Mix of tv's - decide if you can live with 720p displayed on all sets. If not, then go with component distribution (although there is the component output sunset, which MAY impact your Tivo's at worst). If you can live with 720p across all tv's, then look into HDMI matrix distribution. Suggest you read heavily the threads on this in this forum, as if not done properly using quality components, you can create a massive nightmare. Not trying to scare you, but component distribution is rock-solid, easy-peasy, while HDMI, because of the nature of HDMI, may not be so easy-peasy (though vendors have had a year or two to vet many of the early-adopter problems, so you should probably see fewer issues now).
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Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/20858702
One other thing - you plan to centralize the Wii? Why? Have you tested in ALL of your viewing rooms if the controllers' signals are able to reach the Wii in the centralized room? You also have to consider wiring for multiple Wii sensor bars in each room. Same for the PS3 if you have Move and for Xbox if you have Kinect - how will you control the box and have you considered wiring to extend those to the rooms. Frankly, I would dedicate these to a room and take off the matrix. That really frees things up and eliminates a lot of undue complexity in your system.
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Originally Posted by ekkoville /forum/post/20861383
The last idea from Jeff is something I was just considering as I am a new DirecTV subscriber. All the TV's have HDMI but one. It's an old analog Trinitron tube. My thinking was four HD boxes, one per kid and one for myself and the wife. Then run a component matrix to eight other areas if needed and each just watches his/her own box. That give twelve viewing areas if I want.
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My apple tv 2 is HDMI only, and since they are only $99 it's easier and cheaper just to buy more.
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Originally Posted by gatorchris /forum/post/20861649
Wii sensor bars dont communicate with the Wii, the cable is there for power. You can buy third party wireless bars (battery powered) for those rooms, the bar is only there to emit 2 IR sources so the Wii controller can figure out pointing position. As long as the controller signal can reach the Wii and you put an IR sensor bar in each room you can distribute it.
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Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/20860867
(1) No issue on the avr located in the main rack away from home theater- you just need to make sure you have some means (universal remote with RF base, home automation controller, ir relay, something) to communicate from your remote in theater to the avr in the rack. Actually, that brings up a good question - how DO you plan to control all of this - the distribution matrix, the various centralized components, etc.? Also, you may find that you will need to tweak the audio delay to get audio in sync with video.
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(2) so ONLY 5 cat5e to each set - no RG6 (not that you need it based on your plan, just want to verify)
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(4) Yes, the cutdown on devices greatly simplifies, but now you've added an iPod that you didn't list before. What do you want from the iPod - music only? music and video?
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(5) Mix of tv's - decide if you can live with 720p displayed on all sets. If not, then go with component distribution (although there is the component output sunset, which MAY impact your Tivo's at worst). If you can live with 720p across all tv's, then look into HDMI matrix distribution. Suggest you read heavily the threads on this in this forum, as if not done properly using quality components, you can create a massive nightmare. Not trying to scare you, but component distribution is rock-solid, easy-peasy, while HDMI, because of the nature of HDMI, may not be so easy-peasy (though vendors have had a year or two to vet many of the early-adopter problems, so you should probably see fewer issues now).
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Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/20862557
First, I think Jeff made the most important statement in this thread above- decide what you SHOULD distribute first - just because you can doesn't mean you should. Will you want to get up and go to you rack room every time you need to change out a disc in your blu ray player? For me, I centralized things like: cable boxes (1 to many devices), multi-disc mega changers (didn't have to run to player to swap discs), my media server (a windows home server). But at each viewing location, I have a media player of some sort - might be a blu ray, might be a media player, maybe a game console, etc. because in that location, I assessed what my viewing habits were and adjusted the signal distribution to fit those needs.
Now to some of your questions:
I think we established you would NOT be blending component and HDMI distribution - all of your sources should be component capable, and you should be able to distribute these very easily via a 4 or 6 source to 6+ zone component matrix distribution system, which will come in at or slightly above your $2k budget.
Just an FYI - if you ever think you might resell this house, you really should have run RG6 to the tv locations. Not everyone is going to use a distribution scheme to get their signals to their tv's.
Music - ahh. . .I'm in the camp of having my distributed audio and distributed a/v systems being 2 separate systems (I have a Nuvo Grand Concerto audio system and I have an Audio Authority component a/v matrix system). With that said, there are easy ways to accomplish what you want to do - you mention a computer based system - what some do is use devices in local rooms that are capable of streaming (via wifi or wired network) music from a local storage device - NAS, WHS, PC, etc. An example of this is that I have a WHS in my rack - among other things, it holds all of my MP3's. While my Nuvo covers key non-video parts of the house, I can use a media player (in my case, a Dune) to play back movies, music and photos from the WHS through a local tv and avr. Sonos is another popular, yet different way to distribute audio. Hopefully others will chime in as I "set it and forget it" with my solution and really haven't kept up with what's out there these days.
You don't NEED a blend - I think we established that above. If you choose component distribution, you can send to all of your current tv's (I assume each of them has at least one component input), you won't have to worry about the lowest common resolution issue, and it will be cheaper and more hassle-free than HDMI.
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Originally Posted by mike1812 /forum/post/20862557
Music - ahh. . .I'm in the camp of having my distributed audio and distributed a/v systems being 2 separate systems (I have a Nuvo Grand Concerto audio system and I have an Audio Authority component a/v matrix system).
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Originally Posted by time2jet /forum/post/20863823
I think I base the Tivo Boxes on the most number of simultaneous separate tv users I should ever really have... that's 3... 4 max...
So I want to distribute 3 Tivo's. (Primary Source of A/V really)
I want the option for music to each set.
I want the option for BluRay/DVD to each set... I have 3 players.
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My LR TV should have full access to the AVR (Which has an iPod dock)... but again, do I use HDMI over Cat5e to this set... I mean only to this set would be okay I guess....
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At this point I want to start buying up things... so if I settle in on component matrix... then so be it. But it would be nice to run the main tv through the avr at hdmi...