[ken-ha]

Have anyone here used Leviton Quick Port Advanced Telephone/Video/Cat5e Distribution Panel? If you are using it, can you tell me how do you feel? Is it worth the cost or should I just attached all the wire to a piece of plywood like the good old days.

Thanks

Ken

 

[jtlockyer]

The Leviton products, like their structured wiring panels, are worth the price (despite it being a little high).


I have two 42" panels with hinged covers. One for most of the house and a second that is dedicated to my home theater.


I have used their phone modules and found them to be excellent in quality and construction. Here is a photo of the system that feeds the whole house:

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jtlockyer.../lev_panel.jpg




Prior to the Leviton panel, I used the "plywood" solution and my own "home-brewed" panel. I had two problem with that system

1: It was my own system and I had to "re-learn" the system each time I needed to make a change.

2: It was my own system and any subsequent owner of the home would see that. I wanted a new system that would enhance the value of the home and the plywood system would be seen as a rat's nest. (In all truthfulness, I will have to "sell" the system to any buyer and his/her home inspector/appraiser.)


As a disclaimer, I do work for a distributor that sells this system and most of the components in that cabinet were provided free of charge from our Leviton Rep.

 

[ken-ha]

jtlockyer, thanks for the quick reply. You are very lucky to have these panels for free.

In Canada, the 14" x 14" distributor panel for Can$88. The Advanced circuit is like Can$190. Mind you this is from HD. I believe I can find the same products cheaper.

Thanks

Ken

 

[mhe4]

I would second what jtlockyer said. I have a single panel for my home. I found the Advanced Distribution Panel to be easy to work with and good quality.


BTW, jtlockyer: what is the small panel near the top lying horizontally? Looks like you have your phone coming into it from the demarc. and then down to the Advanced Distribution Panel. Why?


As a disclaimer, I paid full price for mine and I'm not "in the business" in any way.

 

[DeaconDan]

jtlockyer, can you give a quick description of what you have running through this setup and how it's interconnected? Thanks!

 

[Chriš2]

I use them and am happy. I thought they were a little pricey at first, but I found everything at Home Depot which kept prices down. My box is smaller than jtlockyer's, but it's nice to have everything neat and enclosed in a central location. I have my cable modem and linksys router stuffed in there as well. I was worried about the heat buildup, but 6 months so far and no problems. Also, if you wire seperate cat5 runs to each room for phone & data, and you ever want to make a phone jack a data jack, a quick switch in the patch panel and you're in business. That's come in handy a couple times.

 

[premierht]

Thats a nice looking end result JTLockyer.


Anyone have any idea of a good online supplier for the snap in modules so I can finish the wiring at my parents vacation house? This is video distribution, whole house audio, phone and network.

http://pcarracing.homestead.com/file...achleviton.jpg


Thanks for the help.


Edit: updated thoughts and questions:


1. JTLockyear, is that a Jensen isolation transformer feeding your cable splitter?


2. Is the leviton computer router programmable like a LInksys or DLink? Just put in the ip address and it has a built in web interface?


3. Does Leviton make shelves for the boxes? I have some non leviton, non snap in parts I need to use and would like it if they make some kind of matching shelves so I don't have to butcher up the panel.


E. J.

 

[BarryO]

Quote:

Originally posted by mhe4 BTW, jtlockyer: what is the small panel near the top lying horizontally? Looks like you have your phone coming into it from the demarc. and then down to the Advanced Distribution Panel. Why?

I believe that's a DSL filter module. It isolates the house phones and wiring from the DSL signal, and vice versa.


I have on of these panels. They're nice, but being a proprietary system, the components are expensive. Expect to pay alot more for the Leviton "Structured Media" version of whatever you're piutting in the panel.


It's also a little tricky mounting non-Leviton components in the box, like the Dish Network switch I put in mine. I ended up finding a source for the plastic push-pins that mount things to the panel; I bolted the switch to a 1/4" think piece of birch plywood, and used the pins to mount the plywood to the box.

 

[premierht]

Quote:

Originally posted by BarryO I ended up finding a source for the plastic push-pins that mount things to the panel; I bolted the switch to a 1/4" think piece of birch plywood, and used the pins to mount the plywood to the box.

Barry, care to share the source with us for those push pins?


Thanks,


E. J.

 

[dthigpen]

Quote:

Originally posted by ejfiii Barry, care to share the source with us for those push pins? Thanks, E. J.

The universal mounting brackets are in Leviton's latest LIN catalog.


Douglas Thigpen

 

[premierht]

Thanks Douglas, but I can't find them anywhere here . If you could point me to the right place, I would really appreciate it.


E. J.

 

[BarryO]

Quote:

Originally posted by ejfiii Barry, care to share the source with us for those push pins? Thanks, E. J.

http://www.twacomm.com/Catalog/Model...1VC72P5M2N13WB

 

[premierht]

Perfect, thanks Barry. I assume you used some l brackets to secure the plywood to the push pins?


E. J.