It will take a lot of time (months, maybe years) to figure out how to do what you want, researching/reading in online forums. If you're patient and persistent, you'll figure it out. You'll soon realize the main reason why professional installation is expensive.
If you're running new cables in the walls/ceiling/crawlspace, run the extra cables now(mostly category cables - cat5e/cat6) for futureproofing - you may want HD/HDMI in 5 years.
I think the biggest hurdle will be extending the gaming rigs from the rack, but I think it's do-able.
Cocoontech forums are a good resource for running cables and rack mounting. Also, there is an interesting 'Show me your rack' thread here at AVS. I also use a server rack, for my distributed audio system. If your server rack is deep, I suggest a third pair of vertical rack rails mounted between the front and rear, toward the back. It helps with odd pieces and cable management. (thanks to 39centstamp for that tip
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If you're running new cables in the walls/ceiling/crawlspace, run the extra cables now(mostly category cables - cat5e/cat6) for futureproofing - you may want HD/HDMI in 5 years.
I think the biggest hurdle will be extending the gaming rigs from the rack, but I think it's do-able.
Cocoontech forums are a good resource for running cables and rack mounting. Also, there is an interesting 'Show me your rack' thread here at AVS. I also use a server rack, for my distributed audio system. If your server rack is deep, I suggest a third pair of vertical rack rails mounted between the front and rear, toward the back. It helps with odd pieces and cable management. (thanks to 39centstamp for that tip
