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396 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by DedicatedHT, Oct 16, 2019

DedicatedHT

Discussion Starter · Oct 15, 2019

So I have a dedicated media room and can wire a HT but know nothing about structured wiring. We just moved to a house last year with a panel in an upstairs closet that looks like it has coax from all rooms with little round lights wired into them. The same closet is the house security wiring panel. I just need to know what is possible to do with this?
Then the real question is audio. Behind a plate in living room is a giant was of audio cable but there are no plates in the house to know where they were ran. There is a plate on back patio with 2 speaker wire, a cat 6 and something else. I am building a pool and want to know options with this existing wiring (see pic)

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smoothtlk

· #2 · Oct 15, 2019

Not sure what the "little round lights" are. Post a pic. But if they are coax cable, then they likely go to each room for watching TV.

To trace the speaker wire (your pic), go to home depot and buy a signal tracer. You clip the transmitter on the end of the wire you are holding (after stripping off the insulation) and then use the receiver to wave back and forth listening to it's tone to determine which direction that wire goes. Ultimately you will find that wire's end. Mark both ends with a wire marker (Dymo or other).

You will then want a whole home audio matrix (Russound / Nuvo) and audio sources (streaming and/or local media) that would be mounted in that closet. Is there a power outlet in the closet? That would make it much easier.

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DedicatedHT

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 15, 2019

Really appreciate this, I’m out of my comfort zone here and this is helpful. My experience ends at home theater and I would like whole home audio and pool landscape audio all stream from phone and smart home integrated. Learning as I go.
Here is a pic of closet panel. Looks like lights are on phone lines and a few coax to a splitter. Previous owner had dish. We have uverse with wired main living room box and wireless box in theater. I’m guessing I will never use anything in this closet?
I’m also attaching a pic of the audio wiring bundle in living room. As stated there is a patio plate with the wires in pic above. I want a landscape system around pool with buried sub and 4-6 satellites around pool. Is this pre wiring sufficient?
But for the rest of the wires in living room, there are no plates identifying the other ends anywhere in the house. I have an electrician buddy that has that locator and will help trace

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smoothtlk

· #4 · Oct 15, 2019

the "lights" are just crimp on connectors. No light.

A landscape system requires typically a Right and Left stereo pair of wires plus another pair for the subwoofer. This would normally be connected to a larger amplifier with a cross over for the subwoofer. The subwoofers are typically never "active" ie: you have to send them amplified signals.

Typically they would be a heavier gauge (12 gauge) to accommodate the anticipated long wire lengths.
You will also need a control system to make it easy for a non techie to use the system (select a source, select a program / music, select an output zone, change the volume, mute etc).

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DedicatedHT

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 16, 2019

Crimp on connectors got it..we don’t even have a home phone anymore and U-verse is fiber, so unless there is something else I can use the coax for I’ll never use that panel.
I’m researching crown and sonance amps for outdoor audio. I’ll start a thread in outdoor theater thanks for the help

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