What technology would you plan for in a new home?

[SALvation]

I'm building a new home that should be done in late summer and the builder has said he will give me 1-2 days to install a LAN network while the framing of the house is up but before the drywall is on. I plan on putting a couple of cat 5 outlets in every room and plan on making the basement into a "server room" where everything will be centralized.

What other things should I be planning before while I have easy access to every wall and floor? I was thinking about running wires so that I could install my home theatre system. Anything else? What would you guys suggest?

[FlameRush]

I'm moving into a 5 BR, 2 BA.

[Grimmy]

Don't run Cat 5, run Cat 6. From what I hear it supports fast speeds, I think like the 1GB speeds. That is what they say here at work. We have a main loop, with all Cat 6 and then from all the routers, Cat 5 to all the stations. Detinately home theater set up, meaning wiring, but think about how you can rearrange the room, and then where your home theater would go, and then you could put in a couple extra outlets, for rearrangment and all.




Can't think of anything else right off hand.









Oh yea, enough Cat 6 for the GM Open House LAN party!! :drink: :wootrock:

[Slash]

Originally posted by VS BloodScream@Mar 6 2003, 08:43 PM
I'm moving into a 5 BR, 2 BA.
Wow, that was really off topic.

[FlameRush]

LOL, I would love to have a full basement, but mine appears as a workplace, or something.

[Slice]

Run fiber! ;)

Also, voice activation systems are becoming less expensive. You may want to check in to putting mics and wiring in, then get the system later.

[FUS1ON]

SAL I used to install this stuff for a living and what I used to do was run 3/4 i.d. PVC with some strong nylon string run inside of the PVC from the attic/basement to locations where I thought they might need to run wires to in the future. If you have to make a turn make sure not to use the regular sharp 90 degree elbow, They make one with a wider bend so that the wires will pull easier around the bend. If you use multiple strings in the same run make sure you label them as to where the run to.

[Grimmy]

Originally posted by OUTLAWS SHOGUN@Mar 6 2003, 10:25 PM
SAL I used to install this stuff for a living and what I used to do was run 3/4 i.d. PVC with some strong nylon string run inside of the PVC from the attic/basement to locations where I thought they might need to run wires to in the future. If you have to make a turn make sure not to use the regular sharp 90 degree elbow, They make one with a wider bend so that the wires will pull easier around the bend. If you use multiple strings in the same run make sure you label them as to where the run to.
Now that is a good idea. I have seen some of that here at work. Used one for pulling some cat 6, about 200 feet of it, but we used 12 guage wire. If you don't have then numbered, or they fall off for some reason, just tape one to the conduit, and on the other end with a multimeter, measure the resistance from the conduit to each wire. When you get one that is close to 0 ohms, that is the wire you taped to the conduit. Pretty nifty trick to use ;)

[FlameRush]

A computer that comes from the wall, with cable internet, always ready for Sam.

[Goober]

While your at it, be sure to run an extra Cat5e to each room. This will enable you to have at least 1 phone line in each room with plenty of room for expansion if you need add extra phone lines, like for the teenagers that need their own phone line, or a fax. It's a lot easier to do it now then later.

[FUS1ON]

I used to use this companies products. Xantech (http://www.xantech.com/) They have all kinda of products to help with Home automation, A/V whole house distribution, Securtity, CCTV cameras, etc.... To wire most of this up all that is needed was standard 4 conductor 24 gauge telephone wire. I see now they have decided to make their software (Dragon Drop-IR™) to program the keypads/remotes/etc... available for free download.

http://www.xantech.com/images/products/dual.gif
http://www.xantech.com/images/products/zpr6810.gif
http://www.xantech.com/images/products/78010.gif