Home Theater Setup

iminaquagmire

I'm in the process of finishing my basement family room area and will be putting in a home theater. Well sort of anyway since it won't be a separate room. The lighting is its own existing 20A circuit and the receptacles are as well. I've done all that accommodating for layout and any future needs I could think of. However this A/V stuff has me wondering if there is anything I missed.

So far I've run:
3 pairs of CAT6 for 3 HDMI runs from the TV wall to the bar area where the component rack will be.

1 RG6 from where the sub will be to the component rack

1 each RG6 and CAT6 from the TV wall to the component rack

1 each RG6 and CAT6 from the TV wall to the main datacom distribution area

1 each RG6 and CAT6 from the component rack to the main datacom distribution area

Still to run are the 16-2 speaker wires (35ft max) from the viewing area to the component rack for the 7.1 surround sound.

I tried to think of all the possible setups and think I have everything covered but wanted to cover all the bases. If you were doing this and had access to open framing, is there anything else you would put in?

AllanJ

I would run additional cables from the TV wall to the equipment rack area:

Four HDTV grade cables with red, yellow, green,and blue RCA cable plugs, respectively, for composite and component video.
One S-video cable.
One VGA cable.

Optional:
[I[/I] If you ever want to hookup a DVD player or VCR to the TV speakers separately while you use the main audio amps and speakers for something else like background music (probably not often), you would need to add audio cables from the equipment area to the TV wall. Five pairs with red and white RCA plugs respectively, for composite, S-video, HDMI, component video, and VGA respectively. Tape together the groupings, namely red, white, yellow for the composite video, red, white, S-video as a group. And an optical audio cable if the TV accepts that. This increases the number of connection permutations exponentially so most folks don't bother.

Red, white, S-video, and yellow do not work as a foursome. You would have to reach up under the back of the TV and unplug one in order to use the other.

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Code05

Allan, do you ever use these boxes?

I have, they are pretty nifty.

http://www.aifittings.com/products/s...ts/tvbs505.pdf

gregzoll

Allan, actually if you have a good quality A/V switcher, you do not have to run all of those. Only thing for the TV for signal, would be HDMI or Component. As for sound, it would come out of the speakers for the Surround sound.

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AllanJ

In my case I made my own. Ran the cables in the wall and installed jacks on cover plates at each end as opposed to having cables with plugs hanging out of the wall.
A/V receiver with upconversion, or just an A/V switcher?
If you put an audio switcher up front at the TV wall you can have the five pairs of audio cables fromt he audio switcher up a couple of feet to the TV and just one pair of audio cables from the switcher all the way to the equipment area.

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Code05

You do use cover plates and jacks with this box, they are just recessed.

iminaquagmire

I thought about component cables and all that but everything I want to connect can be connected with HDMI cables. I see no need for component, VGA, or S-video if that's the case. Even my laptop can connect with HDMI. There will be a 7.1 receiver in the rack controlling everything. Unless I'm missing another use for the other wires I don't see a reason for running them.

I looked at the Arlington and Pass & Seymour boxes but the ones behind the TV are hidden and the TV will be out far enough to plug in as to not need a recessed box. I'm thinking Arlington In-Boxes with Pass and Seymour A/V plates under the bar for the component rack. I'm a week or two off from building the bar and rack though.

gregzoll

Check out some of the builds on AVSforum.com in the member home theater setups.

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