please help advise me how to wire a new home for satellite

[jimmyg2001]

We are building a new home, the walls are framed and not sheetrocked yet, HVAC is done, electrical wiring is taking place. The electrician is offering to run cable.
In the past, in our old house, have used a tower mounted antenna, distibution from a splitter, all rg6 cabled, one cable per tv. Also, I have dish, vp722k reciever, which I direct connect to the main HD TV with hdmi, and coax output from the receiver second tuner output goes to a splitter to feed a couple other tvs.
Since I have the freedom, how should I cable the new home? With the availability of the wireless stuff like joey, or genie whatever, should I just run rg6 from the dish to the main tv receiver, then go wireless from there to two or three other tv locations? Would I save monthly fee by cabling from the main receiver to a splitter then to each tv, as I do in my old house?
A search for this info turned up a recommendation to run three rg6 from the dish to the distribution panel, then two from there to each tv location (where I assume there is a receiver at each tv). That would be different than I do now, with the cables from the dish going direct to the sole receiver.
Also, as this is a new install, I lean toward switching to directv so I can get new gear for free. Make sense? Would the directv guy wire my house for free as part of the basic install for free?
I also feel the need to route cable so I can use a antenna for locals, rather than paying for them too. And I have a new antenna in the box for that.
Is there any online references to help me get this right? A picture of recommended best cable practices would be incredible.
Thanks, I appreciate your help.

 

[osu1991]

Personally, I still run 3 from Dish to media cabinet. 1 from OTA to media cabinet. 1 for incoming cable Internet to media cabinet. Then I run 2 coax and 1 cat 6 from media cabinet to each room.

I prefer hardwired to wifi and this allows OTA and SAT at any location that needs it and a cat 6 for home networking.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[ekilgus]

Your best option is to select a place in your new home to locate a wiring cabinet (usually the garage or basement) which is just a box where all the cables terminate. Locate where you want the cables in each room you want and run them to this cabinet. Also run at least two cables from where the dish will be located (three would be better) to this cabinet. Don't forget to label each of them. You will have all the options covered. Be sure to use RG6 swept for 3ghz.
Something I should have done, but didn't is to also run phone lines and OTA cable along with the RG6.

 

[navychop]

I recommend everything be a home run. That is, a star configuration- everything to one central point.

COAX:. I'd run three, 3 GHz rated RG-6 to where the HT will be, and also to the MBR and any other place you might want a central TV server to be, such as a MiL suite or room you might rent out.

Why? In part, future proofing. One coax for dedication to OTA and the others for satellite and/or cable. Some Dish configs use two coax. Yes, a separator can obviate this, but let us consider we are not sure what comes down the road. Also, somebody like Scott may want to buy the house one day and have both satcos. Hmmm, add in cable and some FTA- maybe you should run a dozen!

See, three is not so unusual, opens up options and at this point the added cost is negligible.

I'd still run one or better, two, coax to every bedroom, office, kitchen or location that might have a TV or two. Wired will always beat wireless in performance and reliability.

CAT-6:. Run at least 2 lines everywhere you run coax. More for the HT location. Yes, you can use a hub or switch to share a line BUT: You'll want a dedicated line for on demand viewing and other video downloads. Think of the devices that will update infrequently, and those that will want some access for apps or extra content (Blu-ray).

Your HT devices that may use a connection to the Internet or home network: Sat/cable box, perhaps multiple ones; TV set; AV receiver; Roku or similar; BD player; dedicated OTA box; WAP (certainly need a dedicated line for this); NAS or central video server or even an HTPC. More coming.

In the office you'll want one or more PCs on dedicated lines and a network printer and perhaps NAS.

TVs with wired Joeys or such will outperform Wireless. Wireless is shared bandwidth; wired, not so much.

Gigabit, of course. Don't cheap out on the router. And plan on a couple of outlying WAPs on dedicated lines. Cheaping out by wireless bridging will likely have you regretting the savings long after any extra costs have been forgotten.

Land Line Phone: We still need to be afflicted with such as an option, but unless your code requires differently (unlikely), I'd only run a line to the living room and home run closet.

Electric circuits: The kitchen should have at least three, preferably four dedicated 120v circuits for outlets, in addition to a non-GFCI outlet for the refrigerator and stove. Remember the dish washer in considering loads. You might run an electric skillet, coffee pot, waffle maker and exhaust fan, etc, all at the same time.

I strongly recommend the HT have a dedicated circuit, or at least an otherwise lightly loaded circuit.

All this is ideally done when the walls are all still open.

Talk to us about your plans.

 

[stardust3]

With the ever increasing costs of equipment fees the ability to mirror tvs with cat 6 to hdmi converters would be important to me.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Here is my house...

Http://www.dishretailer.com/newhouse.htm

Minimum 2 Rg6 from central location to tv area. I would then suggest atleast 1 but maybe 2 Cat6 also.

Used to recommend another cat5e for analog phone lines, but that's not necessary.

Last, run 5 cables to the location of the Dish. The 5th is for off-air

 

[charlesrshell]

Here is my house...

Http://www.dishretailer.com/newhouse.htm

Minimum 2 Rg6 from central location to tv area. I would then suggest atleast 1 but maybe 2 Cat6 also.

Used to recommend another cat5e for analog phone lines, but that's not necessary.

Last, run 5 cables to the location of the Dish. The 5th is for off-air

Very nice Claude.

 

[Skytrooper]

Take a look at Belden 7915A RG-6. Solid copper center conductor. Excellent shielding. Costs a little more, but I consider it the best. You only wire once. When it's done, your stuck with what you got.

I would probably use Belden for my cat cabling too.

Phone lines can be handy also. I like caller ID on my Hoppers.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Solid copper quad shield.

 

[Skytrooper]

The 7915A coax has the benefits of quad, a better bending radius, easier to install, no special connectors required.

 

[dishcomm]

We are building a new home, the walls are framed and not sheetrocked yet, HVAC is done, electrical wiring is taking place. The electrician is offering to run cable.
In the past, in our old house, have used a tower mounted antenna, distibution from a splitter, all rg6 cabled, one cable per tv. Also, I have dish, vp722k reciever, which I direct connect to the main HD TV with hdmi, and coax output from the receiver second tuner output goes to a splitter to feed a couple other tvs.
Since I have the freedom, how should I cable the new home? With the availability of the wireless stuff like joey, or genie whatever, should I just run rg6 from the dish to the main tv receiver, then go wireless from there to two or three other tv locations? Would I save monthly fee by cabling from the main receiver to a splitter then to each tv, as I do in my old house?
A search for this info turned up a recommendation to run three rg6 from the dish to the distribution panel, then two from there to each tv location (where I assume there is a receiver at each tv). That would be different than I do now, with the cables from the dish going direct to the sole receiver.
Also, as this is a new install, I lean toward switching to directv so I can get new gear for free. Make sense? Would the directv guy wire my house for free as part of the basic install for free?
I also feel the need to route cable so I can use a antenna for locals, rather than paying for them too. And I have a new antenna in the box for that.
Is there any online references to help me get this right? A picture of recommended best cable practices would be incredible.
Thanks, I appreciate your help.

IMO hardwire is always the best option. ou can use the wireless version and have the hard wire option as a back up.....Also. if this were my home I would run two cables to each outlet. The additional cost is minimal. Run at least Cat 5e to each location as well. And make sure you have your HDMI setup as well.
As far as "free".....Remember this. You get what you pay for. No tech is going to go outside the parameters of what constitutes a free basic install. The fees for additional work, if you can persuade the tech to provide them. will cost you FAR more than the builder option. As far as the persuasion of the tech is concerned, I would not hold my breath. Reason is simple. That tech will most likely have a certain amount of time to get your job done and move on to the next as his day is planned out and he is probably over loaded with work. It is what it is....

 

[dishcomm]

I recommend everything be a home run. That is, a star configuration- everything to one central point.

COAX:. I'd run three, 3 GHz rated RG-6 to where the HT will be, and also to the MBR and any other place you might want a central TV server to be, such as a MiL suite or room you might rent out.

Why? In part, future proofing. One coax for dedication to OTA and the others for satellite and/or cable. Some Dish configs use two coax. Yes, a separator can obviate this, but let us consider we are not sure what comes down the road. Also, somebody like Scott may want to buy the house one day and have both satcos. Hmmm, add in cable and some FTA- maybe you should run a dozen!

See, three is not so unusual, opens up options and at this point the added cost is negligible.

I'd still run one or better, two, coax to every bedroom, office, kitchen or location that might have a TV or two. Wired will always beat wireless in performance and reliability.

CAT-6:. Run at least 2 lines everywhere you run coax. More for the HT location. Yes, you can use a hub or switch to share a line BUT: You'll want a dedicated line for on demand viewing and other video downloads. Think of the devices that will update infrequently, and those that will want some access for apps or extra content (Blu-ray).

Your HT devices that may use a connection to the Internet or home network: Sat/cable box, perhaps multiple ones; TV set; AV receiver; Roku or similar; BD player; dedicated OTA box; WAP (certainly need a dedicated line for this); NAS or central video server or even an HTPC. More coming.

In the office you'll want one or more PCs on dedicated lines and a network printer and perhaps NAS.

TVs with wired Joeys or such will outperform Wireless. Wireless is shared bandwidth; wired, not so much.

Gigabit, of course. Don't cheap out on the router. And plan on a couple of outlying WAPs on dedicated lines. Cheaping out by wireless bridging will likely have you regretting the savings long after any extra costs have been forgotten.

Land Line Phone: We still need to be afflicted with such as an option, but unless your code requires differently (unlikely), I'd only run a line to the living room and home run closet.

Electric circuits: The kitchen should have at least three, preferably four dedicated 120v circuits for outlets, in addition to a non-GFCI outlet for the refrigerator and stove. Remember the dish washer in considering loads. You might run an electric skillet, coffee pot, waffle maker and exhaust fan, etc, all at the same time.

I strongly recommend the HT have a dedicated circuit, or at least an otherwise lightly loaded circuit.

All this is ideally done when the walls are all still open.

Talk to us about your plans.

Don't forget 20 amp breakers. I cannot count how many homes I've been in, large and small where the electrical systems are so weak, it is impossible to operate a blow dryer and a toaster at the same time without tripping a breaker....

 

[KungFu Panda]

I would recommend cat6 or cat5e home runs to each room in conjunction with the coax. no need to run phone lines with it. You really only need two pairs to transmit data leaving 2 pairs available but if you can afford it then i'd run 2 lines to each room. VoIP and Pots will work just fine on twisted pair. If you live in a Uverse green area and are considering getting it then I would also recommend running a cat5e or 6 line to the NID (grey box on the house where your phone line comes in.) My other recommendations would be to avoid running in parallel to voltage and coming close to florescent lighting including CFL bulbs.

 

[dishdude]

I think 3 coax to the home theater, 1 to each other room and 2 cat6 to every room is the way to go. The nice thing about 2 cat6 cables is you can use HDMI over ethernet and reduce the number of receivers you have.

RG-6 is RG-6. Quad shield, solid copper, sweep tested to 3 ghz is overkill. But this is from the guy still using hex crimped F connectors!

 

[bobvick]

I would think about CAT7 since it's available and you never know what the future holds (extending 4K, etc...)

 

[sam_gordon]

I agree with multiple RG6 and CAT6 to each location. You might also want to consider some fiber for future proofing to/between some key areas. One thing I regret about building our home (13 years ago) was not putting multiple RG6/CAT6 (5e) to each drop location.

 

[stardust3]

Had no idea cat7 was available. That would be a big advantage for Poe devices.

I would also pre wire some professional grade Siamese wire for CCTV. There are affordable 1080p systems (hd-tvi) that use this type of wire. I love having mobile access to my system with nearly instant notifications of motion.

Would also like to add no electric wire smaller than 12guage would be used in my house. Many electricians skimp on this using 14guage where they can. That's a firing offense in my book.

 

[navychop]

Major "Hell Yes" on 12 gauge.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

Yup. 14 gauge Romex wire is the devil!!!

 

[Skytrooper]

Had no idea cat7 was available. That would be a big advantage for Poe devices.

We were installing cat 7 back in the late 90's. They called it Level 7 then. Gross overkill. Even cat 6 is overkill nowadays. But maybe not in the future.

RG-6 is RG-6. Quad shield, solid copper, sweep tested to 3 ghz is overkill. But this is from the guy still using hex crimped F connectors!

3 gig swept is the standard nowadays. My installer tore mine out from the dish to the node. And yes, in my eyes the old non swept cable will work just as well. Half my house is on the old stuff.