New home: OTA, network...etc. - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

slaveern · 2012-06-07, 06:00 PM

Hi folks I'm building a new home so I want to make sure all wiring are in place. Basically I have cat5 + coax to all rooms hubbed at the utility room, and I intend to have an external OTA antenna go to the utility room.

I also concern about the location of the antenna. Should it be side, back or even on top of the house? I find that it'll look weird with it on top. Side/back looks better but I wonder about signal quality.

Also another other suggestion on pre-wire will help (automation, security...etc.).

Ernest

tandem · 2012-06-07, 06:25 PM

Don't forget to wire a doorbell.

Our house finally got front and rear doorbells thanks to a main floor reno I'm doing. Took 81 years to get them. Oh and an outside outlet too.

As for antennas, placement depends more on what is between you and the various stations you intend to listen to or watch.

Re network cabling, there are some places you might want more than one run. I put three to my AV nook in the new living room, as there might be ethernet connected XBox or Bluray in addition to my Squeezebox music player not to mention ethernet on receivers is common now. Likewise I have two running to where the TV is mounted; one for the new panasonic, and one as insurance in case we ever want or have to put a network device there. I can bring more there from underneath if I must but easier when walls are open. Also ave a couple of ethernet and phone runs in each bedroom, 1 each in the kitchen.

In the living room I buried 12 gauge wire for front R/L/Center speakers; side rear surrounds; a subwoofer (different cable). Also put HDMI from TV mount to AV nook area along with a backup plan - TOSlink fibre optic cable, this in case I need to take sound from the TV should my HDMI crap out for some reason. Also had previously buried 14 gauge wire for kitchen speakers back to the AV nook; we use the Zone 2 feature of our Onkyo constantly for kitchen sound.

When the house was built before WWII there was just a few knob and tube electrical circuits; now there's a maze of wiring running down to the basement.

HWP · 2012-06-07, 06:27 PM

I strongly suggest you run two sets of RG6 coax TV cable to each room in your house. That way, you have the option of having both OTA TV and subscription cable TV to each room.

Very smart to think this through first! Congrats on the home reno!

HWP · 2012-06-07, 06:28 PM

Can you produce a TV Fool report for us and post the link? But the top of the roof will be best. We really need to know about the signals in your area before we can give you good advice about antenna location and which antenna is best.

stekmobo · 2012-06-07, 06:43 PM

I would suggest that you install wiring ducts to all rooms possible and have light cable in each one, that way if you need to install any type of new wiring in the future you can pull it through the wiring duct with the light cable.

tandem · 2012-06-07, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stekmobo

I would suggest that you install wiring ducts to all rooms possible and have light cable in each one, that way if you need to install any type of new wiring in the future you can pull it through the wiring duct with the light cable.

That sounds nicely future proof but it might be cheaper (much cheaper probably) to pay or DYI your own drywall repair 10 or 20 or 40 years down the road should the need to pull more cable arise. It'll be time for new paint by then anyway.

slaveern · 2012-06-08, 12:23 AM

Wow thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll have to manage my budget

TV Fool report here. Goodness I was finding this info badly - thanks HWP:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1349915d9bfe00

My house front face north and back face south. South is especially open because there's no house (park). East/West adjacent to houses. Based on the radar I think I should put it at my south east corner of my house, but I may miss out 2 channels (Omni and City)

stampeder · 2012-06-08, 09:36 PM

slaveern, in regards to the best OTA gear and solution for your new home please use the OTA Forum threads, and especially these ones for your area:

AB - Edmonton, Northern Alberta - OTA

OTA Station Status: Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta

We'll help you with your other requirements in this thread.

majortom · 2012-06-08, 10:12 PM

I would probably try something bidirectional (i.e. without any reflectors). Ya may find ur able to receive stations from both directions that way.

You could probably do with wireless N. But since ur wiring it now anyhow ya may as well use the ether.

2012-06-07, 06:00 PM	#1
slaveern Rookie Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 4	New home: OTA, network...etc. Hi folks I'm building a new home so I want to make sure all wiring are in place. Basically I have cat5 + coax to all rooms hubbed at the utility room, and I intend to have an external OTA antenna go to the utility room. I also concern about the location of the antenna. Should it be side, back or even on top of the house? I find that it'll look weird with it on top. Side/back looks better but I wonder about signal quality. Also another other suggestion on pre-wire will help (automation, security...etc.). Ernest

2012-06-07, 06:27 PM	#3
HWP Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto, East York (Greenwood & Mortimer) Posts: 1,143	I strongly suggest you run two sets of RG6 coax TV cable to each room in your house. That way, you have the option of having both OTA TV and subscription cable TV to each room. Very smart to think this through first! Congrats on the home reno! __________________ OTA, HD7697P, CM7778, Rotator, CM3218, TiVo, HDHomeRun Apple TV, Netflix, Teksavvy, Unblock-us, Wind, MagicJack

2012-06-07, 06:28 PM	#4
HWP Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto, East York (Greenwood & Mortimer) Posts: 1,143	Can you produce a TV Fool report for us and post the link? But the top of the roof will be best. We really need to know about the signals in your area before we can give you good advice about antenna location and which antenna is best. __________________ OTA, HD7697P, CM7778, Rotator, CM3218, TiVo, HDHomeRun Apple TV, Netflix, Teksavvy, Unblock-us, Wind, MagicJack

2012-06-08, 09:36 PM	#8
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	OTA slaveern, in regards to the best OTA gear and solution for your new home please use the OTA Forum threads, and especially these ones for your area: AB - Edmonton, Northern Alberta - OTA OTA Station Status: Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta We'll help you with your other requirements in this thread. __________________ New To OTA? OTA FAQ & Knowledge Base OTA Antenna Chart 8.2

2012-06-08, 10:12 PM	#9
majortom Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,567	I would probably try something bidirectional (i.e. without any reflectors). Ya may find ur able to receive stations from both directions that way. You could probably do with wireless N. But since ur wiring it now anyhow ya may as well use the ether. __________________ uhf/vhf combo rotor chimney mount homebrew vhf hi hpf ap-8700 preamp 4way split lg lcd dtt901 pctuner mythtv

2012-06-07, 06:25 PM	#2
tandem Join Date: May 2012 Location: Vancouver Posts: 101	Don't forget to wire a doorbell. Our house finally got front and rear doorbells thanks to a main floor reno I'm doing. Took 81 years to get them. Oh and an outside outlet too. As for antennas, placement depends more on what is between you and the various stations you intend to listen to or watch. Re network cabling, there are some places you might want more than one run. I put three to my AV nook in the new living room, as there might be ethernet connected XBox or Bluray in addition to my Squeezebox music player not to mention ethernet on receivers is common now. Likewise I have two running to where the TV is mounted; one for the new panasonic, and one as insurance in case we ever want or have to put a network device there. I can bring more there from underneath if I must but easier when walls are open. Also ave a couple of ethernet and phone runs in each bedroom, 1 each in the kitchen. In the living room I buried 12 gauge wire for front R/L/Center speakers; side rear surrounds; a subwoofer (different cable). Also put HDMI from TV mount to AV nook area along with a backup plan - TOSlink fibre optic cable, this in case I need to take sound from the TV should my HDMI crap out for some reason. Also had previously buried 14 gauge wire for kitchen speakers back to the AV nook; we use the Zone 2 feature of our Onkyo constantly for kitchen sound. When the house was built before WWII there was just a few knob and tube electrical circuits; now there's a maze of wiring running down to the basement.

2012-06-07, 06:43 PM	#5
stekmobo Rookie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1	I would suggest that you install wiring ducts to all rooms possible and have light cable in each one, that way if you need to install any type of new wiring in the future you can pull it through the wiring duct with the light cable.

2012-06-08, 12:23 AM	#7
slaveern Rookie Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 4	Wow thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll have to manage my budget TV Fool report here. Goodness I was finding this info badly - thanks HWP: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1349915d9bfe00 My house front face north and back face south. South is especially open because there's no house (park). East/West adjacent to houses. Based on the radar I think I should put it at my south east corner of my house, but I may miss out 2 channels (Omni and City)

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