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It really wasn't that long ago that "pulling wire" in residential installations almost exclusively meant speaker wire. Today however, even in modest systems, custom installers find themselves responsible for a host of disciplines, including audio/video, lighting, shades, and control.
Video distribution systems continue to grow as a category. And, like everything else in the custom channel, are relying more and more on networking technologies. With the heightened sophistication of video systems, the initial prewire is more important than ever. We checked in with some industry experts for advice on what to do to ensure things run smoothly.
Choosing the Right Wire
Obviously, integrators need to pull the wire that their distribution system requires. In most cases, that's Ethernet cable. Edmonton, AB's Systems Inc, a Crestron dealer, uses DigitalMedia for its big jobs, but relies on Audio Authority's AVAtrix HD system for the more budget-conscious installations. AVAtrix uses dual network cables between the hub and the video locations, whereas DigitalMedia requires three Ethernet cables.
Systems Inc. President Joe Hostyn says that while the company tried using Crestron's bundled DM cable, his installers found it too bulky, especially in retrofit jobs. So they've opted instead to run three separate cables to each location. Hostyn also points out that even in projects that use AVAtrix, his company still runs three network cables as a hedge against future client upgrades to Crestron DigitalMedia.
With that in mind, which Ethernet cables should integrators specify? Hostyn reminds readers that Cat5e will pass 1080p just fine, but Cat6 is needed for HDMI's 1080p True Colour specification. As a result, the wire specified will depend on not only the video distribution hardware, but also the source and display equipment used, along with the end performance result desired.
Run Discrete Networks
Owing to the amount of bandwidth they use, most video distribution products require their own network, separate from any other in the house. Mark MacDonald of rep agency M3 Solutions has been spending a lot of time dealing with networking for the brands he represents, including NetStreams, and even Pioneer. Amazingly, he's seen dealers try to get by with bundling everything onto one network. "You can't do that," he exclaims. "That's asking far too much of a local network that's probably already overloaded." Even for fairly simple connectivity, like Ethernet enabled TVs and AV receivers, he strongly recommends, breaking out the networks.
Attention to Detail
The single most critical point in a video distribution system is the individual termination of each conductor. An 8x8 distribution hub that uses dual Cat5 will have 128 individual conductors. Finding the one that was crossed or shorted when it was terminated will drive an installer buggy. While it doesn't much matter whether a company uses TIA 568A or TIA 568B, what does matter is that one standard is used consistently, and that installers have 100% accuracy when terminating them. After each wire run is dropped and terminated, using a tester to confirm each termination will save a lot of time later.
At both the source and display end, when using component video, accurate terminations are just as essential. Des Young of Barrie, ON's BravoComm, endorses the four-piece ICM compression connectors for RG 56 Mini. "They are failsafe, but always test for shorts, regardless," he recommends.
Another popular, easy-to-terminate RCA end is PlanetWaves, which is also available with 90-degree connections.
Last, label every cable at each end with its function and location. A label maker trumps a sharpie marker, although even that is better than nothing. Affix the labels far enough from the wire ends so that they don't get removed when the wires are stripped and terminated.
What About the Future?
Being future-forward is always a concern. According to MacDonald, while none of the integrators he knows are actually using fibre optic cables, many are running them parallel to their Ethernet cables, as a hedge against the future. Hostyn confirms this, saying that his company has been running Crestron DM fibre whenever it's been approved by the client, with an eye towards future Crestron DigitalMedia functionality.
That's not to say that just running fibre willy-nilly is a great idea. "You've got to know what you need," advises MacDonald. "Do you need single mode? Do you need multi-mode? Just slapping in cable without having a grasp of what will be required doesn't do any good." MacDonald's advice is to partner with a vendor such as Crestron, or a wire vendor that offers fibre, and do serious product knowledge training before jumping in.
Like everything else in custom installation, successfully wiring for video distribution isn't complicated, it just requires a thorough understanding of the material required, and proper care and attention to detail. Done correctly, the prewire phase sets the rest of the project up for a smooth final installation.
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3 comments »
Canuckbot May 20, 2010, 12:17 pm
I used to pull my own wire but now I have someone else to do it for me and i'm much happier.
rpizzoli May 20, 2010, 10:30 am
Most US and now many European Service Providers are deploying Home Power Line solutions by www.AsokaUSA.com. Up to 200 MB, easy and cheap install, ethernet / wifi, virtually no returns.
MichaelSherman May 19, 2010, 16:44 pm
Consumer Electronic Installers and Integrators - Don’t Leave Installation Dollars On The Table According to the Consumer Electronics Association, accessories are the most profitable product category in retail. This starts with all the A/V cables and hardware necessary to distribute the signals. Those of us in the wholesale consumer electronics industry are all very fortunate. While sales of practically everything else have slowed dramatically, more and more Americans are staying home trying to save a buck in this economy and looking for ways to stay entertained while they're doing it. Nielsen Media Research just said people are watching more television than ever before and buying HDTVs, which are cheaper than ever thanks to manufacturers' price cuts. Audio and Video Cables: Does Quality Matter? The opportunity available to installers and integrators is to make their customers realize that any home theater set-up is only as good as the signal distribution products used to distribute the digital information. At 6 feet or under, some say a cable is a cable. But not all cables are designed or manufactured the same, nor do they perform the same or deliver the true digital experience possible with the home theater systems of today. In a recent article entitled “Audio and Video Cables: Does Quality Matter?”, Ralph Graves, one of the blog editors for Crutchfield, recently wrote, “Whether you're a hardcore gearhead or you just bought your first home theater system, you want to get the most out of your audio/video equipment. Poorly made cables can allow noise and interference to compromise the signals coming from your source components, resulting in a subpar listening or viewing experience.” Considering the expense incurred by your customers in the purchase of their home theater equipment, shouldn’t you encourage them to take advantage of the full picture and sound quality available by upgrading those supplied signal distribution products or selling HDMI or Optical cable where none was supplied by the manufacturer? You have seen the quality of the cables that come FREE with home entertainment equipment. It’s dictated by manufacturer's price considerations and is obviously not the highest quality. Some of this equipment comes with standard 20 year old cable technology. Your opportunity is to replace or upgrade those standard cables with ones that deliver the full impact and HD experience of what your customer’s home entertainment equipment can deliver to televisions, computer monitors, digital games and home audio systems. And when it comes to selling A/V cables, the education of your installers and sales personnel and/or your customer is paramount. It is very difficult for sales people to accept the concept that someone would pay 2 or 4 times as much for a cable, not realizing that a large volume of the public will pay more for quality and performance in a cable in a “big box store” such as Best Buy. They simply do not understand that all cables are not manufactured the same or perform the same. Your sales people will ask you when they see the prices for quality wholesale cables, “Why would anyone pay this much for a cable?” Ask them to unscrew the connectors on your present cable lines or manufacturer supplied cables. When they see the way the quality cables are manufactured compared to the “cheaper” cables supplied by the component manufacturers, they forget about the flashy outside cover and understand the value difference. Why should distributors, retail dealers, installers, builders, integrators and general wholesale consumer electronics dealers be interested in quality cable lines? By adding to and/or expanding your present business product offerings in the home theater signal distribution accessory category, you become a more competitive player in one of the few retail categories still alive, well and very profitable. And installers and integrators should carry quality cables and upgraded antennas on their trucks. Much of the expense in installing cable, satellite and Off-Air antennas is in the truck roll, so while you’re on-site, maximize your profits by selling upgraded cables or missing HDMI cables, Optical cable and RF Passives and Hardware and installing them to supplement your new cable, satellite or home theater installations revenue.
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