RE: Advice: Planning for HA

["Mark Harrison" <Mark.Harrison@xxxxxxx>]

ISTR that the rules changed about 18 months ago on this!

On the HA front, though, the answer is to put as much CAT5, ideally
CAT5e in as possible. I would also put the highest-possible grade aerial
cable in.=20

For music, from an "MP3 server", I see three options:

1: Server, Player, and amplifier in the loft. Speaker cable run to
rooms, with local "on/off switch". The disadvantage of that is
that
speaker cable is not geared up to carry signals for more than a few
meters. May be viable for upstairs rooms, but not for downstairs.
Furthermore, it means that everyone _has_ to listen to the same track at
the same time.

2: Server and player in loft. Line level (balanced!) signals to each
room, with local amplifiers in each room. Solves the problem of the long
lengths of speaker cable, and the balanced signals travel well across
CAT5 for a cost of well under =A3100 for each trasmitter/received pair.
Best solution for everyone listening to the same thing at the same time,
but means that everyone HAS to.

3: Server in loft. Local area network running to each room, with players
(PCs, Dedicated boxes) and amplifiers in each room. Best for "zoned
audio", so that each room can listen to a different MP3. In time, the
streaming capabilities will be better, so that "whole house listening
to
the same" will improve.

Personally, I go for number 2, with a 3 on order!

Regards,

Mark Harrison
Head of Systems, eKingfisher
-----Original Message-----
From: James Monk [mailto:x10@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 3 August 2001 09:51
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Advice: Planning for HA


John,

Not directly Ha related, but may save you some money which can then be
spent
on HA.

I understand that if you knock down those two 'remaining walls' and
start
from scratch ie. new build, you can claim back the VAT on the project,
however you cannot claim it back if it is just conversion / extension
work.

This may be too late for you, if you need more info I have some at home
and
I'll happily dig it out for you, I know this was the state of play a
couple
of years ago, but these things do change frequently!

James
----- Original Message -----
From: Weir, John <john.weir@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2001 11:42 PM
Subject: [ukha_d] Advice: Planning for HA


> All,
>
> I have now have the plans for my house conversion ( really a rebuild -
only
> two external walls remain ). Before the builders start I want to
factor in
> as much support for HA as possible.
>
> I would like ( over the next few years) to have
>
> 1. Security:
> - Complete programmable control over my house lights ( Ceiling +
> floor / wall socket lights)
> - remote control over lights in each room
> - Programmable curtain movements
>
> 2. Lan
> - LAN sockets in each of the bedrooms ( 5 ) for the kids PC's + My
> own network
>
> 3. Phone
> - Sockets in each room ( + Mini swich board ) so that when the kids
> are older and cannot hear the phone over their Audio systems I can
oute it
> to their room
>
> 4. Music / TV
> - Available to each room from the MP3 server in the loft
>
> 5. Humidity / temperature
> - sensors in each room
>
> I cannot afford to do it all at once, but given that the house will be
> completely rewired will do the lights during this conversion, plus add
the
> conduit for  the curtian rails. I had hoped to find some form of
skirting
> that I chould run the Lan / Phone / TV Cables through and patch that
in.
For
> the Music, was going to add the cables to the ceilings for the
speakers
and
> route that back to my garage wall ( reasonably central ).
>
> I would appreciate any thoughts / Advice that you might have
>
> John
>
>
>
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> http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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