RE: A newbie builds a house

["Peter Heath" <ph236@xxxxxxx>]

Hello Steve

I may be able to help you with this project. the items you mention are all
prity standard. however for distributed audio and video there are a number
of good systems the main question being how many rooms do you want to link
etc.
The Cat5 cable is a good idea but cat5e and even 6 are now the current
standards and as you mentioned that you are involved with computers I am
sure you will be aware that its more than just installing a cable to meet
these standards. the connection tolerances and bend radius all can
contribute to a cat5 system that will not actually perform to cat5
standards. this is very critical if you want to make sure your install is
compatible with future equipment.

if you can give me  more detail on what audio equipment you intend to use
along with how may rooms etc I will be glad to forward you a general spec.
the same applies for the heating and comp network. e.g. what type of boiler
do you want weather compensation and or optimum start.

regards

Peter

Automated World
Cambridge UK

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Clark [mailto:steev@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 22 August 2001 22:53
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] A newbie builds a house


Hi everyone,

I'm new to this list, but I see some familiar names from the UK
selfbuild group. Hi Dr John! Anyway, here's my introduction to what
I'm looking at doing.

After several years of talking and thinking about it, it finally
looks like we're going to be building our house by the end of the
year. It's going to be a 3 bed timber frame on our existing large
plot in Bedfordshire.

All along I've assumed we were going to be wiring for most
eventualities. I like my computers, so there will be CAT5 to every
room (at least 2 lines) and probably coax as well for the video.
Having played with the likes of SnapStream I can imagine using PCs
for distributed video as well as MP3 and internet.

I'm thinking that we may use cordless phones, but there will probably
be one or 2 hard wired handsets as backup.

To be honest, I'm not too bothered about having automated lights,
curtains etc, but I want some decent heating control with separate
zones for up and down. Heating will be by radiators. I'd like the
flexibility to change the program to cope with holidays and days off.

I've considered the Comfort system, but am not totally convinced it's
right for us. We do want an alarm, but if that's all we use it looks
expensive. I suppose we might find a use for X10 type functionality
some time, but if that just uses the mains we shouldn't need to put
in anything special for it.

The existing house is on NTL and I'm using their cable modem which
works well most of the time. We're getting a digital TV box next week
as well. Having just replaced our dead video and added a DVD I'm
definitely in the market for a multi-remote. I don't want to spend a
fortune so the current favourite is the One For All 6-way which
Letsautomate say works with an NTL box. They have the best price even
with their 5.50UKP delivery.

I intend to put in cable for surround speakers so it's all hidden.
The AV equipment is going to go in a custom cabinet within a room
partition with easy access to the rear :-) Again it won't be anything
too fancy. I picked up SmartHouses today and found very little I
would seriously consider buying. I tend to think in hundreds rather
than thousands.

I've been working with computers for a fair time and I know which end
of a soldering iron to hold. I just want to get going, but have to
wait for the house. In the mean time I want to do plenty of planning.

If anyone can offer me advice I'm all ears, and if anyone in the mid-
Beds area has an interesting system installed I would like to see it.
I work in London and see that folk meet up there some times. Maybe
I'll make it there some time.

Thanks for reading this far

Steve Clark




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